NALA News and Seminars
NALA SELECTS 2011 CONVENTION SITE
OMAHA, NE
NePA is pleased to announce that NALA has chosen Omaha, Nebraska, as the location of the 2011 NALA National Convention!!! The Convention will be held at the Hilton across from the Qwest Center on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 through Saturday, July 30, 2011.
This is a very exciting opportunity for NePA’s members to experience a national Convention!!! Over the next year, there will be many opportunities presented to NePA’s members to help participate at the convention and it will be an excellent way to reach out to other paralegals in Nebraska regarding the benefits of NALA and NePA membership.
Please keep in mind that Convention fees are discounted for NALA members, so if you are not a NALA member, now is an excellent time to join!!!
There will also be opportunities for many of the area vendors to participate with sponsorship, as well as opportunities for us to work closely with our paralegal friends in sister organizations of the surrounding states. Along those lines, there is an Exhibit Hall which is open for each attendee to learn about the products and services which are available to make our jobs easier. The other really exciting benefit of Convention is the opportunity to visit the Association Exhibit Booths and find out what other Associations are doing, including the opportunity to view their newsletters.
NePA appreciates this honor and wishes to thank NALA and NALA’s Board of Directors for this exciting opportunity. Nebraska currently has two members on the NALA Board of Directors. Ann Atkinson is currently 2nd Vice President and Janie Boswell is District 6 Director. Linda Hess is also a past NALA Board of Director’s member and current Ex Officio Chair of the Certifying Board.
NePA is very proud of all of our NALA and NePA members and hope you will each plan to attend the 2011 NALA National Convention in Omaha, Nebraska!!! See you there!!!
NALA SHORT COURSE - CHARLOTTE, NC
For paralegals preparing for the Certified Paralegal exam, those wanting to freshen up their professional skills and knowledge, or for certificated paralegals to fulfill requisite CLE to maintain certification. This will be the only CP Short Course before the January and May 2011 computer-based CP examinations. Now in its 35th year, the CP Credential is recognized nationwide as the standard of paralegal professionalism.
The distinguished faculty provides a general overview of the following topics and presents specific knowledge and skills needed by paralegals.
American Legal System - Karen Sanders-West, ACP, JD
Judgement & Legal Analysis - Virginia Koerselman Newman, JD
Legal Research - Virginia Koerselman Newman, JD
Ethics - Kay Kasic, CP
Contracts - John W. Dunn, LLB, & Karen M. Dunn, ACP
Real Property - John W. Dunn, LLB, & Karen M. Dunn, ACP
Business Organizations - Connie Kretchmer, ACP & Virginia Koerselman Newman, JD
Estates & Trusts - Virginia Koerselman Newman, JD & Connie Kretchmer, ACP
The Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel is an all-suite, smoke-free property located among upscale restaurants and opportunities for shopping, entertainment, and the arts. The suites feature dual-line telephones with voice mail and data ports, microwage ovens and refrigerators. There is also a full-service business center. Call (800) 266-9432 and mention this event for the special NALA rate of $99/night. Room reservation deadline is October 18.
Details and online registration at www.nala.org
NALA NEWS (8/20/10)
Do you work with paralegsl who are NOT members of NALA???
NALA Announces Special Membership Program!
NALA is offering a discount off NALA membership dues to corporations and firms with over 5 NALA members. Good Companies know that employees are their most valuable assets, and a significant number of companies know that investing in employees who are NALA members is good for their balance sheets. Employers have seen the wisdom of investing in paralegals who show the good judgment and initiative to invest in their own professional development. Tosupport this effort, NALA offers 10% discount off membership dues to employers with at least 5 members; 20% discount to employers with 6-10 members; and a 25% discount for those with 11 plus more members. An additional 2% is available to government and non-profit (501-c-3) employers. Details may be found on the NALA web site, under "About NALA & Join."
Please visit http://nala.org/fall2010schedule.aspx for information relating to the NALA Campus Live! Fall Program.
2010 NePA Annual Report
Click here for NePA's Annual Report submitted June 1, 2010 to NALA for the 2010 NALA National Convention! See what NePA's been doing this year!!!
NALA Campus LIVE! Registration Details …………….
See what NALA Campus LIVE! can do for you!
During the next few months 45 NALA Campus LIVE! presentations will be offered. These courses offer real-time instruction by acknowledged educators on various topics ranging from CLA/CP review courses to advanced courses in substantive law areas. Don’t forget the phone call is TOLL FREE.
Discount for Group Registrations – A minimum of two people from the same site is required to qualify as a group. Group members must use the same telephone line and same computer. The first registrant is full price ($80 for NALA members and $105 for non-NALA members) and each additional registrant is $45. To register your group or if you have questions concerning group registration contact Mariah Williams (mwilliams@nala.org) at NALA Headquarters.
CLE Credit – Many of these courses are approved by the NALA Certifying Board toward maintaining the CLA/CP credential. Most courses have also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Montana State Bar, State Bar of California, the North Carolina State Bar, and for Florida Registered Paralegals. For more information please visit www.nala.org or contact NALA at 918-587-6828 or nalanet@nala.org.
NALA SELF-STUDY COURSES
For information on NALA's Self-Study Courses, please visit: http://www.nala.org/NALACampusSelfStudy.aspx
JACKSONVILLE, FL - NALA ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE BLOG BY CHRISTI KOCH, ACP (NEBRASKA'S NALA LIAISON)
Day 5
The final day of the NALA Convention began with a choice of member presentations on either Humor at Work or Empowering the Professional You (which was excellent!). I heard great comments about both presentations and attended the empowerment class. At 10:45, members gathered for the Closing Presentation on Ethics, which was very good and included a discussion of the ethical violations from the movie “Erin Brokovich”. At 12:30, closing remarks were made by the new President and a short video was played regarding all that Omaha has to offer in 2011 and we all headed for home!
It is good to be back and I hope that you each enjoyed hearing about the 2010 NALA Convention. I hope to see each of you in Omaha for the 2011 Annual Convention! Remember that the membership meetings are free, so even if you cannot afford the educational sessions, we would love to see you at the meetings. See you all in Omaha next July!
This year will be my last year as NALA Liaison and I encourage all of you to consider running for the Board of Directors as all positions are open for election, other than the President, which the President Elect automatically will fill. Service to your Association is fulfilling and helps you network, build leadership skills, and work towards becoming better in your chosen field. If you cannot serve on the Board of Directors, there are numerous committees that are looking for committee members. Please take a moment to review our website and if you are considering service to NePA, please do not be afraid to contact any of the Board members with questions or comments. Remember that you get the most out of your membership by offering your service!
Christina L. Koch, ACP
NALA Liaison
Day 4
Day 4 of the NALA Convention began with some wonderful Affiliate Exhibits. Please take time to view the photos of a few of the booths. This is the time of the Convention for the Affiliates to showcase what their Association is doing and to learn how to incorporate the ideas from some of the other Affiliates of NALA. Associations also give out door prizes later in the day at the Annual Meeting. I brought home an additional $100.00 giftcard from a neighboring state from these door prizes, which fit nicely in the new bag I won from a vendor the day before!
Once the Affiliate Exhibition was over, we all headed off to our educational classes and then split up for lunch. After lunch, the Annual Meeting commenced, which included announcement of the new officers which can be found on NALA’s website. Of importance to our association is that Ann Atkinson, ACP was elected First Vice President of NALA and Janie Boswell, ACP was recognized as she completed her second term as Region 6 Director, retiring from the Board of Directors. Our new Region 6 Director is Melissa J. Hamilton, ACP. You can find her contact information on NALA’s website as well. Donations were given to the troops and we moved on to the Annual Reports of the Officers. One of the 2010 LEAP classes made a very nice presentation to the membership and the LEAP graduation for the class of 2010 was held. The 2011 LEAP class was announced and recognized, including our very own Carla Larson, ACP!
An overview of the committees of NALA was announced and members were given an opportunity to visit with the various committees to volunteer services. New association affiliations were announced, as well as acknowledgement of this year’s hosting associations and sponsors of the Convention. The meeting ended with special awards, which included the Outstanding Contribution Award, given to Lee A. Paige, ACP of the Los Angeles Paralegal Association, and a Special Award given to Arkansas Paralegal Alliance, Inc. for outstanding service to another member in a time of need. The Founders Award was given to Patricia G. Elliott, ACP and gifts were given to the outgoing President, Linda Wolf, ACP, by the Board of Directors, acknowledging her service to the Board of Directors since 1998.
The evening activity for Friday was the Reception and Installation of Board Members for 2010, where Ann Atkinson was sworn in as the First Vice President, and Karen Greer McGee was sworn in as President of NALA. Other officers announcements will be on the NALA website in the near future. Tomorrow will include educational sessions, the closing sessions and of course, an invitation to join us in Omaha for the 2011 NALA Educational Institute!
Christina L. Koch, ACP
NALA Liaison
DAY 3
Day 3 of the NALA Convention began with some educational sessions based on a variety of choices. The voting booths also opened at 8:00 a.m. and remained open until 5:00 p.m. (Good luck to Ann Atkinson, ACP, who is expected to be elected First Vice President when the polls close tomorrow!) A big thank you to each of the members who submitted voting proxies.
After lunch, attendees gathered for the 2010 Affiliate Associations Meeting, where Debra Overstreet, ACP, was elected the new Affiliated Associations Director and Sandra Hatch, CP, was elected the new Affiliated Associations Secretary. Congratulations to both Debra and Sandra, who will make excellent leaders this next year! I really enjoyed being part of the elections this year and wish both of these members the best as they work to benefit ALL of NALA’s Affiliated Associations over the next year! Door prizes were also given by the vendors and Carla and I were both lucky enough to take home prizes!
Affiliated Association Presentations were also given by the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. and the Northwest Florida Paralegal Association. Topics included Growing Your Membership by four distinguished paralegals from Alabama, and Developing Leaders Within Your Association by two members of the Northwest Florida Paralegal Association.
The Affiliated Associations Meeting ended with recognition of 17 outstanding paralegals, as well as two Affiliate Committees, who received Affiliated Associations Awards for outstanding service to their local organizations. President Loretta Phillips accepted the award on behalf of Linda Hess, ACP, who received the Nebraska Affiliated Association Award for outstanding service to our organization. CONGRATULATIONS, LINDA!!! We are VERY PROUD of you!!!
Carla Larson, ACP also attended the LEAP Orientation and the special Board of Directors meeting in order to choose the LEAP presentation which will be presented at tomorrow’s Annual Membership Meeting.
Thursday night is a free night, so many of the paralegals have headed out on the town tonight to explore Jacksonville! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s photos, which will showcase some of the wonderful Affiliate Exhibit Booths! I am really looking forward to sharing photos of this portion of the Convention with you and hope you are all enjoying the highlights of the Convention!
Christina L. Koch, ACP
NALA Liaison
Check out the Daily Photo Postings on NePA's Photo Gallery (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Official NALA Convention News can be found at http://www.nala.org/convention.aspx. Stop by and check it out!
Day 2
Good morning from Jacksonville, Florida!!! Day 2 of the NALA Convention began with a tour of the Exhibit Hall and breakfast. Members then gathered for welcoming remarks from President Linda Wolf, which also included a wonderful letter from the Governor of the State of Florida regarding NALA. Next, our keynote speaker, Daniel K. Bean, Esq., of Holland & Knight in Jacksonville, Florida gave a wonderful presentation on Jacksonville’s economy, weather, education and entertainment. He also spoke about his twenty-four years as a naval officer. The room was packed and you could feel the energy and the excitement of the Convention building!
The remainder of the morning included wonderful educational presentations which members chose from either the educational Institutes (Bankruptcy, Elder Law or Veteran’s Law) or the educational Tracks (Corporate, Essential Skills, Hot Topics or Litigation). Throughout the day, I heard wonderful comments about the speakers.
The All Convention Luncheon was also yesterday, which was absolutely delicious and included an informal discussion about how our profession has evolved in the past 35 years. This presentation was moderated by our own Ann Atkinson, ACP! The rest of the afternoon included the Annual Membership Meeting. Topics included campaign speeches, proposed bylaw changes, voting procedures, and a detailed overview of the testing procedures for the CP exam, to begin with the September test. Ann Atkinson, ACP gave her campaign speech for 1st Vice President. Voting will begin today. Updates were also given to the membership on how the LEAP presentations would be changing, the NALANet database, and how to search the website for prior articles of Facts and Findings.
The evening included the Opening Night Reception, based on a festive 70’s theme, complete with a disco ball!!! There were wonderful appetizers with a cash bar, as well as additional entertainment. The MC for the event held a costume contest (make sure you check out the photos!), a 70’s trivia contest, and various dancing events! It was a wonderful end to Day 2!!!
There were again many more positive comments about Omaha and the excitement that is building. I had a chance to speak with the President of the South Dakota association and the NALA Liaison from the Iowa association, who were both very excited about next year’s Convention in Omaha!!!
Stay tuned tomorrow for more from Jacksonville!
Check out the Daily Photo Postings on NePA's Photo Gallery (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Official NALA Convention News can be found at http://www.nala.org/convention.aspx. Stop by and check it out!
Day 1
Hello from Florida! Ten Nebraska paralegals appeared for the first day of the 2010 NALA Annual Educational Institute. The celebration of NALA’s 35th Annual Educational Institute kicked off with Registration and the Early Bird Reception at 6:00 p.m. in Jacksonville, Florida. Door prizes were given, which included a wonderful Pandora bracelet as the grand prize. Paralegals from all over the country appeared to meet with old friends and make new ones as we networked over delicious appetizers and cocktails. Entertainment and door prizes for the reception were provided generously by local Florida paralegal associations, as well as local vendors. There was a lot of excitement generated for next year’s NALA Annual Educational Institute in Omaha, Nebraska!
After a little sightseeing and a wonderful dinner at The Jacksonville Landing, we returned to the hotel for a little rest. Tomorrow morning will kick off the educational portion of the convention, along with an All Convention Luncheon. Stay tuned for more from Jacksonville!
Check out the Daily Photo Postings on NePA's Photo Gallery (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Official NALA Convention News can be found at http://www.nala.org/convention.aspx. Stop by and check it out!