National Association
of Legal Assistants
1516 S. Boston
Suite 200
Tulsa, OK 74119

918-587-6828
fax: 918-582-6772

E-mail:  nalanet@nala.org

Click on the following areas to go directly to the discussions about these member programs:

• 2008 NALA Convention - Bylaw Amendments, Officer Candidates Announced, Voting if you cannot attend

• Directory of Board Members

• Members Only Area - includes links to FACTS & FINDINGS on-line and the NALA Conference Center

• Information re NALA registration of CP certification mark

• 2007 NALA Annual Report 

• Official Notices

• NALA Bylaws

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NALA Annual Meeting News - 2008

NALA Board of Directors Recommends Bylaw Amendments

• Click here to read the current and proposed language of proposed bylaws amendments for the 2008 NALA Annual Meeting

During its meeting on March 1, the NALA Board of Directors considered proposed amendments the NALA bylaws Article IV Directors and Article X Committees and Their Duties. The board is recommending amendments to the articles as listed below.

NALA active members will consider proposed amendments to the NALA bylaws during its annual meeting on August 1 in Oklahoma City. A 2/3 vote of members present or represented by proxy is required to pass a bylaw amendment.

With these amendments, the Board of Directors is recommending two changes in NALA procedures. The first is the method of electing members to the NALA Board of Directors. The second relates to the requirements of members of the NALA Professional Development Committee.

Method of electing NALA Regional Directors. Our current procedure provides that NALA active members elect one member of the NALA Board of Directors who is located in their geographic region. The method of election is by mail ballot and results are announced during the NALA annual meeting of members. This procedure has been in effect since NALA was formed. There was one amendment to the procedure recently which allows that if there is only one candidate for the director position, a ballot is not required and the candidate is automatically declared a director of the corporation.

The NALA Board of Directors is recommending a change to this procedure for many reasons, including:

• NALA voting members should have a voice in the election of all members of the NALA Board of Directors, not just the national officers and one member of the Board of Directors.

• All members of the NALA Board of Directors make decisions for the entire membership.

• The needs of NALA members are not geographically based.

• NALA does not have a regional structure. NALA is a nationally based, individual membership organization.

• Candidates for the NALA Board of Directors should have an opportunity to address the NALA membership in person and members should have an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates.

The proposed amendment does not change the requirement that a candidate for regional director must work in or reside in the geographic region for which they are seeking election, nor does it recommend a change in the term of office. While the NALA Board of Directors recognizes that the needs of NALA members are not geographically based, the Board believes it is important to maintain a diverse geographic representation on the board. As a national organization, NALA representatives are often asked to speak to NALA affiliated associations and other law related groups. It is helpful that board members are dispersed throughout the US to help with these requests. With reference to the two year term, the board did not believe a change in this is necessary and the fact that board members have staggered terms helps the board maintain its on-going work.

Professional Development Committee. The amendment to the description of the PDC in the NALA bylaws is to delete this sentence: “No member shall be reappointed for a successive term except that a member appointed to fill an unexpired term may be reappointed for a successive full term.” The PDC is the only committee in NALA in which members are prohibited from serving successive terms. The board considered that it may be helpful to the on-going projects of the PDC to allow successive terms, particularly if the PDC is involved in the launch of new programs, such as the LEAP program this year.

Questions/comments?  Click here to open an e-mail form. Your questions will be directed to Headquarters for response or Headquarters will forward the question to a member of the NALA Board of Directors for response.  The method of electing NALA members to the NALA Board of Directors is a significant question before you. We encourage your careful and thoughtful consideration of these recommendations and talking with board members about your questions and suggestions.

Candidates for National Office Announced!

The following NALA members are the declared candidates for national officer positions.  Voting for national officers will take place during the NALA Annual Meeting on August 1, 2008. Officer candidate profiles will appear in the May 2008 issue of FACTS & FINDINGS.  A link to the published information will appear here after May 1.

First Vice President Karen Green McGee, ACP Shreveport, LA Second Vice President Sharon A. Werner, ACP Taylor, MI Secretary Ann L. Atkinson, ACP Omaha, NE

Candidates for NALA Treasurer Kelly A. LaGrave, ACP Lansing, MI Nancy E. Mendenhall, ACP, Wichita, KS Sharon G. Robertson, ACP Linville Falls, NC Melissa VanderWeide, ACP Orlando, FL

If you cannot attend and wish to vote . . . .

Members who are unable to attend may designate another NALA active member to cast their vote. To designate another member to cast your vote, the "Member Proxy Form" must be completed and returned to NALA 30 days in advance of the meeting. Click on the following link to download the proxy form.

2008 Member Proxy Form
2008 Instructions to Proxy Form
(Use this form to tell your proxyholder how you wish your vote to be cast; this is provided only as a convenience, and is not required.)

Annual Awards . . .below are descriptions of the recipients of the 2007 NALA membership awards.  Consider those you work with and your colleagues for nominations for the 2008 awards.  The nomination forms may be found on the NALA Forms page.

Congratulations!
Recipients of the 2007 Awards

Click on the following links to open an article summarizing the award recipients of the 2007 NALA Annual Convention:

2007 Founders Award
Marie E. Greninger, NALA Staff Member

2007 Presidents' Award
Theresa A. Irvin, CLA
Mary E. Willard, ACP

2007 Affiliated Associations National Achievement Award
Deborah Gail Seale, CP, LCP
Louisiana State Paralegal Association

2007 Affiliated Associations Outstanding Contribution Award
Donna F. Dupree, ACP
Inland Counties Association of Paralegals

Georgia
Pamela K. Bebon, ACP
Southeastern Association of Legal Assistants

Kansas
Kimberly R. Gray, CP
Kansas Association of Legal Assistants

Louisiana
Deborah Gail Seale, CP, LCP
Louisiana State Paralegal Association

Montana
Christine R. Shoopman
Montana Association of Legal Assistants

Oklahoma
Deborah L. Overstreet, CP
Oklahoma Paralegal Association

Oregon
Shari Bynum
Pacific Northwest Paralegal Association

South Carolina
Amy H. Temkin
Charleston Association of Legal Assistants

Tennessee
Phyllis A. Carter
Tennessee Paralegal Association

Smokey Mountain Paralegal Association Membership Committee

Texas
Lois L. Thigpen, CP
South Texas Organization of Paralegals

Virginia
Catherine W. Eagles
Richmond Paralegal Association

Debby J. Sawyer, CP
Tidewater Paralegal Association

Victoria L. Quadros, CP
Virginia Peninsula Paralegal Association

West Virginia
Lisa Nair, CP
Association of West Virginia Paralegals

Lorena Shingleton, ACP
Legal Assistants/Paralegals of Southern West Virginia
 

NALA Board of Directors

The NALA Board of Directors consists of elected officers (terms are one year) plus members elected from nine regions of the country. These directors serve on the national board for a term of 2 years. The regional directors and states within the regions are:

Region 1 Kathleen Bonelli, CLA New Jersey	Region 2 Dorothe Howell, ACP Maryland	Region 3 JoAnne Sorrentino, CP Florida
New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania	West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., North Carolina, South Carolina	Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi
Region 4 Elizabeth Nellis, ACP Oklahoma	Region 5 Cheryl M. Snider, ACP Ohio	Region 6 Janie M. Boswell, ACP Nebraska
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas	Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio	North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri
Region 7 Deb Elkins, ACP Arizona	Region 8 Annette R. Brown, ACP Montana	Region 9 Carolyn Yellis, ACP California
Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming	Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana	California, Nevada, Hawaii
National Officers for the 2007-08 year
President Tita Brewster, ACP New Mexico	First Vice President Linda Wolf, ACP Dallas, Texas	Second Vice President Karen McGee, ACP Shreveport, Louisiana
Secretary Sharon Werner, ACP Taylor, Michigan	Treasurer Ann Atkinson, ACP Omaha, Nebraska
As provided in the NALA bylaws, in addition to the regional directors and officers, the voting members of the board of directors include members appointed by the President and ratified by the board members: Linda Hess, ACP, of Omaha, Nebraksa NALA Certifying Board Chairman Vicki Voisin, ACP of Charlevoix, Michigan NALA Advanced Paralegal Certification Board Kathleen H. Miller, ACP, NALA Continuing Education Council, Irvine, California Kimberly J. Houser, ACP, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania NALA Professional Development Committee Sharon G. Robertson, ACP, Linville Falls, North Carolina NALA Affiliated Associations Director (Elected by affiliated associations) The NALA Executive Director (a staff position) is a non-voting member of the board.

Official Notices

Several notices are published for NALA members in FACTS & FINDINGS throughout the year.  These generally concern the election procedure, annual meeting procedure, or other association business.  Please check this frequently to stay up to date with your association. Forms are also listed on the NALA Forms page.

It may also be helpful to review the election procedures NALA follows.  Click to open a window that describes them.