Hailee Wieberg

A strong support system and a willingness to learn more than my job requires. I've been lucky to have people in my corner who encouraged me, believed in me, and pushed me to go after more, especially while I was earning my degree and working full time. That support made the hard seasons manageable. At work, I've always looked past my own tasks to understand how the whole process runs.

Don't wait to be handed responsibility. Take it on, do it well, and the title will follow. Early in my career I learned that the people who move up are the ones who solve problems before anyone asks them to. That mindset has shaped how I approach every job.

Make yourself necessary. In this field, it's not about being liked, it's about being the person who knows what needs to be done and gets it done. Learn beyond what's expected, ask questions, and keep building your skills. And find the part of the work you truly enjoy, because being necessary is great, but loving what you do is what keeps you going.

Technology is the biggest one, and it's both. Legal teams are being asked to handle more matters with the same or fewer people, and the tools available to help, from case management platforms to AI, are changing fast. The challenge is that many legal departments adopt new tools without building the processes to support them. The opportunity is for paralegals who understand both the legal work and the technology to step up and shape how their teams operate. That's where I see legal operations growing, and it's where I want to keep building my career.

Reliability, integrity, and growth. At work, I want people to know that when something is on my desk, it's handled correctly and on time. I hold myself to doing the right thing even when no one is checking. Personally, I value family and the people who have supported me, and I try to show up for them the way they've shown up for me. And in both, I never want to stop learning. Every new skill opens another door.