BRIDGEWATER - A former Bridgewater woman is putting a face on a little-known profession.

 It's been a year since Ann-Marie Allen started the East Coast Paralegal (ECP), a magazine for paralegals and paraprofessionals.

 Ms Allen is a graduate of Bridgewater High who lives in the Annapolis Valley. She's been working as a paralegal for 22 years.

 After starting her own consulting business to help young people involved in paralegal programs and to promote the field at the high school level, Ms Allen decided she wanted to reach a wider audience.

 "In this field, lawyers are the main focus.  Most people don't realize that the paralegals and legal assistants are the backbone to any law firm and mostly never receive the recognition they deserve," she says.

 That's not to take anything away from lawyers, Ms Allen adds. She just wants to encourage recognition in her field, hence the magazine.

 ECP publishes three or four times a year and is distributed throughout the Atlantic provinces. It is available as a published magazine or electronically by contacting Ms Allen at amallen@eastlink.ca.

 Ms Allen is the daughter of Donald and Shirley Allen of Bridgewater.

posted on 02/09/10