Rolling With the Changes
From Typewriters to AI: A Legal Professional's Journey of Constant Adaptation
My career in the legal field as support staff began when I was a senior in high school. I was focused on my WPM on an IBM Selectric II typewriter and perfecting my stenography skills, which I did, in fact, use in the office circa 1985. My tech journey began with word processors, fax machines, and dot matrix printers. Now look at us—connected online in an ever-growing tech world. We roll with the changes.
My first law office job was for a real estate attorney in Nashville, where I typed and stored real estate legal descriptions under the instruction of an experienced paralegal. I was in awe of her knowledge and how she knew her stuff. I knew I had chosen the right path with my career choice. That summer job was part of my studies at Nashville Tech, where I chose the legal option for my degree program in Secretarial Science Technology. Even the name of the school where I received my associate’s degree has changed—rolling with the changes.
Here comes Bubba! He swept me off my feet, we got hitched, and rolled into New Mexico, where he served our country and we brought our firstborn into the world—rolling with the changes. It was in New Mexico where my boss was also my friend. RIP David Rupp. He was a brilliant attorney and was always looking for the next new-age tech gadget, keeping up with the changes ahead of most people. Sadly, he passed after we made our way back home to Middle Tennessee when the next roll of change came, but not before we stopped in Mississippi, where we brought our secondborn into the world—rolling with the changes.
By this time, MS-DOS computer operating systems were the new age, and I observed how easily the young office crew adapted to the new tech tools. This old dog was not afraid to jump in feet first, learning through tutorials and discovering efficient methods to accomplish what needed to be done. But I was always ready to learn from others who value teamwork and helping each other roll with the changes.
Now we are faced with the challenges of internet security and keeping data secure and private. AI is expanding like gangbusters, and we have all felt the recent growing pains of the Adobe update. I have so much more to learn as we constantly roll with the changes that are going to come whether we like it or not.
Maybe part of rolling with change is staying focused on what remains constant in our lives. My constants are my family, friends, office team, two amazing attorneys who make our team possible and who have given me so much invaluable experience, and the many connections I have made online over the years who help keep me grounded as we roll with the changes.
