Women’s History Month: Sarah Ericksen

In celebration of Women's History Month, Robinson Bradshaw is highlighting women from the firm throughout March. Meet legal practice assistant and Research Triangle office manager Sarah Ericksen.

Describe what you do at Robinson Bradshaw.

I am a legal practice assistant, as well as the office manager for the Research Triangle office. My duties as an LPA involve supporting paralegals and attorneys in the Research Triangle office, which may include scanning, printing and filing documents; sending out documents to be signed; filing expense reports and check requests; and general client matter organization. As an office manager, my role changes daily. I assist IT with the setup of virtual hearings/meetings and work with vendors to coordinate deliveries, maintenance and upcoming projects, as well as welcome visitors, organize lunches and schedule conference rooms.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

The opportunities and relationships. Robinson Bradshaw has been an exciting new chapter in my life, and every day brings new challenges and situations. I am grateful to work with such talented and encouraging people.

What advice do you have for other women in the workplace?

Surround yourself with people who respect you, believe in you, challenge you and are proud of you, and do the same for them. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” –Maya Angelou

Who is a historical female figure you admire, and why?

With a background in engineering, I have always admired women who blazed any technical field with their intelligence and fortitude. The movie “Hidden Figures” showcased Katherine Johnson, a wife, mother of three and mathematician who calculated trajectories for numerous NASA missions. Her work was used to verify computations done by a computer. She is the true definition of a space pioneer.

What is one lesson you’ve learned during the COVID-19 pandemic?

How to find a new normal in life during a pandemic! Basketball is a huge part of my family life. Both of my kids play on travel teams that I help manage and my husband coaches. Unfortunately their seasons were cut short last year, and they did not play any AAU tournaments over the summer. It was sad not to get to watch them do what they love and missing their teammates; however, because we were home every night, they came up with nightly workouts and games to play with each other. Without quarantine, I highly doubt my two teenagers would be working out together and hanging out with their parents on a nightly basis. I have come to appreciate this new normal. 

Tell us a little-known fact about yourself.

I am an avid Wheel of Fortune fan, which led me to audition for the show at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Raleigh in 2012. I was fortunate to be selected to be on the show and won the final round with the puzzle “_  _  g  _     _  _  l  _ m  e.”