Solving problems

Ashley Arett, a recently hired paralegal and law student, has recently joined the staff of Patton, Hoversten, and Berg (PH&B) law office in Janesville. Arett is from Austin, Minnesota, but grew up overseas while her father served in the military. She now lives in Mankato with her three children.

A college student later in life, Arett received her bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Bethany Lutheran College in 2021. She is now continuing her studies at Hamline University School of Law with the goal of becoming a lawyer, a process which typically takes three years. Once she finishes, and after passing the state’s bar exam, she will be able to practice law in Minnesota as an attorney. 

Prior to her first time working as a paralegal at PH&B, Arett worked in compliance, special education, and as a firearms dealer. She also performs weddings as an ordained minister. Even before studying law as a professional, Arett said that law “has always been relevant to whatever job I had.”

Arett’s first job in law was for Southern Minnesota Regional Law Services in Mankato, which provides legal aid to those who cannot afford an attorney.

As a paralegal for PH&B, Arett said she “functions as a person of contact between the attorney and client.” Because a paralegal is less expensive than an attorney, Arett said that individuals can save themselves money by using a paralegal in the preliminary steps of a legal process. 

She explains that being a paralegal entails a lot of writing, drafting, and communicating. Because law has “its own language,” Arett finds her degree in legal studies to be an advantage, though it is not necessarily required to work as a paralegal in Minnesota.

When looking for an internship, Arett filled out a contact form on PH&B’s website. Instead of describing a legal problem, though, she submitted her resume, along with a note saying “I do not have a legal problem but I would like to come solve them.” 

While another internship opportunity meant that she had to turn PH&B down initially, it became a top choice for a law firm to work at when planning her post-graduation career and Arett started working there last November.

While working for PH&B, Arett said that she “just fell in love” with Janesville, adding “I want to buy a house here and live here forever.” During her lunch break, Janesville residents can often find Arett at her favorite spot in town, The Purple Goose Eatery and Saloon.

Key legal issues in Arett’s work as a paralegal include estate planning and administration, probate files, and agriculture-based transactions.

No matter what the legal challenge, Arett says that “clients are the center of my world.”

As she continues her pursuit for justice in the best interest of PH&B’s clients, Arett is committed to remaining a member of Janesville’s community for years to come. 

“This is where I want to be and this is what I want to do,” said Arett.