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Two Utah Legal Staffers Die in Nepal Plane Crash

By Lynne DeVenny

A successful paralegal and her close friend, the office manager of the law firm where they both worked, were fulfilling their dream of hiking to the base camp of Mount Everest, when their plane crashed in Nepal yesterday. There were no survivors.

Heather Finch was a long-time paralegal for the law offices of Howard, Lewis & Petersen in Provo, Utah. Leuzi Cardoso started work there as a legal secretary in 1983, performing many different functions over her 29-year career. Managing shareholder John Valentine told a local television station that their deaths are a major blow to the firm.

Both of these women were amazing leaders. Mrs. Finch was the head of the paralegal organization for the whole state. Mrs. Cardoso has been our office manager and has been very accomplished in a number of areas. We are just so saddened to lose both of them.

Their detailed professional biographies can be viewed at the firm's online staff profiles. Both women were incredibly accomplished legal professionals. Finch was an active member and held various leadership positions in the Utah State Bar's Paralegal Division. She was the 2009 Utah State Bar Paralegal of the Year.

And both were wives, as well as moms to five children each. There aren't sufficient words to convey to their families, friends and colleagues how sorry I am to hear of this devastating loss. Heather Finch and Leuzi Cardoso were living their lives to the fullest and making their life-long dream come true, the actions of wonderful, courageous and imaginative women - who will be deeply missed by the people who loved them.

Sources: Salt Lake Tribune; ksl.com

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on August 24, 2010 (boomark / email).