a NALA Affiliate
Paralegals and the Unauthorized Practice of Law - We will explore how Unauthorized Practice of Law statutes limits what paralegals can do, how the exact interpretation of this varies by state, the consequences for those who engage in the unauthorized practice of law, and what UPL may look like in the modern world. Bio
Megan graduated from Illinois Central College her Associate's Degree in Paralegal studies in 2007. She then obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, graduating summa cum laude from Indiana Wesleyan University. Prior to becoming a paralegal, Megan was the Director of Online Curriculum at Nexus Systems, responsible the purchasing of learning materials and development of web learning resources. Megan then took positions at the law firms, Hinshaw & Culbertson and Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, working primarily on medical malpractice, worker's compensation, and toxic tort defense cases. Megan became a paralegal with State Farm’s Corporate Law Department in 2019 working predominantly on discovery and case management for extra-contractual litigation in select states and market conduct examinations and regulatory inquiries across all jurisdictions. In her free time, Megan is an adjunct Instructor at Illinois Central College teaching Legal Studies 110 classes, she serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for CASA of the Tenth, and volunteers legal support for White Mountain Research’s humanitarian sector which assists persecuted people around the world, especially focused on those affected by ISIS in the Middle East.