wspa march april 2015
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M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 5
Findings & Conclusions " 1
WSPA Sprin
g CLE
April 24th!
! Sea6le
Airport Hil
ton!! Be
There or Be
Square
Findings & Conclusions
President’s CornerBy Benda Cothary
Springtime in the Pacific Northwest can be a dreary time, with all of the rain and clouds. This year, though, we have been very lucky. The tulips and daffodils are blooming, cherry blossoms are out, and I even spied some early Scotch Broom this weekend – probably the reason my allergies have hit an all time annoying high! This is the time of year things start geDing busy, as we gear up for spring break, graduation, summer, vacation, baseball season, sports, etc. It is a great time of year, but the time flies by so fast.
And so it goes with WSPA. We are already nearly 4 months into the year and it is gearing up to be another busy one. First and foremost, we are still working on our website! How many months have I been saying that now? The prototype the first company provided was not what we expected. We are now using a local company, who also happens to be a WSPA member and frequent event sponsor. Hopefully we will have a new and improved website for you very soon. I will be happy to announce when that project is finally finished.
WSPA also held its annual Paralegal Career Night in February. It was another great turnout. We are lucky to have such commiDed speakers at this event to review and comment on resumes and provide great information to paralegals. See the full event summary later in this
newsleDer. WSPA is hosting its annual Spring Continuing Legal Education Seminar on April 24 at the SeaDle Airport Hilton Conference Center. This year we will again be featuring two concurrent tracks: l i t igation and intellectual property. Registration includes a delicious lunch and seating for our paralegal awards presentation and new office induction. More information is also available later in the newsleDer and on the website (as well as registration through PayPal) at www.wspaonline.org
As mentioned, we will again honor our paralegal award recipients at the luncheon at the Spring Seminar. Nominations are currently being accepted for (Continued Page Three)
Our Mission: To enthusiastically support and promote the paralegal profession in the State of Washington.
President’s Corner Page 1
Nominations Page 4
Paralegal Night Page 6
Spring CLE Page 8
A Bi-Monthly Newsletter Volume 30 Issue 2. MAR/APR 2015
NW Report/Law Day Info Page 15
Minutes Page 16
Budget Page 19
Membership App Page 20
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
" Findings & Conclusions2
Administrator
Administration Services, Inc.PO Box 58530Seattle, WA 98138-1530206.623.8632administrator@wspaonline.org
Officers
PresidentBrenda Cotharypresident@wspaonline.org
Vice-President Theda Yandell, RPvp-membership@wspaonline.org
SecretarySarah Eisenhauersecretary@wspaonline.org
Treasurer Debra Smithtreasurer@wspaonline.org
Immediate Past PresidentBrian Haberly RP
Management Directory
NFPA Representatives
NFPA Primary RepresentativeJeniffier Provalenko, RPnfpa-one@wspaonline.org
Secondary RepresentativeVacantnfpa-two@wspaonline.org
PACE AmbassadorJeniffier Provalenko, RPpace-chair@wspaonline.org
Directors
East King Co. Chapter DirectorVacantekco-director@wspaonline.org
Northwest Chapter Director Amanda Gipenw-director@wspaonline.org
Seattle Chapter DirectorVacantseattle-director@wspaonline.org
Snohomish Co. Chapter Director Vacantsnohomish-director@wspaonline.org
Spokane County Chapter Director Vacantspokane-director@wspaonline.org
South King County Chapter DirectorVacantskco-director@wspaonline.org
South Puget Sound Chapter DirectorJulie Wescottsps-director@wspaonline.org
Director At-Large, WestVacantal-west-director@wspaonline.org
Committee Chairs Certification CoordinatorJeniffier Provalenko, RPpace-ambassador@wspaonline.org
CLE CoordinatorStephanie Dermottcle-chair@wspaonline.org
CLE Event CoordinatorVacantConference_chair@wspaonline.org
Job Bank CoordinatorBarbara Parnell, RPjob-bank-chair@wspaonline.org
Marketing CoordinatorDebra Smithmarketing-chair@wspaonline.org
Pro Bono CoordinatorVacantprobono-chair@wspaonline.org
Newsletter Co-Coordinator/EditorJay Jenkinseditor@wspaonline.org
Newsletter Co- Coordinator/EditorMarsha Milroynewsletter-assistant@wspaonline.org
Webmasterwebmaster@wspaonline.org
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F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
" Findings & Conclusions4
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
Definition of a Paralegal – as defined by NFPA and WSPA
A Paralegal is a person, qualified through education, training or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency or other entity or may be authorized by administrative, statutory or court authority to perform this work. Substantive shall mean work requiring recognition, evaluation, organization, analysis, and communication of relevant facts and legal concepts
(President’s Corner Continued)
Lifetime Achievement Award, Paralegal of the Year, Student Scholarship ($500), Community Service, and Pro Bono awards. The forms to nominate yourself or another deserving paralegal are in the newsleDer or on the website. We will also honor those passing the PACE and PCCE exams, earning their RP and CRP designations. In addition, those WSPA members with 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25+ years of membership will be recognized. All in all, it will be an outstanding day of networking, education, and fun. Please join us for this annual event.
There are chapter meetings being scheduled for the Northwest Chapter (Whatcom, Island, and Skagit Counties), SeaDle Chapter, and South Puget Sound Chapter. Check the WSPA calendar for more detailed information. Additionally, Law Day will be coming up in Skagit County on Thursday April 30, 2015 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For those of you in the local area, it is a great opportunity to earn some pro bono hours AND help members of the community. For more information contact Eva WescoD at 3 6 0 -‐‑ 5 8 8 -‐‑ 5 6 5 7 o r EvaW@communityactionskagit.org.
Your WSPA membership is due! We renew annually in the first quarter of the year. Please renew your membership now, before you are removed from active membership. If you have any questions about your membership, contact : info@wspaonline.org.
As I said, it is a busy time for WSPA. I hope you will join us at an upcoming event. It is up to you to shape the direction of your profession. I challenge you to get involved in WSPA or another organization, whether it be volunteer legal services, or a community service group. Not only will you gain valuable skills and experience, you will meet great people and help those in need. Happy Spring!
WSPA’S 2015 AWARDS NOMINATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTEDNomina'ons are now being accepted for the following awards:
• Paralegal of the year • Life'me Achievement • WSPA Volunteer of the year • Paralegal Pro Bono • Paralegal Community Service Award • Paralegal Student Scholarship For more informa'on about these awards, or to nominate a fellow paralegal,* please download and complete the Nomina'on Form . Recipients will be celebrated at our annual Members Award Luncheon, held on April 24, 2015 during the Spring CLE at the Hilton SeaPle Airport Conference Center. Nomina;ons will be accepted through April 16, 2015.
* “Paralegal” is an inclusive term that includes both tradi'onal and non-‐tradi'onal paralegals and those individuals performing the du'es of a paralegal, while their exact job 'tle may vary.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
Findings & Conclusions " 5
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F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
" Findings & Conclusions6
WSPA WANTS YOU!WSPA is currently seeking motivated and energetic paralegals to fill vacant Chapter Director positions. Chapter Directors are responsible for coordinating meetings in their designated areas, which includes arranging speakers, selecting meeting locations and topics, and marketing events. In addition, chapter directors are required to aDend quarterly Board meetings and write bi-‐‑monthly articles for the newsleDer. Chapter Directors should live or work in the area they represent. We are seeking to fill the following Chapter Director vacancies:
• Spokane Chapter Director
• South King County Chapter Director
• Snohomish County Chapter Director
• At-‐‑Large West Director
In addition, WSPA is seeking volunteers to serve on several commiDees, including marketing , event planning, speaker coordination, mentoring, pro bono, etc., please consider volunteering;.
If you are interested in any of the above position, please email a leDer of interest and your resume to president@ wspaonline.org
By Benda Cothary
WSPA hosted its annual Paralegal Career Night on Friday February 27, 2015 at McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside Restaurant in SeaDle. As always, the event is a great opportunity for those students, recent graduates, and working paralegals that are looking to improve their resume or get valuable career information. This year was no exception! We had approximately 55 paralegals participate in the evening.
Will Chargulaf and Lindsey Stewart from Quid Pro Quo and Law Dawgs, as well as Theda Yandell from Forsberg & Umlauf provided feedback at the resume review workshop. Many of the aDendees brought copies of their resume for review by one of the experts. Many commented about the tremendous value in having professionals review their resume. This is an extraordinary way to fine tune your resume and get it recognized above everyone else.
After a delicious dinner, WSPA President and LLLT Board Member Brenda Cothary gave an update on the progress of the LLLT and the first group of students who will be testing. Next, Lynne Lazaroff from The Leadership Dimension presented a very interesting segment about personal branding. It was very interactive and gave participants the opportunity to begin to develop their personal brand, which is essential for career advancement and leadership development. Your personal brand represents the value you are able to consistently deliver to those whom you are serving. Managing your brand requires you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and be a great role model, mentor, and trusted employee. As I said, it was very interesting to explore deeper into yourself. If you haven’t participated in a personal branding session, I would highly recommend it. The grand finale of the evening was a presentation by Will Chargulaf. Will is the Director of ADorney Search at Quid Pro Quo and was previously a Legal Recruiter at Law Dawgs. Will spoke about trends in the paralegal profession, growing practice areas, and critical skills for success. He also provided tips and tricks for applying for jobs, interviewing, and post interview follow-‐‑up.
Thank you to all of the presenters and aDendees who made the evening a huge success!
Paralegal Career Night. Oh, What a Night
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
Findings & Conclusions " 7
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F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
!
42 ,55 21 , , 2 0,1
4 4
Spring
Join us April 24th, 2015 for a day of enrichment and information that will help you develop your skills and expand your knowledge in several key practice areas.
We will also have several exhibitors on site and offer a vendor bingo drawing at the end of the day.
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CLE
During lunch we will announce the winners of our annual awards:
• Lifetime Achievement• Paralegal of the Year• Paralegal Pro Bono• Community Service• WSPA Volunteer of the Year• Student Scholarships. • Longevity Awards
We will also honor those who have passed the PACE and PCCE exams, as well as introduce the new Board of Directors.
More to Come Soon…
Save the Date, Friday, April 24th, 2015!
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
WSPA SPRING CLEThe Speakers:
Naser Baseer is director, corporate counsel at Starbucks Coffee Company, where he manages Starbucks trademark and copyright portfolios, works on the company'ʹs IP litigation and resolves domain name disputes. Additionally, he drafts and advises on a variety of licensing agreements and conducts clearance research covering various issues, including trademark, copyright and right of publicity. Further, he helps develop and implement policies covering Starbucks digital and social media initiatives as well as online volunteer engagement initiatives. He also educates and counsels clients at all levels including executives about IP due diligence i n M&A t r ansa c t i ons a s we l l a s g l oba l implementation of trademark and solicitation policies. Prior to joining Starbucks, Naser was an associate at Schiff Hardin LLP and Holland & Knight LLP where he prosecuted and litigated patent, trademark and copyright maDers and worked on IP transactions.
Heather Cameron is a Director and Senior Paralegal at GeDy Images’ global headquarters here in SeaDle. Since 1999, she has managed a wide variety of claims asserted against the company globally, including copyright, trademark, and patent infringement as well as claims involving rights of privacy and publicity.
Consuelo Grumich, a skilled trial technician for NAEGELI Deposition and Trial, has an extensive background in all areas of litigation support and trial presentation. NAEGELI is the largest litigation support company in the Pacific Northwest. NAEGELI Trial provides a wide variety of trial consultation and presentation services to the Northwest and the entire nation. NAEGELI has been in some of the most high-‐‑stakes and monumental litigation throughout the country, to include the Catholic Archdiocese, American Medical Response, Microsoft, Columbia Helicopters, Outback Steakhouse,
Winco Foods and HewleD Packard. The firm’s background in doing high-‐‑profile trial consultation and presentation has made them sought after by many of the top aDorneys in the nation. Ms. Grumich received her Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga School Of Law and has been involved within the legal arena for over 10 years. She has been involved in many types of litigation encompassing real estate, probate, insurance bad faith, employment, debtor collections, family, personal injury, and criminal defense. Consuelo has been a consultant on trial strategy and assisted with public information disclosure. She is an expert in ass is t ing with digi ta l evidence presentations in the courtroom and uses the most advanced litigation support technology available in the trial presentation and consulting arena. Consuelo’s previous experience in management, accounting and litigation provides her with a unique insight on various case strategies and techniques. She has extensive experience creating timelines and demonstrative presentations in a variety of formats. Ms. Grumich’s varied and extensive background enables her to assist an aDorney from the initial filing of the case to the final verdict.
Cathy Lopez is the Project Manager at Blank Law + Technology. Ms. Lopez has over a decade of experience as an e-‐‑discovery project manager. As the firm'ʹs Project Manager, Cathy works closely with clients to manage timelines and budgets of small and large projects. Cathy works with aDorneys, paralegals, and litigation support professionals to provide insight into e-‐‑discovery services and related best practices.
Dave Swider has over 32 years of experience in litigation support, ranging from paper discovery to electronic data discovery , including advanced search and review technologies. Mr. Swider is a certified Relativity Sales Professional and created the kCura Relativity Users Group mailing list to support the Relativity user community.
WSPA SPRING CLEMr. Swider consults with clients to select the most appropriate tools to conduct effective, efficient and defensible review. In addition, he does the vast majority of Evolve’s end user training. Prior to joining Evolve Discovery, Mr. Swider worked for Syngence, an innovator in the latent symantic indexing market.
Anna Truss is the co-‐‑founder and CEO at DefSec Solutions, LLC. Her specialties include digital forensic analysis and investigation, eDiscovery, Data Recovery, Data Carving, Computer Forensic Imaging, and Password Recovery. She has served as instructor and course developer for the online Network Security certification courses at Edmonds Community College.
Noah Wick has eight years of trial consulting experience. He handles high-‐‑stakes, high-‐‑risk litigation assisting in over 1,500 jury trials across the country. He advises clients about the full range of litigation support solutions to give them the tools needed to win at trial. Noah obtained a post-‐‑graduate degree from Gonzaga University, undergraduate degree from Washington State University and for eight years, served as a Staff Sergeant with the 141st Medical-‐‑Dental Unit in the Air Force National Guard. Noah was raised by two highly respected medical malpractice defense aDorneys. While working at his parents’ law firm in 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer. Post several surgeries and chemotherapy, he had the opportunity to help defend one of the very doctors who saved his life by creating trial graphics and strategy consulting for their defense. Since then, Noah’s mission has been to help assist every healthcare professional survive and win in court.
The Speakers:
TIME LITIGATION
8:00 – 8:30
Registra'on
8:30 – 10:00
Bringing the Newest Graphics and Technology to Trial. Noah Wick, Trial Exhibits, Inc.
10:00 – 10:15
Break
10:15 – 11:45
Cell Phone Forensics, Cathy Lopez, Blank Law & Technology
11:45 – 1:15
Lunch & Program
1:15 – 2:45
Tips, Tricks and Advice for Becoming a Stellar Paralegal. Consuelo Grumich, Naegeli USA
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 4:30
The New Paralegal – from paper to ESI discovery. What you need to know. Dave Swider, Evolve Discovery
TIME INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
8:00 – 8:30
Registra'on
8:30 – 10:00
Paralegal Ethics, Speaker TBD
10:00 – 10:15
Break
10:15 – 11:45
IP Issues Regarding images, logos, etc. Heather Cameron, GePy Images
11:45 – 1:15
Lunch & Program
1:15 – 2:45
Non-‐Tradi;onal Trademarks. Naser Baseer, Starbucks
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 4:30
Intellectual Property TheW, Anna Truss, DefSec Solu'ons, LLc
The Schedule:
WSPA SPRING CLEThe Place:
HILTON SEATTLE AIRPORT & CONFERENCE CENTER17620 INTERNATIONAL BLVD, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 98188-4001, USA
April 24, 20158:00a - 4:30p
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
" Findings & Conclusions14
WSPA's Mission: We are dedicated to providing tools and resources necessary to advance the paralegal profession.
Guiding Principles and Values:We are dedicated to the enhancement of the paralegal profession.
We strive for personal and professional development.
We will encourage increased utilization of paralegals to broaden employment opportunities statewide.
We advocate high quality paralegal educational programs in preparation for entry into the profession.
We hold our members to high standards by requiring 10 Continuing Legal Education credits per year to retain full voting status or to hold an office in the Association.
We will monitor proposed state and federal legislation affecting paralegals and will participate in the legislative and regulatory process to represent our Members'ʹ views.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
WSPA Vision Statement for 2020 The Washington State Paralegal Association is the regulatory and licensing body of paralegals in Washington State. The Washington State Paralegal Association will define standards of skill and competence for paralegals and legal assistants in Washington State. It has a reputation for being a welcoming, supportive professional organization. It offers opportunities to increase personal and professional growth through educational opportunities and social events. The Washington State Paralegal Association is highly regarded by the public, the media, and public policy makers as the voice of the profession. The Association is influential and politically effective.
WSPA Newsletter Editor P.O. Box 58530 Seattle, WA 98138Email: editor@wspaonline.orgWSPA Email: Info@wspaonline.org
All submissions are due the 20th of each odd numbered month for publica'on the following month. Ar'cles may be submiPed on disk in Word format or via Email.
ADVERTISING RATES:
Dimensions Month to Month Pre-Paid One Year(6 Issues)
1/8 page $ 50.00 20% discount 1/4 page $100.00 20% discount1/2 page $150.00 20% discountFull page $200.00 25% discount
Contact editor@wspaonline.org for additional advertising information. The Editor reserves the right to edit material for clarity, space or advertising.The articles published herein express the opinions of their authors and, unless expressly stated, do not necessarily reflect those of WSPA.Unless otherwise indicated, the authors of the submissions contained in Findings & Conclusions are paralegals. All reports, profiles, summaries, checklists, articles, or other submissions are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon for that purpose. All opinions expressed in any submission are the authors’ sole opinion and should not be taken as the opinion or position of the Washington State Paralegal Association.
Original items printed here are the property of WSPA. We ask that National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) member associations who reprint articles from Findings and Conclusions, credit the article and provide WSPA with a copy as reprinted. Others may not reproduce original material for any purpose without prior, written consent of the WSPA Newsletter Editor.
Publication of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product/services offered. WSPA reserves the right to reject advertisement due to content or space considerations.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
Findings & Conclusions " 15
Northwest Chapter Reportby Amanda Gipe
The Northwest Chapter will be hosting its annual Paralegal Career Panel at Whatcom Community College on April 15, 2015. This panel will consist of long term paralegals, recent graduates from WCC'ʹs program, clerks from Skagit and Whatcom county, and a former paralegal who has successfully completed the Bar exam under APR 6, The Law Clerk Program. This event will give current students an opportunity to meet working paralegals, learn about the different types of careers available in our field, and get answers to questions they may have.
Another event the Northwest Chapter is working on is the 21st annual Law Day. The Northwest chapter is working with Community Action of Skagit County-‐‑Volunteer Lawyer Program and the Skagit County Law Library to help provide a free legal advice clinic on Thursday, April 30, 2015. Law Day is celebrated nationally each year to promote the importance of the rule of law to a free society. This event is a walk-‐‑in clinic and all patrons will be served on a first come first serve basis. This clinic will be hosted at the Mt. Vernon Transit Center from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm, and will be staffed by volunteer students, paralegals, and aDorney’s alike. For more information or volunteer opportunit ies , contact Amanda at nw-‐‑director@wspaonline.org, or contact Alicia Engstrom at alicia.engstrom@yahoo.com.
Management Reports
Law Day!
Thursday, April 30, 2015 10:00am- 4:30 pm
Skagit Transit Center, Mount Vernon, WA Divorce Seminar Superior Court- Hearing Room C - 2:00 pm
Divorce Seminar- The Family Law Facilitator will provide a brief overview of the divorce process and a checklist of forms needed to start and finish a divorce. NO legal advice will be provided at the Divorce Seminar.
ADVICE AND CONSULTATION REGARDING:
Bankruptcy -‐‑ Civil Litigation -‐‑ Personal Injury -‐‑ Divorce -‐‑
Landlord/Tenant -‐‑ Immigration -‐‑ Debt Collection -‐‑ Property/Real Estate -‐‑ Criminal Law -‐‑ Child Custody -‐‑ Probate/Wills/Trusts -‐‑ Adoption
Sponsored by:
Spanish Interpreters Available
For more information call: (360) 416-‐‑7585
Skagit County Law Library Community Action of Skagit County -‐‑ Volunteer Lawyer Program
Washington State Paralegal Association.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
" Findings & Conclusions16
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Washington State Paralegal Association
January 19, 2015 The Board of Directors of the Washington State Paralegal Association (“WSPA”) met on January 19, 2015 in Tukwila, Washington. Proper notice was sent via e-‐‑mail to all Board and Association members.
In aDendance were the following:
Officers Present: Brenda Cothary -‐‑ President, Debra Smith -‐‑ Treasurer, Sarah Eisenhauer -‐‑Secretary
Chapter Directors: Amanda Gipe -‐‑ NW Chapter Director
Guests Present: Diane Bevins, Administrator
WELCOME
Introductions of Officers present. Brenda Cothary, President, welcomed and thanked all present and called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m.
QUORUM REQUIREMENT: When the meeting notice was sent out, there were 2 Directors and 4 Officers serving in office, with 51% or at least 4 such positions needed to be present for a quorum and to conduct business under our Bylaws. We began the meeting with 4 voting persons present so there was a quorum.
NEWSLETTER: We will be reviving the newsleDer. It will go out in the even months this year. All articles and updates to
the newsleDer will need to be sent to the editor by the 20th
of the odd-‐‑numbered months.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS: The renewal email will go out on Monday with a March 31st renewal deadline. The current
Student rate will go through the end of January. It will then go up to $60.00.
STUDENT DINNER: Brenda has lined up Will Chargualaf, Lindsey Stewart, and Lynne Lazaroff to speak at the dinner. It will be held at McCormick’s.
To get more aDendance we discussed and approved changing the name from the Annual Student Dinner to Paralegal Career Night. This may aDract members and non-‐‑members who are looking for a new job now or would like to in the future. We are
also changing the date to February 27th
instead of the last Friday in January.
Action Item: Debra will contact the Paralegal Club at EDCC.OPEN OFFICER DIRECTOR POSITIONS:
We have the following Director and Coordinator positions open:
Vice President, At-‐‑Large West Director, East King County Director, South King County DirectorSeaTle Chapter Director, Snohomish County Chapter Director, Spokane Chapter Director, Certification Coordinator, CLE Event Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Pro Bono Coordinator, Webmaster
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
Findings & Conclusions " 17
WEBSITE: Anna Truss is still working on geDing the base website up and running.
SPRING CLE: We discussed geDing quotes from hotels in SeaDle, Bellevue, Tukwila and Sea Tac. We will be bringing back the Litigation and IP tracks as they were popular. We will then add Ethics/Personal Development and Personal Injury tracks.
Action Item: We need to have the pricing on the hotels by the end of January so we can discuss at the next meeting.
Action Item: Assignments for contacting potential speakers; Sarah: contact Jessica Nielsen to speak on Ethics and Margaret Au to speak on IP Brenda: contact Noah Wick and NaegleAmanda: contact Nancy to speak on LLLT, Personal Development or Legal Writing Theda: contact an aDorney in office to speak on PI Defense Debra: contact an aDorney in office to speak on PI Plaintiff
We discussed not having certificates for the Longevity awards. It was decided that we will just list them in the program. We will still have certificates for Paralegal of the Year, Student Scholarship and Lifetime Achievement awards.
Action Item: Debra will contact sponsors.Action Item: Sarah will update Officer and Director nomination and election materials
Action Item: Amanda will update the annual awards nomination materials
BOARD MEETING CONFERENCE CALL ON JANUARY 18th:
The last meeting was held via conference call where a quorum was present. At that meeting, Amanda Gipe was approved as the Northwest Chapter Director and the Budget was approved. Each one was motioned and seconded and unanimously approved.
NEXT MEETINGS:
The next meeting will be held on the following date:
February 7th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm March 21st from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm April 19th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 pm. BOARD APPROVED THE MINUTES ON FEBRUARY 7, 2015.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
18 Findings & Conclusions
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Washington State Paralegal Association
February 7, 2015 The Board of Directors of the Washington State Paralegal Association (“WSPA”) met on February 7, 2015 in Tukwila, Washington. Proper notice was sent via e-‐‑mail to all Board and Association members.
In aDendance were the following:
Officers Present: Brenda Cothary -‐‑ President, Theda Yandell RP -‐‑ Vice -‐‑ President, Debra Smith, Treasurer, Sarah Eisenhauer-‐‑ Secretary
Chapter Directors: Amanda Gipe -‐‑ NW Chapter Director
Guests Present: Diane Bevins -‐‑ Administrator
WELCOME
Introductions of Officers present. Brenda Cothary, President, welcomed and thanked all present and called the meeting to order at 10:17 a.m.
QUORUM REQUIREMENT:
When the meeting notice was sent out, there were 2 Directors and 4 Officers serving in office, with 51% or at least 4 such positions needed to be present for a quorum and to conduct business under our Bylaws. We began the meeting with 5 voting persons present so there was a quorum.
PAST MINUTES APPROVAL:
The Board Meeting Minutes for January 19, 2015 were presented and reviewed. It was motioned that we approve the minutes. It was seconded and passed unanimously. There was no further discussion.
OFFICER AND CHAPTER REPORTS:
Debra and Sarah – the talk at EDCC Law Association went well. The meeting was well aDended. We discussed the benefits of membership in the Association and the Career Dinner.
Theda – Membership drive going well. Spoke at Highline CC about the Career Dinner. Brenda – Spoke at TCC about WSPA and the Career Dinner.
WEBSITE:
We discussed the beta website that Anna has developed. There were some changes that need to be made.
Action Item: Sarah will contact Anna with the changes as well as let her know that we would like to see the changes at the next Board meeting.
OPEN OFFICER DIRECTOR POSITIONS:
We have the following Director and Coordinator positions open:
At-‐‑Large Director, East King County Director, South King County Director, SeaDle Chapter Director, Snohomish County Chapter Director , Spokane Chapter Director, Certification Coordinator, CLE Event Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Pro Bono Coordinator, Webmaster
MARKETING: Debra sent out the sponsorship requests for this year.
SPRING CLE: We discussed the quotes that Diane received from hotels we were looking at for the Spring CLE. Bellevue Embassy is booked, Tukwila Embassy is available, Bellevue Hilton has not sent anything and the SeaTac Hilton is working on a quote.
We will use WSPA branded items for speaker gifts.
Action Item: Once Diane receives the quote from the SeaTac Hilton, we will have a conference call to select the hotel.
Action Item: Assignments for contacting potential speakers; Sarah: contact Jessica Nielsen to speak on Ethics and Margaret Au to speak on IP Benda: contact Ken Masters to speak on Legal Writing and Robert Cumbow to speak on IP
Action Item: Debra will contact sponsors and get a list of what they will be bringing for Vendor Bingo.
Action Item: Sarah will update Officer and Director Nomination and Election materials
Action Item: Amanda will update the annual awards nomination materials
ANNUAL AWARDS: We discussed changes on the Annual Awards. The awards will be recognized as follows: Longevity awards: Name listed in the Spring CLE program, WSPA newsleDer and the website Paralegal of the Year: Certificate, WSPA branded item and a one year WSPA membership Lifetime Achievement: Certificate, WSPA branded item, and Lifetime WSPA membership RP: Pin and Certificate CRP: Certificate
Action Item: Contact vendors for donation to scholarship fund
ELECTIONS: The nominations for Officers and the eligible Directors will run from March 1st to March 20th. Then elections will run from March 23rd to April 10th.
JOINT CONFERENCE: We would like to send as many WSPA Officers and Directors to the NFPA Joint Conference because it is Portland. The Conference will be held on May 1-‐‑3.
NFPA REGION 1 MEETING: The Region 1 meeting will be held in SeaDle this year. We will need to provide a gift bag for each aDendee.
NFPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: The annual conference will be held in Hawaii this year. Theda will be presenting and Brenda may be presenting. Jeniffier Provalenko will go as Primary Rep.
2018 NFPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: NFPA has selected the SeaTac Hilton for the conference.
NEXT MEETINGS: The next meeting will be held on the following date: March 21st from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm April 19th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting was adjourned at 1:48 pm. BOARD APPROVED THE MINUTES ON MARCH 21, 2015.
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
18 Findings & Conclusions
Washington*State*Paralegal*Association**!2015*Budget*!
* !INCOME*!Membership* !22,900.00!!
Scholarships* !500.00!!Jobbank* !3,600.00!!CLE*Application* !4,800.00!!Student*Dinner* !3,600.00!!Spring*CLE* !7,000.00!!Fall*CLE* !3,500.00!!Yearly*Sponsorship** !2,500.00!!***Total*expected*income* !$48,400.00!!
* !EXPENSES*!Operating*!****Accounting* !$250.00!!
****Administrative*/Overhead* !$10,350.00!!****Board*meetings/travel* !$1,500.00!!****Insurance*N*D*&*O* !$1,000.00!!****Taxes/licenses* !$10.00!!****Sunshine*Fund* !$300.00!!****Website*Maintenance/Hosting* !$3,500.00!!****Marketing* !$2,300.00!!WSPA*Chapters* !$1,200.00!!NFPA*meetings*
!****National*meeting* !$2,700.00!!***Regional*meeting* !$1,500.00!!NFPA*Dues* !$6,600.00!!Member*Awards* !$400.00!!Scholarship* !$500.00!!Jobbank* !$1,800.00!!CLE*Application* !$1,500.00!!Student*Dinner** !$3,835.00!!Law*Day* !$150.00!!Spring*CLE* !$6,000.00!!Fall*CLE* !$2,000.00!!****Total*expected*expenses* !$47,395.00!!!
Washington State Paralegal Association
Membership Application
PO Box 58530, Seattle WA 98138 Membership Year 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2015
WSPA Membership Application- Membership Application form page 1
Important: This form should be used only to apply for new membership. If you are a current WSPA member, please use the Membership Renewal form.
Applicant Name:
Preferred Mailing Address:
Daytime Phone: __________________________
Evening Phone: ___________________________
Fax Number: ___________________________
E-Mail Address(es): Employer Name & Address:
Send Mail to: ! Home ! Work
WSPA Membership (See below for definitions and requirements.)
Check one and submit the appropriate membership fee with your application. Make checks payable to WSPA. Mail check with this form to WSPA, P O Box 58530, Seattle, WA 98138-1530. WSPA is a Washington not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization, Tax ID # 51-0140447:
! Regular Member - $110.00 Employer Paid? !Yes !No
! Associate Member - $110.00
! Student Member - $60.00 ! Sustaining Member - $300.00
Who referred you to WSPA? (Please be specific so that we can thank them!): ______________________________
Special Qualifications: ! PACE® Registered Paralegal ! LPO ! CLA (Certified Legal Assistant)
Chapter Affiliation(s): ! East King County ! Northwest ! Seattle ! Snohomish County ! South King County ! Spokane ! South Puget Sound ! Central Washington ! Other: _______________________
Check all areas in which you are willing to help: ! Chapter Activities ! Events (CLE's, Convention) ! Membership ! Newsletter ! Job Bank Admin. ! Other:_______________________________________________________________________
**Please visit our website at www.wspaonline.org to sign up for specific list servs. Please note that by participating in these list servs, you will receive regular e-mail updates and have the opportunity to participate in e-mail discussion of issues relevant to the list serv.**
F I N D I N G S & C O N C L U S I O N S
18 Findings & Conclusions
WSPA Membership Application- Membership Application form page 2
Education: (check all completed) ! Assoc. Degree, Paralegal Studies* ! Assoc. Degree, Other ! Bachelor's Degree, Paralegal Studies* ! Bachelor's Degree, Other
! Certificate in Paralegal Studies* ! Master's Degree ! Other Postgraduate Degree ! Other: ____________________________
*Must include 24 semester credit hours (or equivalent) of paralegal specialty courses. See Bylaw 2.1.1 for credit hour requirements.
**If you are currently enrolled in a paralegal studies program, give:
Name of the school/program: __________________________________________________________________________
Location:_____________________________ Length of program:_______________________
Degree expected: Type:_________________ Month & Year:___________________________
Employment: Number of years of experience as a paralegal _______. Current status (Check all applicable):
!Employed full-time as a paralegal !Employed part-time as a paralegal !Employed full-time, not as a paralegal !Employed part-time, not as a paralegal !Full-time student in a paralegal program** !Part-time student in a paralegal program** !Unemployed !Other: _________________________
Employer Type: !Private Law Firm !Government Agency !Public Service Agency !Self-employed/freelance/contract !Corp. Legal Dept./Other Private Industry !Temporary Employment Agency
Practice Areas (check all areas in which you regularly practice): !Admiralty/Maritime !Bankruptcy !Civil Litigation !Collection !Commercial Torts !Contracts !Corporate/Business !Criminal !Elder Law !Employment/Labor !Environmental !ERISA/Employee Benefits !Estate Planning !Family/Domestic !Foreclosures !Government !Intellectual Property !Land Use !Legal Technology !Malpractice/Professional Liability !Personal Injury !Probate !Real Estate !Securities !Tax !Workers Compensation !Other:__________________________________
Definitions Paralegal (NFPA Definition): A paralegal is a person qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, or other entity or may be authorized by administrative, statutory, or court authority to perform this work. For additional definitions, requirements, and various other information, check our web site at http://www.wspaonline.org.
Privacy Policy WSPA’s general policy regarding member information is that we do not share this information indiscriminately. We must share name and mailing address with NFPA in order for you to receive your full membership benefits. We may share name and mailing address with certain legal-related vendors, including seminar sponsors, for a fee. This provides WSPA with non-dues income and allows us to keep our membership fees low. We provide this information in the form of printed labels, and we make it clear that the information is to be used only once. We do not give information to any vendors in electronic form which could be used multiple times. We will share with other members of WSPA any of the contact information which is usually available in the WSPA Membership Directory. This includes name, mailing address, daytime telephone, fax number, e-mail address, employer name, practice areas, and chapter affiliation(s). Any other information which we may maintain about our members is available only to WSPA officers, directors, and committee chairs. However, if your primary mailing address, phone, or e-mail is no longer accurate, we may substitute another address, phone, or e-mail. The alternate information would then become shareable as though it were the primary information for that member. You may specify stronger restrictions on certain of your information than under the standard WSPA policy, by completing and signing the following. Please check if any of the specified items should not be shared with WSPA members or vendors:
Item WSPA Members Vendors Home address (usually shared only if it is the primary mailing address) Work address (usually shared only if it is the primary mailing address) Daytime phone Evening phone √ Fax number √ E-mail address √
Signature: I affirm that the information given in this application is true and correct and that I meet the requirements for the membership category indicated above.
Signed: Date:
Washington State Paralegal Association 2015 Membership Renewal Form PO Box 58530, Seattle WA 98138-1530 For the Membership Period of 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2015
To file this Renewal Form with your check payment (payable to WSPA), Mail it to WSPA, P O Box 58530, Seattle, WA 98138-1530; Questions? Please email for assistance to: info@wspaonline.org
Important: This form should be used only to renew a current or previous WSPA membership. If you are applying for a new WPSA membership, please use the Membership Application form.
Member’s Name: WSPA Membership Number (if known): Mailing Address:
!!!! Check here if this is an updated Mailing Address
Daytime Phone: Evening Phone:
E-Mail Address (primary):
E-Mail Address (secondary):
WSPA Membership (See below for definitions and requirements.) Check one and submit the appropriate membership fee with your application. Make checks payable to WSPA. WSPA is a Washington not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization, Tax ID # 51-0140447:
" Regular Member - $110.00 Employer Paid? "Yes "No " Associate Member - $110.00
" Student Member - $60.00
Definitions & Requirements Paralegal (NFPA Definition): A paralegal is a person qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, or other entity or may be authorized by administrative, statutory, or court authority to perform this work. Substantive shall mean work requiring recognition, evaluation, organization, analysis, and communication of relevant facts and legal concepts.
Membership Types – Regular Membership - $110: Any paralegal (see definition above) living or working in Washington with an associate or
bachelors degree and 24 semester hours in paralegal studies OR having a minimum of three year’s experience as a paralegal as defined by NFPA. Regular members are eligible to vote and hold office.
Student Membership - $50 (until January 15, 2015): Any student currently enrolled in a paralegal program and not eligible for regular or associate membership status. Student membership is limited to 3 years. Student members are eligible to vote and hold office.
Associate Membership - $110: Any paralegal living or working outside Washington, not currently practicing, or retired. Associate members are eligible to vote and hold office. CLE Credits: WSPA recognizes CLE credits are an important part of developing and maintaining one’s skills and abilities.
As such, all WSPA members are strongly encouraged to obtain 10 CLE credits annually. Individuals who earn 10 CLE credits in a membership year will be recognized in the WSPA newsletter Findings and Conclusions, and will be eligible for a 10% discount off the registration fee for one WSPA CLE of his/her choice during the following calendar year. CLE credits may be reported on the attached form.
DECLARATION OF CLE ATTENDANCE
Year 01/01/20______ to 12/31/20_____
Name: ___________________________________ Member Number (if known): _________________
I declare, under penalty of perjury, that I have attended the following continuing legal education seminars or courses during the indicated year; and that said seminars or courses qualify for CLE credit under the WSPA CLE guidelines:
Date(s) Sponsor Topic Credits
WSPA Approval Code
Total:
Attach additional pages if necessary. If you do not have a WSPA Approval Code, please attach to this Declaration the Sponsor’s Certificate of Attendance or WSPA’s CLE Approval Certificate. Signed: ______________________________________________Date: ___________________________ Email Address where we can reach you regarding this Declaration: _______________________________
To file this declaration, Mail it to WSPA, P O Box 58530, Seattle, WA 98138-1530; Fax it to: 206-575-9255 or scan and email it to: info@wspaonline.org
Thank You Please join WSPA Board of Directors and Management as we sincerely thank the following
sponsors for their generous support!
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