Simplifying Accounting for You

Meet Our Founder

The CBA Committee would like for you to meet Darlene Minter

Darlene Minter

EMPLOYER AND LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT

I am an independent paralegal and tax professional, working in my home-based business, Darlene’s Virtual Services. I have worked for a local, sole practitioner attorney, Dennis J. Murphy, for over 20 years. I sometimes prepare bankruptcy petitions, virtually, for attorneys in other states, when they reach out to me, asking for my help.

LENGTH IN THE LEGAL FIELD

My Dad, Fred W. Minter, was an attorney in Metro Atlanta, GA, for over 50 years. He gave me my first job in his office when I was 15 years old. My Dad was a general practitioner and trial attorney, specializing in Family Law, Wills, Probate & Estates, and Bankruptcy. I became an expert on Adoptions and worked on many other types of legal cases. My mom worked in the legal office, too. She was an expert in Georgia Probate Law and taught me how to do bankruptcy petitions, when the process was all on paper, with no computer involved.

I met attorney Dennis J. Murphy while working in my dad’s office. As time went on, my dad ended up turning his bankruptcy practice over to Dennis, and we started working together. With the help of my parents and their knowledge, Dennis and I learned by working together on cases. My mom and I had to close Dad’s legal office when he got sick and finally died, in 2009. I moved my business to my home, continued to help my mom with taxes, and continued working on cases with Dennis.

LENGTH IN BANKRUPTCY FIELD

Over 20 years

WHAT DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL

I was first a legal secretary, then a paralegal, in my dad’s legal office. I, with the help of my mom, ran the whole office, from keeping up with client appointments to handling the phone and doing all the paperwork.

Now, I run a home-based business and have all the duties necessary to keep my business running smoothly. I use bankruptcy software to prepare and e-file consumer bankruptcy Chapter 7 and 13, petitions, and any other documents necessary for cases. When the number of bankruptcies decreased, I took on other types of work, i.e., Wills, Estates, and Probate Petitions, as well as notarized legal documents.

Because Dennis is a court-appointed criminal attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, I handle all emails for him, and legal documents necessary upon receipt of his drafts. As a paralegal, I know that I am forbidden from giving legal advice or taking money for legal services. I learned how to do tax returns from my mom and entered data from her clients’ tax returns into my computer, when IRS made e-filing mandatory, for paid tax professionals. My mom worked until two weeks prior to her death at almost age 92! After my mom’s death, I continued doing taxes for her old clients and added some of my own.

I had no formal training, at that point, but learned, by doing. I complete and e-file individual, business, and estate tax returns, when necessary, for around 50 clients, every year. I assist Dennis Murphy in preparing taxes by entering data from his paper draft into my computer, and e-filing tax returns.

During tax season, I worked for Intuit, answering calls from Turbo Tax customers, answering their questions, and giving some guidance to customers completing their own returns and/or completing their returns for them.

I earned the status of Enrolled Agent, from the IRS, officially in February 2023. This is the highest honor given to a tax professional by the IRS. To get this status, I had to pass a difficult 3-part exam on individual and business tax law. This provides me with recognition in the tax world, and the opportunity to get new cases.

I can also help clients with appeals and back tax matters. Every year, I take at least one trip, to earn continuing education credits, to keep my status with IRS. I usually attend the ABJA Convention, to keep my CBA title, as well.

WHO INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE THE CAREER YOU HAVE TODAY

My parents. I have a bachelor’s degree in social work and worked for the County Welfare Department for six years. I never wanted to be a lawyer, preferring to do background work, but the paralegal profession appealed to me because I like research and solving problems.

My parents taught me most of what I know, but I did go to paralegal school, and earn a certificate, while I was working in Dad’s office. Both my parents taught me to work hard, and never give up. I watched both work long, hard hours and struggle with solutions, to help many people.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO JUST STARTED THEIR CAREER

Be willing to study, work long hours when necessary, and never give up. Networking is a great way to learn. Through the years, I have acquired a large network of people in the legal field, I can go to for advice. I still call on them, when necessary, and they have always been available.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED

Work hard and never give up.

HOW HAVE YOU BENEFITED BEING A CBA

Having the CBA title attached to my name has helped me attract virtual business, from attorneys locally, and in other states. You always have to explain what CBA means, and this gives me an opportunity to talk about the ABJA organization.

WHAT ARE THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE HAD AT WORK

I live in Snellville, GA, a small city suburb of Atlanta, GA. I know many people and have had clients all over the metro area. Many clients have become as close as family members. The confidentiality sometimes becomes a problem, when I am dealing with several generations and multiple family members.

Since I am working from home, I don’t have that much direct contact with legal clients, so it is more of an issue for the attorney I work with. The biggest problem I still have is in receiving calls from prospective clients, who think a paralegal is a lower-cost substitute for an attorney. I can’t give legal advice, and clients don’t always understand that they must talk to an attorney. They are aware that paralegals do most of the background work in legal offices, and they think I can do the same.

As an independent paralegal, I work from a different location than my attorney. I refer clients to Dennis, or other attorneys, all the time. Some of them hire an attorney, and I get work to do for him. Those who are looking for a cheaper solution never call the attorney and usually create a mess, trying to do their own legal work.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET TALENT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT YOU

My passion is music. I have been involved with church choirs since I was 7 years old. I started learning to play instruments in high school. I played clarinet in high school and later switched to oboe. Today, I play oboe in my local church orchestra, Cannon UMC, and sing alto in the worship choir.

Choir members recently sang in a 280-voice choir, at Carnegie Hall, NYC. This was a special honor. I have been knitting and crocheting since age 8. We have a church prayer shawl ministry. I have contributed many hand-made shawls and blankets, given to cancer patients, other very ill patients, and to survivors when there is a family death.