2011-01-Spring-Volume 30 Issue 1
- 1. ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦ President’s Message ♦ Important Announcement & Reminders ♦ Fall Seminar: November 4 & 5 ♦ Our Association & Chapters on Facebook ♦ Deadline Membership Renewals HAVE EXPIRED without reinstatement fee— Online Membership Access to be deactivated ♦ Spring Seminar Rotation ♦ Request for Volunteers from Your Paralegal Advocate Team ♦ NOTICE STUDENTS: Publishing Opportunity ♦ Scholarship for Students ♦ Award Scholarship for Members ♦ NALA Campus ♦ Get the Most from Your Paralegal Education—By: Lauren Printz ♦ How Safe is Your Domain Name —By: Nancy Harrison ♦ State & Chapter News ♦ The #1 Myth You Should Never Believe —By: Vicki Voisin, ACP ♦ Notice of Annual Meeting ♦ Proxy for Annual Meeting ♦ Election Announcement— Declaration of Candidacy ♦ 2011 Board Members & Directors ♦ NALA CP/CLA Exam Schedule ♦ Sustaining Members ♦ Resources ♦ The Paralegal Advocate Team ♦ Deadlines and Contact Information Tennessee Paralegal Association Post Office Box 21723 Chattanooga, TN 37424 ♦♦ E-Mail: info@tnparalegal.org ♦♦ Web Site: http://www.tnparalegal.org ♦♦ Greetings TPA Members: Hope everyone is staying cool in this hot “early” summer weather!! We recently had our Spring Seminar hosted by our South- east Chapter. The topics were very informative and we had a good turnout. I want to thank the Southeast Chapter for hosting a great seminar. The NALA Convention will be coming up on July 27-29, 2011. Tammie Murphy, CLA and I will be attending for TPA. We will be attending meetings and exhibits and will be obtaining ideas from other Paralegal organizations to help our association grow. At our recent board meeting, at the request of the West TN Chapter Chairperson and its members, the board voted to hold the West TN Chapter of TPA dormant for one year in hopes that they could grow their membership and participa- tion. Our Fall Seminar will be held November 4-5, 2011 in Leba- non, Tennessee. Our First Vice President, LaFran Plunk, is working extremely hard on the seminar. If you have any ide- as for topics, please contact LaFran. Please check the web- site for more details in the coming months. Hope you all have a safe summer and looking forward to seeing each of you soon! Yours very truly, Sherri L. Satterfield, CP TPA President
- 2. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spring Seminar Rotation: Southeast 2011, Central 2012, West 2013, East 2014 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Request for Volunteers to join the Paralegal Advocate Team: We want to put your skills to work at what you do best. You determine the time commitment. We tell you what we need and you tell us what you are able to contribute. This is a great for adding to your resume and opportunity to be more active in your Association while doing what you enjoy. ♦ Authoring articles on legal topics or additional information of interest for our Membership; ♦ Selection of relevant legal articles from various sources & obtaining permission from author for publication in The Paralegal Advocate; ♦ Requesting individuals in the legal field to write an article for The Paralegal Advocate; ♦Proofreading submitted articles &/or final draft of The Paralegal Advocate for publication; ♦Marketing liaison – reach out to vendors in the legal field to see if they want to advertise in our newsletter; ♦Creative submissions or standing column is another consideration/opportunity If you are interested in volunteering to join our Team, please e-mail us at in- fo@tnparalegal.org Thank you very much. Your Paralegal Advocate Team FALL SEMINAR! MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOVEMBER 4-5, 2011 WATCH OUR WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS TO BE POSTED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keep track of our Association & Chapters on Face Book Tennessee Paralegal Association East Tennessee Chapter of the Tennessee Paralegal Association Southeast Chapter Tennessee Paralegal Association Central Tennessee Chapter of the Tennessee Paralegal Association West TN Chapter of the Tennessee Paralegal Association ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- 3. NOTICE PARALEGAL/LEGAL ASSISTANT STUDIES STUDENTS Looking for written articles from paralegal/legal assistant studies students to publish in our quarterly newsletters Basic guidelines: Article/essay can be up to 1 or 2 pages. Topic should be on a current legal issue, topic, or subject. It can be an essay or informational piece on the chosen top- ic. Article can be sent by e-mail to info@tnparalegal.org with subject heading “Student article submission for review to the Paralegal Advocate” – student will need to include full name, e-mail contact and school attending. The student, if article is selected, can add to their resume as being selected for publica- tion in our newsletter & will need to submit final in Word document for publishing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCHOLARSHIPS SPONSORED BY TPA The Lawassa B. Jones Scholarship (For Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies Major Students) & A CP/CLA Exam Scholarship (For Tennessee Paralegal Association Members) For more information GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT: www.tnparalegal.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please forward any announcements for The Paralegal Advocate to in- fo@tnparalegal.org Attn: Paralegal Advocate Team NALA CAMPUS LIVE! GO TO http://www.nalacampus.com
- 4. Lauren Printz started her paralegal studies at Chattanooga State in 2009 and graduated Summa cum Laude in May 2011 She is the past Vice-President (2011) and past Secretary (2010) of the Chattanooga State Paralegal Association and member of the Southeast Tennessee Paralegal Association. Lauren also was the Lead Planner and Presenter for the Chattanooga State Paralegal Internship Workshop (April 2011) The workshop was hosted by the Chattanooga State Paralegal Association and Chattanooga State Get the Most from Your Paralegal Education Deciding to become a paralegal is a big decision. Each of us has our own reasons for wanting to become a paralegal, yet we are not alone in our endeavor. While the educa- tional institution we are attending has a curriculum that will provide us with our edu- cation and training, there is much more that we must learn outside of the school’s cur- riculum. We must learn that relationships and teamwork is a vital part of becoming a successful paralegal. Without teamwork, how will we get help when we come across something we have not yet experienced? Are we going to ask our attorney how to file pleadings with a court we have not yet worked in? Probably not. We need to have relationships with oth- er paralegals that can help us through. If you are of the mind that you don’t need rela- tionships with other paralegals, either within your firm or outside your firm, you will always be one step behind. No one can do it alone! Relationships and teamwork can and should begin with your education. Your fellow students are there for the same reason you are, so you already have something in com- mon to build upon. Perhaps you are having trouble in one of your classes but the person two seats over seems to understand the material. If you asked that person, would they help you? Or perhaps you understand the material and someone wants your help, are you going to help them or leave them to figure it out on their own? No doubt about it, helping each other with course material is a good way to begin a relationship. When you help one another, you become a team working toward the same goal; you both want to be a successful student and a successful paralegal. Relationship building and teamwork also comes from participating in industry activities and joining professional affiliations. Your educational institution has several groups and clubs that you can join that not only help build relationships, but also help build your resume. And there are several professional affiliations for paralegals. Join as many as you can. You will find great value in these affiliations. Just take it from our area at- torneys. Look up an attorney’s bio and see what professional affiliations they list. Most attorneys are able to list several affiliations because they know the importance of rela- tionship building and teamwork. Don’t leave your success as a student and a paralegal to chance. Become involved, help your fellow students, ask for help. Begin building the relationships that you will value for a lifetime. Become an active club member and join a professional affiliation, be part of a team. Your educational institution will not do this for you. It is up to you to make your own success. By: Lauren Printz Paralegal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- 5. How Safe is your Domain Name? When you think of business assets, physical items probably come to mind first: the building you own or are purchasing, your equipment, your furniture. You insure these items against loss. What about your intangible assets? Your electronic client files are highly valuable and irreplaceable. You perform regular backups. And you periodically check your backup to be certain you can actually reinstall the backed up information. You keep the backup disk or drive off site. Have you considered the safety of your domain name; also known as your web address or URL? There are ways to protect this highly valuable and irreplaceable corporate as- set. 1. The user name and password for both your domain and hosting providers should be in the company's permanent record, assessable to two or three trusted individuals. 2. The contact information with both providers should be updated as needed. 3. The domain name should be owned by your company, although your web developer or hosting provider may be listed as a technical contact. 4. Your domain registration renewal date should be noted in the tickler systems of two or three staff members. If your domain name registration is managed by an outside source, ask about their pro- cess for tracking and secession. Loss of your company website and email can be devastating. There are domain name grabbers watching your domain expiration date, waiting to grab it. There is typically a grace period where you can renew without penalty, but why take the risk? Track your domain name expirations, user names and passwords, and protect your company invest- ment and internet branding. Nancy Harrison EverythingJustSo.com Web Development and Content Management You are allowed to reprint articles published by Everything Just So if you credit the author and Every- thingJustSo.com. Content reproduced from Everything Just So may not be edited, but you may use ex- cerpts. When reprinting content, you must include this reprint permission language at the end of the arti- cle. If the content will be reprinted on your Web site or blog, you must include a link to
- 6. Our Spring Seminar was held in April in Chattanooga, hosted by the Southeast Chapter. Our Fall Seminar and Annual Meeting is coming up on November 4th & 5th. Please consider taking an active role in your Association. You can utilize any of the announcements and/or forms in this issue or in the alternative check with any of our Board members to see what assistance you can provide that matches your preferences. The West TN Chapter of our Association continued their hosting duties at the Annual Law Day Celebration for the Madison County Bar Association on April 29th in Jackson. The Ernie Gray Paralegal Utilization Award was presented to the attorney who was selected from paralegal nominations that best utilized his or her paralegal. The West Chapter has done this each year for quite some time. Recently the Southeast Chapter adopted this concept award and named the utilization award after Judge W. Neil Thomas, III. Our Spring Seminar fell on the same day as Law Day this year and unfortunately many of the West Chapter members were not able to at- tend. Our West TN Chapter always has devoted members that contribute immensely to our Associa- tion and its Chapter. The geographic location in the West provide many challenges for members to be active in participation of their Chapter membership meetings and regular scheduled activ- ities as a Chapter. The West Chapter is going dormant for the next year and hopefully by this time next year a new interest in active involvement for membership will be present. The small number of West Chapter members are electing currently to be members At Large. The Southeast Chapter has continued to have their Lunch ‘N Learn meetings at the United Way Building in downtown Chattanooga on the third Tuesday of each month. Attendance varies from 14 to 20 + individuals, with the exception of the last meeting, which was held on an irregular week, the fourth week. A alternate location at a different building nearby is being considered for future use as conference room reservations are now limited preventing the regular scheduled time for the meetings. Efforts to match twenty-seven Chattanooga State paralegal students to paralegals for shadow- ing has been underway for the past few weeks. Many more paralegal volunteers are still needed. The student observes a paralegal for two hours. Also, there is a template non-disclosure agree- ment available if needed to present to the paralegal’s employer to obtain their approval. Fur- thermore, a list is available of students with their availability to be matched to a paralegal. Please contact Laysha McCullaugh if you are able to have a student shadow you to get the full details etc. Thank you. Our new Central Chapter is meeting the challenge of growing their Chapter. Rachael Reach and Theresa Carrico have been promoting our Association at a number of local paralegal schools. Recently, they spoke at two paralegal classes at Volunteer State Community College where many of the students expressed interest in learning more about membership. Our East Chapter has been working on their book drive for the Knox County Jail Library (a pro- ject started at the Public Defender’s office) and assisting with Second Harvest. Also, they have been working on a membership drive, including calling current and recent members to see what more can be offered to our Membership that is not currently being met.
- 7. Myth: Once you have your paralegal education and your job as a paralegal, you don't have to do anything else to have a successful, fulfilling paralegal career. Truth: Your paralegal job and education are just the foundation for your career. That foun- dation simply serves as a facilitator for the rest of your career, much the same way a blank can- vas serves as the facilitator for a beautiful portrait. While your job may be interesting, time-consuming and challenging, it is not the sum total of your career. Consider my situation for a moment: My entire working life has been spent in a small law office in a very small town. This has been a job I've enjoyed immensely. The attorneys would come and go...and name of the firm would change...but I remained like a favorite old shoe: reliable, durable...and also knowledgeable. Had I remained in that comfortable cocoon, where would I be today? Probably preparing to retire with a cheese and cracker reception attended by people I've known all my life...wonderful people, I might add. Instead of choosing that cocoon, I chose to make my world large and if I were to retire today (and I'm NOT!) I could at least expect good wishes from paralegals from every state in the U.S. How do you make your world large? Here are some tips for you: Never stop learning. If you follow the Thirteen Questions column in Paralegal Strategies, you'll notice that everyone says that to make your career interesting, you must never stop learn- ing. This includes new technology, new systems, and new areas of the law. Accept challenges. If you think you can't speak before a large group of people or that you could never write an article for a professional journal, you're dead wrong. But how will you know what you can do if you don't try? When you're asked to do this, always jump at the chance. What if you're not asked? Volunteer! You'll always be glad you did. Join groups and participate. Joining groups (professional associations in particular) is like throwing a pebble into a pool of water and watching the ripples widen. You will widen your circle of acquaintances (who will probably become best friends!) as well as your professional network. You will be surprised at your capacity for growth. The ripples spread even wider when you take an active part, run for office, serve on a committee, and attend annual meetings. Wide ripples are good for your career. Write and speak. Considering your capacity for growth, you will be shocked by the words that will come from your mouth and flow from your pen as you expand your horizons. Get out of your comfort zone. When I traveled just from tiny Charlevoix to Detroit to join a professional association, I might as well have been traveling to Mars! Today, I can maneuver most any travel and enjoy it immensely. You can do this, too, but you have to take chances and leave your cocoon. Your career is always a work in process. It doesn't happen all at once. In fact, it takes a lifetime. As you take the steps above (and there are many others, you will be painting on the can- vas where the brush strokes illustrate the bright colors you've chosen for yourself. Your challenge? Consider the steps above and choose at least one challenge. This will be your first step in painting the gorgeous picture that will, in the end, be your outstanding career. =================================================================== ©2011 Vicki Voisin, Inc. Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can so long as you include this entire blurb with it: Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by achieving goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She publishes a weekly ezine titled Paralegal Strategies and co- hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network. More information is available at http://.paralegalmentor.com.
- 8. NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING Notice is hereby given of the Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Paralegal Association to be held at the Holiday Inn in Lebanon, Tennessee on November 5, 2011. During the Annual Meeting, the election of TPA officers for the year 2012 will take place. If you are unable to attend, please forward your proxy vote to: TPA Attn: Annual Meeting – TPA Secretary via e-mail to info@tnparalegal.org designating who will cast your votes by October 30, 2011 OR you may send your proxy vote with the member who will be casting your vote at the meeting, to be submitted prior to the election. __________________________________________________________________ PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TENNESSEE PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011 MEMBER’S NAME: ________________________________________________ DESIGNATED MEMBER’S NAME: ___________________________________ _______________________________________ Member’s Signature ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: The slate of officers for our 2012 election will be posted to members last recorded e-mail by October 16, 2011. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT If you wish to run for an office please fill out the below and submit to Attn: Annual Meeting – TPA Secretary by October 10, 2011 at info@tnparalegal.org DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY I, , hereby certify that I am an active member in good standing of the Ten- nessee Paralegal Association and do hereby declare myself a good candidate for the office of for the Tennessee Paralegal Association for the year 2012. If elected, I promise that I will faithfully discharge all the duties of the office for which I am elected. This the day of , 2011. Signature
- 9. Contact the officers/board members via our new e-mail address at: info@tnparalegal.com or directly from our website at www.tnparalegal.org President: Sherri L. Satterfield, CP, Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, Knoxville First Vice President: LaFran Plunk, West Tennessee Legal Services, Jackson Second Vice President: Christie L. Gass, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chattanooga NALA Liaison: Tammie Murphy, CLA, Toppenberg & Burke, P.C., Knoxville Secretary: Laysha M. McCullaugh, CP, Fleissner, Davis and Johnson, Chattanooga Treasurer: Phyllis A. Carter, SunTrust Bank (Retired), Chattanooga Central Region Director: Rachael Reach, Brewer Krause Brooks Chastain & Burrow, Nashville East Region Director: Pamela K. Leckey, CLA, Peggy G. Comstock Attorney at Law, Knoxville West Region Director: Tammy R. Bradford, John D. Hamilton Attorney at Law, Jackson Central TN Chapter Chair: Theresa Carrico, CP, Brewer Krause Brooks Chastain & Burrow, Nashville East TN Chapter Chair: Nita Gorman, Gary A. Davis and Associates, North Carolina S.E. TN Chapter Chair: Laysha M. McCullaugh, CP, Fleissner, Davis and Johnson, Chattanooga West TN Chapter Chair: Courtney Sydnor, Nix, Patterson & Roach LLP, Jackson Historian: Susan Westmoreland, CEBS, Horton & Maddox PLLC (Retired), Chattanooga Parliamentarian: Susan Westmoreland, CEBS, Horton & Maddox PLLC (Retired), Chattanooga Publication Chair: Laysha M. McCullaugh, CP, Fleissner, Davis and Johnson, Chattanooga Website Committee Chair: Theresa Carrico, CP, Brewer Krause Brooks Chastain & Burrow, Nashville
- 11. One part of our Association’s goals is to form a network among paralegals. Building our resources is one way to meet this goal. Our website resource section, “Links of Interest” has room for growth. Please send a note to the website committee identify- ing the full URL to the most valuable online links that you use everyday so it may be added to this section. Each link will add a useful resource for each of us. We will be adding a new resource to this section in the very near future regarding a mediator directory from the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. This resource is an indispensable tool. A glimpse of their roster card is below and on the next page. Also, titled link “The Nation’s Most Experienced Civil Trial Mediators & Arbitrators” (a firm’s guide to selecting a neutral) will be added. In closing, please help our resources grow. Our web site committee looks forward to hearing from you. E-Mails can be sent to info@tnparalegal.org Attn: Web Site Committee.
- 13. Is published quarterly by the Tennessee Paralegal Association, an affiliate of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. Articles and other information for the newsletter should be sent to the Advocate Team at the below e-mail address. Please title subject head- ing “For TPA Advocate.” info@tnparalegal.org Or Tennessee Paralegal Association Attention: Advocate Team Post Office Box 21723, Chattanooga, TN 37424 UPCOMING ISSUE DEADLINES SUMMER: AUGUST 30, 2011 FALL: OCTOBER 30, 2011 WINTER: DECEMBER 31, 2011 SPRING: MARCH 31, 2012 SPECIAL REQUEST: PLEASE SUBMIT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO DEADLNE, IF POSSIBLE. THANKS! MESSAGE FROM THE PARALEGAL ADVOCATE TEAM We would appreciate your contribution to The Paralegal Advocate by submitting articles of interest to you to be published. Please note the deadlines for each issue and feel free to provide any information you would like published prior to the deadline. If you would like to have articles published on specific topics in the Advocate, please contact us. — The Paralegal Advocate Team