Influential Woman · Paralegal

Marlana Armendariz

Litigation Paralegal Manager, The Curry Law Firm

Houston, TX

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's degree in Legal Studies Degree Purdue Global University Cert TBLS Certified Paralegal (in progress)

Her Story

About Marlana

I've been a paralegal for 7 years, and I currently serve as the Litigation Paralegal Manager at the Curry Law Firm. My main areas of expertise are litigation and preparing attorneys for trial. I manage a team of paralegals. Before this role, I worked as a case manager at a personal injury law firm. What I'm most proud of professionally is creating a collaborative, non-toxic work environment at our firm. Our whole firm, except for one remote employee, is made up of minority women. We've built a collaborative environment where we never argue or fight. We get along so well that it's just an amazing environment. We are able to focus on our clients and winning their cases because the environment is stress free. We don't allow drama or negativity in the office. This law firm is different - we've kept the environment collaborative where we all work together. I started part-time at my first law firm in 2018 and loved it, though I never thought about working a law firm, I always wanted to work around law enforcement. I decided go to college in my 40s because I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I got my bachelor's degree in legal studies from Purdue Global University while working, and my work helped me with my school and my school helped me with my work. Ms. Curry is an amazing attorney who gave me an opportunity. She's an entrepreneur with more than just her law practice - she's a broker, a mom, and has 4 or 5 other companies. She's a really good inspiration, and all her staff rise up to meet her level.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Marlana

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to wanting to learn. I didn't want anybody to say I don't know what I'm doing or I don't know my job. So I always ask questions. I'm still learning. I didn't know anything about anything in the legal industry, and I had to figure everything out on my own. I would say is the best thing to do - ask questions. Now, because of all the questions that I asked early on, I'm now the one they come to when they have a question, and that's why was made the manager. I always give 100% of myself, no matter what. I always do my best with my family, with my career. My level of expectation for myself is high, and I always strive to meet it.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

The best advice I would say is just go to college. It doesn't matter what you start in. If you start in one career and you end up not liking it, you can switch later. I waited until I was in my 40s to go to college because I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I started part-time at my first law firm in 2018 and loved it, but I never thought about going to a law firm until that opportunity came up. What I would tell young people is pick something and go to college. If you don't like it, you will have time later to change it. You can modify it, you can add to it. If you pick something that you don't like, just start somewhere, because you will find something you like eventually. But don't wait until you're older like I did. If I would have started when I was 20 or 25 in the legal industry, I would be at such a different level than I am now. I tell my daughter, who is in her 20s, just start somewhere, just do something, it doesn't matter what you pick. When you have more than one degree, many different fields can hire you. That little paper is what tells employers they have to pay you more. Without that little piece of paper, they can pay you whatever they want. In my first law firm, I was doing the same exact work as the person before me, but she was making $10 more an hour because I didn't have a degree. She had her bachelor's degree in art, which has nothing to do with law or legal or anything, but they paid her more because she had that degree. That's why when I finished my associate's degree, I went on to get my bachelor's degree, because one more year meant I could get paid extremely more.

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