Our team at The Valley Law Group is ecstatic to announce that we have a new member joining us. As a Legal Paraprofessional, Tammy Uhling is able to offer unique skills that make her an invaluable asset to our firm. We are more than excited to create a place here where she can share her wealth of expertise with you.
We know that many of you may be unfamiliar with the term “paraprofessional,” which is why we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce Tammy and help you better understand what she does. Let’s dive into it all below.
About Tammy Uhling
Working in the legal world isn’t an easy prospect. However, Tammy Uhling knew at a young age that she wanted to help people by practicing the law. In fact, before she had even graduated high school, Tammy locked down a job as a receptionist at the Mohave County Attorney’s Office. From there, she did everything in her power to amass a wealth of experience and knowledge surrounding the law in Arizona.
While she has roots in Ohio, Tammy spent her formative years here in Arizona. Once she graduated high school, she made the move from Lake Havasu to Maricopa County to pursue her legal career. Since then, Tammy has spent years working in various legal environments, watching attorneys work and taking notes on how to practice law effectively to help clients succeed.
After committing months of hard work, personal time, and energy, Tammy soon became one of the first 40 individuals to be recognized as a paraprofessional with a family law endorsement in Arizona. This incredible title allows her to work on a myriad of family law issues here in Maricopa County while offering accessible services. Tammy’s legal achievements, passion, and down-to-earth personality make her an irreplaceable addition to our team, and we are proud to have her.
What Is a Paraprofessional?
Now that you know a bit more about Tammy, it’s time to delve into what the legal paraprofessional position is all about. Simply put, a Legal Paraprofessional is an individual with comprehensive legal training in a specific practice area. The specialized area within which a Legal Paraprofessional conducts their studies is referred to as their “endorsement.” In Tammy’s case, she is a Legal Paraprofessional with an endorsement in family law. This means she has the power to add both value and accessibility to our firm as she handles her own caseload as a family law advocate.
Arizona is one of the first states to send Legal Paraprofessionals into the field. The government’s hope is that paraprofessionals can provide additional, accessible representation to handle some of the rising number of cases throughout the state. As a result, it’s important to note that Arizona lawmakers describe the job of a Legal Paraprofessional as one similar to that of a nurse practitioner. For example, while a nurse does not hold the same title as a doctor, they still have all of the knowledge needed to perform important tasks and life-saving procedures. Legal Paraprofessionals, who are also referred to as Limited License Legal Practitioners (LLLPs), receive extensive training in their practice areas to ensure they can provide effective legal services both in and out of court.
The Varying Jobs of a Legal Paraprofessional
The roles of every Legal Paraprofessional will vary depending on their endorsement. Because Tammy studied family law, she is able to provide a diverse array of family law services at The Valley Law Group. Just a few of the tasks that Tammy can perform as a paraprofessional include:
Representing Clients During Family Law Issues
In the most general sense, Tammy has the ability to represent clients during almost any family law case, hearing, or conference, just like a lawyer. Child support, child custody, visitation, paternity, divorce, spousal support, marital agreements, and more are all case types for which our skilled paraprofessional can provide representation. Essentially, Tammy can represent you just as an attorney would in nearly all aspects of family law.
Most Divorce Services
As divorce is one of the most frequent case types in Arizona Family Court, it’s important to note that Tammy can represent clients during a divorce and all the resulting matters, including property division, with one important caveat: Arizona’s one exclusion is that Legal Paraprofessionals cannot divide commercial property. This means that you can come to our paraprofessional for a wide range of divorce issues, ranging from child custody representation to mediation help, just not to divide your family business after a divorce. However, if you and your spouse wish to transfer ownership of the business to a single party or the business is otherwise not under contention, Tammy would be more than happy to take your case.
Providing Legal Advice
Most cases involving family law are challenging to understand, especially if you don’t have experience with the type of case you’re facing. Fortunately, paraprofessionals can offer advice to Arizona residents who may be struggling to navigate legal issues or those who are unsure of what legal steps they need to take. If you choose representation by Tammy, we think you’ll find she is a compassionate, dedicated professional who is prepared to listen to your story and help you find a solution to your case quickly.
Mediation
Tammy is not only able to attend mediation as your counsel, but she also has the skills needed to perform mediation herself. This opens up a wide range of possibilities for divorcing couples, especially if they weren’t able to find an available mediator beforehand. Using her conflict resolution skills and insight into Arizona family law, our Legal Paraprofessional can help you make compromises that you feel comfortable with through mediation.
Filing and Representing Orders of Protection
Many people who are seeking Orders of Protection do not have the time to wait. By enabling Legal Paraprofessionals like Tammy to use their skills in court, the State of Arizona has ensured they can assist Arizona residents in filing and fighting for Orders of Protection. If you’re currently worried about your or a loved one’s safety, don’t hesitate to see how our paraprofessional may be able to help you.
The Value of Paraprofessionals
By adding a paraprofessional to our team, we hope to make the lives of our clients as easy as possible despite the legal issues they face. We believe Legal Paraprofessionals play a vital role once added to any firm, and Tammy has proven herself to be an amazing asset since day one.
Because Legal Paraprofessionals carry a wealth of experience and immense insight into family law, Tammy will benefit our firm by serving as an additional attorney through challenging cases. Tammy is able to provide legal support and client support in these situations as she handles her portion of our firm’s family law caseload. She attends hearings and trials on behalf of her clients and provides family law presentation, administrative oversight, and legal advice. Tammy opens up a broader array of our family law services to more Arizona residents.
Best of all, Legal Paraprofessionals have lower rates than your average attorney, making them more accessible to more people. They’re often more available, too, because they typically deal with expeditious cases. Tammy is an excellent example of this, as her hourly rates are half what you’ll be charged by a standard family law attorney – yet, you’ll receive the same great family law services you’ve come to expect from The Valley Law Group.
Our Commitment to Excellence
At The Valley Law Group, our mission is to provide exceptional legal services to all Arizona residents. The attorneys and legal professionals at our firm are handpicked and have devoted their careers to protecting the rights of our clients. By adding an experienced paraprofessional to The Valley Law Group’s team, we are proud to recommit to our mission to enhance our services with Tammy’s skilled representation. Tammy, who has over four decades of experience learning from and working with attorneys, has gained critical knowledge that helps to give her an advantage in the realm of Arizona family law.
Reach Out to The Valley Law Group and Our New Paraprofessional Today
The Valley Law Group is proud to welcome Tammy Uhling to our firm. We are more than confident that her passion and skills will benefit both our team and our clients.
We eagerly anticipate all the ways her knowledge can make an impact on others, and we are ready to witness her thriving as a paraprofessional.
If you’re looking for dependable family law services in Arizona, reach out to our outstanding team today.
Jonathan Roeder, Founder/Director of Marketing of The Valley Law Group, is an Arizona native who has dedicated his life and career to the service of others. After graduating salutatorian of his high school class, Jonathan attended beautiful and prestigious Pepperdine University, where he majored in Political Science. During his tenure at Pepperdine University, his passion for helping others grew after securing a clinical position with a residential treatment center for juveniles with substance addictions. Post-graduation, Jonathan returned to Arizona and served as a residential manager for mentally and physically disabled homes.
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