bpa paralegal pipeline february 2011
DESCRIPTION
Brevard County, FL - Brevard Paralegal AssociationTRANSCRIPT
Brevard Paralegal Association
Happy February everyone! I just read a great article about why taking a lunch break will make you a better employee.
For years I was one of those martyr-like employees who worked through her lunch because of a heavy workload and a greater-than-average sense of loyalty to her employer. Not that one shouldn't be a loyal employee, but there comes a point where you just have to draw the line. Getting out of the office, or even just away from your desk helps your mind to recharge. It's not good for anyone to have to exert a constant effort for that many hours non stop. I know my brain can't take it every day!
So if you're one of those work-all-day, eat-lunch-at-your-desk type of paralegals, here's some food for thought, pardon the pun. When you skip your lunch break on a regular basis, you're setting yourself up for burnout; eventually waking up one day less than thrilled with the job you have. If you don't feel passion about your job, your performance is more than likely to suffer. After all, who really does a good job at something they hate?
Use your energy wisely. Try doing something different, or even productive, during your mid-day break. Take an exercise class. Get out into the sunlight and do some stretches. Visit your kid at school. You'll find that when you return to the office you're refreshed, and that refreshed feeling can lead to new ideas you didn't have when you left.
If your firm is one that frowns on lunch breaks, invite key employees or decision-makers with you. If those people take lunch, it may change what the expectations are.
This month's speaker is Stephanie Reid, a Senior Compliance Analyst and Educator who is going to explain the ins and outs of HIPAA and The HITECH Act. Please join us on February 10th at the Suntree Country Club.
Regards,
Kim
Pursuant to Bylaw 3.16, notice
is hereby given to the Active,
Student, Associate and
Honorary members of the
Brevard Paralegal Association
that its Annual Meeting will
be held as follows:
Thursday, April 14, 2011
6:00 to 8:00 pm
Suntree County Club
Melbourne, Florida
Pursuant to Bylaw 3.10, only
Active members in good
standing with Brevard
Paralegal Association and the
Paralegal Association of
Florida, Inc. will be entitled to
vote.
A slate of declared candidates
and proxy forms are attached,
pursuant to Bylaw 3.11.
February 2011
President’s Message
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
The Paralegal Pipeline
President’s Message 1
Annual Meeting Notice 1
Speaker Bio 2
PAF News 2
Florida Registered Paralegal 2
February Meeting Info 3
BCC Paralegal Program 3
Community Service 3
Remembrances 3
2010 - 11 Board Listing 4
Sponsors 5 - 7
Community Service Flyer 8
Declaration of Candidacy 9
Proxy 10
NALA Updates 11
BCAWL Community Law
School Flyer 12-13
February 12th
and 22nd
Florida Registered Paralegal
The grandfathering clause in the Florida Registered Paralegal Program will sunset
on MARCH 1, 2011. After MARCH 1, 2011, you must meet the education/work
experience OR certification requirement eligibility. If you are using grandfathering as the
basis for registration, your completed application including attorney attestations MUST be
dated on or before MARCH 1, 2011. AFTER MARCH 1, 2011, YOU WILL NO LONGER
BE ABLE TO USE EXPERIENCE ALONE (THE GRANDFATHERING PROVISION) AS A
BASIS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION.
PAF, Inc. News
www.pafinc.org
C’MON BPA’ers! We need help with our basket to be raffled for the upcoming Spring Seminar. We didn’t contribute at the fall seminar! Let’s not fall down on the job this time. BPA has 2-3 months to put the basket together. So put your creative thinking caps on for donations (either cash or an item) for a basket encompassing the Spring 2011 theme of "Weekend of Wishes...a pampered paralegal".
Big Bend – Chapter Meeting, 02/10/2011, 12:00 p.m., Capital City Country Club, 1601 Golf
Terrace Dr., Tallahassee, Topic “Bankruptcy” presented by David Howard Abrams Boca Raton – Chapter Monthly Luncheon, 02/10/2011, 12:00 p.m., Bogart’s Bar and Grille,
Cinemark 20, 3200 Airport Road, Boca Raton, Topic “Medicare Set-Asides Compliance & Other Litigation Issues” presented by Finnie Cook, PhD, MSCC
Hillsborough – Chapter Monthly Luncheon, 03/01/2011, 12:00 p.m., TAMPA CLUB, Bank of America Plaza, 101 E. Kennedy Boulevard, 41st Floor, Tampa, Topic TBA
Palm Beach – Chapter Dinner Meeting, 02/09/2011, 5:30 p.m., Crown Plaza Hotel, 1601
Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, Topic “Sex, Drugs, and Worker’s Compensation (Part II), presented by Philip G. Thompson
Pinellas – Chapter Dinner Meeting, 02/08/2011, 6:15 p.m., Antonio's Pasta Grill 2755 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater
Southwest Florida – Chapter Dinner meeting, 02/17/2011, 5:30 p.m., Double Tree Guest Suites, 12200 Tamiani Trail, 2
nd Floor, Naples
Suncoast – Chapter Dinner Meeting, 02/07/2011, 5:30 p.m., Marina’s Jack in the Bay Room,
Sarasota
Treasure Coast – Dinner Meeting, 02/17/2011, 6:30 p.m., Cobbs Landing, 200 N. Indian River
Drive, Ft. Pierce, Topic “Child Support Guideline Changes”
The Paralegal Pipeline Page 2
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Reid
Stephanie Reid, CHC is lead
educator of compliance
initiatives at Health First,
Inc., a local healthcare
organization with four not-
for-profit hospitals and over
6,500 associates. She
designs, coordinates and
conducts system-wide
compliance training for all
corporate officers,
associates, physicians, and
other health care
professionals, as well as
develops role-based
compliance curriculum for
personnel working in high-
risk areas. She also serves
as an Adjunct Instructor at
Brevard Community
College's Health Sciences
Institute. She earned her BS
and MS at the University of
Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio
and completed postgraduate
work in healthcare corporate
compliance at The George
Washington University in
Washington, DC.
February 15th
Membership
53 Active 7 Students 2 Honorary
BPA providing CLE Opportunities BPA’s January Meeting included a raffle available only to BPA members for registration fees to this week’s seminar by BCC Technical Advisory Committee for the Paralegal Program. The winners were Diana Jacobs (student) and Julie Hochard. Just another reason to join and encourage your fellow paralegals to join BPA!
The Paralegal Pipeline Page 3
Brevard Community College
Paralegal Program
Roma Molinaro, CP, FCP, FRP, MLA
The Technical Advisory Committee for the Paralegal Program will host its annual seminar, Elder Law and Nursing Home Liability Seminar, at the BCC Melbourne Campus. The course is pending approval from NALA for three or four hours of CLE. For further information, contact Roma Molinaro at [email protected].
Brevard Paralegal Scholarships
BPA is pleased to announce the award of its 2010 Scholarships. Jasmine Williamson, who is currently enrolled in the paralegal program at BCC, was awarded a $500.00 Scholarship to continue her studies at BCC. Ashley King, a BCC paralegal program graduate, was awarded the “Roseann Nelson, CP” Professional Development Scholarship.
Roseann Nelson, CP was a founding
member of BPA and the long time paralegal to Leonard Spielvogel, Esquire. Ms. Nelson exemplified the professionalism required to be a successful paralegal and was a great mentor to all members of Brevard County’s legal community, in particular its paralegals. Mr. Spielvogel, wanting to honor his paralegal after her untimely passing, endowed a scholarship to BPA to be maintain in Ms. Nelson’s name. The “Roseann Nelson, CP” Professional Development Scholarship was established to encourage chapter member to attain the CP, ACP, or CFLA designation, through the National Association of Legal Assistant (“NALA”) and the Paralegal Association of Florida, Inc. (“PAF”).
Shout out to Ashley King for
helping out with Community
Service for the next couple of
months!!
This month, BPA will be
collecting financial donations
for Brevard County Legal
Aid, located in Rockledge,
Florida. BCLA is a non-profit
organization with the mission
“To provide high quality legal
assistance to protect
personal safety, establish
family stability, and ensure
equal access to justice for
low income and
disadvantaged persons.” A
flyer detailing BCLA’s impact
on Brevard is attached at the
end of the newsletter.
Please Make Checks
Payable to: Brevard
County Legal Aid
Please Call (321) 631-2500 if you are Interested in Volunteering Opportunities
Community Service Ashley King, subbing for Toni-Marie
D’Alessandro, CP, FCP, FRP
February CLE/Networking
Meeting
SUNTREE COUNTRY CLUB
One Country Club Drive
Melbourne, FL 32940 When: Thursday,
February 10, 2011, 6:00PM
Distinguished Guest: Stephanie Reid, CHC
Topic: Jumping
Through the Hoops of the
HIPAA and HITECH Act
Members $19.00 Non-Members $21.00
Pay at the door on day of event.
Note: A member may attend the meeting without dinner for a charge of $7.00. Non-Members may attend one (1) meeting without dinner with no charge. Thereafter, a charge of $7.00 per meeting without dinner will be assessed.
RSVP: Please contact Sabine Martel for entree selection and any additional information at: [email protected].
February Birthdays
Nicole Dooley
Meg Johnson
Tracy King
Jenny Lawton Seal
Mo Martens
Patty Wright
Page 4
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kim Nowakowski, RP, FRP kimberly.nowakowski@ health-first.org Vice President Tracy A. King [email protected]
Treasurer Patricia Bieringer [email protected]
Secretary Silvia Cowan [email protected]
Director-at-Large Cathleen M. Cummings, FRP [email protected] Immediate Past President Debra A. Clarke, CP, FCP, FRP [email protected]
Parliamentarian Toni-Marie D’Alessandro, CP, FCP, FRP [email protected] COMMITTEE CHAIRS Entertainment Nicole Dooley, CP, FRP [email protected] Budget Patricia Bieringer [email protected] Bylaws and Standing Rules Maureen “Mo” Martens, CLA, FRP [email protected]
Community Service Toni-Marie D’Alessandro, CP, FCP, FRP [email protected]
Ashley King
Education/Scholarship Roma Molinaro, CP, FCP, FRP, MLA [email protected]
Student Liaison Eveling B. Raymond [email protected]
Job Bank Coordinator Kim M. Dexter, ACP, FCP [email protected] Local Bar Liaison Debra A. Clarke, CP, FCP, FRP debra.clarke7@yahoo.
Meetings Sabine Martel [email protected] Membership Tracy A. King
Newsletter Editor Cathleen M. Cummings, FRP Jessica Pauley Bill Hickman Nominations/Elections Nicole Dooley, CP, FRP Publicity Cathleen M. Cummings, FRP Ways and Means Vacant OTHER POSITIONS Historian/Photographer Kim Nowakowski, RP, FRP PAF Website Danielle T. Pirolo [email protected]
BPA is on Facebook,
LinkedIn, and Twitter!
Search “Brevard
Paralegal Association” and join! We list useful
links, information regarding upcoming
meetings and events, and it’s an opportunity to network with fellow
members!
2010-11 BPA Board of Directors & Committee Chairs
Newsletter Advertising
Half Page $100/Year Or $55/6 months Business Card $50/Year Or $30/6 months Special rates available for one-time ads
Submit business card or ad artwork, preferably in .jpg or .bmp format to Kimberly. Nowakowski@ Health-First.Org or send it to:
Kim Nowakowski c/o Health First, Inc.
6540 US Hwy 1 Rockledge FL 32955
The Paralegal Pipeline
advertising reaches people throughout Florida. The publication’s revenue supports scholarships and various community service projects, which enables your costs associated to advertising here to be tax deductible. Please make your check payable to Brevard Paralegal Association. Thank you.
Meeting Policy Reminder
Pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(6) if you RSVP for a dinner and do not attend the meeting, you will be sent an invoice for the cost of the dinner. If you cancel your reservation less than 10 days prior to the event, you will be sent an invoice for the cost of the dinner.
The Paralegal Pipeline
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The Paralegal Pipeline The Paralegal Pipeline The Paralegal Pipeline
Page 6
The Paralegal Pipeline
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Page 6 The Paralegal Pipeline
LAW OFFICES
MICHAEL KAHN, P.A.
(321) 242-2564 482 North Harbor City Blvd
Fax (321) 254-2127 Melbourne, Florida 32935
Email: [email protected]
Brevard County Legal Aid is committed to providing high quality legal aid and
assistance to protect personal safety, establish family stability, and ensure equal
access to justice for low income and disadvantaged persons.
This month’s community service project will benefit a local non-profit
organization that provides legal services to indigent citizens of Brevard County.
BCLA was established in 1970 by the Brevard County Bar Association when Bar members recognized the
need to provide the county's low-income persons with meaningful access to the civil court system. The
program began with one part-time person who performed intake and matched clients with pro bono
attorneys. BCLA screened clients for eligibility then referred clients to attorneys who provided
representation at no charge. Today, BCLA has a staff of 11 including 6 attorneys. The pro bono program
has continued to grow and offers attorneys many options to serve the poor. Four hundred Brevard County
attorneys support the pro bono effort through BCLA.
Direct Legal Services
BCLA provides direct legal services in the following areas:
Family Law
Domestic Violence
Guardianships
Consumer cases that exceed small claims
Landlord/Tenant with meritorious defense in dispute with private landlord
Loss of money or property with meritorious defense
Employment Law
Court appointments for children aging out of foster care
Wills/Advance Directives Clinic
Foreclosure Mediation
Legal services, as needed, by persons over 60 years of age or by persons diagnosed terminally ill
Pro Bono Attorney Recruitment
BCLA is a proud participant of the Florida Bar One Campaign: “One client. One attorney. One
promise.”
In October 2009, the Supreme Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono launched the “One Campaign.”
The One Campaign allows attorneys to renew the promise to “Never reject the cause of the defenseless or
oppressed or delay anyone’s cause for lucre or malice.” BCLA hosted the official kick-off and launch of
Florida’s One Campaign, and recruited more than 50 attorneys to sign up for trainings and accept pro bono
cases.
Other Services
BCLA provides weekly free advice clinics and referral services for those who do not qualify for direct legal
services.
BCLA also coordinates and collaborates with other agencies, such as Salvation Army and Serene Harbor,
on projects that will benefit the community and its less fortunate residents. Projects include, but are not
limited to, community education, adopt an agency, victims of domestic violence, and volunteer lawyer
mentoring.
BCLA offers various training sessions in areas, such as:
Children’s Law
Family Law
Employment Law
Mortgage Foreclosure
DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY
I, _______________________, certify that I am an Active Member in good
standing with Brevard Paralegal Association, and I hereby declare my
candidacy for the following position for the 2011-2012 term of office:
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Member-At-Large
I further certify that:
1. I am an Active Member of Brevard Paralegal Association.
2. If I am declaring for the position of President, I have served on the
Board of Directors of Brevard Paralegal Association for at least one
year.
3. If elected, I will serve to the best of my ability and will abide by the
Bylaws and the Standing Rules adopted by Brevard Paralegal
Association.
Date: _________________
Name:
Address:
Please return to:
Nicole Dooley, Chairman of Elections
304 S. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 201
Melbourne, Florida 32901
DESIGNATION OF PROXY AND ALTERNATE PROXY
Instructions and General Information
1. If you cannot attend the Brevard Paralegal Association (“BPA”) Annual Membership Meeting
on April 14, 2011, you may designate one BPA Active member to cast your vote during the
meeting. In the event the primary designee is not able to attend, a second BPA Active member
may be appointed as an alternate. Any Active member may hold your vote with the
exception of the BPA President.
2. Make sure that your named proxy holder and alternate proxy holder plan to attend the Annual
Meeting. If your proxy holder and/or alternate proxy holder have to leave the meeting before its
conclusion, another member cannot hold your proxy. No proxy or alternate proxy holder
may be designated after April 1, 2011.
3. Your “Designation of Proxy and Alternate Proxy” form must be sent to the BPA Secretary. IT
MUST BE IN THE SECRETARY’S HANDS BY NO LATER THAN APRIL 1, 2011.
DESIGNATION OF PROXY AND ALTERNATE PROXY
I, , a BPA Active member, hereby appoint
, a BPA Active member, to serve as my proxy holder at
the BPA Annual Meeting in Melbourne, Florida on April 14, 2011. In the event my named proxy
holder is unable to hold my proxy, I hereby appoint
, a BPA Active member, to serve as my alternate proxy at said Annual Meeting.
Dated: , 2011.
Signature
X
Print or type your name
Address
Send original Designation of Proxy to:
Nicole Dooley, Chairman of Elections
304 S. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 201
Melbourne, Florida 32901
NALA Updates January 30, 2011
By Patricia C. DeRamus, ACP, FRP NALA Applications for the May Certified Paralegal
Exam are Due April 1, 2011
April 1 is the deadline date for applications for the Certified paralegal examination, May 2011 testing!
Application forms may be found on the NALA web site, Certification/Examinee Information.
The NALA Certifying Board utilizes the network of ACT to administer the examination. This can be costly to
the examinees. As a solution, NALA will also open testing sites outside of the ACT network in schools or employer
locations for students and employees. Details and an application form to qualify as a testing center are on the web at
Certification/Qualifying as a Testing Center.
APC – New Course ALMOST Ready!
Another new course from the Advanced Paralegal Certification Board! Criminal Litigation is in its final
production stages and should be available within the next 30 days. This is a terrific course, covering constitutional
rights, offenses and defenses, proceedings, trial, post conviction proceedings, appeals, juveniles, and technology.
Updates and more details to follow.
2011 Annual Meeting News
The January issue of Facts and Findings had voting information for the 2011 annual meeting, and the office
notice of the annual meeting of members. All of this information is now on the NALA web site, at Members Area/2011
Annual Meeting Information.
Information on this page includes:
Declaration of candidacy forms, and additional information, for those interested in running for national officer or director of regions 2, 3, 4, and 8.
Information about voting and filing y our designation of proxy if you are a voting member and unable to attend the annual meeting.
Deadlines for filing membership resolutions and proposed bylaw amendments.
The Designation of Proxy form is on the NALA web site, and may be completed electronically. The link is
found on the 2011 Annual Meeting Information Page.
The featured speakers of the 2011 Annual Summer Institutes, July 27 – 30 in Dallas/Plano, Texas will be provided
soon. To start….the instructor for the Litigation/Technology Institute will be Matt S. Cornick, Esq. of Atlanta, Georgia.
He has been teaching Civil Litigation, Legal Research, Family Law and Introduction to Law and Ethics to paralegal
students for over twenty years.
SIDEBAR – Please Note!
FRP GRANDFATHER PROVISION TO SUNSET
The grandfathering provision of the eligibility requirement to become a Florida Registered Paralegal will sunset
March 1, 2011.
After March 1, 2011, a paralegal will not be able to use grandfathering to register as an FRP and must meet
the education/work experience or certification requirement for eligibility.
For more information about the FRP Program and the application for becoming a Florida Registered
Paralegal, visit www.floridabar.org/frp
Space Coast Community Law School Seminar Schedule
Spring 2011
Building C: All seminars are held in the Atlantic Room except on 2/10/11 we meet in the Space
Coast Room:
February 3: 6-8pm: U.S. Constitution, Amendments -Judge Vincent Torpy
February 10: 6-8pm: Foreclosure - George Gingo and Jim Orth
February 17: 6-8pm: Elder Law - Robin Peterson
February 24: 6-8pm: Criminal Law - Robert Anderson
March 3: 6-8pm: U.S. Constitution, Articles - Judge Silverman
March 10: 6-8pm: Contract Law - Lisa Hogreve
March 17: 6-8pm: Bankruptcy - Roy Praver
March 24: 6-8pm: Consumer Law- James Torres
© 2010 BCAWL