SERVICE A G S - GaParalegal.org · 3 3 Marcus Li, NFPA Primary Representitive [email protected]...

Newsletter of the Georgia Association of ParalegalsCharter Member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations

IN THIS

ISSUE

GAP RESOLUTION

GETS NATIONAL

ATTENTION

•NFPA SPRING

2001 CONVENTION

NEWS

•SPOTLIGHT ON

NEW MEMBERS

•PARALEGAL PERKS!

•NEW

MEMBERS

WELCOMED

•GAP

CORPORATE

SPONSORS

•2001

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS

•PRO BONO SERIES

IS A SMASH HIT

•GEORGIA INDIGENT

DEFENSE COUNCIL

•RESUME TIPS: DO’S

AND DON’TS

Third Quarter, 2001 July, 2001

Next GAP Dinner Meeting

August 14 at Anthony’s

Cocktail reception for new members - 5:00

Dinner - 6:00

Speaker: Margaret Dall

Topic: Alternative Entities

Sponsor: CourtLink

Mark your calendar!

2001 GAP COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

A GREAT SUCCESS

GAP members were asked to bring one or morehousehold items to the April GAP dinner meeting.Household items in the email that was sent to memberswere defined as shampoo, soap, cleaning supplies, paperproducts, sheets, towels, etc. We were asked to make sureour donated items were all new.

Our community service items will be used to makewelcome baskets for The Living Room, which provideshousing assistance for homeless individuals and familieswith HIV who are transitioning into housing.

Think about it: a new start, but an empty apartment.

GAP members did think about it and responded in greatnumbers to give these folks some personal items andhousehold items that they can use every day. We hadsome lovely, creative household items as well as the standardsupplies that everyone needs in day to day living.

GAP members collected the items at their firms and thosewho could attend the dinner meeting brought boxes ofitems from the whole staff with them on April 10th.

Thank you for being so generous and for going out ofyour way to make sure this GAP community service projectwas a successful one.

2

2001 GAP Boardof Directors

PresidentKim [email protected]

Sr VP/NFPA Secondary/ProBonoJennifer K. [email protected]

VP MembershipLinda S. [email protected]

VP Continuing LegalEducationGina [email protected]

Secretary/TreasurerLinda S. [email protected]

NFPA Primary/DirectorMarcus [email protected]

Pro Bono Co-ChairBeth [email protected]

Job Referral ServiceMimi [email protected]

Newsletter DirectorJames [email protected]

Executive AdministratorNorene Quinn, [email protected]

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Kim Hollomon2001 GAP President

So, how are you? I mean really… how are you doing? Areyou tired? Frustrated? Over worked and underpaid?When was your last “mental health day”? When wasyour last real vacation? How many pressures do you havein your life? Are you married? Do you have kids? Areyou a soccer Mom or Dad? Do you have elderly familymembers that rely on you? Do you have many othercommitments in your life?

As many of you know, I recently became a parent, andmy life has been changed forever. I remember the dayswhen I could go home and vegetate watching television,read a book, or even nap! When I first became a Boardmember for GAP, my husband traveled every week and Ifelt I had tons of time to give away. Now, that seems likea pipe dream. Work, spouse, child, family, friends, GAP…OVERLOAD!!!!!!!!

However, I do feel that it is all worth it. The spouse andchild are a no brainer… of course they are worth it. Myfamily and friends are extremely important to me. Workmakes me feel like I am making a positive contribution tothe world. And GAP… well GAP is important in somany ways. Through GAP I have created specialfriendships, networking opportunities, educationalopportunities, and a sense of absolute pride in my chosenprofession. I hope you feel the same way.

By the time you receive this, GAP will already have hadits June Membership Appreciation Picnic. MemberAppreciation Night was started by GAP’s former President,Karen Belcher. I feel it important to continue with thattradition and let the membership know how importantthey are to GAP. Without you, there would be no GAP!

So, even though we are all overwhelmed with jobs,spouses, kids, family, and friends, I wanted to let youknow that I appreciate you, your involvement with GAP,and your commitment to the paralegal profession. Youare truly appreciated every day.

TWO FLYERS IN THIS NEWSLETTER

Employer of the Year

At your request, we are adding “Candidate Group” asa possible nominee for Employer of the Year. Manyparalegals don’t just work for one person in today’sworkplace, they work for a group of individuals or ateam.

Please note that the “group” or “team” that you workfor can be a candidate for Employer of the Year in2001. We encourage you to go ahead an submit anapplication over the summer – don’t wait untilNovember 1st to give us your nominees!

PACE Scholarship Application

The reverse of the Employer of the Year applicationform is the PACE scholarship application form. Pleasenote that the deadline for this award is also November1st!

3 3

Marcus Li,NFPA PrimaryRepresentitive

[email protected]

NFPA SPRING 2001 CONVENTION NEWS

A visit to the Nations’ Capitol in April proved to be an exciting and fruitful trip for the paralegal profession. The ladies andgentlemen participating in the discussions of various agenda topics affecting paralegals were impressive! The heart, the soul, thenumerous hours of preparation and the display of professionalism and of course the final resolutions made it such an enrichingexperience for all paralegals.

Following is a summary of the policy agenda topics approved on the floor. Georgia’s agenda topic regarding disbarred attorneysworking as paralegals passed unanimously! The full version of these resolutions can be obtained through the GAP office.

S-01-07: Resolutionestablishing the intent ofResolution 00-S4 while

maintaining NFPA’scontractual obligations.

S-01-11: Issuing a statement againstdisbarred attorneys working as paralegals.

It is in the best interest of the entire paralegal profession that no suspendedor disbarred attorney work in the capacity and/or hold the title of aparalegal or engage in and/or perform any substantive legal work.

S-01-12: Board of Directors eligibility.

Section 8.3 of NFPA’s bylaws be amended that members of the BODcan not concurrently hold a position on their local BOD or as Primary orSecondary, except for a three month transition period.

S-01-13: Working with AAfPE to create anentry level examination for paralegals.

NFPA, to begin discussions with AAfPE on an entry/exit level exampursuant to a resolution passed in 1997. Both parties are to report backto the delegation at the Fall 2001 convention.

S-01-14: Recommendations forcooperation and compromise.

Current regulation policy be amended to state that NFPA recommendsrather than mandate its criteria and that BOD may educate and informothers regarding the resources available through NFPA and NFPA maysupport or oppose appropriate legislative, judicial administrative or anyother regulatory activity affecting paralegals.

Congratulations to the new NFPA Board of Directors! They were electedand installed at the convention.

Beginning fiscal year July 1, 2001 the net income realized by the sale ofPACE-related materials, registration fees and CLE seminars be used tooffset the development and ongoing maintenance of PACE. Theindividual cost of the PACE exam shall not exceed $250.00 until theNFPA Annual Meeting in May 2002, whereby a fee increase may beconsidered.

S-01-08: CLE Credit for Pro Bono.

NFPA will award one non-ethics CLE credit for each 3 hours of probono service contributed by an NFPA member pursuant to the NFPAModel Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Guidelinesfor Enforcement, with a maximum of four non-ethics CLE creditsawarded annually. Certain forms and affidavits must be completed andsubmitted to the CLE Coordinator to earn such credits.

S-01-09: Character and fitness resolutionspolicy.

NFPA advocates that practicing paralegals shall be of good moral character,meaning that the person has not been convicted of a felony or comparablecrime; has not been suspended or disbarred from the practice of law; hasnot been convicted for the unauthorized practice of law; has not beenconvicted of felony acts. In the event that such criterion are used as adetermining factor for any purpose affecting or impacting a paralegal,such person shall have appeal rights and due process of law withrespect to such denial or rejection.

S-01-10: Character and fitness modelact.

Section V of the Character and Fitness criteria set forth in theModel Act for Paralegal Licensure be modified to state that anyperson to be eligible for a License under this Act, shall: be at least 18years of age; be determined by the board to be of good moralcharacter; pass a proficiency-based general legal knowledgeexamination for paralegals; have a Bachelors degree in ParalegalStudies, including 24 semester credit hours or equivalent of legalspecialty courses OR Bachelors degree in any subject PLUS 24semester credit hours or equivalent of legal specialty courses; andmaintain professional liability insurance.

4 4

WELCOME TO NEW GAP MEMBERSLorraine AnkarstranRita L. AnzaloneCarol Ann BiscoeDonna L. CagerAracelis CaraballoKrystal CarringerJennifer CohenElla J. CooksCarole De La CruzRandall W. FinneyC. Lynell FrancisMichelle T. GrantLolita Denise GrayLatrina V. HayesRebecca A. MaguireLashonda L. McBrideTricia Johnson TrimbleHenley VarnerHans-Peter Von ThielenGlennis P. WeekesAmy WennerstenCrysta Whitaker

Archer Management ServicesChristopher S. Spencer

Burr & Forman, LLPBefaithful Coker

Career ServicesCecilia Bercher

Chadwick Plumley, LLCSusan Black Lidh

Coca-Cola Company IncNancy A. MayetteLaura D. Weaver

Cozen & O’ConnorTrish C. BakerInghe Bradix

Cushing Morris & ArmbrusterSherry A. Rosen

DeLong & Caldwell, LLCAlisha Nicole Jackson

Document Technologies IncKris Laird

Franklin & HubbardBenita L. Albert-Wade

J. Tower Enterprises, Inc.Victoria L. Hightower

Mathis, Adams & Tate, PCPatricia DormireOrlando & KopelmanKim Tomberlin

Paul Hastings Janofsky & WalkerLLPDanton M. Sealy

Progressive PersonnelRenee Boudrot

Seyfarth ShawSusan M. Moore

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLPKristi L. Berry

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLPMichelle L. Cobb

Spherion Deposition ServiceStuart Huseby

Spherion IncShanice S. Rogers

TSYS-Total Debt ManagementYong A. Choi

The Kroger CompanyMelissa A. Randle

Theragenics CorporationKathleen N. Washington

Trace Dillon, LLCMichelle L. Milner

As the New MembersReception Chair, I wouldlike to take the time topersonally welcome allnew members to GAP.As a way to welcome newmembers and let all of usget to know them a littlebetter, we are going tofeature a few newmembers in eachnewsletter as well as tryto have a New MemberMixer cocktail receptiontwice a year at least!

I will start off by telling you a little aboutmyself. I am the District Manager of alitigation support company called The LegalConcierge. We offer litigation supportservices to law firms all over the country.However, I am first and foremost a paralegal,graduated from NCPT in 1986. I went towork for Macey, Wilensky, Cohen, Wittnerand Kessler as a bankruptcy paralegal andwas a member of GALA before it changedto GAP. I became pregnant with twins in1992 when I joined McCalla, Raymer,Cobb, Nichols and Clark as a seniorbankruptcy unit leader. I was lucky enoughto work a schedule that coincided with mygirl’s school schedule. When the firm movedtheir offices to Alpharetta, I choose not to

make the move. Then The Legal Conciergeoffered me the opportunity to work from myhome so once again I joined the work force.

In addition to my job and being involvedwith GAP, I am a Brownie troop leader, achurch group high school mentor, an involvedPTA member, a member of The GeorgiaEquine Rescue League and a weekendvolunteer veterinarian technician (my lifebefore a paralegal). I grew up in Wisconsinand moved with my family to Atlanta in1978. I was graduated form ClemsonUniversity in 1982 and managed a veterinaryhospital until I decided to go to paralegalschool. I have five cats, two dogs, two horses,twin daughters, and a husband. Obviously Istrive on chaos.

SPOTLIGHT ON A FEWNEW MEMBERS

MaShelle Epps: Born and raised in Ann Arbor,Michigan, MaShelle moved to Atlanta in1993 after serving 3 years in the U.S. AirForce. She received her paralegal certificatefrom NCPT in 1993 and was graduatedmagna cum laude from Georgia StateUniversity in 1998. She is currently pursuingan MBA in eCommerce at GA State’sRobinson College of Business. MaShelle isfounder of Paralegal Strategies, a companythat provides independent paralegal services.

She is a member of GAP, NFPA, a paralegalaffiliate of the Assoc. of Trial Lawyers ofAmerica Assoc. where she serves on theParalegal Steering Committee. MaShelleplans to become very active in GAP andlooks forward to her new duties asNewsletter Volunteer.

Two new members from Finnegan,Henderson, Farabow, Garrett and Dinnerare Crystal Kelly and Donna Stockton.Finnegan, Henderson is an intellectualproperty firm with offices in Atlanta, CA,Washington, D.C. (home office), Brusselsand Tokyo. Crystal is a May 2000 graduateof NCPT and has been with the firm forone year. Donna has been with Finnegan,Henderson for over 12 years, which is anamazing feat! Donna has a total of 19years as a paralegal under her belt. If anyonecan tell us about the changes in theparalegal profession, it would be Donna.

Sandy OwensNew Members

ReceptionChair

Inghe Bradix ofCozen &O’Connor winsthe door prizefrom The LegalConcierge atGAP’s first NewMember Mixer!

GAP

CALENDAR

Aug. 14

GAP Membership DinnerMeeting at Anthony’sAlternative Entities -Margaret DallSponsor: CourtLink

Sept. 13-16

NFPA Fall Convention inRochester, New York

Oct.. 09

GAP Membership DinnerMeeting at Anthony’sUnauthorized Practice ofLaw - Steven D. CooperSponsor: CSC

Dec. 11

4th Annual GAP HolidayParty at Anthony’sInstallation - 2002 Board ofDirectorsSponsor: DocumentTechnologies

5 5

In the world of legal services, substantial quantities of critically significant documents must be reviewed,

organized and cataloged every day. That’s where we come in. We’re IKON, and we have the tools and resources

to help you manage those documents—from litigation copying to electronic data discovery to posting documents

on the Web for review from anywhere in the world. Because when it comes to your documents, no one

understands the legal industry better than IKON. After all, helping your business communicate is what we do.

To understand how we can keep your documents in order, call 770-326-4410 or visit us at www.ikon.com.

B e f o r e y o u c a n g e t t w o i n d u s t r y g i a n t s

t o m e r g e i n t o o n e m e g a c o m p a n y,

©2000 IKON Office Solutions, Inc.

t h i s n e e d s t o b e s c a n n e d , c o p i e d ,

B a t e s l a b e l e d , h o s t e d o n t h e I n t e r n e t ,

p r i n t e d , a n d d i s t r i b u t e d e l e c t r o n i c a l l y

b y n o o n t o m o r r o w.

6 6

PRO BONO NEWS

Pro Bono Series is a Smash Hit

The Pro-Bono Team:Beth Barnhart, Lex Wells and Amy Turk

On March 20th and 27th, the GAP Pro BonoCommittee held free informative seminarsdesigned to introduce interested paralegals toagencies and opportunities that would utilizetheir legal talents for the benefit of thecommunity. The evenings were sponsored byThe Affiliates, which was represented at theseminars by Margo Hall and DeborahHigginbotham. The Affiliates, a long timemember and sponsor of GAP, help set thetone of the evening by conducting a drawingat each session whereby one lucky attendingparalegal won a prize furnished by TheAffiliates. The National Center for ParalegalTraining (“NCPT”) donated the meetingspace and catered the meals that were providedat no charge to the participating paralegals.

This being the committee’s first foray into thearea of evening seminars, the committee wasoverwhelmed and excited by the number ofregistration forms received. Approximately 40people signed up for each evening. At the firstsession the committee’s own Craig Hardesty,Dean of Students at NCPT, presented ananimated and extremely informative programon lobbying and advocacy. His presentationincluded an overview of advocacy issues and a“how to” on lobbying successfully. Craigpresented the dos and don’ts of lobbying andobviously spoke from experience. AllysonAnderson of Georgia CASA presided over thesecond half of the evening session. Allysonspoke from the heart about abused andneglected children who find themselves injuvenile court deprivation proceedings. CASAoffers support to these children and aids andguides them through the confusing andsometimes terrifying proceedings. Sheprovided information on training and thescope of services offered by CASA.

programs, participants indicated interest inelderly issues, youth and children’s programs,and gay and lesbian issues. The committeehopes to conduct another series of programslater in the year. If anyone knows of a speakerwho or an agency that would be interestedin participating in a future series please let usknow.

Our very spe-cial thanksgoes out to allof our speak-ers andespecially toC r a i gH a r d e s t y(NCPT) whowas instru-mental inmaking thisfirst series a re-s o u n d i n g

success and to all of the participants whomade the effort to attend.

The second evening was devoted to domesticviolence issues. The first speaker was JeanDouglas, the Executive Director of theWomen’s Resource Center in Decatur. Jeanoffered an insider’s view into the world ofdomestic violence and what resources wereavailable to anyone, male or female, caughtin the horrible web of violence and abuse.The Women’s Resource Center provides notonly shelter to victims of domestic violencebut also legal assistance in obtainingrestraining orders to combat and hopefullyeliminate further contact with abusers andabusive situations. The second speaker of theevening was Kecia Lott, Legal ServicesCoordinator for The Partnership AgainstDomestic Violence, Atlanta. Kecia spokefrom the heart. It was clear from Kecia’spresentation that there are solutions andvolunteers were needed. As a bonus duringthe second evening, Pam McGrath, of AgnesScott College, spoke briefly about her projectthe Community Court Watch Program forDomestic Violence. A fledgling programfollowing the model ofMADD’s similar courtwatch program, it utilizesvolunteers once a monthto attend hearings at theDeKalb CountyCourthouse collectinginformation onsentences given toperpetrators of domesticviolence. Theinformation gathered isthen compiled andpublished in order tomake citizens aware ofhow the courts andcertain judges areadjudicating domesticviolence cases.

Like any good legalseminar, surveys weredistributed to theparticipants in order forthe committee toevaluate the success ofthe programs. We arevery pleased toannounce that our firstoffering was aresounding success. We also solicitedsuggestions for future programs and inaddition to more domestic violence

The Affiliates, sponsor of the GAP ProBono Workshops,represented by MargoHall and Deborah Higgenbotham

Craig HardestyNCPTDean ofStudents

7 7

GAP RESOLUTION GETS NATIONAL ATTENTION

NFPA Press Release, May 22, 2001Lesley Cox,RPVice President of Position and [email protected]

NFPA TAKES STAND ONDISBARRED, SUSPENDEDATTORNEYS

Delegates to the 2001 spring convention ofthe National Federation of ParalegalAssociations (NFPA) agreed with andadopted a resolution submitted by theGeorgia Association of Paralegals. The textof the resolution deals with the appropriatingthe term “paralegal” by attorneys who havebeen disbarred or suspended and have thensought to appropriate the title of anotherprofession.

The resolution acknowledges that it isunethical for attorneys whose licenses havebeen revoked or who are under suspensionto gain employment and perform legal taskshandled by paralegals. Further, itacknowledges the many adverse effects that

a suspended or disbarred attorney who isworking under the title of “paralegal” can poseto the paralegal profession, which holds itselfto a self-imposed high level of integrity andcredibility.

Adoption of the resolution underlines NFPA’sconcept of paralegalism as a self-directedprofession. NFPA states, “It is in the bestinterest of the entireparalegal professionthat no suspended ordisbarred attorneywork in the capacityand/or hold the title ofa paralegal or engagein and/or perform anysubstantive legal work.

Headquartered inKansas City, Missouri,NFPA is a non-profitp r o f e s s i o n a lo r g a n i z a t i o nrepresenting more

than 17,000 paralegals in the United Statesand Canada, NFPA is the national voice andthe standard for excellence for the paralegalprofession through its work on the issues ofregulation, ethics and education.

��

� �!"#$! �$ %&��&��'�(#())#�*� ��+�,�" "$(

---&��.-/��*&��

0��1�2��3��4%5�6�1��7

8 8

UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF LAW (“UPL”) –October 9th GAP Dinner Meeting Preview: How to Avoid the Pitfalls & Maintain a Strong Code of Ethics

Although the National Federation ofParalegals Association (“NFPA”), and theNational Association of Legal Assistants(“NALA”) have gone to great lengths to define

Steven D. Cooper, Esq.

brings a unique perspective, with more thantwenty-five years of experience in bothcorporate and law firm settings. He is aseasoned speaker, who began his careerpracticing with Dewey, Ballentine in NewYork, and thereafter served in various seniormanagement and legal positions withElectrolux Corporation, including SeniorVice President and General Counsel. Today,Mr. Cooper is a Partner with the law firm ofStites & Harbison, and his major areas ofemphasis include acquisitions, mergers anddivestitures of businesses; negotiation andpreparation of all types of commercialagreements, including various types of creditfacilities, distribution and supply agreements;and representation of US based companiesin connection with international transactions.

RESUME TIPS: DO’S AND DON’TSCheck and doublecheck your spelling and grammar. MS Word’s spellcheck will only point out obvious errors, but if you type “lender” instead of “leader”,it will not pick this up as an error. Really look for typos.

Do not use complete sentences. Only phrases are appropriate.

Use lots of action words to describe your qualifications/past responsibilities.

Use the same font throughout. Even if you bold or italicize, make sure the font style is the same.

Use a cover letter to explain the position you are seeking; don’t waste precious space on yourresume with an “Objective” line.

Potential employers assume you have references available upon request; again, don’t waste preciousspace on your resume stating the obvious

Keep your resume to one page , even if you have to reduce the size of your font. (Anything lessthan 10 is not recommend because it is too difficult to read and looks cramped.)

Make sure your headings and other indented items are consistently indented—e.g., if your firstheading is centered, center all other headings; if your first subheading is indented five spaces,make sure all the other subheadings are indented the same.

So many resumes are faxed and even e-mailed, don’t waste your money on expensive paper. A nice white or off-white partially cotton rag paper is fine andavailable at discount stores like Wal-Mart.

If you have gaps in your work history (when you were unemployed), try using the resume format whereby you list all your qualifications in bulleted formfollowed by your former employers, but without dates. This gives you the opportunity to discuss dates during the interview, if they even come up, ratherthan having a potential employer pre-judge you based on what he sees as an erratic work history.

If you are over 40, you may want to leave off the dates of your academic achievements so that you are not automatically precluded from an interview. Thisis one profession where a few years behind you may actually help rather than hinder, but you are always dealing with the unknown, and now that babyboomers are becoming older, more age discrimination actions are filed than any other kind.

Never go back further than 10 years on your work history unless part of your history is at a job that spans the bridge between 10 years and earlier, or if someof your pertinent work experience that would be critical to obtaining the position you seek occurred further back than the 10 year cutoff.

People will tell you that you only have one chance to make a first impression and that first impression is your resume. Is it the most professional looking thatyou can compose? Does it accurately reflect the strengths that you can offer an employer? If you were the potential employer, would you want to grantan interview based on your resume? Let a non-paralegal friend read your resume and give you some feedback.

Mimi Smith and Barbara Plyant talk resumes at arecent GAP meeting

ethical and procedural guidelines, andGeorgia’s UPL rules and penalties are just aclick away on the internet, how much doyou really know about UPL? When you arein the trenches and have to respond to anemergency, you face gray areas every day. So,it is important to make sure ahead of timethat you not only have a clear understandingof what it means to “cross the line,” but thatyou have built a strong foundation of dailypractices to avoid the pitfalls of UPL.

As this is a topic which affects all of us, we areexcited to tell you about our upcomingOctober meeting when Steven D. Cooper,Esq., will share with us practical ways to avoidthe pitfalls, and guide us through the grayareas of UPL’s many definitions. Mr. Cooper

(continued on page 12)

9 9

Alexander Gallo & Associates

Anthonys

Atlanta Attorney Services

Atlanta LegaLink

Atlanta Legal Services Inc.

Atlanta Paralegal & Taxes Inc.

Axis Research Inc.

Bellon & Associates, Inc.

Brown Reporting inc.

CambridgeStaff, Inc.

Clayton College & StateUniversity

CourtLink Corporation

Document Resources

Document Technologies Inc.

IKON Legal DocumentServices

Kelly Law Registry

LEXIS Document Services

Lex Business Solutions

Liberty Corporate Services

Litigation Technologies

Lord Bissell & Brook

Lucas Legal Search

MLQ Attorney Services

Medical Visions, Inc.

National Center for ParalegalTraining

Nelson Mullins Riley &Scarborough, LLP

Origin Information & ServicesInc.

Professional TranslatingServices

Progressive Personnel

Special Counsel, Inc.

Spherion Deposition Service

Sutherland Asbill & BrennanLLP

The Affiliates

The Legal Concierge, Inc.

The Partners Group

United Parcel Service

XACT Duplicating Services,Inc.

CORPORATE SPONSOR MEMBERS

10 10

Marcus Li,NFPA Primary Representative

[email protected]

PARALEGAL PERKS!

At the April 10th GAP General Membershipmeeting attendees were asked to discuss thetype of membership benefits which theyexpect or desire from being a member ofGAP. Great discussions ensued at the variousdinner tables and many possible ideas forfuture benefits were spawned. The GAPBoard has earmarked the feedback from thiswell attended dinner for further discussionand future action.

I would like to introduce or reacquaint you tothe many benefits already in place for theenjoyment of GAP Members.

Individual Involvement

Individuals can become involved andvolunteer as much or as little time as theydesire as a member of a Committee, TaskForce, or the Board of Directors.

Internet Connection

The NFPA Internet server paralegals.org offersindividuals access to a wide variety ofinformation. NFPA members can viewpublications, join listserves and chat groups,do research, and learn about vendor services.

Educational/Career Opportunities

Through the Internet Server, paralegals.org,NFPA members can receive currentinformation on issues affecting the paralegalprofession and the legal community, learnabout legislative activities, learn aboutupcoming continuing education programsand NFPA seminars, and view positionspresented by recruiters.

The National Paralegal Reporter

Each sustaining member and individualmember of a member association receives asubscription to this colorful, high-quality, bi-monthly publication that includes articles ontimely career issues and updates on legislativeactivities.

phone line at (800) 6542210 and providingNFPA’s CDP# 336599.

Lenscrafters, a nationwide company thatadvertises eyeglasses in about an hour, offersNFPA members a 15% discount on frames,lenses, nonprescription sunglasses, andcontact lenses. There’s no limit to how oftenmembers may receive these savings. NFPA’smembership code number is 913-7720.Phone (800) 521-3606 for the locationnearest you.

NFPA members can now join MembersAmerica Credit Union, as NFPA has beenapproved for membership. At a credit union,you’re an owner, not a customer. MembersAmerica offers low interest credit cards,savings, checking, low-cost loans, and a varietyof other financial services at competitive rates.For more information or an application,phone (800) 8927957, ext. 9290 andidentify yourself as a member of NFPA.

NFPA members can take advantage of thisdiscount hotel booking service for up to 65%off regular hotel rates in certain cities. Takeadvantage of this benefit to save money foryourself and for your employers. Simply call(800) 96-HOTEL and identify yourself asan NFPA member or visit their website atwww.hoteldiscount.com.

Take advantage of up to 40% savings onyour office’s overnight delivery services andsupport NFPA by using special MemberRates with Airborne Express. If you ship morethan 100 packages per month, the savingswill be even greater. This benefit is for yourentire office. It’s easy to enroll - just call (800)MEMBERS and identify yourself as anNFPA member.

NFPA has been accepted in the Sterling CardProgram administered by Universal HealthSystems, a members-only discount programproviding 10-60% off regularly chargedprices. Three options are now available$69.00/year for Pharmacy, Vision, Dental,Hearing Aids and VIP; $99.00/year forPharmacy, Vision, Dental, Hearing, VIP,Chiropractic and Travel Assist; $129.00/yearfor Pharmacy, Vision, Dental, Hearing, VIP,Chiropractic, Travel Assist, Cosmetic andNurse Hotline. This is not insurance, it is adiscount program. For more information,contact Judi Kotrola 1-800-800-8304 Ext.626.

Publications

Members can order copies of publications, ata discounted member rate, which provideinformation on current NFPA activities.

Computer Training

The option of purchasing the ExecutrainVirtual Campus to receive computer software,hardware and soft skills training. There arethree cost-effective libraries to choose from!

Flight Accident Insurance

Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000)of flight accident insurance for FREE! At least24 hours before your next flight, call TravelGuard International at (800) 844-7181 andgive the representative the NFPAIdentification Number 43709.Representatives are available to help NFPA’smembers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Optional low-cost coverages are also available.

ASN Membership

The American Society of Notariesunderstands the responsibilities that comewith working as a notary public in the legalprofession. ASN would like to be yourresource when you have questions regardingnotary law and practice, or when you needtraining or supplies. Visit their website atwww.notaries.org, then click on the NFPAlogo to receive your ASN membership anddiscounts on products at a special price.

Group Insurance

As a Member of NFPA you are entitled to thefollowing high-quality, affordable groupinsurance plans: Catastrophe Major Medical,Disability Income Protection, Hospital, TermLife, Major Medical, Short Term Medical andCancer Care Insurance. If you have anyquestions, or would like more informationincluding provisions, rates and applications,please contact the administrator by callingtoll-free at (800) 503-9230. Please identifyyourself as an NFPA member.

Discounts/Other Memberships

Alamo’s special association member rates areavailable to NFPA members. NFPA’s ID# isBY 218829. Phone (800) 327-9633 andgive 24-hour advance notice when you wishto rent a car. Hertz is also endorsed by NFPA.Special discounts to NFPA members areavailable by calling Hertz’s members-only

11 11

INDIGENT DEFENSE COUNSELThe Georgia Indigent Defense Council isdedicated to bringing low cost, educationalseminars to the attorneys and staff whorepresent indigent clients accused of crimes.For the past two years, we have expandedour training to include paralegals andinvestigators. The next paralegal seminar dateis October 4, 2001 from 9:00 AM – 4:00PM. The theme is Trial Preparation. Topicsinclude getting organized for trial, (preparingthe trial notebook, checklists, deadlines),discovery (what you need to know and whatto do with it), subpoenas (how to get them,timelines and serving them) and witnesses(different types and the organization of). Fora complete agenda and registration, checkout our website www.gidc.com. Often times,especially in the area of indigent defense, theparalegal wears the hat of investigator andparalegal. Make sure to check the website forInvestigator Trainings. Our CLE(Continuing Legal Education) seminars arealso open to paralegals and investigators andfeature some of the best criminal defenseexperts in the state of Georgia.

On a Saturday in early fall, the GeorgiaIndigent Defense Council is also planning acareer, information/fair day for paralegals andis looking for suggestions and comments. Weplan to invite non-profit law firms, vendors,private firms, legal temporary agencies andparalegal schools. If you would like to be apart of the planning committee, please [email protected]. We are also in theprocess of trying to devote time at this fair forinformation on the PACE exam. Check outour website for actual date and time.

Join the GIDC (Georgia Indigent DefenseCouncil) paralegal list server. Through thislist server paralegals involved in criminaldefense can communicate by e-mail and helpeach other by sharing experiences andinformation. Join the list server by going tothe website http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gidc_paralegal or email Kim Murphy [email protected].

Did you know that as a member of GAP, youare also a member of NFPA (NationalFederation of Paralegal Associations) and haveaccess to some most interesting list servers?Simply go to www.paralegals.org , follow theinstructions to “enter” and go to “networking”.From there you can choose which areas oflaw you would like to receive informationabout. It’s really quite interesting to see howthe other states “do it”. Comments, questionscome from all over the country.

Debra K. [email protected]

12 12

Above all, do not exaggerate,—or worse—, lie on your resume. If you do, you can bet this will catch up with you sooner rather than later and will seriouslydamage, if not destroy, your credibility. We are a smaller, more closely-knit community than you suspect and word travels fast.

Still unsure about your resume? Check out a book from the library or check the web for more pointers.

Once you’ve finely honed that resume, be sure to e-mail a copy to Mimi Smith at [email protected] and she will send you a job questionnaire to fill outand e-mail back so she can get busy sending your resume out to potential employers. You must be current on your 2001 dues membership to participate.If you haven’t sent in your check, do so today, because she has some really good positions that need filling and no applicable resumes to send at the moment.There are several real estate, one contracts, one immigration and one documents specialist position open right now.

RESUME TIPS(continued from page 8)

Georgia Association of Paralegals, Inc.1199 Euclid Avenue, N.E.Atlanta, GA 30307-1509404-522-1457 • Fax: 404-522-0132e-mail: [email protected] CORRECTION REQUESTED

First Class PresortUS Postage

PAIDPermit No 30

Dawsonville, GA

DEADLINE FOR NOVEMBER ISSUE: OCTOBER 1, 2001

SERVICE A G S - GaParalegal.org · 3 3 Marcus Li, NFPA Primary Representitive [email protected]...

Documents

Transcript of SERVICE A G S - GaParalegal.org · 3 3 Marcus Li, NFPA Primary Representitive [email protected]...