Rukia Riley Blackshear, FRP
Rukia Riley Blackshear, FRP, is a Senior Litigation Paralegal based in Greater Orlando with extensive experience in complex civil litigation and insurance defense. She currently supports attorneys at Milber Makris Plousadis Seiden, where she manages approximately 150–200 client case files from inception through settlement. In her role, she provides comprehensive litigation support including drafting pleadings, discovery responses, subpoenas, settlement agreements, and trial materials, while also coordinating mediations, depositions, inspections, and client communications. She is known for her strong case management systems and ability to maintain accuracy and efficiency across high-volume dockets.
Over more than a decade with her firm, Rukia has progressed from legal assistant to paralegal and later to Senior Paralegal and Training Specialist. In addition to her litigation responsibilities, she has played a key role in onboarding and mentoring new hires across Florida branch offices, developing training programs, reference materials, and procedural guides to strengthen team performance. She also contributes to the advancement of the profession through her involvement with the Florida Registered Paralegal community, serving in leadership roles focused on awareness, education, and professional development for paralegals across the state.
Rukia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University and holds additional paralegal certifications, including her Florida Registered Paralegal designation earned in 2016. She is actively engaged in professional and community initiatives, including support for organizations such as HERS and Dress for Success, as well as volunteer and mentorship efforts. Her career reflects a commitment to litigation excellence, structured training development, and elevating standards within the paralegal profession through leadership, mentorship, and continuous learning.
• Advanced Legal Secretary Certificate
• Advanced Paralegal Certificate
• Florida Registered Paralegal
• Notary Public
• Women Transforming Tech: Building Your Brand
• Certified Westlaw Legal Researcher
• Florida Atlantic University - BA
• Graduated high school with honors
• Registered Paralegal Sub Committee of Florida (Co-chair)
• HER Foundation (supporter since 2015)
• School academic committee member
• Dress for Success (Florida)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my upbringing as the daughter of a single mother who raised three daughters on her own and instilled in me the values of hard work, discipline, and focus. From an early age, I learned that staying committed to my education and doing the right things would create opportunities, even though life doesn’t always follow a planned path. When unexpected challenges arose after college due to economic conditions, I learned the importance of adaptability and resilience, and how to pivot when necessary while still maintaining a strong work ethic and focus on long-term goals.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is not to take things personally and to remain calm under pressure. This mindset has helped me respond to challenges more objectively, make clearer decisions in difficult situations, and maintain professionalism even in high-stress environments.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to think outside the box and be proactive in creating opportunities for yourself. If breaking directly into the field feels challenging, start by gaining experience wherever you can—volunteer with legal aid organizations, support nonprofits, or pursue internships at courthouses or clerk’s offices to build foundational exposure. I also encourage prioritizing accessible education and skills development; there are many affordable and even free resources available, including online programs like Alt Legal’s continuing education for trademark paralegals, which can help build specialized expertise. Ultimately, success comes from persistence, resourcefulness, and a willingness to do the extra work to get your foot in the door and keep moving forward.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge and opportunity in my field right now is the rapid evolution of technology, particularly AI, and how it is reshaping legal processes such as discovery, research, and case preparation, alongside broader changes in laws and regulations. While these shifts can feel disruptive, I see them as an opportunity for innovation rather than a threat. AI is not making legal education or practice obsolete; instead, it is transforming how we learn, apply, and practice law, while also creating new specialties such as e-discovery and legal tech implementation. As the profession evolves, especially within the paralegal field, it is important to embrace these tools thoughtfully—leveraging them to improve efficiency and expand our skills, while still relying on human judgment and expertise where it matters most.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are my faith, integrity, and work ethic. My faith keeps me grounded and centered through both challenges and successes. Integrity is equally important to me—I strive to always act with honesty and in an honorable way, believing that when you operate from a good place, it naturally influences others positively. Lastly, my work ethic defines how I show up every day; I am a team player who is willing to contribute wherever needed, because I believe no task is too small or too large when it comes to getting the job done well.