PACE Testimonials

Lori Jones, RP
Fairfax County, Virginia

I am currently a Paralegal for Fairfax County Adult Protective Services, a division of Adult & Aging Services for the Department of Family Services. I accepted this newly created position in May 2007. I review and monitor guardian reports for incapacitated persons residing in Fairfax County, assist social workers with legal research and other tasks on behalf of their clients, act as liaison between Adult Protective Services and the Office of the County Attorney, and oversee the Pre-guardianship Panel. Through hard work, creativity, education, and trainings, I've succeeded as sole paralegal for Adult & Aging Services, a busy department with a mission to serve adults through programs that protect and prevent older adults and incapacitated adults from abuse, neglect, or exploitation and maximize self-sufficiency. In May 2008, after settling in, thoughts of preparing for and passing the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) became a part of my career development plan. PACE was becoming a popular topic among Fairfax County's paralegal community and presentations I attended. I never could have anticipated my long journey to complete this goal of RP, nor could I have anticipated the many roadblocks that stood in my way. I never through my journey would include taking, failing by three questions, retaking, and passing PACE. Two plus years later, my story has a happy ending!

On January 27, 1998, I received a Specialized Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies from the National Institute for Paralegal Arts and Sciences (NIPAS), a long distance education accredited college. During this time, I had to balance full-time employment for a sole practitioner in general law located in Maryland, run a household, and attend to my active young children's needs and family responsibilities. It was tough, but as the saying goes, when there's a will, there's a way!

Our family relocated to Northern Virginia in September 1997. I continued to work for law firms in Fairfax County, Virginia as either a legal assistant or legal secretary in various areas of law. Many of the job related tasks and duties were paralegal in nature. In August 2004, I left the private sector to become an administrative assistant to Fairfax County's Office of the County Attorney. During this time, I worked with four attorneys in the Land Use Department. The majority of the job skills and tasks assigned to me were substantial paralegal work. In May 2007, in an effort to better myself, I applied for and accepted a newly created paralegal position in the Department of Family Services, Adult Protective Services. I then set some tougher goals for myself: 1) to become a recognized and networked paralegal in the legal community; 2) to be an involved member of national and local paralegal organizations; and 3) become a Registered Paralegal. The toughest of these goals was passing PACE!

The more I thought about becoming a Registered Paralegal, the more excited I became. The intense studying began. I was bound and determined to become certified. I wanted to be a proud member of a small group who already had their "RP" credential. Speaking from experience, the effort, discipline, determination, and will to pass PACE became my life. I studied daily for hours on end and became burned out by test time. Shortly before examination time, the fifth edition study manual evolved and the test was changed. Were these the first two strikes against me? One will never know!

On July 25, 2008, I took PACE. Regrettably, the preliminary test results indicated I did not pass; I did not pass by approximately three questions. I was disappointed, upset, and at a total loss. I thought of myself as a failure even though PACE may have been similar to a mini bar exam. I was hard on myself and truly upset. How does one re-motivate? With a few pushes and shoves from other RP's, I attended a Paralegal Associates of Northern Virginia (PANV) meeting whereby PACE, led by Anne Price of NFPA, was the sole topic to be discussed. Our PACE Certification Ambassador, Karen Nelson, promised me I'd leave the meeting ready to retake PACE. It was the motivation I needed! I became motivated to retake PACE. As I left the PANV meeting, I thought,

If I pass PACE, it would be a milestone accomplishment.
If I become a Registered Paralegal, it will be an honorable and reputable achievement.

I went ahead and purchased the updated 5th edition study manual (had been studying from the 4th edition), joined a study group with a couple of other paralegals preparing to take PACE, and hit the books. Our threesome study group made a world of difference. It is a beneficial way to learn and make friends. The dedication and devotion toward receiving a passing score was constantly on my mind.

One year after my first attempt, on July 20, 2009, I retook PACE. With zero time remaining, I awaited for the preliminary results, waiting for the computer to calculate the retake. I was looking down, holding my breath, slowly looked up not believing what I saw. I literally took a double take not knowing if I was imagining what I wanted to see on the screen. "Congratulations" it read. I passed!

So, I earned the credential. It did not come easy. In fact, it was one of the most difficult achievements I have ever set out to accomplish. We can't give up if we want something bad enough. I'm living proof. More about Lori

Mary I. Wilkins, R.P.

I have been working as a paralegal since 1989 in a broad range of legal environments, including in-house counsel for Marriott Corporation, a small general-practice law firm, in-house counsel for The National Rifle Association, and currently as a litigation paralegal in The Fairfax County Attorney's office. I began to take classes towards an AAS degree in Paralegal Studies at Northern Virginia Community College in 2004, and in my Introduction to Law class a member of NFPA gave a presentation on the PACE exam. I was so inspired by this presentation that I decided that I would take the PACE exam as soon as I completed my formal studies.

I completed the course requirements for my degree in Paralegal Studies in April of 2008, and immediately began to prepare for the PACE exam by enrolling in the 6-week online review program offered by The American Institute of Paralegal Studies. Before enrolling in the review class, I did have concerns that completing this course would be too much of a time commitment while working full-time, but this was not a problem at all. I was able to complete the reading and online assignments in any available time I had during the day. The material was so interesting and challenging, and it was great to have immediate feedback from the online instructor.

In the one-month period between completing the online class and sitting for the exam, I studied in the library on Saturdays and Sundays to improve my weakest areas. Taking the PACE exam was very challenging, but I did feel that I was well-prepared, so I just read each question carefully and chose the "best" answer, although it was not always clear-cut. I went back to check my answers several times, and when my time was up, the computer tabulated my results and I was informed that I had passed the exam.

I took the PACE Exam to complete a personal goal, and the personal rewards of preparing for and passing the exam have meant more to me than the feedback from others. I learned that I thrive when I am involved in a very challenging program, and that I do need to trust the legal knowledge that I have gained over the years. The knowledge that I gained from preparing for the PACE Exam is invaluable to me in my current position, and will benefit me for the remainder of my career. I hope that other paralegals rise to the challenge of preparing for and taking the PACE Exam, both for their own personal gratification, and for the growth of the paralegal profession.

Kathi P. Ingram, RP

I work as a Senior Paralegal at Marriott International, Inc. headquarters located in Bethesda, Maryland. I work in the Labor, Employment & Benefits law practice of Marriott's Law Department. I have been with Marriott for three years. However, I have been a paralegal for over 15 years.

Being a paralegal is my second career. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a BS in Sociology, I began my first career in naval defense logistics working over 15 years for various defense contractors in Northern Virginia. Although logistics was not what I wanted to do from 9 to 5, I truly enjoyed working with my client, the Navy. I learned a lot about business in general and the military. One of the best bosses I have ever had came from working in the logistics field. A former Marine, his mentoring carried me into my paralegal career. The highlight of my logistics career was having the opportunity to tour a nuclear submarine which was dry docked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

Working full-time during the day, I went back to school in the evenings to obtain my paralegal certificate. After successfully completing my paralegal studies, I began looking for that first paralegal job, knowing that I may have to take a salary decrease. The defense contractor I was currently employed with at that time was advertising for a paralegal to work in the Office of General Counsel with the Corporate Ombudsman. I applied, interviewed and was offered a lateral transfer, meaning no salary decrease. I had successfully gained entry into the paralegal field without any paralegal or legal experience.

Since the beginning of my paralegal career, I have been active in paralegal associations. I currently serve as President and NFPA Secondary Delegate for the Paralegal Association of Northern Virginia (PANV). PANV is an active member association with the Virginia Alliance of Paralegal Associations (VAPA) and with NFPA as well. I mention being active in the local, state, and national paralegal association for a reason. It was through these networks that I became educated about PACE and becoming a RP. At the time PACE was first developed, I personally had no interest in taking PACE only because I was waiting for the Commonwealth of Virginia to develop an exam. It is now fourteen years later and I am still waiting for Virginia to develop that exam, only now I am a RP. I learned that paralegals should not wait to define their own destiny. We cannot depend on the bar associations or the state legislators to define the standards of excellence for the paralegal profession. Only paralegals can do that. With that in mind, I made the decision that I was going to prepare myself to take PACE. I purchased the PACE study manual, second edition, and began to study with earnest, setting a goal to sit for PACE by the year 2000. I took that study manual, known in my family as the "blue book", with me everywhere.

Unfortunately, I did not meet my goal to sit for PACE by the year 2000, but that did not mean I was any less determined to take the exam. Life, as you all know, happens and we get busy with our personal and professional lives. I did stop studying for several years, until Ann Price, RP, NFPA's Vice President & Director of PACE began looking for beta testers. I did not hesitate. I promptly volunteered to be a beta tester. If I was not ready now, eight years later, to finally take PACE, then I would never be ready. I immediately submitted my application to sit for PACE. As soon as the new study manual was ready for purchase, I purchased it. As soon as I could schedule the date to take the exam, I scheduled it.

The first time I was scheduled to take the exam was Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 8:00 a.m. Prior to Tuesday, I had been very sick with what I thought was a sinus infection. However, I was also having difficulty breathing, which I never experienced before. On Tuesday morning at 5:00 a.m., I attempted to get out of bed to get myself ready. It was a sad attempt. I think I may have lifted my head off the pillow a little and then plopped it back down. That night I was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit with double pneumonia. It was all a blur that I hope to never experience again. After a week, I was discharged from the hospital and ordered to remain off work for a month. During my stay at the hospital, Ann Price contacted the testing center on my behalf to explain why I did not show up to take the exam. Thank you, Ann. It was arranged for me to take the exam when I was well enough, but by a set deadline. As soon as my doctor gave me permission to drive and return to work, I rescheduled to take the exam on June 19, 2008, 5:00 p.m. I am certain you are thinking that, wow, she had a whole month to sit at home and study for PACE. I did, but I did not study at all. Like I said before, I was ready, mentally, to take the exam. I just needed to be ready, physically, to take it.

June 19 arrives. The day to take PACE has finally arrived, eight years past my initial goal to sit for PACE. I am not sick. I am breathing and I am breathing well. I will not have a car accident on the way to the testing center. No one or nothing will stop me this time from taking PACE. I actually have a smile on my face as I enter the testing center. The staff might think I am on something, but I am not. I give them the required documents as proof that I am who I am and they escort me to the room where others are taking exams. After some brief instructions as to leaving your testing station and using the computer, I began my exam. I know to take the tutorial because it was recommended by PACE knowledgeable people to do so. Besides it is an opportunity to give my heart time to rest and for me to relax. I remember feeling confident after I answered the first couple of questions. I began to relax. I think, "I am going to ace this exam". But, that feeling comes to a halt by the first hour into the exam. The feeling I had now was "I am going to fail this exam". I continue to carefully read and focus on the questions and answer them the best I could, while at the same time thinking "It is okay, Kathi, you will take the exam again and you will pass the second time". Others who had taken PACE told me that it would not take the whole four hours to complete the exam. I finished the exam with 15 minutes remaining on the four hour allotment given to take the exam. I closed the place down. I was the only tester left in that room. The testing center staff, except one, had left. It was almost 9:00 p.m. But, I completed the exam; I made sure no question was unanswered, even if it was the incorrect answer. I walked out of the room forgetting to check for the immediate results. The staff of one asked me if I wanted to know how I did on the exam and I said "okay" and he instructed me how to get the results. The word "Congratulations" immediately jumped out at me. I think I may have screamed. The staff of one just smiled and said "Congratulations". I sat in my car in disbelief. I could not believe that I had passed. I had already prepared myself to take the exam for a second time because I honestly thought that I had failed. I sat in my car and screamed. I was so incredibly happy.

The Marriott Law Department has a monthly newsletter. I put an announcement in the newsletter that I successfully passed PACE. I explained what NFPA and PACE is because no one outside NFPA knows what PACE is. I do not normally toot my own horn, but I wanted to make this announcement because how is the legal community going to learn about PACE if we do not discuss it? I had a few paralegals and attorneys wholeheartedly congratulate me, which pleased me. My supervisor and the V.P. of Human Resources congratulated me. Have I received recognition by my employer for successfully passing PACE? No, but I strongly sense that my passing PACE has been noticed by others in the Law Department. I feel like I am looked at with more respect.