Member Highlight – Abstractor: Patricia Roberts

When asked what it takes to do her work well, Patricia Roberts of Mid-Mississippi Abstract Co LLC says, “The job requires being able to think like an attorney, a surveyor and sometimes a detective to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.” She has been in the abstracting and title business since 1985 and primarily works in Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Yazoo Counties. Inspired by her mother, who was a legal secretary for more than 30 years, Patricia received a degree from USM in Paralegal Studies and started her career in the abstract department at Mississippi Valley Title.

Of her current position as an independent abstractor, Patricia notes, “When I started out almost all the abstractors worked for a title company or a law firm, and therefore you had very few independent abstractors. That is reversed now.” Other significant changes she has observed over her long career include the technological advances made with the land records and the faster pace of the industry as a whole, making it easier to be productive but resulting in shorter deadlines. Patricia would advise someone starting out in abstracting to be willing to ask questions, listen to and learn from everyone, and remember that accuracy is even more important than timeliness.

Patricia is a member of the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors. In her time away from work, she enjoys hiking with her dog, Lucky, around the Natchez Trace, reading, watching college sports, and having adventures such as white-water rafting and zip-lining. Contemplating her career, Patricia concludes, “I am grateful to have found this profession that no one outside of the title industry has ever heard of. I feel blessed to have a job that challenges me and makes a valuable contribution to the community.”