Casey Anthony Wants to be a Paralegal - Should You Hire Her?
Behind every great trial attorney is experienced, hard-working support staff. Though the paralegals and secretaries of the industry don't share the same recognition as a Cochran and a Baez, without a staff that organizes the offices, conducts research, drafts briefs, and handles the day-to-day tasks, the legal eagles would never leave the nest.
You're in the market for a paralegal. One of the applicants has a few years of hands-on experience, including courtroom time involving a murder trial and felony appeal, and gets great references from a fellow member of the bar, who stated, "She is very organized, a very intelligent, very computer savvy person, so I think her skills and her desire may lie somewhere in [the legal] field."
Her name? Casey Anthony.
You'd be a fool not hire her, right? Here's why you should consider acquitted child-killer and according to ABC News, possible paralegal, Casey Anthony as the next member of your support staff.
The Law
No, we're not talking about her criminal trial here. We're talking about the EEOC's recent guidelines on considering a candidate's criminal past when making employment decisions. If you aren't up to date on employment law and policy, the EEOC stated last year that because criminal background checks have a disparate negative impact on minority candidates, employers should not consider a criminal background unless it reflects on qualities inherent to the position.
Heck, her criminal record is actually looking pretty minor now. She was acquitted of murdering her daughter and just last week, had two of her four convictions for providing false information to law enforcement overturned by a Florida appellate court. Sure, you might say that lying to the police even twice reflects negatively on one's honesty but is that really going to matter when she's working on briefs for other defendants' criminal appeals?
The Experience
We've danced around this a bit, but she's got an incomparable amount of experience with serious felony offenses. After years fighting for her freedom, and even more years spent appealing other charges, she's seen more than nearly any other entry-level paralegal. Heck, she's seen more than many attorneys.
On the other hand, her unique qualifications and skill set would not translate as well to other practice areas. For example, her experience probably wouldn't help her dive head-first into Family Law or Estate Planning. That's not to say that she couldn't learn those fields. She'd just have some catching up to do.
The Hunger
Nothing motivates quite like desperation. Since being acquitted of murder, according to ABC, she's gone on to rack up $800,000 in debt, much of which stemmed from legal fees and the state's costs passed on after her little indiscretions. Her total assets reportedly amount to just over $1,000. Though she is declaring bankruptcy and will soon be debt-free boy, does she need a job.
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