From Atticus Finch to Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, lawyers, paralegals and judges have provided some of Hollywood’s most memorable movie heroes, villains and characters.  In many of the renowned legal dramas, especially within the film, A Civil Action, many legal and ethical dilemmas are presented and dealt with in fascinating ways.  Take a trip through cinema history as we watch, learn and predict ethical dilemmas and their cinematic resolution!
 
Rebecca E. Patty currently serves as an Associate General Counsel for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, having served in that position since 1992.  As such, Ms. Patty conducts the negotiation and complex litigation of all types of administrative, civil, and personnel proceedings.  She also conducts legal research and opinion writing for the Department, supervising rulemaking and regulation adoption for the Land Division, prosecution of administrative orders to ensure environmental compliance, assistance in permit writing and rendering advice and counsel to the Land, Air, Water, and Coastal Divisions of the Department.  (RCRA, CWA, CERCLA).    In the past Ms. Patty has served as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the Department during public notice hearings on regulation changes.  Ms. Patty’s qualifications also include conducting defensive litigation on behalf of ADEM during appeals of terminated employees, and EEOC.
 
In 1987, Rebecca Patty received her B.A. degree in Political Science and English from Jacksonville State University.  She received her J.D. degree from the Cumberland school of Law in May, 1990.   She was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in September, 1990.  Ms. Patty is admitted to practice in the state and all federal courts in Alabama, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the District of Columbia Courts and the United States Supreme Court.
 
Ms. Patty also is a distinguished professor having taught at Samford University, Troy University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Birmingham School of Law.

In 2008, Ms. Patty was awarded the Alumna of the Year award by Jacksonville State University for her career achievements and work with her alma mater.
 
In 2010 Ms. Patty published an article in September/October 2010 issue of Facts & Findings.  Ms. Patty also that year presented her first seminar for NALA Campus LIVE!
 

Technological advances are a source of additional ethical concerns for paralegals. This course will focus on complex ethics issues faced by paralegals and legal assistants as they deal with technology in the work place. Participants will explore the ethical perils of the world of law firm technology, including e-discovery, Metadata, web sites, blogs, e-mail, cell phones, faxes, and more. As with NALA’s other ethics courses, the rules, regulations, and responsibilities guiding the ethical behavior of paralegal professionals are referenced, including case law, the ABA Model Rules and NALA’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for the Utilization of Legal Assistants.
 
Vicki Voisin, ACP, is a nationally recognized author and speaker on issues related to ethics and to the paralegal profession. She is the creator and presenter of EthicsBasics, a unique program designed to raise awareness of ethical concerns by legal professionals and corporate employees. She also publishes a weekly ezine titled Paralegal Strategies. She is a past president of NALA, received the Association’s President’s Award in 2003, and until recently served on NALA’s Advanced Certification Board. Vicki has worked as a paralegal for over 20 years and is currently a self-employed contract paralegal in Charlevoix, Michigan.