KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals Fall/Winter 2013.2 | Page 26

counsel table seeing her work play out in front of
her in the courtroom. Like many litigation paralegals, Jamie has no qualms about admitting that
she “feels the most alive” when preparing and
assisting at trial. That courtroom euphoria is what
fuels her drive to perform at her very best, regardless of the job.
John C. Cox, President / CEO of Andrews & Cox,
P.C. d/b/a Bleecker Brody & Andrews, describes Jamie as a tremendous individual. While Cox moved
from the firm where he previously worked with
Jamie, he now often uses her as a sounding board
in his practice. Cox believes that “Jamie is a visionary, a leader in her field and is committed to the
advancement of paralegals across the country.”
When asked what it is about Jamie’s work that has
him singing her praises so loudly, Cox answered
that “…the most inexplicable part of what Jamie
brings to the table is her ability to consistently be
a few steps ahead of the attorney in accomplishing the aims of the representation.”
While Jamie is proud of the career she created
and the paralegal “society” she maintains, her
family is the true light in her life. Outside of the
office, she enjoys spending time with her family
(and extended family), traveling with her husband
Chris (who proposed at a New Year’s Eve celebration with both of their families in attendance), and
raising their son, Gavin.
Jamie can relate to the plight of working moms
everywhere as it is not unusual for her to dash
out of the office and onto the bleachers at a little
league baseball game to watch eight year old
Gavin (who aspires to someday play in the major
league) play ball. Juggling her two lives, she jokes
that she will not be surprised if one day she finds
herself offering a glass of chocolate milk to her
supervising attorney.
Husband Chris works in finance and she believes this makes them an ideal homework team
for their son. Jamie assists with anything writingrelated and Chris jumps in where numbers are involved. After business hours, you are likely to find
her curled up on the couch, munching on cheese
popcorn, and watching Homeland with Chris or
snuggled up reading books with Gavin. While she
loves to occasionally hang out with friends over
a nice meal or a margarita, most of her personal
time is devoted to family life.

There will undoubtedly be naysayers who want
to believe that the success Jamie has experienced
is luck and, to a degree, they may be correct. Luck
often accompanies success but truly successful
people make their own luck. One of the keys is not
to wait for the opportunity to find you. Jamie Collins is hardly one of the crowd; she envisions a bold
future and intends to have it. Jamie is zealous in
her pursuit of professional nirvana and never lets
an opportunity pass her by. Her ability to convert a
call into a position as a columnist for KNOW one day
after a chance on-line meeting is just one example
of never ending pursuit of the next big thing.
Much of the “better, brighter, fuller” life that Jamie has created for herself is attributed to her writing. “It is the most deeply personal thing that’s just
mine,” she says. The writers among us will understand how she feels. There is something in a writer
that compels them to take an idea, a thought or
a quote and weave a story sufficiently rich in detail to create images in the mind of the reader. To
be able to earn a living doing that is all too often
just a dream. It is, in fact, Jamie’s dream: to be an
acclaimed writer on the New York Times Bestseller
List.
While I have a few years on Jamie, both chronologically and professionally, this young rising star
has accomplished many of the things that appear
on my career bucket list...and some things that I
did not even know I wanted to have on said bucket
list. Getting to know Jamie Collins will make you to
want to reach beyond what you believe you can
do. She has a quest to be the best at and refuses
to settle for “good enough.” There is a lesson in that
doggedness. Having a colleague like Jamie is an asset and comes with rewards beyond expectations.
Get to know Jamie, whether in a cyber-relationship
or reality. Having a true visionary right up there in
your contacts list certainly couldn’t hurt.
About the Author
Lottie Wathen is a litigation paralegal at Cohen
& Malad, LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana where she
works exclusiv [Hۈ