It’s never too late to start over. This was Corina Yee’s mantra after losing her job at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Yee worked for the United Launch Alliance (ULA) for almost a decade and expected to retire there.
But when she was laid off during her ninth year, her future was unclear.
“The ULA had laid off hundreds of employees, and I was one of them,” Yee told the Sun. “I was frantically looking for another job until my husband, Lyndon, suggested I go back to school for the career I always wanted.”
Although it had always been on the back burner, one of Yee’s dreams since childhood was to work in law, she said.
“Ever since I was in grade school, I always saw myself working in the legal field. I just wasn’t sure to what capacity and when,” she said. “Judge Rogelio Flores is a close family friend of my grandparents. Whenever I saw him at family events, I was just in awe of him.”
It had been 20 years since Yee last stepped foot in a classroom when she decided to sign up for a semester at Allan Hancock College. She was ambitious though, and over the course of three years took enough classes to receive two associate degrees.
She was one of the oldest students in all her classes, she said.
“The main reason that I went back [to school] is because I have five children. I wanted to be an example to them,” she said. “If I can go to school, at my age and with five children, then there is no excuse for them not to complete college.”
With two associate degrees—one in Administration of Justice and one in Paralegal Studies—and a California Paralegal Certificate under her belt, Yee was ready to start her new career as a legal document assistant.
So she started Helping Hand Document Services to provide exactly what its name suggests, a helping hand—specifically to those in need of legal assistance. Yee is not an attorney, but she can help navigate legal matters for individuals and families who do not want to, or cannot afford to, hire a lawyer.
“I believe that low-income families feel comfortable with me because I have lived through similar struggles,” she said. “I know what it is like to live through legal battles, while counting pennies at the same time.”
Helping Hand—which specializes in civil law, family law, estate planning, probate, and bankruptcy—also offers services to those who can’t necessarily afford even her services, she explained, including the homeless.
“Half of the cases I’ve completed have been pro bono,” Yee said. “I had a traumatic upbringing. I know what it is like to be without a home, without a meal, and without a family. I emotionally invest everything into my clients.”
Helping Hand Document Services is located at 117 E. Fesler St., suite B, Santa Maria. For more information, call 855-8448 or visit helpinghanddocs.com.
Highlights
• The Robinson Property Company invites the community to its launch party July 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. Free refreshments and live music will be provided. The celebration takes place at the Robinson Property Company office, located at 1113 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.
• Tony Cravello Insurance and Financial Solutions announces its move to the Santa Maria Inn at 801 S. Broadway, suite 15, Santa Maria. The new office is larger than the company’s previous space and will accommodate the growth of the agency, President Tony Cravello said in a press release. “This move to an upscale, modern office space will enable us to better serve the planning needs of our clients as we continue to grow our business,” Cravello said.
Contributor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, mail, or email at spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 20-27, 2017.