She has 8 years of experience with Australian law firms, specializing in estate planning, probate, and conveyancing across NSW, QLD, and VIC.
She's handled will drafting, litigation support, and court submissions, and is seeking a full-time remote role (open to US hours) at $1,900–$2,000/month (currently at $1,720).

“I manage estate planning and probate matters end-to-end from client intake, capacity assessment, and will drafting to document execution and court filings. In one litigation case, I prepared the statement of claim, affidavits, and exhibits and coordinated directly with counsel for court submission. I also led the shift from paper-based probate workflows to a fully digital process, training senior lawyers and ensuring compliance with legal mandates. Even with minimal instruction, I draft legally sound documents like adding fallback clauses to wills to meet both client intent and statutory requirements.” (2:12–3:57, 7:03–7:53, 11:27–13:04, 8:31–9:10).

Ae Ann Ico
+63 976 404 6763
ico.aeann27@gmail.com
Interview Recording
•8 years of legal experience supporting Australian law firms across NSW, QLD, and VIC.
•Has experience with estate planning, probate matters, and conveyancing—including drafting wills, coordinating with clients, handling court submissions, and managing sensitive family disputes.
•Has done litigation support (drafting claims, affidavits, and exhibits), process documentation, legal tech, and attorney coordination.

🏢 Current Employment
DBA Global Shared Services (05/2017 – Present) / Senior Legal Process Specialist & Estate Planning Paralegal
DBA is a legal outsourcing firm based in the Philippines that serves international clients.
Deployed full-time to VC Lawyers, an Australian client of DBA, while reporting onsite at DBA’s office.
Handles estate planning, probate, litigation support, and conveyancing with minimal supervision—drafts wills, affidavits, and court documents.
Manages process improvements by introducing digital probate workflows; proficient in Actionstep, LEAP, Smokeball, PEXA, Lexis Australia, and Microsoft tools.
Reason for Leaving: Looking for a fully remote setup to improve work-life balance; current role is onsite.

🏢 Previous Employment
House of Representatives, Office of Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun (07/2016 – 02/2017) / Congressional Staff
Provide administrative and legislative support
Coordinated legislative tracking, correspondence, and scheduling
Filed reports and coordinated with committees
Reason for Leaving: End of project

Motive Fit: Seeking a long-term, fully remote paralegal role that offers schedule flexibility and better alignment with her estate planning and legal drafting expertise.
Tools: Actionstep, LEAP, Smokeball, LexisNexis AU, Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, OneDrive), PEXA, Settlement tools (AU-based)
Employment: Full Time
Time Tracker: Open to using one
Current Rate: $1,720 USD/month
Asking Rate: $1,900 – $2,000 USD/month
Availability: 30 days notice

Screening Questions
1. Walk me through your current role and the type of legal matters that you support? What do you enjoy most about being a paralegal?
I work in estate planning, focusing on inheritance disputes. My role includes assessing clients' capacity, booking appointments, conducting initial interviews, and attending client meetings to take notes. I draft legal documents, forward them to my attorney for review, and ensure proper signing. I also handle probate cases, where disputes arise over inheritance. If a family member feels excluded, I assist in applying for liquidation matters and bringing cases to court. The most rewarding part of my job is solving client issues and seeing their cases successfully approved, it’s both thrilling and fulfilling.

2. What was the most complex estate planning document that you've drafted? Walk me through your process how you completed that.
The most complicated cases I handle involve testamentary wills, especially when clients want to exclude their children's spouses, keeping the inheritance strictly within the bloodline. I tailor documents to their specific requests while ensuring legal compliance. The challenge often comes when discussing fees—clients sometimes object to the costs, especially for high-value estates. Despite the difficulties, these cases are among the most memorable.

3. Have you ever had to manage a probate application from start to finish? What challenges did you encounter with that?
I’ve handled a probate case from start to finish. In one case, the client passed away after making the will, and a neighbor who was excluded from it challenged the will, claiming the client lacked mental capacity. We’re now gathering all documents to prove the client was mentally fit when the will was made. It’s still ongoing, but in general, I manage probate matters from drafting to court filings and final resolution.

4. Can you also describe a matter where you have handled affidavits or motions? How did you coordinate with the solicitor or the court?
I worked on a litigation case that started as a letter of demand and eventually became a statement of claim when the client didn’t respond. We prepared all the required documents including the statement of claim, motions, affidavits, and exhibits then submitted them online and coordinated with counsel to move the case forward in court.

5. Can you share with me a recent example where you had minimal instructions, but came close to the final version of what the attorney wanted?
For example, a client once said the inheritance should go to the children, and that was it. But when drafting the will, I included a clause to cover what happens if one of the children passes away, so their share would go to the surviving sibling. It wasn’t specifically requested, but it was necessary to comply with legal requirements and avoid issues later.

6. Can you share with me of a time where you had to clean up or, rebuild a process in the background that made everything run smoothly for you and your attorney?
In probate cases, I handle extensive documentation, and recently, the process shifted from physical paperwork to an online system. My lawyer, accustomed to traditional methods, initially struggled with the transition. To help, I provided proof of the legal mandate for the online system and guided him through the steps. At first, there was resistance, but I demonstrated the new process, showing how documents are automatically populated. Over time, he relied on me to handle the technical aspects, and eventually, the transition became smooth.

7. How do you prioritize when all your tasks feel urgent?
I prioritize tasks based on urgency. For wills, I assess the client’s situation—if they are elderly or near the end of life, I ensure the will is handled first. Court-related matters follow set deadlines, so I work within those timelines. To stay efficient, I break tasks into manageable parts, completing quick and easy ones first before moving on to court-related duties.

8. What steps do you take or you follow when you're reviewing a case file just to make sure everything is complete and accurate?
When reviewing a case file, I always read the estate overview file and the solicitor’s meeting notes. Before sending anything out, I double-check for spelling, punctuation, proper formatting, and court-approved alignment. I do my best to ensure everything is legally sound before the solicitor reviews and approves it.

Culture Fit

1. What are your top "work values" (e.g. Being hard-working, being on-time, being proactive etc.) that you try to strive for as a professional?
   My core values are proactivity, reliability, and precision.
   •I stay proactive by anticipating needs before being asked, especially important when working remotely across time zones.
   •Reliability is non-negotiable—my colleagues know they can count on me to meet deadlines and maintain high standards.
   •I also hold a strong value for precision; small legal errors can lead to major consequences, so I treat every detail with care.

2. What are the most important learnings you've had in your career?
   One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in my career is the importance of truly listening before responding. Taking the time to understand clients and colleagues deeply allows for thoughtful, respectful, and clear communication—whether in collaboration or conflict.

3. Who were your top mentors and what did you learn from them?
   My top mentors are Mr G. Balderrama, Mr P Palma and Mr D Vertzayas.
   Mr Balderrama trained me to maintain meticulous attention to detail. He provided instruction in conveyancing and the drafting of wills in accordance with the laws of Victoria.
   Mr Palma, my current principal solicitor, has guided me in preparing estate planning documents and emphasised the importance of critical thinking when applying precedents—encouraging an understanding of the rationale behind legal forms and structures.
   Mr Vertzayas, a solicitor I presently work alongside, has shown me how to navigate sensitive client matters with both legal accuracy and empathy, ensuring an appropriate balance between professional responsibility and compassionate client service.

4. What are your most effective habits that you've learned over the years.
   First, I’ve learned the value of consistency and precision—especially when drafting and reviewing estate planning documents, where accuracy is paramount.
   Active listening is another essential habit I’ve cultivated, as understanding clients’ personal and often sensitive circumstances requires both empathy and attention to detail.
   Lastly, I continuously seek to understand the legal rationale behind precedents and templates. Rather than simply copying and pasting, I aim to grasp the “why” behind each clause.