UNSUNG HERO – Nadia Riese – Boardman Clark

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Nadia Riese, a legal assistant at Boardman Clark, views herself as a problem solver. Whether working with an attorney on a case, planning a major event for the firm or trying out new technology, Riese always knows her days will be interesting.

“No two days are alike,” said Riese, who has been at the firm for 18 years and works with attorneys in the School Law Practice Group. “I enjoy the work I do and the people I work with. Every day is a collaborative effort to get the job done.”

Riese’s work extends beyond regular legal assistant work. She coordinates and manages school law events, monitors the practice group’s budget, maintains the group’s database, trains and mentors new legal assistants and organizes several social events for the firm.

Riese organizes the firm’s largest seminar of the year, an all-day event for hundreds of clients and potential clients. She manages every aspect of the seminar, allowing attorneys to focus their time on presentations and clients.

The key to the event’s success is “communication, communication, communication. It is keeping everyone involved up-to-date and on the same page until it is all over,” she said.

Riese also helps the firm identify ways it can improve processes. Boardman Clark is moving to a new document management system and she played a key role in finding and testing the replacement.

“We trust her judgment and knowledge” about how the system will work, said attorney Doug Witte.

Attorney Rick Verstegen said Riese helps plan firm-wide events and encourages everyone to attend. If she sees someone by herself, Riese makes sure they feel welcome.

“She is a friendly and positive person who builds a great culture at our firm,” Verstegen said. “We are a better law firm because of Nadia.”