Paralegal's work, dedication garner award; home life provides 'everything' she needs

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CHRIS SPITTAL
The Daily Reporter Staff Writer
12/11/2006
Columbus, Ohio

During a short visit to Central Ohio more than two decades ago, Debra Overly gained employed with a local law firm. After 25 years as a paralegal with Volkema Thomas LPA, she is still happy with her career choice

Overly has been selected as this year's recipient of the Fourth Annual Hon. John W. McCormac Award, which honors outstanding service to the paralegal profession.

The award, co-sponsored by the Capital University Law School Paralegal Program and the Columbus Bar Association, will be presented during a ceremony Dec. 14 at the Columbus Bar offices.

"Debra's commitment to the paralegal profession, her employment and her numerous contributions to the legal community clearly demonstrate the qualifications necessary for this award," said Donna Schoebel, director of paralegal programs at Capital University Law School.

Born just east of Pittsburgh in Ligonier, Pa., Overly came to Columbus after earning an associate's degree as a legal secretary at Westmoreland Community College in Pennsylvania.

On a three-day visit with her mother and stepfather who lived in Central Ohio, Overly was urged by her parents to visit the Columbus Bar, which was holding interviews for positions at three local firms.

After being told she was overqualified for one position as a legal secretary, she received a phone call later that afternoon offering her a job at the law firm of Volkema and Pees.

"So I kind of fell into working for Dan and Russ (Volkema)," she said.

"I never thought 25 years ago I'd be doing the same thing for this long," Overly said, adding she expected to work for about five years and move on. "But 25 years later, here I am."

Overly said not only does she still love her job, but also the people she works with - which can't always be said within the profession.

"Lawyers sometimes have a certain reputation, and that has not at all been my experience," she said. "I have the utmost respect for them."

After Dan Volkema moved on to Carlile, Patchen and Murphy, Overly followed and began taking classes to become a certified paralegal in 1983 at the American Institute for Paralegal Studies at Ohio Dominican College. While continuing to work full-time, she was certified in 1984.

When Volkema started his own firm, Volkema Thomas, Overly again followed.

"Debra is an exemplary member of the legal profession who has put together a hard-working career with distinction," said Volkema, who interviewed and hired Overly in 1981. "She is highly deserving of this year's McCormac award."

Later in her career, Overly was recruited by Capital as an adjunct professor to teach a class for its new legal nurse consultant program. She co-taught Civil Procedure I in the first two years of the program with Laura Kuykendall, now a partner with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.

"It was something I enjoyed, but life was taking another path," she said.

That path was the path of a single mother, as Overly had recently become a foster parent, and has cared for seven children over four years.

When she stopped teaching in 2002, she was caring for two young children with one on the way, as one of the children's mothers was pregnant.

Overly originally decided to look into foster parenting at the suggestion of a friend in the federal courthouse.

"She knew I loved children," she said, and her friend also later signed up and qualified to become a foster parent. "I think it's a wonderful thing to do."

While the goal of foster parenting is to get the children back home, "sometimes that can't happen for one reason or another," she said.

In May of 2003, Overly officially adopted her two children and the newborn infant, who are now six, four and three years old.

Being a single parent, Overly said she has relied heavily on the support of her friends, family and employer to fulfill class requirements and schedule doctor and specialist appointments, such as counseling as the adoption process requires.

"It really takes a lot of support to do something like that," she said.

Now the mother of three kids, the 45-year old Overly is still enthusiastic about her work, though she is making more time for her family.

"I switched from being all about work to having a balance," she said.

She now makes time for her kids' dance lessons, church and school functions, and readily admits "life has gotten busier than it was before."

"But I wanted to do this," she said. "I have everything I could have asked for."

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