Episode 11: Interview with Christine Savoy

Transcript

Tara.edwards 0:02

Hello, my name is Tara, and welcome to Sister-in-Law, the Paralegal Journey, a podcast about the careers behind the case files. Whether you work in law, work alongside the legal profession, or thinking about a career in this space, or simply want an honest look at the paralegal journey, you're in the right place. Welcome back to Sister-in-Law, the paralegal journey. One of the themes that comes up repeatedly on this show is that there isn't just one way to build a career in this profession. Some people spend their entire careers working in law firms, other move into corporate roles, compliance, legal operations, or government work. And some decide to take a different path altogether and build something of their own. Today's conversation is about entrepreneurship and what your legal career may look like as a paralegal in Alberta. We will also talk about professional development and the role that organizations like the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals can play in supporting the profession. As you listen to this episode, please ask yourself these questions. Where am I currently in my legal career, and what direction do I think my legal career might take over the next few years? Today's guest is Christine Savoy. Christine is an Alberta registered paralegal, has more than 20 years of experience in the legal profession, and now runs her own paralegal practice focusing on uncontested divorce, estate, and power of attorney services. Hi Christine. Thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today. Before we get started, please introduce yourself to the listeners.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 1:35

Hi Tara. It's really nice to be here. I run an independent paralegal business called, Matt lena, a paralegal. I'm excited to be on this podcast and thank you for the opportunity.

Tara.edwards 1:46

Thank you so much Christine. So we're gonna start by talking about the beginning of your career. Can you start by telling us a bit about your legal career and how you first entered the profession?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 1:56

So I took, the legal assistant, diploma program at Red College back in 91 and after I graduated, I got a job in Red Deer with a sole practitioner. I worked with him for about two and a half years, and he did little bits of all areas. So it was a great way to get a lot of experience, decide what kind of areas I liked. It was a great way to start out and then I moved towards, eventually working in some bigger law firms.

Tara.edwards 2:24

How did your experience shape the way you practice today?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 2:27

As I got into bigger firms, I was doing a lot of litigation, family law and a little bit of wills and estates. My experiences really shaped the practice that I'm running today because I really found, I enjoyed family law. I enjoyed working with the clients. I enjoyed the documents I was drafting up. I also enjoyed doing estate planning documents like the wills, the power of attorneys, and the personal directives. Then I got into doing probates of estate and that has led me to doing the wills in estates. Because I was so interested and passionate in those areas, that's what led me into what I'm focusing my business now.

Tara.edwards 3:06

What led you to make the decision to start your own paralegal practice?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 3:10

To be honest, I became a single mom in 2010. So I did go back to work but I found, that it just wasn't working. Being a solo parent and doing the law firm the Monday to Friday, couldn't work, and I didn't have a lot of family to help at that time. So I slowly started as a side hustle 'cause it just takes a while to build up those clients and get your name out there. I was still at times taking on temporary work at law firms while I built my business.

Tara.edwards 3:40

I get what you're saying about the single mother thing. 'cause I was a single mother when I had started in the career. It becomes really hard with trying to tell people, okay, it's just me. And people often don't understand the hula hoops that you jump through to make this work.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 3:55

It, really is and it truly was just me so it made it hard and then my son became special needs. So then we had appointments upon appointments and medical things. So it was really hard to fit that all in and be able to have the flexibility to do all those appointments, at the time. But, I'm really glad. It's taken a while and it's been a lot of hard work, but I am so glad for the business that I have right now.

Tara.edwards 4:23

It just sounds like, what you're saying is that perseverance is something that is a soft skill that you have to have if you, choose entrepreneurship right.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 4:33

Yeah, it absolutely is. 'Cause there's gonna be a lot of days, and I still have those days where I'm like. Why am I doing this? Maybe it would be easier to go back and work in a law firm, and we all have those days that you wonder, maybe the grass is greener on the other side. But, I truly do love what I do. I love working with my clients and, I can't imagine doing anything else right now.

Tara.edwards 4:56

That is such a reminder that careers in the legal profession often evolve over time and that the skills people develop early in their careers can eventually open doors to opportunities that may not have imagined when they first started. And that sometimes your own, personal journey will, determine what the next steps that you take in your career. What were some of your biggest challenges that you faced when you first started out on your own?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 5:22

Just the the logistics of getting clients. When I was starting, it was before paralegals were basically even working at home for the most part. So the idea that someone was out there doing it from their home and didn't, report to a lawyer or work in the law firm at all was, a new concept. Then just some pushback from lawyers and, I'm very careful about staying in my lane, not providing legal advice and doing what only that I can do. But, there's been a real education piece out there that paralegals can do some of this kind of work. That's been a real, struggle at times. But it is slowly evolving where people are understanding that, is an option.

Tara.edwards 6:05

When people think about Alberta paralegals, why they have such a hard time distinguishing the difference between, legal support and the paralegal support is because they don't understand, where that line is. As paralegal supports, we can offer just a little bit more because you are pretty much the subject matter expert, as in what needs to be done, according to the forms or, whatever that has to be done within that tribunal or small claims court action or anything like that.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 6:38

Yes, that's very correct because you are, in the background doing the forms. You see what happens. I had 15, getting on 20 years experience before even going out on my own. I had seen already so much about what happened with a family law file, what happens when you go to court and, just giving information of, what they're in for, timelines, that sort of thing.

Tara.edwards 7:00

What surprised you the most about running your own practice?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 7:03

I think it was how much of, a soft skill that people skills are. It's not so much being a paralegal and doing the documents, it's a people business. And you have to run your business like a business and you have to have boundaries. You have to set systems in place. I just found you had to really develop those people's skills and really hone in on managing client expectations. The areas of law that I am in are extremely emotional areas. So your people skills are so important when you're young running a business.

Tara.edwards 7:39

What do you enjoy most about serving clients directly in areas like on contested divorce and estate documents?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 7:46

I love working with people in these areas because it gives them an option get these things done where they are amicable and things are pretty simple and straightforward and, being able to help them and get them to get this sorted and get things moving.

Tara.edwards 8:03

What are some of the things that experience has taught you about working in the legal profession?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 8:08

That, every client has a story and important to be able to empathize with them, but be able to provide good service to clients. It's important to treat people with respect instead of them feeling that they're not being heard. To be able to explain things to people it's very important.

Tara.edwards 8:29

I often feel like sometimes when we work in the legal profession, because we've done it for so long and we've seen, areas and people and things, that we sometimes may come to, a judgment right away and not realize that we've misjudged just because the facts and the situations may look the same, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the same. One of the benefits of speaking with someone who has spent many years in the legal profession is the perspective that comes with experience. People enter this profession in many ways. Some start as legal assistance, some transition into paralegal roles later in their careers, and some eventually begin thinking about what it might look like to build something of their own. Right now, I'd like to spend a few minutes just talking to you about the advice you might give to people who are at different stages of their legal careers. What advice would you give to new legal assistants entering the profession?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 9:21

Get as much experience in all different areas as you can. Don't say no, take the opportunity. 'cause you never know what you might enjoy doing. Don't, limit yourself right off. Get the experience in all the different areas and, then as you're, going along further in your journey specialize.

Tara.edwards 9:38

It goes back to those soft skills we're talking about, and it's initiative and intention. Having the initiative to, say, I'm gonna learn, I'm gonna be that sponge, and, and if someone's gonna gimme something, I'm not gonna say no.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 9:51

Absolutely. That's what led me into, doing estates. I didn't do estates a lot in the beginning, 'cause there's always an estate paralegal, but, I was doing a temp job once and it was wills and estates, and she had a pile of rejections that had to go get corrected. And I said to the lawyer do you mind if I just take a stab at that? And she said, go ahead. And then I just started getting more experience and doing up applications and I just started loving it. So you never know what door it can open for you.

Tara.edwards 10:21

For paralegals who might be considering starting their own practice one day, what should they be thinking about before making the leap? Especially since we're not licensed to give advice in Alberta.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 10:33

It, that does make it tricky when we aren't regulated, making some good connections outside of the law firm connecting with people like myself and the other paralegals that are out there doing this. I just talked to a paralegal, yesterday. She's thinking about doing legal coaching So we just had a conversation about my experiences with that. So talk to people that are out there doing it a while and see where that might lead you. I'm an independent paralegal and I get my own clients but there's someone, I know out there and she contracts out She works still under a lawyer, but she is a paralegal out there doing her own business. I also know, a company that provide paralegal services to law firms, so that's a different way to do it as well.

Tara.edwards 11:18

You also talked about legal coaching so I just wanna kind of lean into that a little bit. So if you can explain to the viewers what the CLC is, some people may not know and how do you think that could help you in your, paralegal entrepreneurship journey?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 11:34

The certified legal coaching I took back in 2022. it's a program I took, in BC and it was a great program. It was about helping coach people that are self-represented. I have found that with the legal coaching, it can go into a lot of different other areas as well. When you have clients that cannot afford lawyers, and they are self-represented and they need help with and resources and drafting documents, that is where a legal coach can step in and help for a lot, less cost than, getting their own lawyers. That was the main reason that I think the legal coaching had started, but I think it can help with so many different areas. When you're helping people with estates, I have now, gotten my certified executor advisor, so now I can advise executors on, helping more with the administration and not just getting the probate and that's just a, different form of legal coaching because I'm guiding them and helping them. I recommend it for anyone who you know is interested if you're not gonna actually provide, legal coaching but if you're going out on your own as a paralegal, it's a great resource course to take.

Tara.edwards 12:46

There has been ongoing discussions about the regulation of paralegals in Alberta. What are your thoughts on regulation in the profession here, and do you agree with it? Why or why not?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 12:55

I agree with regulation of paralegals. I think there are some paralegals out there practicing who do not have the experience. They do not have, the skills to be doing, paralegal work on their own. One of the reasons I became a member of the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals was provide extra credibility to who I am and what I do know, with that, you have to have your business insurance, you have to have your e and o insurance. That's important. There is paralegals out there, practicing without that, and I don't think that's a good idea. That's where you hear those stories of paralegals that take the money and they don't file the divorce documents, or they don't, do what they were supposed to be doing and those things shouldn't be happening. I think a regulated paralegal system would greatly help with that. I totally believe we should be regulated and I think it would be a great thing for Alberta.

Tara.edwards 13:52

I'm with you 100%. I'm originally from Ontario so I think regulation is a good thing. I've been in Alberta for 12 years at the end of June and I've seen the legal environment grow, tremendously. I agree with you about the regulation, because of the access to justice. As you look across Canada, I've been hearing this word since I started in the industry in the early two thousands. Has it gotten better? Well, in some cases, but we're also finding that we're getting more legal cases as time has gone on.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 14:24

I agree with you as well. It's changing and, I think regulation would provide a whole new level of that access to justice. It's important.

Tara.edwards 14:35

Building skills and gaining experience are important parts of developing a career in the legal profession, but professional growth can also come from being involved in the broader professional community beyond practical work experience. Are there other ways you think paralegals can continue developing professionally or building credibility within the profession?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 14:55

I think becoming part of the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals. The more our voice can be heard about regulation, the more we can help out in the community. So encouraging people, to become a member of the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals is a great way to help.

Tara.edwards 15:15

I have had the opportunity to, network with some people within that community. Christine, like I, kind of cyber stalked you a little bit before I reached out to you but even having the conversations that I've been able to have with you has been such a blessing to be honest because someone thinks like me and I'm not just, out to lunch with my thought process. The more that we, can join, these associations, the greater voice that you have. And for people who don't believe in regulation, what is the reason why? I think it's because, when you get used to something, change seems so crazy and difficult. And it seems so hard, and I think we've all experienced change in our life. I mean, you literally have to be living in a cave if you have not, experienced some sort of change in your life. And I'm not even just talking career, I'm talking in your own personal life. We kind of both talked a bit about our own, personal journeys, and what led us into this, field. But good change is good and any change is worth learning from, right?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 16:17

If you're really hard set against change and you want things to stay the same, this is not really the, career for you 'cause there is constant change. When I look back, I started out, on typewriters and we faxed things and there no texting, there was no cell phones, there was no online forms. You have to be willing to change and adapt. That's, just part of it.

Tara.edwards 16:41

For someone listening to the episode who may be early in the career or thinking about the next step of the profession, why do you think it's important for para leagues to invest in their own professional development? And how could becoming involved in organizations like the A A PP support that growth?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 16:57

It's important to continue with your personal growth and take the courses that are offered to you. A lot of times when you're at a law firm, there's a lot of, lunch and learns and webinars out there. There's webinars through LESA, there's webinars through the Alberta Association of Paralegals. Take them, they really help you. You can meet other paralegals as well and learn from their experience and you can, really grow yourself professionally and get out there and, market yourself.

Tara.edwards 17:27

I think you also need to say to yourself, is, this firm gonna allow me to grow, and I don't just mean grow in title, but when it comes time for you to take the courses, is the answer always gonna be No. Is the answer going to be okay, can you explain how this is going to, benefit you in your role? And I know like some firms will ask that, and the question I always say is, how does it not benefit? Because, a person learning going somewhere, even though it may not look like it translates into that role at that time, it could translate into that role later or there are transferable skills that you can use, so I always ask.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 18:01

where, you're gonna use those skills in, areas of law that you might not think, oh, I don't think I'll ever go into that, but you never know how you're gonna learn that.

Tara.edwards 18:10

And you just never know where your career is gonna take you. I started off as a labour and employment legal assistant, and so that is what I knew because my first diploma's in human resources. So that made sense that I would go into that. And since moving to Alberta, I've done things like, corporate work, civil enforcement and really doing the deep dive of understanding that. So if I kept my mindset at, all I do is, labour and employment work, and don't get me wrong, that's still my passion However, my labour and employment work has been able to help me translate to like my civil enforcement work when I was doing civil enforcement or when I was doing, corporate work. They're all transferable skills. They may not necessarily be that skill for that particular law, but they all help you with the things that you're learning within that law.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 18:57

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. with you.

Tara.edwards 19:00

Christine, I wanna thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today and for sharing your experience and perspective on building a career in the legal profession. I always find it valuable to hear from people who have taken the skills and experiences that they've developed over many years and use them to create new opportunities both for themselves and for the clients that they serve. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your journey with our listeners, and if someone wants to connect with you further, what is the best way for them to get ahold of you?

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 19:28

Absolutely. Please feel free to look at, my website is matt Lane paralegal.ca my contact information is chris@mattlaneparalegal.ca. I'm happy to have a conversation with any legal assistant out there that's looking at perhaps, becoming a independent paralegal or just even wondering what else is out there.

Tara.edwards 19:51

Thank you Christine, and I am happy that you were able to join us today.

Christine Savoy-Mattlena Paralegal 19:55

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

Tara.edwards 19:58

Let's reframe the question. Instead of asking yourself, am I ready to completely change my career? Try asking yourself, what skills and experiences am I building right now that could create opportunities later in my career? Sometimes the way we frame questions to ourselves can limit how we see our own possibilities. Earlier in this episode, I asked you to think about this question. Where are you currently your career, and what direction do you think it might take over the next few years after listening to this episode, you might find that your answer looks a little different. Maybe the next step in your career isn't about making a drastic change. Maybe it's about continuing to invest in your development and building the skills and experiences that will shape the opportunities available to you in the future. Careers in the legal profession rarely shift overnight. More often, they evolve through the skills you develop, the experience you gain, and the relationships you build over time. If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to follow the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Amazon Music, and connect with me on LinkedIn. Let me know where you're at with your journey. This is Sister-in-Law, the paralegal journey. Welcome to the conversation.