Scarlett Proenza
Scarlett Proenza is a Senior Paralegal and Case Manager in the Miami–Fort Lauderdale area with seven years of experience in personal injury law. Currently working with Thompson Legal, P.A., she manages settlement negotiations, client communications, and complex case coordination while serving as a key liaison between clients, attorneys, and insurance companies. Known for her analytical thinking, communication skills, and ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, Scarlett has helped secure nearly $975,000 in attorney’s fees throughout her legal career. Her professional journey reflects a steady rise through the legal field, beginning in reception before advancing to law clerk and eventually senior paralegal roles through determination, hard work, and continuous learning.
Scarlett earned her Associate of Science degree in Law from Broward College before completing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management and Finance at Western Governors University, where she received the Capstone Excellence Award and certificates in leadership and management. She is preparing to take the next step in her career by attending law school in Fall 2027, with aspirations of practicing criminal defense and family law. Throughout her career, she has been mentored by respected attorneys who helped shape her approach to advocacy, professionalism, and client service, while also inspiring her commitment to lifelong growth within the legal profession.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Scarlett is deeply passionate about advocacy and supporting underserved communities. As a domestic violence survivor, her personal experiences fueled her passion for law and strengthened her commitment to helping women, minorities, and individuals with limited resources navigate difficult legal situations. She approaches both her work and personal life with grit, accountability, honesty, and faith-based values, always striving to be a voice for those who feel unheard. Alongside her legal career, Scarlett enjoys engaging with topics related to leadership, wellness, technology, and personal development, bringing empathy and authenticity into every aspect of her work and relationships.
• Certified Notary Public
• Certificate in Leadership
• Certificate in Management
• Western Governors University- B.B.A.
• Broward College- A.S.
• Capstone Excellence Award (August 2025)
• Certificate in Leadership (December 2024)
• Certificate in Management (September 2024)
• NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants)
• Local church volunteer work
What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely attribute my success to my friends and family, and my kids. I have 2 boys - I'm a boy mom - I have a 13-year-old and I have a 9-year-old. My eldest is very sensitive, very emotional, and my youngest is just brute force and feral, so it's funny how I have the opposite of the two, but they're awesome. They're good kids. They keep me motivated and grounded.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was actually something I disagreed with and set out to prove wrong. An attorney once told me that income usually follows leverage, not effort - meaning it's not what you know, it's who you know. In law, it's very prestigious, so there are a lot of times where you can have qualified candidates, but if you know someone, you're probably going to get the job. It has been my life mission throughout my career to break that. I want to become known for my work and the thing that I believe in, not just, you know, who I can leverage through mommy or daddy, or I know someone, because it's not an earned position. I believe in working from the bottom up. So when this attorney told me income follows leverage, not effort, I took it the other way and said I'm gonna prove you wrong. It has been my whole goal to say I can get to the top with hard work, and with effort, and with dedication.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is that it is no longer a man's field. I know there's that skepticism, but it's just not it anymore. I know more incredible, strong, shark-like attorneys that are women, and it's not just a man's field anymore. I feel that women can, in my opinion, be better, because they have that human connection, that personal touch, that soft side where you can really connect with someone who's hurting, because no one calls a law firm because their life is going right. Women have those soft skills, and I know women that could do so much better in this field just with that alone. We have a heart. And sometimes men, even when they're trying to be nice, it comes off cocky - it's not a woman's touch.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field has definitely been coming as a first-generation college student and first-generation law student. I do not come from a family of attorneys. I do not come from a family with all these big backgrounds, so I really had to pull myself up by my bootstraps, learn everything on my own and navigate a corporate world with no forefront. It's been so rewarding and so challenging, and also testing my own aptitude. I've learned a lot, even just with studying for the LSAT - law will really teach you how to think differently, and that has served me well throughout judgment calls in my personal life, in my career. So it's been very, very hard, but rewarding.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are accountability, grit, honesty, and faith-centered beliefs. These are big for me, and they transpire from work to home life. I always like to lead with honesty and accountability.