By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Christine Kloack, who holds an associate’s degree in business from Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, entered the paralegal field after several years as a senior team trainer for a large national retail chain.
“I was ready for new challenges and began to research possibilities that would be both interesting and that would let me make a contribution back to my community,” she says.
“The more I read about being a paralegal, the more I was intrigued. It seemed to me a paralegal was to an attorney what a physician's assistant is to a doctor.”
She headed to Baker College, graduating summa cum laude from the Paralegal Program.
Her Probate, Wills and Trusts class led to an internship with the Jackson County Probate Court, and started her on this career path where she feels she is helping to make a difference in people’s lives when they may be struggling with how to help an elderly family member or help people after the death of a loved one.
The work requires compassion and a positive, engaging approach to client concerns.
“I enjoy helping people and feel good when I know something we’ve done helps someone feel better about a life circumstance,” she says.
After working for attorneys in Jackson for five years, Kloack is now the main paralegal for Katie Lynwood of Buhl, Little, Lynwood and Harris in East Lansing. Kloack started there 2-1/2 years ago, and works in probate matters, estate planning, trust administration, guardianships, and conservatorships, and also contributes to the firm’s Newsletters. Since two attorneys, Katie Lynwood and Raymond Harris, are both licensed in Michigan and Florida, Kloack also assists with matters involving the Sunshine State.
No two days are the same, she notes. “Some days I’m consoling a grieving client, and other days I’m helping a client understand all the paperwork involved with their particular circumstance,” she says.
Kloack, who previously served on the Baker College Paralegal Advisory Board and regularly spoke to students about the paralegal world, currently serves on the Lansing Community College Paralegal Advisory Board and has been a presenter to the introductory Paralegal program class to share her experiences.
Kloack attends ICLE and State Bar of Michigan continuing education conferences and is a member of the Ingham County Bar Association Probate and Trust Section, and the Ingham County Bar Paralegal Section. She also has previously attended sessions at the Probate and Estate Planning Institute in Traverse City.
“I truly enjoy attending the conferences because they are not only networking opportunities, but also very interesting and educational,” she says. “Continuing education is important because it helps to keep you up to date on the latest legal updates and it helps you be better able to help your clients.”
During her free time, Kloack enjoys golfing with her husband and doing just about anything with her children.
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