7641 North Eastlake Terrace
Chicago, Illinois 60626
(773) 986-2312
shellestrae1@gmail.com
Qualifications:
Technical skills include MS Office applications: Word 2007, including advanced Styles; Excel;
PowerPoint. Lotus Notes. Points & Authorities. E-filing. Pacer. Document management systems: PerfectLaw;
IManage; FileSite; and Docs Open. Typing: 90 words per minute.
Summary Statement:
An administrative and linguistic professional with experience in both the non-profit and private sectors. Strong administrative background developed through coordination of various activities at non-profit organizations and at law firms, including event planning and continuing legal education. Foreign language expertise enhances ability of organizations to interact with clients as well as to minimize costs and increase profits by providing in-house translating and interpreting services. Able to establish rapport and credibility with diverse groups ranging from clients and United Nations delegates to attorneys and United Nations directors.
Experience:
Independent Contract Work:
Blackman Kallick/CLS/Kelly/Watson Dwyer/Ajilon/Much Shelist
Provide support to attorneys in different practice groups with an emphasis in litigation
and corporate law:
Prepare/proofread/edit correspondence, pleadings and agreements.
- Manage calendars and make travel arrangements.
Compose correspondence and affidavits.
File pleadings with courts.
Chicago
2007 – present
Board of Education/Cosmopolitan Translations /Katz Law Firm
Translate from French and Spanish to English documents including complaints, divorce decrees and custody agreements, birth, death and marriage certificates, trademark applications, and related correspondence.
Interpret from Spanish and French to English at depositions, trials and arbitration.
Chicago
2006 - Present
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (“SNR”)
Bilingual Legal Secretary/Administrative Assistant
Provided support to attorneys in diverse activities with a high degree of autonomy, including coordination of billing and Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”); litigation; production in different practice areas; and translating/interpreting.
Pro bono:
Acted as interpreter for meetings and conference calls with clients, witnesses and experts.
Appeared in Court with clients and attorneys to interpret and to act as “check” interpreter.
Initiated calls to clients, experts and witnesses to obtain information and provide updates.
Drafted correspondence to clients and witnesses, including expert witnesses.
Translated article from Réalités from French to English on behalf of pro bono asylum client.
Verbally translated benefits manual from Spanish into English for attorney.
Litigation/Corporate:
Prepared/proofread/edited correspondence, pleadings, and agreements.
Managed calendars and made travel arrangements.
Filed pleadings with courts.
Translated documents and correspondence from French and Spanish into English
And from English into French and Spanish for pro bono and corporate clients.
Chicago 2000 – 2007
CLE:
Summarized CLE Rules in various jurisdictions; ensured attorney compliance with CLE
requirements in various jurisdictions; coordinated firmwide CLE seminars; and maintained CLE files.
Billing:
Served as primary contact for general counsel of clients in responding to queries concerning
SNR and outside vendor invoices; composed correspondence to clients with respect to current and
past-due invoices; and Assisted Client Manager by providing updates of invoice payment status.
Baker & McKenzie
Bilingual Legal Secretary/ Administrative Assistant
Provided support to attorneys in diverse activities with a high degree of autonomy.
Prepared and edited correspondence and legal documents in English, Spanish and French.
- Planned events, managed calendars and made travel arrangements.
Verbally translated documents and correspondence from French to English for clients.
Translated documents from Spanish and French to English and from English to French.
Chicago
1993 – 2000
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”).
Bilingual Executive Assistant
Executed with a high degree of autonomy tasks related to all activities in the Office of the Assistant Director-General for Culture and supervised administrative assistant.
Ensured the distribution and follow-up of requests for financial aid in the context of the Participation Program.
Responded to inquiries from delegates of Member States on the status of their governments’ funding requests.
Prepared analytical statistics tables by region and type of request.
Established and maintained deadlines for contributions to briefings for official missions of the Director-General.
Implemented research to ascertain country funding for delegations.
Drafted and prepared correspondence in English, French and Spanish.
Translated from Spanish and French to English and from English to
Spanish and French.
Edited text in English and Spanish.
Paris
1981 – 1992
Norwegian TV
Bilingual Executive Assistant
Coordinated program exchanges among television networks of various countries.
Summarized French films in Norwegian.
Oslo
1981
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Bilingual Executive Assistant
Managed branch office and coordinated meetings with clients.
Translated industry-related articles from Norwegian to English.
Oslo 1980 – 1981
Other Relevant Information:
Translated treatment for director of Braun commercials from French to English.
Translated legal and technical documents and correspondence from English to Spanish.
Chicago 2006
Bogota 1992 – 1993
Translated legal and technical documents and petitions for political asylum from Spanish and French to English and from English to French and Spanish.
Paris 1981 - 1992
Edited English and translated legal documents and newsletters from French to English for International Association of Art Critics.
Edited English and translated from French to English for Director of UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology in Europe, a well-known author of books and abstracts on science and economics and editor of Prometheus.
Awards:
Mention in SNR Pro Bono Newsletter and Chairman's Update for interpreting/translating in case where client was awarded political asylum\
Chicago
SNR Above and Beyond Award for transcription in pro bono case \ Chicago
SNR Above and Beyond Award for interpreting/translating in asylum case \ Chicago
Mention in Chairman's Update for interpreting/translating in asylum case \ Chicago
UNESCO Spanish and French Language Awards \ Paris
Memberships:
International Association of Administrative Professionals
Translators Café
Education:
Sorbonne (Institut Hispanique): Certificate of Achievement, Spanish Language
UNESCO: Study of Spanish and French languages
Centro de Estudios Espanoles: Certificate of Achievement, Spanish
University of Oslo: Certificate of Achievement in Norwegian language, history, phonetics
Northern Illinois University: Bachelor of Arts with Honors, English and History
Professional Affiliations
Affiliation
References available upon request.
Résumé
SandraHellestrae1@gmail.com