AAPi Has a New Look

FALL 2015

Message from the President

Julie A. Craft, ACP

We will be looking into ways to improve our communication with members through social me-

dia, ways for our members to communicate more easily with each other and ways to help our

members keep up on the latest industry news.

I am very excited about the future of our organization and we could not do any of this without

the support of each and every one of you.

Involvement:

No matter how small or insignificant the amount of time you think you may have to devote to

helping out the organization – involvement is encouraged, always needed and welcomed.

We are looking for Members who want to get involved, so if you would like to serve on a

committee or help out in anyway, please send an email. Your help is appreciated!!!!!

Member Input:

If you have any suggestions, updates, or information on any subject that you feel might be of

interest to others and you would like to share that information, or see it in the newsletter,

website or social media sites, please feel free to send an email. All subjects should be direct-

ly related to the paralegal profession.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

It is an honor to have been elected to serve as

your President for a third year. We have an

awesome association and I know that the

Board and Committee Members will be working

hard to make this a great year. Over the past

couple of years we have had some exciting

changes that we hope will help grow the organ-

ization in a positive direction. This year the

Board and Committee Members will be focus-

ing on maximizing the potential of each of our

programs: seminars, scholarships, mentoring,

networking, and employment, just to name a

few.

Meet the Board

AAPi’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors Julie A. Craft, ACP—President Julie A. Craft, ACP, has been employed as a litigation paralegal with the law firm of Gaines Gault Hendrix, PC in Huntsville, Alabama since July 27, 2015. Previously, Julie was employed by Chenault Hammond, in Decatur, Alabama. She earned an Associate in Applied Science degree in Legal Studies from Calhoun Community College and now serves on their Paralegal Advisory Committee. Julie received her CLA designation from NALA in 1995 and earned her

Advanced Certified Paralegal designations in Trial Practice in 2010 and in Personal Injury-Automobile Accidents in 2012. She received NALA's Affiliate Award in 2010.

Julie is currently serving her third term as President of the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. She joined AAPi as a student member in 1992. She has been on the Board of Directors for many years and has held various positions including First Vice President, NALA Liaison, 2nd Vice President - Membership, and Region IV Director. Julie received AAPi's President's Award in 2009.

Sonya Graves, ACP—First Vice-President Sonya Graves, ACP is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in the Birmingham office Butler Snow, LLP. Sonya has been working in the legal field for over 23 years. She has also served on the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc.’s Board of Directors since 2000. Sonya is currently serving as AAPi’s 1st Vice President for the 2015-2016 year.

Wanda Dimon, ACP— Second Vice-President Seminars Wanda Dimon, Corporate Paralegal, is a Birmingham native and is employed at EBSCO Indus tries, Inc. for 20 years. She is a graduate of Samford University where she earned her paralegal certification. She is a member of the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. and currently serves as its Second Vice President-Membership. She is also a member of NALA where she

earned the designation of Certified Paralegal in 2008, Advanced Certified Paralegal in Contracts Administration and Management in 2008 and Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trademarks in 2009. She is a proud mother of two adult children and three grandchildren and loves to sew and garden.

Meet the Board

AAPi’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors Jebbie Austin—Secretary Jebbie is a litigation paralegal with Cunningham Bounds, LLC in Mobile. She started her career as a legal secretary in 1973 and has been a paralegal since 1991. She served on AAPi’s Board as Region III Director for three years, Official Publications Editor for two years and is now serving as Secretary. She is also a member of NALA and serves on the Paralegal Committee for AIEG

(Attorneys Information Exchange Group). She is married, the mother of three children and a grandmother of two.

Jane D. McKinnon, CP—Parliamentarian Jane McKinnon, CP, is a certified paralegal employed with Marsh, Rickard & Bryan, P.C. in Birmingham. She earned her bachelor's degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and currently serves on the Paralegal Studies Advisory Board there. Jane has been a member of AAPi for over twenty years and has served on the AAPi board for many of those years, including three terms as president. She is also a member of NALA, and currently serves

as its Affiliated Associations Director. Jane was awarded NALA’s Affiliates Award in 2005.

Angela Henderson, CP—Treasurer Angela Henderson, CP, is a certified paralegal employed with Vernis and Bowling of Birmingham, LLC, which specializes in insurance defense. Angela currently serves as AAPi’s Treasurer. Previously Angela served as AAPi’s Employment Chair and Ethics Chair. She is originally from Mississippi, but has lived in Alabama for the past 15 years. She has been a litigation paralegal for over 20 years. She is married and has one daughter, Shelby, who is a

Junior at Hoover High School.

Deborah Paul, CP—Second Vice President Seminars Deborah M. Paul, CP (Debbie), is a certified paralegal and has been employed as an in-house paralegal with Delaney Development, Inc. for the past 10 years. Debbie received her certification through NALA in 2010. Debbie has been married to her husband, Robert Paul, for 11 years, and between the two of them they have 2 sons and 1 daughter. Debbie previously served on AAPi’s board as CLA Coordinator. In her spare time she loves to travel.

Meet the Board AAPi’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors

Adrienne Berry, CP—NALA Liaison Adrienne Berry, CP is a certified paralegal in the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the United States Attorney’s Office. Adrienne has held many board positions, including serving as 2nd Vice President Membership from 2004 to 2007; Secretary for 2007-08; First Vice President 2008-09; School Student Liaison 2009-10; Ways and Means chair for 2012-13 and she will be serving her second term as NALA Liaison for the 2015-16 year.

Terri Sargent, ACP—Region I Director Terri Sargent, ACP is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in the Special Business Services Group at Adams and Reese LLP. Terri graduated from Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, AL, where she received her Associate of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies. Terri currently serves on the Gadsden State Community College Paralegal Advisory Board. Terri has served as Parliamentarian of the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. and is currently serving her second term on the Board of Directors of

AAPi as Region 1 Director. Terri obtained her NALA Certified Paralegal designation in August, 2012 and her Ad-vance Certified Paralegal designation in e-Discovery in October, 2013.

Karen Guthrie, ACP—Region II Director Karen Guthrie, ACP is an advanced certified paralegal, with advanced certification in Trial Practice. She is currently employed as the Paralegal/Executive Assistant to Kev-in Turner, the Chief Deputy Attorney General for the State of Alabama. Karen also worked as paralegal to Solicitor General John Neiman assisting in the filing of Appellate briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit,

and the Alabama appellate courts. Before working with the State, Karen was employed as a civil/trial paralegal for 20 years. Karen previously served on AAPi’s Board of Directors as Treasurer and will be serving as its Region II Director for the 2015-16 year.

Marlene Koch, ACP—Region IV Director Marlene Koch, ACP is employed at F&B Law Firm, PC in Huntsville, AL. Marlene works as a litigation paralegal. She received her certified paralegal designation in 2010 and her advance certified paralegal designation in Discovery in December 2014. Marlene graduated with an AA degree in 2000, from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA. Marlene received her paralegal certificate from Calhoun Community College in Huntsville in 2006. Marlene also completed NALA’s Leadership Enhancement and

Preparation Program in July 2014.

Jeanie C. Johnson, ACP— Communications Chairperson Jeanie C. Johnson, ACP is an advanced certified Corporate Paralegal in the Legal Services Department at Healthcare Business Solutions, LLC. Jeanie graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, AL where she received her Associate of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies. Jeanie currently serves on the Samford Paralegal Advisory Board. Jeanie completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Huntingdon College in May 2015. Jeanie is a past president of the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. and currently sits on the board of

directors of AAPi as Communications Chairperson. She is also serving her second year on NALA’s Professional Development Committee. Jeanie obtained her NALA certified paralegal designation in December 2009 and her advance certified paralegal designation in January 2010. Susan Conger— Professional Development Chairperson

  Susan Conger is a paralegal with the law firm of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. Susan has an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies and has over 22 years’ experience in the litigation field. Susan has worked as a paralegal in the Litigation Department at Sirote & Permutt for over 20 years and has experience in the areas of civil litigation, creditor’s rights litigation, product liability defense litigation, mortgage banking litigation, mediations and arbitrations, appellate work, and other areas of litigation. Susan is currently serving on AAPi’s Board of Directions as the Professional Development Chairperson. In her free time, Susan enjoys playing tennis, being outdoors, Ala-

bama football, and spending time with family and friends.

Kelly Pridmore, ACP—Ways and Means Chairperson Kelly Pridmore, ACP graduated from Gadsden State Community College in 1996 with an Applied Science Degree in Paralegal. Kelly has her Certified Paralegal designation and two Advanced Certified Paralegal designations. Kelly is currently pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in Business and she expects graduate in 2016. Kelly has one daughter Whitley, de-

ceased, and two handsome grandsons Christian (5) and Cason (3) who keeps her on her toes. Kelly is currently em-ployed at Gray & Associates, LLC in Birmingham where the firm’s primary practice is Insurance Defense. Kelly is a member of AAPi and NALA. This is her second term to serve as AAPi’s Ways and Means Chairperson.

Meet the Board AAPi’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors

Sometimes we take for granted the people who make things happen for us. I know you are prob-ably thinking you might be one of those taken for granted but, in this case, it’s not about you.

Many of us enjoy offices staffed with paralegals, legal secretaries, a receptionist and a runner(s). I know there are those small firms and sole practi-tioners who have one or two people on staff who wear all those hats and my personal hat is off to you all. You should be wearing crowns. I thought it might be interesting to experience the mechanics of a law practice through the eyes of sometimes the most overlooked member of our staff. The runner. My firm is blessed to have full staffing and even more so, very capable, effi-cient, and dedicated staff. Our runners are tasked with errands and assignments big and small that are often doled out in a rush and with the expectation that the only response we want is the end result of completion. And they do their jobs with a smile. So, here is a perspective, a day-in-the-life, if you will, of one of the foundational blocks of our staff who, by doing their job, allow the rest of us to do ours better. - Jebbie Austin

A Day in the Life of a Runner

By: Riley MacWilliam

Cunningham Bounds, LLC

Rodney Dangerfield said it best. “I don’t get no respect!” This is often the main thought that occurs throughout a day of an office assis-tant. Paralegals and attorneys often don’t see everything we do for the firm, so the true question in our minds is, “Do they even know what it takes to do our job?” Sure, we’re

not writing briefs. We’re not drafting subpoenas. We’re also not standing in front of a judge arguing a case. But office assistants are still important to the operation of the firm. A success-ful law firm runs much like a suc-cessful football team (ROLL TIDE!) - every employee must be pulling in the same direction to achieve success. Whether an attorney is in trial or an office assistant is taking inventory of case files, both must be on the same page to move the firm in the same direction.

Office assistants - runners - are generally considered to be at the bottom of the legal echelon in a law firm. How-ever, every team needs the support of a good water-boy or equipment manager. I like to think that at Cunningham Bounds, the team’s success starts with the office assistants whose consistent, re-liable support comes to the rescue of paralegals who find themselves in a hamstrung position, needing help with a carry across the goal line. The legalese term “run” is used to describe our job and is one of the main aspects of our work but it’s not everything. A day in the life of a runner can be sitting on the sidelines or it can be a glorious race for the goal with the rest of the team.

A typical day of an office as-sistant at Cunningham Bounds is

filled with runs to other law firms, medical offices to pick up records and, of course, the courthouse. You may not think so, but keeping the kitchen stocked with peanut butter is also an important task that we take very seriously. We’ve seen the effects of peanut butter deficiency and it isn’t pretty!

Office assistants can also economically expedite the many processes involved with bringing a case to a successful conclusion. For example, instead of sending a subpoena in the mail which may take several days, we can be used to per-sonally deliver a subpoena straight to the door of a witness. Now, that’s what I call service! We often help with copying and assembling of briefs that go to the state Supreme Court. We assist at trial helping to transport and manage the many boxes that make up the file, the many exhibits that have to be moved around during the trial, and with many other tasks that would take away from the time the attorney or paralegal needs to accomplish their jobs.

In closing, an office assistant is truly a jack of all trades, and a master of none. Whether it’s taking an expert to the airport or serving a subpoena, an office assistant must exude patience, understanding, and most importantly professionalism. So, just remember that behind the scene in law firms across this country every day, there are runners following exhaustive orders and do-ing their very best to make your job easier and wondering all the while, do they really know what we do?

The NOVUS is the official publication of the Alabama Association of Paralegals, Inc. This

publication is published quarterly, and is a benefit of membership in AAPi. Subscriptions to

NOVUS are included in annual membership fees.

To submit materials for publication in NOVUS, please contact the

Communications Chairperson, Jeanie Johnson at jeanie.johnson@hbsllc.com.

Opinions expressed in articles and features herein are those of the author(s), and do not

necessarily reflect the views of AAPi. The Editor strongly encourages the submission of

materials for publication; however, the Editor reserves the right to edit material and accept

or reject materials submitted.

NOVUS

The Alabama Associa on of Legal Assistants, Inc. (“AALA”) was formed in July, 1982, as a non

‐profit organiza on to promote the paralegal profession through awareness and 

educa on. In 2003, by a majority vote of the membership, the name of the organiza on was 

changed to Alabama Associa on of Paralegals, Inc. (“AAPi”). AAPi is an affiliate of the Na on‐

al Associa on of Legal Assistants, Inc.

AAPi’s Goals

To further education among

members of the profession.

To encourage a high order of

ethical and professional attainment.

To cooperate with bar associations.

To establish good fellowship among

AAPi members, the National As-

sociation of Legal Assistants, Inc.,

and member o the legal community.

To support and carry out the pro-

grams, purposes and goals of NALA.

The proposed bylaw changes were adopted by a unanimous vote of the members at AAPi’s 2015 Annual Meeting on August 15, 2015.