Leslie J.

Peterson
913 Vikingfield Terrace
Chesapeake Va. 23322
(757) 482-2823
PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE
Seeking a challenging position with a progressive organization which will fully
utilize acquired skills, experience, and paralegal training. Desire incentives
for personal growth and career advancement.
SUMMARY PROFILE
Offering a solid background based on extensive formal training and 16 years mult
ifaceted experience demonstrating superior leadership initiative, instructional
expertise, operations enhancement creativity and consistent performance success.

TRAINING
BOSTON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION-Boston, Massachuse
tts
Professional Certification in Paralegal Studies (October 2009) GPA=
4.0
Courses: Legal Research( online Westlaw and hardcopy research in Fiv
e Primary sources of Law: the Constitution, Case Law; S
tatutory Law; Regulatory Law and Executive Orders. Ability to utilize each court
's respective reporter series, as well as the Virginia Digest and the Federal Pr
actice Digest. Instruction on both federal and state statutory and regulatory la
w utilizing respective legislative and administrative codes.) Legal Writing and
Reasoning (Instructed in the IRAC style of legal writing analysis to learn the
logic and rationale of legal reasoning. Experience writing case briefs, persuas
ive briefs , objective legal memos, and taught the concepts of precedential and
persuasive authorities. Technology and the Paralegal ( Taught to use six major t
echnologies used in legal offices: Excel which allows financial information to b
e expressed through spreadsheets; PowerPoint, presentation software for courtroo
m and boardroom presentations; the internet to gather factual and legal informat
ion; CaseMap, a leading case management software to organize facts and law; Live
Note, a deposition transcript management software program; and PACER, a database
to track docket information. Real Estate
( Real Estate Law taught in relation to how property is held and transferred inc
luding the Offer to purchase, its contents, reading the offer and incorporating
it into the purchase and sale agreement. All pre-closing items and how to obtain
and review them and the roles they play at the closing. Deeds, title searches a
nd abstracts, certifications of title and title insurance, run downs, payoffs, a
nd recording requirements. Other topics covered were categories of real property
, ownership restrictions, legal descriptions of property, liens on property, due
diligence, leases and environmental issues. Completion of a HUD Settlement Stat
ement requiring all buyer's and seller's closing figures as well as the final di
stribution proceeds from the sale, taking into account all charges, payoffs, and
commissions was required. Corporate Law, (Study of business entities, limited
liability, perpetual existence, transfer of ownership and centralized management
, state of Incorporation, foreign corporations, close and s corporations, genera
l partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, entity conver
sion, organization and maintenance of a corporation, articles of organization, b
y-laws, directors and officers, corporate action, shareholder action, director a
ction, classes of stock.) Family and Probate Law (Defining a will, beneficiary,
estate and executor of an estate and decedent and testator. Role of a law firm
in creating a will, gathering of asset information, liability information, and d
uties of an executor. The probate process and document preparation, notification
to interested parties. Intestacy, and the intestacy probate process. Steps nece
ssary to contest a will and necessary research, motion to strike, motion for sum
mary judgment. Finally, estate planning, living trust, advance directive, conser
vator, health care proxy, durable power of attorney and guardianship.) Litigati
on (Criminal and Civil litigation, informal and formal discovery, privilege obje
ctions, attorney-client privilege, Doctor-patient privilege, priest-penitent pri
vilege. Phasing, discovery devices, interrogatories, answering and objecting to
interrogatories, requests for production or inspection, Depositions including pe
rmission to depose, notice, conduct and deposition transcript. Physical and ment
al health evaluations, requests for admission, expert discovery, motions to comp
el, motions for protective order. Settlements and summary judgments.
SALEM STATE COLLEGE - Salem, Massachusetts
Completed 24 Additional Credits Toward Master's Degree in Education (2001-2003)
GPA=4.0
Courses: Theories of Thinking & Learning, Advanced Fundamentals of Education, G
lobal Perspectives & Cultural Diversity, The Nature and Needs of Students with L
earning Problems, Reading in the Content Areas - Middle School, School Principle
ship in Contemporary Society
TUFTS UNIVERSITY - Medford, Massachusetts
Completed Required Coursework for Masters Degree in Public Policy (1984)
Thesis: "The Development of the Political Right Wing as a Political Interest Gr
oup" Honors: Academic Scholarship
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS at Amherst - Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Sc
ience (1981)
NORTHERN ESSEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Andover, Massachusetts
Associate of Arts Degree in Political Science (1979)
Honors: Selected from over 2000 candidates to attend the Center for the Study o
f the Presidency
ADDITIONAL CAREER & EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
* Plato Learning Certificates in: Pre-Algebra, Beginning and Intermediate Algebr
a, Mathematics, Language Arts, and Reading for personal orientation in U.S. Navy
academic aptitude essentials
* Licensed Teacher (K-8) in Massachusetts and Virginia
* Licensed Life & Health Insurance Sales, Commonwealth of Virginia (2006)
HIGHLIGHTS OF EXPERIENCE
PLATO LEARNING - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Education Facilitator (1/07-Present, Part Time)
Employed with a unique remedial education service that provides self-paced compu
ter programs to increase ASVAP (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test)
scores, prepare students for SAT, GED, ACT testing and to earn CLEP credits. P
roctor initial student assessment tests, evaluate outcomes and individualized st
udent acuity levels, prepare remedial educational gameplans, and conduct relevan
t tutoring to assist students at all levels of subject mastery. Primarily provi
ded tutoring and teaching in Math coursework. Produce daily computerized summar
y reports recording student time and attendance at the Learning Center. Track s
tudent progress and serve as formal liaison to superiors, counselors, guardians
and military officers.
NATIONAL AGENTS ALLIANCE - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Independent Agent (3/06-1/07)
As a licensed Life & Health Insurance Agent in Virginia, sold mortgage and life
insurance as well as annuities to homeowners throughout the Tidewater, Virginia
region. Solicit and develop leads, make presentations, negotiate policy specifi
cs, write contracts and provide follow-up support to signed customers.
CHESAPEAKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS - Chesapeake, Virginia
MEDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS - Medford, Massachusetts
Substitute Teacher (1999-2005)
In accordance with assigned curricula, instructed grades K thru 8 in all scholas
tic disciplines including Math, Social Sciences, History ad Language Arts. In b
oth Inclusion and Team Teaching environments, prepared and presented daily lesso
n plans, incorporated creative classroom activities and learning enhancements, t
ested and evaluated students, and interfaced with parents and administrators for
summary synopses.
(1995-1998) Domestic Engineer Reared family children and managed household.
THE NEW ENGLAND FINANCIAL GROUP - Boston, Massachusetts.
Testing Support Specialist (1993-1994)
Employed in the corporate offices of a national financial services organization
with the best A+ ratings for the insurance industry. Integral member of a highl
y specialized team of software analysts/testers tasked with the development and
presentation of "walk through" summaries detailing all facets and components of
new software programs. Prior to presentations, analyzed software for the purpos
e of debugging and implementing "fixes" to ensure integrity and reliability of p
rograms. Upon senior management approval of software, fulfilled an end-user su
pport function involving training, system configuration and follow-up essentials
to ensure success of software implementation.
SAVINGS BANK LIFE INSURANCE - Woburn, Massachusetts
Customer Service Representative (1992)
Employed in a large, high volume call center to respond to inbound calls as well
as place outgoing calls to existing and prospective life insurance policy holde
rs. Provided in-depth information on all types of life insurance including term
and whole life, issue dates, rider information, cash value withdrawals, policy
loans, cash value accumulations, dividend benefit options, and face amount incre
ases and decreases. Provided customers with detailed account histories involvin
g all transactions and payments since issue date.
LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE GROUP - Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Contract Change Specialist - Universal Life Department (1986-1991)
Oversaw a department of three specialists, providing formal and "over-the-should
er" training on the unique components of universal life policies and all tasks r
equired to effectively service this product for a national sales organization an
d portfolio of thousands of clients. Quality assured response to inbound calls
involving policy questions, issue dates, rider information, cash value projectio
ns, face increase/decrease orders, account histories, policy loans and beneficia
ry change requests. Processed all relevant documentation/data for loans and pol
icy alterations. Approved or rejected contract changes, ensuring compliance with
company regulations and procedures. Directly responsible for reconciling compu
ter generated error reports on a daily basis. Worked closely with policy issuan
ce department to ensure accurate policy production.