Moving Forward …
As I wind down my second and final year as President of Nevada Paralegal Association (“NPA”), my thoughts drift to how naïve I was two years ago when I was only getting ready to step into this position. I had so many ideas, so many things I wanted to accomplish, and it seemed like I had all the time in the world. Now, two years later, it is almost over, I still have things that I want to accomplish and things that are not finished. Between my paying job and my other duties as wife, mother and grandmother, sometimes other things get in the way. But, I have come a long way, and not alone. Without the fantastic people working along side me in NPA, we would have never gotten here.
Winter is winding down, spring is around the corner with all things new. There is still so much for us as paralegals to learn, to know, and to accomplish. Spring is a good time for cleaning up and clearing out those things that prevent us from being what we want to be and doing what we want to do. It is a good time to get focused and move forward in our professional careers.
The NPA Board has been busy planning for the upcoming year, and the following is a brief summary of some of the upcoming events:
Mary Henson-Luera will be speaking in March about review of medical records, medical terminology and how to tell if the records have been altered. This will definitely be an interesting discussion. If you have wondered about the tales the medical records tell, this is a meeting you will not want to miss.
In April, Margaret Pickard, J.D., will be giving us an overview of family law and helping children cope with divorce. I read a recent article that sometimes adult children have as much difficulty as younger children in dealing with their parents’ divorce. This also promises to be a very revealing discussion.
The weekend of April 29-30 is the Green Valley Relay for Life for the benefit of the American Cancer Society. NPA, in conjunction with the Clark County Bar Association Community Service and New Lawyer Committees, are working together to gather team members for TEAM JUSTICE. To recognize that cancer never sleeps, this is a 24-hour event, and all participating teams must have a team member on the track at all times. It is a fun-filled event, lots of entertainment and activities, a big slumber party. Please contact Tenesa Houdek, (thoudek_at_lrlaw.com), our public relations chairman if you are interested in participating. She will be happy to assist you with signing up and becoming a part of this worthwhile cause.
Our spring seminar is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Stephanie Myers, of Casemakers, Inc., will be putting on a mock jury trial for us, from selection to the verdict. We will be offering four units CLAE credit (CLE credit is pending with the State Bar of Nevada). Continental breakfast will be provided. The cost will be $65 for NPA members and $75 for non-members. Reserve your seat now for this informative and fun seminar as we see the legal system at work.
Also in May we will be holding our annual meeting and having elections for the upcoming year. Positions are available for vice president, secretary, treasurer and NALA liaison. We need you! Please consider giving some of your time to help NPA continue to grow. If everyone would just give a small amount of time commitment, NPA would know no boundaries!
In June, Michael Kostrinsky, Chief Litigation Officer for Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., will be speaking to us on different aspects of litigation. More information about this meeting will be posted on our website in future weeks.
July is our “dark” month as that is the annual NALA conference and often we have a few officers or board members away for this event. This year, the conference will be held in Tampa, Florida from July 26-29. The conferences are always motivational, and you come home proud to be a paralegal and wanting to do so much more. It is a huge time for growth and tremendous opportunities are available for networking, meeting others in your district and renewing acquaintances.
Our new officers and board of directors will take over beginning August 1. For them, they will be planning what they hope to accomplish during their term(s) of office. For me, I will be moving on to other areas where I feel some of my learned skills of the past few years can assist NPA in other important areas involving our profession.
Join us at a monthly meeting. Most meetings offer one unit of CLAE credit. Come to a seminar, more CLAE units. Participate in NPA. The work of a paralegal is challenging and changing all the time. Stay involved with NPA and others in our profession, volunteer for an officer and board position and help out on a committee. There is always a place for you. You are what we have become. Let’s continue to make this group grow and become stronger for those following in our footsteps. We are moving forward …
Pat Altstatt, CLAS, CBA
March 2006
PS -- Happy birthday in March to Susan Craker and Ellen Sternhill.