Katharine Essex Honored with McCormac Award

December 14, 2004

Katharine Essex, a paralegal at Hahn, Loeser and Parks LLP, received the second annual John W. McCormac Award for Outstanding Service to the Paralegal Profession at a ceremony at the Columbus Bar Association on December 9, 2004. The event was co-sponsored by the Capital University Law School Paralegal Program and the Columbus Bar Association.

Speakers included Paralegal Association of Central Ohio President Nell Chambers, President of the Columbus Bar Association Kimberly C. Shumate, Capital University Law School Dean Jack A. Guttenberg, the Hon. John W. McCormac, Marc J. Kessler, L’92, a partner at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, and Katharine Essex.

The award, named in honor of John W. McCormac, the founder of Capital University Law School’s paralegal program in 1972, is based on the length of involvement in the paralegal profession, support of paralegal education, efforts to promote the profession and services to the legal community and professional organizations.

Essex has been actively involved as an associate member of the Ohio State Bar Association where she has served as the secondary chairperson of the Paralegal/Legal Assistant’s Committee. She is also an associate member of the Columbus Bar Association, as well as a past president of the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio. In her role as president, Essex was instrumental in achieving the unique relationship for the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio as a sub-committee of the CBA. Essex remains active in the association by serving on the board of the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio as the secondary statewide representative for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.

In addition to her membership in national and statewide paralegal associations, Essex is a frequent speaker at paralegal seminars. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Capital University Law School Paralegal Program.

Essex received her Bachelor of Science degree from Heidelberg College and her Certificate of Completion in paralegal studies from Firelands College of Bowling Green State University. In addition, Essex successfully completed the National Association of Legal Assistants certifying examination. Essex began her legal career in Norwalk, Ohio, in a private law firm and later with the Huron County Prosecuting Attorney Office. She then came to the Columbus area as a litigation paralegal with the law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsy.

The McCormac award is an annual event. Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2005 McCormac award. Contact Donna Schoebel for more information about making a nomination.