Leading & Serving Others (LASO)

Oneida Acosta, Litigation Paralegal Professional

I was born in Barranquilla Colombia, my family immigrated to the US to provide more opportunities for their kids. I am the oldest of four siblings and a proud wife and mother.

Growing up, I saw how challenging it was for my parents to provide for our family, both working two jobs however, that never stopped them from always making sure we were focusing on our academics. Education always played an important role in our family. As the oldest, I was responsible for taking care of my younger siblings.

I recall my dad always advising us to do our best in school and to continue our education after High School because that would give us better opportunities in life - he was right. That being said, my siblings and I focused on obtaining a college degree. I successfully graduated with an associate in business administration.

At the age of 22, I was hired in my first legal secretary position at a litigation defense firm. After my ninth year at the firm, I was certain I wanted to advance my career. I was eager to keep pushing forward so when the opportunity knocked on my door, I decided to pursue my career in Paralegal Studies. I am proud to say that I now have over 20 years of professional legal experience and I have been a Litigation Paralegal for 12 years working for a large defense firm in NYC. Hard work and dedication truly does pay off at the end.

One thing about me is that I have a deep passion for helping others, I always use my positive attitude and energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed.

“When opportunity presents itself, don't be afraid to go after It”.