Wittkopf strikes balance working hard, having fun

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Andrea Wittkopf strikes the right balance in the office between hard work and fun.

A legal secretary at Hager, Dewick & Zuengler, she has made a name for herself as someone who both welcomes opportunities to tackle whatever is thrown at her and knows how to ensure the office stays fun and friendly.

Wittkopf didn’t expect she would become a legal secretary back when she first joined the firm in 2008. She worked as a receptionist, but eventually saw herself taking on more and more paralegal work.

“And I guess I got good at it,” said Wittkopf.

In nominating her, John Hager, an attorney at HDZ, made a list of Wittkopf’s attributes.

The first he mentioned was Wittkopf’s ability to produce outstanding work on time. Yet, though serious about her job, she is also good at making sure work doesn’t seem like a chore. Hager credited Wittkopf for being “just plain fun to have around.”

The business and estate-planning law firm is made up of seven lawyers and 11 support staff members. Wittkopf works to maintain high standards by putting in extra time without complaint, taking care to ensure her work is done accurately and finishing her assignments with minimal supervision. That last trait is particularly distinguishing, Hager said.

Wittkopf said much of her motivation is internal. If she doesn’t finish an assignment, she will lie awake at night thinking about it.

“I’m one of those people that doesn’t like to leave things unfinished. …I don’t like to feel like I’m behind,” she said. “If I need to put some extra work into it, I’m fine with that.”

She also said the best thing about her office is the team of lawyers and assistants who work there.

“We have a really good team here, and are always helping each other out,” Wittkopf said. “We have a really good support system out here.”