Welcome! In 1981, I started my career as a legal secretary here in Oklahoma. In 1984, I became a legal assistant and a Registered Paralegal in 1999. A Registered Paralegal has successfully passed NFPA’s National Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE).

I have enjoyed wonderful opportunities throughout my career. I have been fortunate to work with many of the best and brightest attorneys, paralegals, and legal support staff in the Oklahoma City area. Early in my career, I worked for the Hon. Marian P. Opala at the Oklahoma Supreme Court as his and the Court’s first legal assistant. Justice Opala was a brilliant jurist. I learned much about legal ethics, legal analysis, and legal writing working in his chambers. It was an honor to remain his friend for the rest of his life.

Highlights of my career include the publication of a paralegal textbook, Practical Legal Writing for Legal Assistants, co-authored with Professor Emeritus Robert B. Smith, then Director of Legal Writing and Research at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. l wrote the legal writing chapter of NFPA’s first Study Guide for the PACE exam.  I have been a legal writing columnist for Legal Assistant Today, now Paralegal Today, and contributed to other paralegal publications.

For fifteen years, I taught courses and seminars as an adjunct instructor at the ABA-approved University of Oklahoma’s Legal Assistant Program. I have done more seminars in Oklahoma and around the country than I can count. My LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/pub/celia-c-elwell-rp/4/21b/4b4/.        

I have retired from the paralegal profession and now work as a legal proofreader. I still enjoy “poking around,” my term for searching the Internet to share my favorite websites, blog writers, references, and tools – the people and resources I use and rely upon most often. I look for anything that adds or refines my skills and overall knowledge. This is my idea of fun – finding new yummy brain candy. There is still so much to learn!

What I post here neither necessarily reflects my opinions nor those of my employer or clients. It is simply provided because I thought it was interesting or useful.  Nothing posted here can be relied upon by anyone as legal advice. (Please see the Disclaimer.)

Please send your recommendations and comments to pacecce@cox.net. Thanks for stopping by!

Celia C. Elwell, RP Emeritus