Coming from a theatre background, litigation paralegal Carmen Dutton knows that what happens on stage doesn’t happen at all without the talent and commitment of the people working behind the scenes. That, to a large degree, explains her intuitive understanding of her role and responsibilities when helping attorneys prepare for and conduct high-stakes trials. Combined with her extensive and diverse discovery and litigation experience, collaborative nature and ability to anticipate needs one, two or ten steps ahead, this has made Carmen an indispensable partner for the litigators she works with.
A meticulously organized and highly motivated self-starter, Carmen stands side-by-side with her attorneys at every stage and for every aspect of complex cases. She conducts legal research, manages eDiscovery, drafts legal documents for attorney review and prepares for and attends trials, where she ensures that exhibits are seamlessly and quickly at the ready and that the attorney has everything they need when they need it. She has been involved in a broad spectrum of disputes, including commercial litigation, legal malpractice, bad faith insurance claims, bankruptcy, personal injury, real estate and FINRA/SEC litigation.
Fluent in Spanish, Carmen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater Management from DePaul University and a Paralegal Certificate from Northwestern College. When not serving clients, Carmen can often be found competing in (and frequently winning) bocce tournaments throughout the country, attending concerts and exploring Chicago.