Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc. News (blog)

2012-13 Election of Officers and Directors

Pamela Retherford — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:12:17 GMT

To Voting Members:

Nominations are open for 2012-13 IPA's Officers and Directors. If you would like to submit a nomination, e-mail elections@indianaparalegals.org with the name of the nominee and the position for which that person is being nominated. Please submit any nominations as soon as possible, but no later than May 18, 2012.

Positions for nomination are:

Officers

President

Vice-President

Secretary

Treasurer

Directors

Continuing Legal Education

Education

Ethics

Fundraiser

Job Bank

Marketing/Public Relations

Membership

Monthly Meetings

Newsletter Editor

NFPA Primary Representative

Parliamentarian

Technology

Pam Retherford, President; Denise Holaday, Election Chair

Registration Open for Joint NFPA Conference

Monica Dabio — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:35:49 GMT

Join us in "Music City - USA"
and hit all the right notes!

The third annual NFPA Joint Leadership/Regulation and Certification Ambassadors' Conference is definitely not the same old song and dance. As many paralegal professionals are continuing to recover from the changing times, many individuals are determined to restore growth and re-embark on a positive mission of expansion. Attendees will have the opportunity to share and network with professionals regarding association leadership, the PACE and PCC exams, and regulation within the paralegal profession.

Friday, April 20
Regulation Conference
9:00am - 5:00pm
The Regulation Conference will cover lobbying, the history and operations of the North Carolina Certified Paralegal Program, regulating non-lawyers in a legal profession, a workshop on legislation/proposal drafting and statewide alliances. Click here for the Regulation Conference Agenda.

Saturday, April 21
Leadership Conference
8:30am - 6:00pm
The Leadership Conference will help local leaders deal with day-to-day operations. Topics at this year's conference include how to develop your leadership styles, building consensus, committment and cooperation, learning skills to become an effective leader, tips on leading productive meetings, and how to motivate others to step up to leadership roles. Click here for the Leadership Conference Agenda.

Sunday, April 22 and Monday, April 23
Certification Ambassadors' Conference
8:30am - 5:00pm/Sunday and 8:30am - Noon/Monday
Certification Ambassadors will be provided with the necessary resources and information to guide and mentor RPs and CRPs, as well as the duties of the PACE and PCC Ambassadors. Items for discussion will include marketing of the exams, studying for certification exams, tips on how to navigate through the renewal process, budgeting for review courses and/or study groups, webinars and scholarships, and much more. Click here for the Certification Ambassadors' Conference Agenda.

The 2012 Joint Conference is free to NFPA Members. The Regulation Conference is open to Non-Members at a cost of $75 per person.

Network with other attendees during lunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
$25 per person/per day

The deadline to register is April 13, 2012

NFPA offers Pro Bono Webinar March 29, 2012

Monica Dabio — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:19:48 GMT

Group: National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc.Subject: Announcement from National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. - PRO BONO WEBINAR - MARCH 29 -- REGISTRATION OPEN Here is the link to the registration form for the first NFPA Pro Bono Webinar to be held on March 29: http://paralegals.org/displayemailforms.cfm?emailformnbr=175366

Our speaker is Michael Adler of Philadelphia, whose topic is "Meaningful Giving: The Benefits of Helping Others While Networking Through Pro Bono Work." This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about networking opportunities while giving back. There is no CLE credit for this webinar.

This is a free event for NFPA members; there is a small charge for non-members. We hope to make pro bono webinars available throughout the coming year.

PCCE Scholarship Available: Deadline is July 1st

Monica Dabio — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:17:32 GMT

NFPA has received an anonymous one-time donation for a PCCE Scholarship; it is an essay and must be 2,000 words or less; deadline is July 1; the topic is:

“Why is paralegal certification important to the paralegal profession?”

For more details contact Edna Wallace, RP, Primary (nfpa@indianaparalegals.org) or Cari Bonty, RP, Credentials Coordinator (pace@indianaparalegals.org)

NFPA Offers Macy's Discount for Members - February Only

Monica Dabio — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:36:34 GMT

The Macy's Smart Pass is now available on the NFPA website under the Members Only section. The pass is good for the month of February, 2012. You receive 15% off your Macy's purchases for a whole day! (exclusions apply). To redeem the benefit, download the flyer from the NPFA members only page, print it and take it into your local Macy's store.

Marketing and Public Relations Director

Pamela Retherford — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:08:13 GMT

Due to the resignation of IPA's Marketing and Public Relations Director, there is an opening on the Board of Directors for this directorship starting January 1, 2012. Teri Tegeler is accepting a position outside the paralegal field and unable to remain a member of the association. Teri has been an outstanding board member and will be greatly missed. If you are interested in this directorship, please contact Vice President Diana Miller at vicepresident@indianaparalegals.org or me at president@indianaparalegals.org.

Free Webinar with one hour CLE credit on December 8, 2011

Monica Dabio — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:01:24 GMT

Fios, Inc., an NFPA Corporate Partner, is hosting a FREE webinar on December 8, 2011 that has qualified for 1 hour of CLE.

Topic:   5th Annual State e-Discovery Update
This informative session covers the following topics:

The impact of the 2006 amendments on state e-discovery rule-making
Key e-discovery issues with special relevance for states The status of preservation and spoliation rule-making efforts

Speaker:  Thomas Y. Allman, Esq., Attorney and Consultant, Cincinnati, OH
Tom served as senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer of a major corporation from 1993 to 2004, after a distinguished career as a litigator in private practice in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is Chair emeritus of the Steering Committee of The Sedona Conference® Working Group on Electronic Document Retention and Production (WG1) and an active speaker and consultant and resides in Cincinnati and New York City.

When:  December 8 - Thursday at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT
Register now to attend and learn about particularly crucial state case developments, including an increasing number of examples that diverge from federal precedent.
Thanks to FIOS for their continued support of NFPA.

Melissa M. Leslie
NFPA® Vice President and Director of Marketing
NFPA – The Leader of the Paralegal Profession®

Monthly Meetings Survey - Please Respond by November 30, 2011

Monica Dabio — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:23:20 GMT

Please consider taking a few minutes to complete the survery below. We are currently seeking the opinion of the membership regarding attendance at the monthly meetings. Your responses will be evaluated and considered when planning future meetings.

Please complete the survey by November 30, 2011. Thank you for your assistance.

https://docs.google.com/a/indianaparalegals.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGNjcW43Q1EzdWNPM0RZbGowQm9sSmc6MQ

NFPA's Application for CLE Credit by Registered Paralegals Form has been Updated

Monica Dabio — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:10:36 GMT

The Application for CLE Credit by Registered Paralegals form has been updated and should be easier for you to complete and submit. Please note theintroductory paragraphs that provide information on what DOES NOT need approval from the NFPA CLE Coordinator. Only the first page of the form, with your signature, should be returned to HQ with your request for approval. I hope the changes will help in your submission and renewal process.

We anticipate an ever more user-friendly version available next year when the NFPA website is revamped.

As always, your CLE questions should be directed to Kaye Mullinex, RP or Kaylin Rasar at NFPA Headquarters.

Theresa A. Prater, RP
NFPA Vice President and Director of Profession Development

CLE Opportunity - Package Deals!

Monica Dabio — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:11:49 GMT

NFPA's education partner, IPE, has created 6 and 12-hour seminar packages at a reduced rate. For example, the 12 hour package, which can be used over the course of two years, is $799 - about $66.50 per CLE credit hour. The six hour package is $499 and must be used within one year.

You get to ‘mix and match’ live seminars, Telewebinars and on-demand seminars - from one hour to six hours of credit on subjects of interest to you. Receive CLE at your convenience, on your schedule, even weekends if you take the on-demand route!

Your choices are endless and all are NFPA approved CLE events.

Checkout the flier for more details click here. View the seminar selections on line at http://www.nbi-sems.com/instituteforparalegaleducation.aspx then call 866-242-0793 to register. When you register for this unique program you will be assigned an IPE representative to help you through the process and, if needed, give you more information on individual courses.

Keep yourself current and meet your continuing education requirements with one of these discounted IPE packages – enroll today!

Theresa A. Prater, RP
NFPA Vice President and Director of Profession Development

Application for the PCC Exam Now Available on line

Monica Dabio — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:03:29 GMT

It’s here! The application for the PCC Exam will be live on the NFPA website (www.paralegals.org) at 9 a.m. EST Monday, October 31st. Be sure to review carefully review the updated Candidate Handbook before applying.

The PCC Exam will be available at Prometric Testing Centers starting Monday, November 14th. Approved candidates may schedule an exam date and time best for their schedule for any time after November 14th that the center has an available seat. The exam must be taken within 90 days of the date of the Approval to Test email.

Suellen K. Honeychuck, RP®
NFPA Vice President and Director of Paralegal Certification

PACEundefinedThe Standard For Excellence™
NFPA – The Leader of the Paralegal Profession®

Changes to upcoming monthly meetings

Pamela Retherford — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:04:48 GMT

Please pay close attention to changes in upcoming monthly meetings. You will need to carefully review each monthly meeting notice. The November meeting will be held on Monday, November 14th at 11:45 at Barnes & Thornburg. The December meeting will be Wednesday, December 7th at 11:45 at The Conrad. We should be returning to our usual schedule of the 3rd Wednesday of each month beginning in January 2012.

IPA Secretary change

Pamela Retherford — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:25:50 GMT

In order to pursue an opportunity in her personal life, long time board member and current IPA officer Brenda Johnson has resigned from the Board as IPA's Secretary. We are fortunate that Wendy Stokes was available and the Board has unanimously approved her nomination as Successor Secretary for the 2011-2012 year. For more information on these remarkable members, please look for the President's Message in the October 2011 edition of The Precedent newsletter.

IndyBar Looking for Paralegal Members to Volunteer for Ask A Lawyer Event October 11, 2011

Monica Dabio — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:37:42 GMT

If you are looking for a fabulous program to donate some time--have I got the program for you!!

The IndyBar's Ask A Lawyer on Tuesday, October 11, has some openings for a paralegal to act as a site coordinator at various Marion County Public Libraries. Responsibilities include distributing/posting marketing materials a week in advance, confirming logistics with the librarian, managing attorney volunteers and the public on the day of the event. Following the event, you will tally some statistics, and return all leftover materials to the IndyBar office.

The event will be held on Tuesday, October 11, from 2pm-6pm. You will need to arrive at your site no later than 1:45pm and will most likely leave no later than 6:15pm. You will have (3) attorney volunteers to help from 2pm-4pm and another (3) from 4pm-6pm.

All volunteers must be IndyBar members.

If you are interested, I can certainly provide more information. Thank you very much.

Caren Chopp
Pro Bono and Legal Services Coordinator
Indianapolis Bar Association
135 N. Pennsylvania St., Suite 1500
Indianapolis, IN 46204
www.indybar.org
Work: 317.269.2000
Fax: 317.269.1915
E-mail: cchopp@indybar.org

FIOS Offering Free Webinar to NFPA Members (1 hour of CLE included)

Monica Dabio — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:51:03 GMT

NFPA Corporate Partner, FIOS, is again providing a free webinar for our members on October 12, 2011. Register for the webinar on the NFPA Members Only page -- simply click on the seminar link to reach the registration page -- a confirmation will be sent with information on how to join the webinar on October 12.

This is an NFPA member benefit sponsored by one of NFPA's partners, whom we hope you will support. If you need the password to the Members Only page on the NFPA website (www.paralegals.org), please contact your NFPA primary, secondary, Region Director or me.

This seminar is approved for 1 hour of CLE credit by NFPA.

Starting at 1 p.m. Eastern (Noon Central -- 11 a.m. Mountain -- and 10 a.m Pacific), you can join Fios’ quarterly case law update to hear Ralph Losey and other esteemed panelists discuss recent court decisions related to e-discovery, the impact these cases may have and are already having, and tactics and strategies to help your organization mitigate e-discovery risks.

The panel discusses highlights of issues and cases including:

Facebook pages, old and new – what must be preserved?
Katiroll Co., Inc. v. Kati Roll & Platters, Inc., 2011 WL 3583408 (D.N.J. Aug. 3, 2011)

Email attachments – what must be produced?
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank v. Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., 2011 WL 3738979 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 18, 2011)

The panelists include:

Farrah Pepper, Of Counsel, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Ralph Losey, Partner, Jackson Lewis
Christina Daskas, Associate, Jackson Lewis

Theresa A. Prater, RP
NFPA Vice President and Director of Profession Development

NFPA -- The Leader of the Paralegal Profession

2011 NFPA Convention Agenda Ballot - Your Vote Counts

Monica Dabio — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:28:59 GMT

ATTENTION VOTING MEMBERS OF IPA:

As a member association of NFPA, IPA has one vote on all policy matters of the NFPA at the Annual Convention. A 2/3 vote is necessary to establish the policy. As Primary Representative, it is my duty to act as your liaison and be your voice at the Convention. To adequately represent you, your input is required on all agenda topics. My vote on your behalf depends on the majority opinion of IPA’s membership. Attached you will find the Ballot Angela and I have prepared with a synopsis of each agenda item as well as a recommendation for each topic. You may ask any questions you wish, you may receive the full agenda topics upon request (1 or all) and you have the opportunity to send your ballot to me where you may vote for or against each agenda topic as you believe to be in the best interests of IPA and the paralegal profession. Angela and I will be discussing the agenda topics at the upcoming Monthly Luncheon on September 21st. We hope to see you there and to respond to any concerns you may have.

Your input is valued and appreciated.

Edna M. Wallace, RP
IPA Primary Representative to NFPA

Pro Bono Opportunity for Paralegal Members of the Indianapolis Bar Association

Monica Dabio — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:49:50 GMT

Looking for a way to use your critical thinking and communications skills to help improve the educational outcomes of foster children in Indianapolis? Read on!

Become a School Education Advocate to Effect Positive Social Change!

Did you know that approximately 75% of foster children in the United States are behind grade level? Did you know that 67% of foster children will be suspended from school, and foster youth are twice as likely to drop out of school? Did you also know that these poor educational outcomes can have long-lasting societal impacts, as 22% of former foster youth experience homelessness and 17% receive some form of public assistance? Did you know that many former foster youth spend time incarcerated, and the unemployment rate for former foster youth tops 50%? Do you wonder what you can do personally to combat these poor educational outcomes by ensuring that foster children have the resources, support, and opportunities they need for a healthy and productive future?

On September 14, 2011, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., the IndyBar School Education Advocacy Program will host a training in collaboration with FosterEd: Marion County. The program is intended for attorneys, law students, and paralegals interested in supporting the educational success of children with special needs through lay advocacy. The training will introduce the agencies, procedures and processes a volunteer will encounter when advocating for a child with special educational needs. Education law and entitlement programs and rights will briefly be covered. Volunteers will then be asked whether they would like to be added to FosterEd’s list of trained Education Advocates available to be paired with a foster child living in Marion County who has unmet special education needs. In other words, simply attending the training does not obligate you to do anything further!

Education Advocates will be asked to secure appropriate educational opportunities by building the capacity of the student, family, and caregiver through collaboration with the school system. The commitment is flexible, depending on the issues at hand, but you should expect to spend at least a couple hours per week until the issues are resolved; some weeks will be more, some less. This is an excellent opportunity for paralegals and law students to hone their communications skills, learn about special education law, be introduced to one of the myriad IndyBar pro bono projects, and have a real, positive impact on your community!

A complimentary live training will be held on Wednesday, September 14, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the IndyBar, 135 North Pennsylvania Street, Ste 1500. For those who cannot attend the live training, DVD's will be available for check-out through the IndyBar. Please register for the training at www.indybar.org. Program volunteers must be members of the Indianapolis Bar Association (membership applications are also available at www.indybar.org) CLE will not be offered.

Scheduled Maintenance for IPA website

Monica Dabio — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:44:18 GMT

Please note that the Indiana Paralegal Association website will be down for scheduled maintenance on September 13, 2011 between 1:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Monica Dabio
Technology Director

New Education Director

Pamela Retherford — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:29:39 GMT

Melody Schulz of Bose McKinney was sworn as Education Director on August 17th at IPA's monthly meeting. We are pleased to have her join the Board of Directors. The Education Director works closely with area schools who have paralegal courses. She will also be taking over the paralegal shadowing project.

Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc. ~ Officer & Director Swearing in & Awards Ceremony

Monica Dabio — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:47:03 GMT

Indianapolis, Indiana – July 2011 – The Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc. (“IPA”) held its annual swearing in and awards ceremony at the Columbia Club on Wednesday, July 20. Featured guest, Jeffry A. Lind, President of the Indiana State Bar Association, provided the IPA with the honor of conducting the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected officers and directors.

The officers and directors of the IPA serve on the Board of Directors. The Board consists of four officers and twelve directors. These sixteen paralegals volunteer their time to serve a one‐year term. During their term, the officers and directors swore to represent the IPA’s members’ interests to the best of their skills and abilities. The newly elected officers and directors are:

OFFICERS:
President ~ Pamela Retherford, Bingham McHale LLP
Vice President ~ Diana Miller, Hovde Dassow & Deets, LLC
Secretary ~ Brenda Johnson, Bingham McHale LLP
Treasurer ~ Julie Johnson, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP

DIRECTORS:
Continuing Legal Education ~ Heather Schuyler, Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP
Ethics ~ Lauren Jones ~ Jones Wallace LLC
Fundraising ~ Arlene Morris, Lewis & Kappes, PC
Job Bank ~ Angela R. White, Cantrell Strenski & Mehringer LLP
Marketing & Public Relations ~ Teri Tegeler, Price Waicukauski & Riley, LLC
Membership ~ Nichole Miller, Bingham McHale LLP
Monthly Meetings ~ Valerie Bloom, Price Waicukauski & Riley, LLC
Newsletter ~ Tammy Froelich, Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP
NFPA Primary Representative ~ Edna Wallace, Whitham Hebenstreit & Zubek, LLP
Parliamentarian ~ Kathy Thurston, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman, PC
Technology ~ Monica Dabio, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman, PC

AWARDS
Each year, the IPA presents awards to honor its’ members who have displayed exceptional abilities and who puts their many virtues to work to better the organization. Four awards were presented at the ceremony.

 Paralegal of the Year Award was awarded to Angela R. White of Cantrell Strenski & Mehringer LLP.

 Outstanding New Member Paralegal of the Year Award was awarded to Teri Tegeler of Price Waicukauski & Riley, LLC.

 Outstanding Board Member of the Year Award was awarded to Pamela Retherford of Bingham McHale LLP.

 And, the Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Monica Dabio of Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman, PC.

IPA Media Contact
Teri Tegeler
Marketing & Public Relations Director
Indiana Paralegal Association
Phone: 317‐686‐3141
Email: marketing@indianaparalegals.org