Photo Karen Graham.
Janet Heeringa is ready to welcome clients to her new Paralegal Service on Larmer Line.
Switching careers is commonplace these days, as the changing economy creates new employment opportunities almost as quickly as it eliminates others. When Janet Heeringa and her brother Richard decided it was time to leave the dairy industry, few would have anticipated Janet’s next career move- becoming a Paralegal.
Both siblings were heavily invested in the family farm, having taken post-secondary education in agriculture before taking over the dairy operation. Janet was responsible for herd health and administration, with other farm responsibilities delegated to the many other participating family members. Farming was in their blood and still is; the family farm on Larmer Line was started by their grandfather Karl in 1954. Several factors contributed to the sibling’s decision leave the dairy sector, including market insecurity and the aging equipment that required a significant capital infusion. After much discussion, the decision was made.
When the dairy herd was dispersed in November 2016, Janet went back to school, taking the Paralegal program at Fleming College, where she earned both a law clerk and a paralegal diploma. It was not a difficult choice. In high school, Janet had considered studying law instead of agriculture, and after almost 20 years on the farm, she was happy to explore that other option.
The program was intense, and earning the diplomas was not the end of the academic pressure. The license test that followed was a full-day ordeal administered at a conference centre beside the Toronto airport. Waiting for the results was the longest 30 days of Janet’s life.
With an office waiting only for the arrival of her desk, Janet is now eager to hang out her shingle and announce that she is open for business.
Paralegals like Janet are licensed to provide clearly defined, independent legal services. As legal agents they can represent clients in matters including small claims court (under $25,000), Administrative Tribunals, such as the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, traffic and other offenses heard in the Ontario Court of Justice including minor criminal charges. An area of particular interest is agricultural disputes such as those involving the transfer of dairy or egg quotas.
The Law Clerk diploma is a credential that would allow Janet to work in a law office, but that option is less appealing. Working regular hours in a downtown office would be too restrictive. She is used to setting her own schedule and being her own boss. Having her own office located in a building in front of one of the barns on the family farm also means Janet is just around the corner when her father needs an extra pair of hands in the barn, and she is happy to keep her feet in both worlds. To learn more about how a paralegal like Janet can help, visit www.janetheeringaparalegal.com. KG
