Jessica Hayes is a different breed of paralegal. When her colleagues at law firms are seated at their desks, their attorneys are usually within arm’s length, or at least eyeshot, and beyond that space, more lawyers and legal staff can be found engaged in their labors. Within this setting, the quiet tapping of fingers on keyboards provides a rhythmic soundscape for the passing hours.
Beyond the space where Hayes and her attorneys work, however, there are no more lawyers or legal staff, and if she wanders far enough from her desk, she’ll begin to hear the hum and whir of machinery.
Unlike her colleagues at law firms, Hayes is a corporate paralegal, and the hums and whirs she hears when she leaves her office are those of vehicles being assembled at Volkswagen America in Chattanooga.
It’s a unique setting for legal staff. One can almost imagine nature documentary narrator David Attenborough quietly intoning, “Here we see the corporate paralegal in her natural environment as she strolls through the cafeteria to reach the water cooler.”
Hayes recalls hearing a speaker at a seminar she attended while earning a paralegal studies degree in Denver encourage attendees to seek out corporate jobs.
“She said, ‘If you can get into corporate, do it. That’s the easy money in the legal field.’”
Hayes, 47, laughs at the thought even as she apologizes for how it sounds. She doesn’t need to say she’s sorry, however, because similar to her counterparts at local law firms, she has no trouble filling her days.
As a member of a legal team of three, Hayes spends the bulk of her time on human resources and employment matters in support of attorney Ian Leavy. Tasks can include everything from processing unemployment claims and attending hearings to administering wage garnishments and handling subpoenas.
“We have 5,500 people, so all of this can take a lot of time,” Hayes says. “If we deny someone unemployment and then they file an appeal, we have to explain again why they left.”
Meanwhile, senior counsel John Critchfield handles the legal work related to suppliers, the purchasing department and plant expansions.
“I’ll do a quick review of a contract or create a new one and then send it to John to review,” Hayes says.
While one might picture the prolific automotive manufacturer needing a battalion of attorneys and legal staff to handle the issues that rise out of its operations, the industrious trio is able to deal with most local matters. (The larger brigade is located elsewhere.) Oddly – given the impressive scope of Volkswagen’s local operations – this gives Hayes’ office the ambiance of a small firm.
And that suits her fine, she says.
“The atmosphere is unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere. Everyone is friendly and supportive. Even though a lot of people work here, it feels like a small town or community.”
Ups and downs
Although Hayes has found her niche as a paralegal in a dynamic but cozy corporate setting, she experienced other scenarios before arriving at Volkswagen 12 years ago.
She remembers one with a hesitant smile.
“I worked for a law firm in Denver that did medical malpractice litigation,” she begins. “My favorite case was a wrongful death matter we handled for Denver International Airport. I hate to say, ‘favorite case,’ but it was fascinating. A gentleman had a heart attack on a plane, and DIA wasn’t equipped to reach him in time.
“We had to dig into not only the victim’s medical background but also what the airport did. How was it set up? Why did they lack certain things? It was fun.
“Again, maybe ‘fun’ isn’t the right word, but it was an intriguing case. We had to go deep.”
‘Fun’ definitely would not be the correct word for what Hayes unapologetically describes as the worst job she’s ever had.
“I worked for a collection agency that sued people who had outstanding debts. I had to call cancer patients who were unable to work and say, ‘You owe the hospital that treated you $90,000. I understand your circumstances, but we’re going to seek judgment against you.’”
This was not a pleasant way to spend eight hours a day, Hayes adds.
“I didn’t last long. It was so depressing, I had to leave.”
Becoming a paralegal
Hayes explored a variety of career opportunities before choosing the legal field. She attended beauty classes right out of high school and then worked as a flight attendant for several years. Believing she wanted to marry and start a family, she turned in her wings and took a job as a receptionist at a Colorado law firm. Something clicked during her time with the practice.
“It was interesting,” she says with a wink. “I joke that working for a law firm is a good way to dig into people’s dirt.”
Hayes explored other options in a bid to secure steady employment. In time, she chose the legal profession.
“It was between this and health care, which are two things that will never go away. And as I reflected on what I enjoy and find interesting, I thought the law would be more suitable.”
When family lured Hayes to Chattanooga in 2013, she papered the city with applications for legal jobs. She recalls interviewing with Leavy and attorney Wade Hinton at Volkswagen and then continuing her quest for employment before receiving a job offer two months later.
A dozen years hence, Hayes says she’s thrilled with her role at the company. “I love my job. John and Ian are amazing, and I enjoy working with them to achieve a common goal.”
Critchfield and Leavy also seem pleased that Hayes made her way to them. Not only is she a workhorse, the former says, but she also makes their jobs easier, the latter adds.
“Jessica has proven to be an incredibly valuable asset to our team,” Critchfield notes. “She’s skilled at spotting problems, and often resolves some so-called ‘issues’ before they even land on our desks. She also has great drive and ambition. Her plate is never full and she’s always asking for more work.”
“Having a paralegal like Jessica on our team helps tremendously as in-house attorneys don’t have the support and resources that an attorney in a law firm has on a day-to-day basis,” Leavy reveals. “Jessica provides that support for us as she helps us talk through an issue, or organizes and files things, or prepares a document for our review. Without her, we’d be less efficient.”
Coolest aunt ever
Judging by Hayes’ schedule when she’s off the clock, she prefers to have a full plate at home, as well.
Although Hayes never became a mother, she did purchase a house a stone’s throw away from her sister and her husband, who have a son and a daughter who enjoy spending time with “the coolest aunt ever.”
“Since I don’t have kids of my own, I wanted to be near my sister and help with hers,” she says. “Being a second mom to them is one of my favorite things.”
Hayes does have a husband and three rescue dogs at home, so she divides her time between the two households as well as Eat the Frog, the Ooltewah studio where she exercises several times a week.
But even as Hayes is doing life with her extended family, her thoughts remain close to her profession and the ways she can support her fellow paralegals. To this end, she’s serving as the president of the Tennessee Paralegal Association, which provides a networking platform for the state’s paralegals and backs their professional development.
Hayes is also working to earn her National Organization of Legal Assistance certification. This is not a job requirement, as Tennessee paralegals do not have to be certified or take continuing education classes. Rather, she wants to make herself more valuable to Volkswagen, she says.
“It covers everything, not just what I do at work, so it’s been a challenge.”
This statement contains the heart of Hayes’ story. Whether she’s making life easier for her attorneys, elevating her colleagues or spending time with family, she wants to earn her place in the world.
“I tried to be smart and make the right decisions. And I feel like I chose well.”