Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA) - EBRASKA …...Kalisha Reed, Chantelle Hope, Caryn Redding and Laurie Nading Library Committee Ann Atkinson and Linda Hess Membership Committee

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4

JUNE/JULY 2009

nity! These events continu-ally open doors and increase momentum & learning ex-p e r i e n c e s which creates a w i n /w i n situation for all of us.

I was very proud to be a part of the NePA team at the Relay for Life on June 5th – we had 13 participants representing our organization and it was just an amazing and emotional night for all of us. A big thank you to Teri Gibbons for organizing this inspiring event. The success of the Relay and the gen-erous contributions to cancer research are all part of the giving and generous spirit that is our NePA! Thank you ladies!

We are also very proud of our new CP’s and are grateful to the Review Course Committee of NePA (Sub-committee of the Continuing Legal Education Committee) for taking on the review course to assist potential CP’s in preparing for this important exam.

Omaha’s famous Collage World Se-ries may be over for 2009 but our own All Star Team NePA is hitting and scoring in a non-stop, continuous winning season! This amazing year has surpassed our expectations and goals by a landslide and here’s how we did it!

Our Economic Stimulus Package was a roaring success both for our Mid-Year Semi-nar attended by 85+ members & students and further boosted the excellent participa-tion in our monthly luncheons. Thank you District 1 Director, Laurie Vik and Seminar Chair, Kim Hanson and her committee for the positive and productive work that made these events so successful!

District 2 has also stepped up to the plate and responded to Carla Larson’s excel-lent leadership with their attendance at the District 2 luncheons! We are so happy to see our District 2 members once again active and look forward to increased participation in fu-ture events. We truly enjoyed the joint Dis-trict 1 and 2 luncheon this week, the most interesting presentation by Susan Kubert Sapp, Esq., on Drafting Billable Time Entries and the tour of the lovely Ferguson House in Lincoln. Thank you Carla and our Lincoln members for this great networking opportu-

FROM THE PRESIDENT: Inside this issue:

Board of Directors

3

District II Report

4

Vice President Report

5

The New Frontier: Space and Tele-communications Law

6

Law Day Festivities

8

Mid-Year Meeting Highlights

10

Breaking Into the Business . . . by Christine L. Koch, ACP

15

Paralegal “Passions”

2009 NALA Annual Report

17

18

NEBRASKA PARALEGAL

ASSOCIATION IINN B BRIEFRIEF

DDISTRICTISTRICT I D I DIRECTORIRECTOR—— L LAURIEAURIE S. V S. VIKIK, CP, CP The May District 1 meeting of NePA was held on

May 27, 2009 at the Holiday Inn Central. There were 30 members and 2 guests attending the meeting.

Teri Gibbons gave the group information about the

Relay For Life event to be held June 5th and 6th at Papillion-LaVista South High School for the benefit of the American Cancer Society. Teri is team captain of the Legal Beagles team and encouraged all to join the team and participate in the Relay for Life event. Teri stressed that it was not too late to donate or participate and that donations would also

FROM THE PRESIDENT (CON’T) FROM THE PRESIDENT (CON’T):

DISTRICT I (CON’T):

accepted after the event.

Everyone was reminded that there was still time to register for the NALA 34th Annual Convention in San Diego, to be held on July 8 – 11. The cut-off date for special room rates is June 5. Please contact Chris-tina Koch if you have questions.

Congratulations were offered to the following people who passed the CLA exam in March: Sandra M. Banks, CP, Kimberly A.S. Brown, CP, Elizabeth A. Elliott, CP, Rebecca S. Kay, CP, Teresa B. Shafer, CP, Kim-berly L. Studeman, CP and Mieko N. Young, CP. Congratulations were also offered to anyone who has ob-tained their ACP since March, but there were no attendees to be recognized.

John J. Thomas, Jr. and Sabrina Johnson from Thomas & Thomas Court Reporters & Certified Legal Video, L.L.C. spoke to the group. John has been in the court reporting business for 20+ years and was a very informative speaker. John explained that the company can provide depositions in all formats, including elec-tronic, videotaped, text streaming over the internet and whale mail. John also provides service of process services. Sabrina is the Office Manager who has recently joined NePA. She also gave the group very helpful information as to scheduling depositions, format they are produced in, etc.

Our District 1 meeting in June will be held in conjunction with District 2 in Lincoln on June 24, 2009. The meeting will be held at the Ferguson House.

Respectfully submitted, Laurie S. Vik, District 1 Director

Page 2 Volume 8, Issue 4

The study course will be offered again this fall at Metro and we are preparing for the September class now. Flyers will be mailed to all members and information will be available on the NePA website soon.

The NALA awards to Stephanie Henson and Connie Kretchmer are perhaps the most rewarding “home runs” of all!!! You can see all of the details in this In Brief on these outstanding awards and know you will share in the pride the entire organization holds for these special ladies. There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude and high esteem for these quality “team players” - the recognition by NePA and NALA of their accomplishments says it all!

I really want to thank each and every one of you for the part you have played in this All Star Season for NePA! As you can see, this College World Series fan knows quality players when she sees them . . . and I am extremely proud to lead this organization through their own winning season. Your hard work and dedication have made you shine and this Coach could not be more proud! But wait - - - don’t leave your seats yet – the season isn’t over! The Recognition Breakfast and Fall Seminar have some big surprises in store for NePA fans. . . so don’t miss the Championship Event Sep-tember 17th & 18th – GO TEAM NEPA!

Loretta Phillips, President

DISTRICT 1

July 29, 2009

NEPA LUNCHEON MEETING SCHEDULE

DISTRICT 2

District 2 Luncheon

August 18, 2009.

2008 - 2009 COMMITTEES

Mid-Year/Annual Meeting and Seminar

Kim Hansen-Chair, Angel Engman, Elece Raglin, Sanchali Patil , Stephanie Henson, Carla Larson and Laurie Montag

Audit Committee

Kris McMahon, Mary Jo Schettler, Barb Schmidt

Continuing Legal Education Committee

Kalisha Reed, Chantelle Hope, Caryn Redding and Laurie Nading

Library Committee

Ann Atkinson and Linda Hess

Membership Committee

Alison Barthel, Chair, Carla Larson, Jaci O’Brien

Official Publications

Stephanie Henson, Chair, Barb Schmidt, Joyce Buller and Jenni-fer Tomanek

Nominations/Elections Committee

Kris McMahon, Chair, Stephanie Henson

Student Services & Mentoring Committee

Janie Boswell, Chair, Caryn Redding, Terri Perez, and MJ Skrdland

Student Scholarship Committee

Teri Gibbons, Chair, Laurie Vik

CLA Scholarship Committee

Kim Brown, Chair, Alison Barthel and Kalisha Reed

Website Committee

Kim Brown, Chair, Kylie Clayton and Misty Cowan

Public Relations/NSBA Liaison/Law Day

Christina Koch and Kay Benak

Ad Hoc Committee—Treasury

Teresa Barnes, Judy Heiserman, Loretta Phillips and Sara Christianson

Ad Hoc Committee—CP Review Course

Loretta Phillips, Ann Atkinson, Janie Boswell, and Annette Dieterman

Board of Directors Meeting Dates

July 14, 2009—Adesta

September 8, 2009—Peter Kiewit

President

Loretta Phillips, City of Omaha, Law Depart-ment

Past President

Kaye Benak, Koley Jessen

Vice President

Alison Barthel, CP, Gross & Welch

Secretary

Jaci O’Brien, ACP, Adesta, LLC

Treasurer

Teresa Barnes, CP, Gross & Welch

Parliamentarian

Janie Boswell, ACP, Mutual of Omaha

NALA Liaison

Christina L. Koch, ACP, Inserra & Kelley

District 1 Director

Laurie S. Vik, CP, Kiewit Corporation

District 2 Director

Carla Larson, Cline Williams

Web Administrator

Kim Brown, CP, Spencer Fane

Publications Editor

Stephanie Henson, ACP, Dial Companies

2008 - 2009 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Page 3 VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4

What: District 2 networking lunch meeting

When: August 18, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Where: Green Gateau Restaurant, Lincoln

Topic: d4 Lincoln, LLC, guest presenter Karen Pennington: d4 provides ESI Collection & Forensics Services, Data Hosting Solutions, and other Smarter Discovery™ support ser-vices to Corporations, Law Firms and Government Agencies.

Carla Larson

DISTRICT II DIRECTOR — CARLA LARSON


The first joint District 1 and District 2 lunch meeting was held at the charm-ing Ferguson House in Lincoln on June 24, with 18 NePA members in attendance. Attor-ney Susan Sapp presented "Drafting Billable Time Entries to Maximize Client Satisfac-tion." She discussed clients' specific expectations, including what they do and don't expect to be billed for, and how the paralegal's time entry word choices will impact those expecta-tions.

Volume 8, Issue 2 Page 5

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4

Alison Barthel, CP

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT BY ALISON BARTHEL, CP

Kerry L. Michele-Buller, ACP

Lori J. Froistad, ACP

2009 CLA/CP AND ACP

Why should I renew my membership in NePA?

As the renewal time for our NePA membership draws near, I hope that you are not asking yourselves this question. But, if you are, here is the answer:

NePA supports paralegals through continuing education programs. We disseminate information about the profession, offer a job bank for em-ployers and those seeking employment as paralegals, offer a mentoring program for students and newcomers to the profession, and publish a newsletter, the In Brief. We hold regular membership meetings featur-ing educational programs and social events. NePA fosters communica-tion among paralegals and serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas. Our association promotes the educational, pro-fessional and ethical standards for paralegals. We provide networking opportunities for members, as well as legal assistant students and other legal professionals.

While I would like to take credit for these great words, I can’t. I believe that our founding members knew, even in 1976, how NePA would benefit its members and I can’t say it any better! That being said, I hope you all look forward to receiving the renewal notices in the coming month and won’t hesitate to send them back and even encourage your non-NePA paralegal friends to join us. It is our membership that makes us a great organization.

Sandra M. Banks, CP Alison L. Barthel, CP April L. Bockelmann, CP Kimberly A.S. Brown, CP Elizabeth A. Elliott, CP Kimberly Fauver, CP Rebecca S. Kay, CP Michael E. Labs, CP

Laura J. Olson, CP Terri L. Peetz, CP Mary Jo Schettler, CP Teresa B. Shafer, CP Jacqui Slinkard, CP Kimberly L. Studeman, CP Mindy L. Ware, CP Mieko N. Young, CP

In a high tech era with rapidly changing technologies there are new issues and challenges for the area of the law known as Space Law. What is Space Law? The generally accepted definition is that, Space law is an area of the law that encompasses both national and international law and governs the activities of outer space or the area beyond Earth’s at-mosphere. The generally accepted definition for outer space is that it’s an area which begins at the lowest altitude above sea level at which objects can orbit the Earth- approximately 62 miles. The inception of Space Law traces its roots to the 1957 launch of Sputnik the world's first artificial satellite, by the former Soviet Union. It is important to note that Space Law is a distinct and separate area of the law from Aviation Law.

Who is impacted by Space Law? The U.S. Military, NASA, the Department of Defense, as well as private sector companies who are awarded government aerospace contracts are all affected by Space Law. There is also the civilian side of Space Law which encompasses aerospace companies like Boeing, as well as telecommunications companies. Examples of a few such civilian telecommunications entities include Direct TV, Sirius Satellite Radio, CNN, and The Weather Channel. All of the civilian entities I just mentioned rely on satellites to provide their product to consumers.

Let us examine the issue of space traffic management, by looking at the placement of satellites. Conflicts can easily arise over Satellites because the vast majority of satellites move in a geostationary orbit. Due to the constant 0° latitude and circularity nature of geostationary orbits, these orbiting satellites will differ in location by longitude only. Geo-stationary orbits can be achieved only directly above the equator. Objects with a Geostationary orbit must all occupy a single ring above the equator, so only a limited number of satellites can be operating in geostationary orbit. This is poten-tially a huge area of contention, as nearly all commercial communications satellites and broadcast satellites function on a geostationary orbit. Geostationary orbits are useful because they cause a satellite to appear stationary with respect to a fixed point on the rotating Earth. As a result, an antenna can point in a fixed direction and maintain a link with the satel-lite.

The requirement of international law to space these satellites apart to avoid harmful radio-frequency interference during operations means that there are a limited number of orbital "slots" available. This has led to conflict between dif-ferent countries wishing access to the same orbital slots-most often it is countries at the same longitude but differing lati-tudes who try to stake a claim on the same “slot”. Disputes such as these are handled through the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) allocation mechanism. The ITU is a United Nations agency established to standardize and regulate international telecommunications. The ITU is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. This agency also plays a part in resolving conflicts between countries, as Nations located at the Earth's equator have attempted to assert their legal claim to control the use of space above their territory.

Of interesting note is that the University of Nebraska School of Law is aiming to address the unique challenges of Space Law with a special program of study. It is a L.L.M. - Master of Law degree in Space and Telecommunications Law. The School has called upon experts with knowledge in International Law, Telecommunications and Space law to adminis-ter its program of study. The most notable faculty member is Professor Frans von Der Dunk, who has received the distin-guished service award from the International Institute of Space Law and is considered a preeminent academic in the area of Space Law. The University of Nebraska School of Law continues to foster the development of Space Law by bringing to their campus experts in the field, as well as sponsoring professional conferences and symposiums to examine a range of topics in the realm of Space Law.

The demand for experts in the field of Space and Telecommunications Law is expected to grow. The reality is that Space industries are currently a $250 billion per year global market and growing rapidly. The telecommunications industry is a $1.4 trillion per year global market with continued strong growth anticipated. The future holds numerous opportuni-ties, both in government and the private sector for those legal experts who are familiar with both space and telecommuni-cations law.

TTHEHE N NEWEW F FRONTIERRONTIER -- S SPACEPACE ANDAND T TELECOMMUNICATIONSELECOMMUNICATIONS L LAWAW

BY: JOYCE M. BULLER, CLA


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_satellite

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcast_satellite

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JULY 2009

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Happy

Birthday to all our June, July

and August

Babies!

LAW DAY FESTIVITIES


Each year NePA is in charge of the poster contest in connection with the OBA Law Day activities. The poster contest is open to the 5th grade stu-dents from Omaha area public and pa-rochial schools.

This year the parochial school area was expanded to include all the parochial schools which fall under the Omaha jurisdiction. The posters are judged based on adherence to the Law Day theme, clarity, creativity and neat-ness.

The 2009 poster contest winners were:

1) Mallory Rolf from St. Wenceslaus School in Dodge, Nebraska, winning a $75.00 savings bond and a one-year family membership to Joslyn Art

Museum;

2) Clara Crenshaw from St. James/Seton School in Omaha, winning a $75.00 savings bond; and

3) Shaelyn Vering, also from St. Wenceslaus School in Dodge, Nebraska, winning a $50.00 savings bond.

Kaye Benak is NePA's representative for this event. She sits on the OBA committee as chairperson of the poster contest, pre-pares the contest flyer and works with the schools to see that the flyer is dis-tributed to the students, makes ar-rangements to get the poster en-tries back from the various schools, puts together a panel of judges to pick the winning posters, works with LaMar Outdoor of Omaha to get the winning poster displayed on a billboard at 77th and Dodge Street from April 15 to May 15 and presents the awards to the win-ning students at the Law Day lunch-eon.

Kaye Benak with this year’s contest winners.

It is with great pleasure that the Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA) has the opportunity to nominate Connie K. Kretchmer for the 2009 National Affili-ated Associations Achievement Award. Ms. Kretchmer has been actively in-volved in the paralegal field for several decades, serving not only as a paralegal, but a paralegal educator and a paralegal author. She has honored our profession with her knowledge, expertise and men-toring skills. Along with Virginia Koersel-man, her writing abilities have assisted many paralegals and have served as a national inspiration to many paralegals to aspire to not only continue in the pro-fession, but to give back to other parale-gals for the benefit of the profession, both locally and nationally.

Ms. Connie K. Kretchmer has served both her state and national asso-ciations in many different capacities and has been a true asset to the profession. As a former NALA President and current NALA committee member, she has worked on a national level for many years to further the goals of NALA, cur-rently serving her second three-year term on the NALA APC Board.

On both the state and national levels, Ms. Kretchmer has contributed to the promotion of NALA’s certification program and the importance of contin-ued legal education through both the mock test questions, co-written by Vir-ginia Koerselman, and other educational contributions to Nebraska’s local CLA Review Course.

Ms. Kretchmer’s contributions to the Nebraska Paralegal Association and

the National Association of Legal Assistants have qualified her for nomination for the 2009 National Affiliated Associations Achievement Award. Ms. Kretchmer’s contributions are detailed in her attached statement. The Nebraska Paralegal Association is proud to nominate Connie K. Kretchmer.

MID-YEAR MEETING 2009 National Affiliated Associates Achievement Award Nominee—Connie K. Kretchmer, ACP


While this award is about what a nominee has done for NALA, the real reward is what NALA has done for the nominee. When I first became involved with NALA over 24 years ago, it was to ensure the paralegals in my region had a voice on the national board. Since then, much has changed with respect to the career field.

NALA has always had as its primary goal to educate its members. From the beginning, NALA estab-lished the certification program as a way to offer distinction to individuals who accepted the challenge of ad-vanced education. Over time, NALA’s certification program evolved, improving with each change and offering more unique education opportunities to paralegals. One of these evolving programs is the NALA Advanced Paralegal Certification Board which is creating additional specialty legal examinations currently. I am fortunate to be a member of the APC Board, serving my second three-year term. My involvement on this board has al-lowed me to develop additional specialty exams and to assist with the direction of the APC Board. Contributing to such a solid program, which is helping so many to gain deserving recognition, is very gratifying. I can only hope any contribution I may make on the APC Board will have a lasting positive affect on our important career field.

Because my personal philosophy of educating and of being educated is critical to personal career suc-cess, NALA’s education goal easily coincided with my own. When NALA asked if I would become a faculty member on the NALA CLA Review Course, I readily accepted because I believed it was important to share or give back to others the education acquired over the years from my own personal mentors. For the last 17 years, I have taught business organizations and probate administration and estate planning in the many differ-ent cities where NALA offers the CLA Review Course. The interaction with the seminar participants is the best part of education, knowing the information being taught is being received and is being understood.

In addition to being directly associated with NALA’s CLA Review Course, for the last several years, a local CLA review course has also been offered. While not directly related to NALA, the indirect results benefit NALA because of the number of paralegals who have successfully passed the CLA, or CP, examination. When the local review course was started, there were less then 25 CLAs in Nebraska. The number is now a three-digit number. Therefore, this local review course has increased the number of NALA CLAs in the country, thereby increasing the awareness and promotion of the NALA certification program.

Soon after offering a local CLA Review Course, it came to light NALA was wishing for an updated CLA study guide with mock examination questions. The belief was if aspiring CLA examinees had a reliable study guide with sample examination questions those examinees would more likely meet with the success of passing the CLA examination. At the time, I was team teaching the local CLA Review Course with my dear friend, Vir-ginia Koerselman. After a brief discussion, we decided to donate to NALA our own mock test questions we were using in our local CLA Review Course. Of course, that meant we had to recreate additional questions for our own local review course, but that was a small sacrifice if our contribution could help many pass the omi-nous CLA examination. While updated several times, those donated questions continue to be used by NALA and our donation lives on with NALA…even after nearly 17 years.

My association with NALA began in the middle 1980s when I began as a regional director and eventu-ally worked my way to serving as the national president. These years offered many opportunities to speak to bar associations, paralegal associations, and legislative groups promoting the paralegal career.

(Continued on page 11)



A memorable event while serving as NALA vice president was when I accompanied the NALA president to the US Supreme Court to listen to oral argument in Missouri v. Burgeon where NALA filed an Amicus Brief supporting the premise that paralegal time should be billed at prevailing market rates. It was a proud moment when the Supreme Court agreed.

NALA has been an important part of my career. I was fortunate 1) to serve on many NALA committees and task forces, 2) to promote NALA, its work and its programs, and 3) to contribute in small ways to enhance this career. But the true benefit of being involved in an organiza-tion is not what it gives to the member, but what the member gives to the organi-zation. In return, the member gains per-sonal growth, career advancement, lead-ership development, business connec-tions, an enhanced professional network, and most importantly, new friendships. It is a personal growth course which bene-fits for a lifetime. Therefore, any contri-bution I may have made to NALA and its programs is small compared to the bene-fits reaped for expanding my world and my vision.

My recommendation is that one should never hesitate in joining an organi-zation and becoming involved. Everyone wins. Thanks to NALA and to the many individuals who made this organization a positive force for our career.

Forever grateful,

Connie K. Kretchmer



It is with great pleasure that the Nebraska Paralegal Asso-ciation nominates Ms. Stephanie Henson for an Affiliate Award. Ms. Henson has been a true inspiration to our association by con-sistently offering her time and dedication in many different ways. She has served on many committees and in many different officer positions, including, but not limited to serving as a past president. She has served on the Board of Directors, most recently dedicat-ing her time, energy, talent and skills to revamping our associa-tion newsletter, the In Brief. She has participated in paralegal mentoring, worked on developing education through our bi-annual seminars, developing artwork for association projects and activi-ties, donating food, clothing and making centerpieces for these same activities. She has participated in charity events and en-couraged our membership to become more involved and take an active role in their careers. When work is to be done on a project, she is there and does not need an invite.

Stephanie received her paralegal training at Metropolitan Community College and obtained her CLA in 2003 and her ACP in Business Organizations: Incorporated Entities in 2008. She re-ceived her Real Estate license in 1978 and has been a paralegal for twenty-two years. She is employed with The Dial Companies in Omaha, Nebraska and was promoted to Administrator of Corporate Legal Services in 2004. She works primarily in real estate and is the Corporate Compliance Officer for over 340 subsidiary companies.

Since her affiliation with NePA (formerly NeALA) in 2001 she has served as Seminar Committee Chair, NALA Liaison, President in 2004-2006, Past President, Co - Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee, Co-Chair of the Nominations Committee and currently serves as Official Publications Editor.

She writes, “When I joined NePA in 2001, I didn’t know anyone, and when I attended my first seminar I was disappointed there was no social networking, no introductions, and very little in the way of volunteerism. I thought this would be great if things could be tweaked a little. I volunteered to be on the Seminar commit-tee and found I was on my own. I did my first seminar alone, and sadly it was not as I had hoped, but I learned a great deal from the experience.

I started attending the monthly luncheons, got acquainted with some of the members and had a com-mittee for the fall seminar of that year. What I learned was that no one person can do it alone, and to get volunteers, you have to at least show appreciation (I think it bordered on begging), and somehow make the job a little fun.

I was then elected as NALA Liaison. I was totally clueless, but again my acquaintances became friends and mentors and I started to really enjoy being a member. I have remained on the Seminar Committee and continued making centerpieces to later use as door prizes for the event, designed name tags, made notebooks with professional design covers and dividers; always trying to add as much professionalism to the content as possible. It was at that point I had gained great friendships and wanted to continue in NePA.

MID-YEAR MEETING

NALA Affiliate Award for Outstanding Service for 2009

Nominee– Stephanie Henson, ACP


Color me surprised!

The association has come a long way. We now have professional standardized letterhead, a brochure about the association, pamphlets for the Mentoring program, both for students and mentors, and terrific semi-nar notebooks. We have always had a good newsletter, but since we are now able to send via e-mail and cost is not a factor, it can be as many pages and have as much impact as we can imagine.

I just wanted everyone to be as excited about NePA as I am and discover the same rewarding experi-ence. It all comes down to being a part of something meaningful and wanting to show the world that we are important to our profession and to each other. “

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MID-YEAR MEETING

NALA Affiliate Award for Outstanding Service for 2009

Nominee– Stephanie Henson, ACP


FROM THE EDITOR:

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for their care and support this past few months. I am not sure if all are aware, on March 5 I had a fire caused by the tenant downstairs which made my home (even though I rented) of 19 years unlivable. By the grace of God, no one was injured and the fire was con-tained to the residence and no other homes were affected. I tell you this not to elicit sympathy, for this was a very light burden to bear considering what some of our Members have suffered, but to impart a great awaken-ing of the importance of some things in life. I learned the value of a toothbrush. I learned the value of true friendship when someone opens their home and their heart to take you in when you have absolutely nothing. To feed you, wash your blackened clothing, give you a place to sleep. I had insurance, but I will tell you its wheels turn very slowly. The Red Cross was right there and offered considerable assistance. I did not feel comfortable taking their offers of shelter and meal coupons, since I felt they were better used by someone who had no other resources and were in greater need of assistance than I.

During the three months that followed, I was put in temporary housing, and at least could start to reclaim my life. Most of my belongings were being restored or cleaned by a recovery team and the things I lost were just . . . “things”. I didn’t dare let go with my feelings for I thought I would truly lose it altogether. My late Mother had given me the great gifts of faith and a sense of survival, due in part to her being a child of the depression. So, since I only had three months to find suitable housing, I decided to buy a house. Dur-ing this time, my friend Bob wound up in ICU and near death for several days. I searched daily and finally found a house I truly love. All in all, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I now have my first home and have renewed faith. God never closes a door without opening a window. Call it fate, kismet, whatever. All I know is I appreciate even the little things so much more and now realize that some of us must pass through more than we believe we can handle only to reach the other side and find it a truly remarkable and enlighten-ing experience. I would not wish this horrendous time on anyone, but again want to thank you for your sup-port, patience and understanding (and even the offer of shoes!).

Stephanie Henson

!!


Layoffs and the down economy seem to be affecting every occupation these days and the legal profes-sion is no exception. The number of paralegal jobs available has decreased, while the number of qualified ap-plicants has increased. Today’s job market is highly competitive, as are the paralegals applying for each open position. The paralegal profession is largely one of specialties. It is a stressful job and one in which you must perform to a level where you will stand out from the masses. As the economy has turned, so have the expec-tations in the legal arena. Some firms are cutting jobs in order to deal with the financial pressures of the re-cession. Others have used the economy as a chance to clean house and ensure that the paralegals they staff are the very best in the market. Yes, the fact is the paralegal profession has sprouted and it simply takes more than a paralegal degree or certificate and a desire to work with the law to break into this profession.

Ten years ago, when the economy was in an upswing and attorneys had really started to understand the value of paralegals, experience and a desire to work in the field may have allowed you to get your foot in the door. A paralegal certificate was a plus, but not necessarily a requirement. During those years, our big-gest challenge as paralegals was getting the job title, individual work appreciation and recognition for the pro-fession that was so deserved. Many firms were still calling paralegals “legal secretaries”, even if the job re-sponsibilities had moved past clerical and into “substantive legal work”. As time passed firms began to realize the true billing and service value of paralegals and it became more and more apparent there really did exist a true difference between a “legal secretary” and a “paralegal”. Once you earned and were awarded with the title, it became a matter of salary and job duty negotiation. Those with the best education, experience and credentials essentially could write their own ticket regarding which job they would choose for themselves.

Alas, the employment climate has changed with time and the economy, and with that our profession has not only sprouted, it has a developed a life of its own. Some firms have even replaced associate attorneys with paralegals to keep overhead down and billable hours up, largely due to the efforts of NALA and other as-sociations in recognizing the need to assist, through amicus briefs, with Supreme Court rulings on the ability to bill for paralegal hours as legal fees. This was not only a huge accomplishment for the paralegal profession; it increased the recognition of paralegal work in law firms and corporations across the country. Not only was the quality of our work valuable, but now it was recognized as a valuable contribution to firm revenue as well. This offered additional value to the profession and increased not only the need for paralegals, but the number of people who chose to enter the profession. Though all of this is progress, the job market has tightened consid-erably. In order to even break into the paralegal business these days, experience and education is almost a must. It is the same double-edged sword we have dealt with for years. You need the experience to get the job, but you need the job to get the experience. Additionally, a new obstacle has appeared in that many graduates expect to be able to find a paralegal job upon graduation. Many of these new graduates are frus-trated with having completed their education successfully, whether it is a paralegal certificate, or an associ-ate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in paralegal studies or law, and yet not being able to find that first parale-gal job. Unfortunately for recent graduates, this is no longer an entry level profession. If you want a paralegal position, you may have to be willing to start somewhere else, such as a clerk, receptionist or legal secretary. You should be prepared to accept one of these types of jobs, although not ideal to what you may have envi-sioned in school, that will provide you with valuable experience and business contacts. You also must be aware that in competing for the limited number of paralegal jobs, you will have to develop and be able to show that “something extra” you can bring to the table. Remember when you interview, employers are searching for what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.


BBREAKINGREAKING INTOINTO THETHE B BUSINESSUSINESS. . .. . . BY CHRISTINA L. KOCH, ACP

As the competition has become fierce for every paralegal opening, networking also has become essen-tial. What sets one paralegal apart from the pack might be experience, education, certification, or even a para-legal’s former associates. Active paralegal association membership, seminar attendance, networking, participa-tion in professional list serves and participation in social networking websites have all become valuable tools of the job search. Experienced paralegals also take advantage of every opportunity to participate in educating other paralegals, by writing for legal publications or books, teaching seminars or classes at the paralegal schools, and mentoring younger paralegals. You will find these are wonderful additions to the basic résumé and will give you a nice icebreaker for the interview process. Employers are impressed with people who go above and beyond in their careers as they believe these are the same people who will go above and beyond for their business. Volunteerism and community service has become another excellent way to further your business contacts. You never know your next job may come from any of these sources. There is a level of pride in being involved in this profession and in being not just a paralegal, but an outstanding paralegal. Firms expect more of paralegals as the job has truly transitioned from a trade into a profession. It is nearly impossible to be overqualified as a paralegal these days. However, as important as your qualifications are, so is the need to screen potential employers. Where you have worked is as important as the work you have done. Research the firms or companies you are applying with prior to the interview to deter-mine the corporate climate and what will be expected of you as an employee. Each opportunity to become a better paralegal should be grasped and cherished, whether that opportunity presents itself as education, ex-perience, networking, certification or advanced certifications. Do not limit your education to only legal issues. Learn as much as you can as often as you can. You never know when a seminar or a single class can offer you that crucial step up in an interview. Learn to think outside the box and to find your experience where the op-portunity presents. Grasp the opportunity to get involved with the court system, either as a clerk, runner, or participant in the juvenile court. Participate in organizations such as the Domestic Violence Coalition, Project Innocence, CASA, or Legal Aid. Not only are these very worthwhile charities, they will teach you compassion for your future clients and provide valuable networking opportunities. Offer to work as an intern or summer runner in a law firm while you are in school or even after graduation. The firm may be so impressed with your work they ask you to stay with them in a more permanent capacity. Register with the paralegal temporary agencies as this is a great opportunity to be able to try different types of paralegal work and get some valuable legal experience without coloring your resume with a spotty job history. Be open to moving into new areas of the law or even moving to a different city for the right position. Take pride in your career and in the paralegal profession and work toward your goals. The professional paralegal is always moving forward and wants the profession, as a whole, to advance as much as his or her own career. Remember that even during your job search, you are obligated as a paralegal to comply with the Code of Ethics, as this is the single most important part of being a good paralegal. Embrace the competition that has developed within the profession and use it to become a better paralegal. Concentrate your efforts on remaining ethical not only within your profession, but also your outside life and enjoy the intellectual challenges that come with being a paralegal. Lastly, take time to enjoy your job and cultivate it into your ultimate career position.


BBREAKINGREAKING INTOINTO THETHE B BUSINESSUSINESS. . . (. . . (CONCON’’TT)) BY CHRISTINA L. KOCH, ACP


This is a new section to the In Brief - where we get to know each other on a more personal level and share stories about our families, interests, pets, and “passions”. We hope to open up a more social level to the association and in turn make networking that much more fun. Feel free to submit your pictures, articles, news items, stories, etc. to any of the newsletter staff.

Loretta has enthusiastically volunteered to be one of the first to share her passions.

PARALEGAL “PASSIONS”

Boxer:

Loretta and her Boxer, Echo (Echo Bay’s Merger of Maximus) after winning Echo’s 15th point - completing her American Kennel Club Championship on May 16, 2009, in Kansas City. Echo’s name is now Ch. Echo Bay’s Merger of Maximus and is Loretta’s fourth AKC champion boxer.

Boston Terrier:

Loretta Phillips and her Boston Terrier, Dooley, (Back Nine’s Ace of Happytails) won a 5 point major towards Dooley’s AKC Champi-onship at a dog show in Kansas City on May 16, 2009. Dooley and Loretta defeated four championship dogs as well as 29 class dogs for this prestigious win!


NNNEEEBBBRRRAAASSSKKKAAA PPPAAARRRAAALLLEEEGGGAAALLL

AAASSSSSSOOOCCCIIIAAATTTIIIOOONNNPO Box 24943 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 www.neala.org

2009 AFFILIATED ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT The Nebraska Association of Legal Assistants was formed in 1976 by charter members. On April 18, 2008, the membership voted to change our name to the Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA). As of May 30, 2009, NePA had: 145 active members (voting) 11 associate members 25 student members 10 sustaining members 5 honorary members Additionally, NePA maintains relationships with: 3 newspapers 6 schools We have had an increase in active and student memberships over the past year. The membership is drawn from the entire State of Nebraska, which is divided into five districts. Both District I, covering the Omaha metropolitan area, and District 2, covering the Lincoln metropolitan area, have meetings and other activities on a regular basis. The association is hopeful that as students from additional districts have been recruited this year under the leadership of Carla Larson, District 2 Director, this new membership will add meetings and other activities in the near future. Prior to NePA’s 2008 Annual Meeting, District 2 had only 14 members and District 3 (outstate) had none. Due to active recruitment and public relations efforts, Districts 2 and 3 have added 19 active, student and associate members, for a total of 33 members. This represents 136% membership growth rate in 9 months. Additionally, since September of 2008, District 2 has initiated quarterly networking lunch meetings in Lincoln, Nebraska, with attendance ranging from 15-25 paralegals. This group also provided additional attendees at our spring seminar, which was the largest we have ever held. Current members of the Board of Directors are: President: Loretta Phillips President Elect: Vacant Vice President: Alison Barthel, CP Secretary: Jaci O’Brien, ACP Treasurer: Teresa Barnes, CP NALA Liaison: Christina L. Koch, ACP District 1 Director: Laurie Vik, CP District 2 Director: Carla Larson Past President: Kaye Benak Parliamentarian: Janie Boswell Official Publications Editor: Stephanie Henson, ACP Website Administrator: Kimberly A.S. Brown, CP

2008 - 2009 Board of Directors President Loretta Phillips City of Omaha Law Department Past President Kaye Benak Koley Jessen President Elect Vacant Vice President Alison Barthel, CP Gross & Welch Secretary Jaci O’Brien, ACP Adesta, LLC Treasurer Teresa Barnes, CP Gross & Welch Parliamentarian Janie Boswell, ACP Mutual of Omaha NALA Liaison Christina L. Koch, ACP Inserra & Kelley District 1 Director Laurie Vik, CP Kiewit Corp District 2 Director Carla Larson Cline Williams Publications Editor Stephanie Henson, ACP The Dial Companies Website Administrator Kimberly A.S. Brown, CP Spencer, Fane, Britt & Browne, LLP


The overall operation of NePA is carried out by the Board of Directors. Active committees are Student Membership/Mentoring, Seminar, Continuing Legal Education, Website, Public Relations/Nebraska Bar Asso-ciation, and Scholarship. Our fiscal year commences October 1 and ends September 30.

The In Brief newsletter is used to inform our members of activities and Board actions. In October 2006, the newsletter was distributed electronically for the first time. The next issue is due to be distributed in June 2009. Since September of 2008, the In Brief has produced quarterly newsletters to its members.

Our Website address was updated this past year to conform to our new name. The new address is www.nebraskaparalegal.org and this new website has increasingly has become more active this past year with incorporation of additional website enhancement. Our Website Committee is actively researching and brainstorming additional changes to make our website more interactive to its members and additional changes are expected within the next year. The main advantages of the new site are an updated look, ease of administration by our own members and significant maintenance cost savings. Examples of infor-mation on the website include: posting employment opportunities; issues of In Brief, a calendar of events; and membership application forms. NePA's Amended By-Laws and Standing Rules have been updated to reflect the new name and are also available on our website.

NePA currently offers two scholarships. The $1,000 student scholarship is granted annually to a full-time student in a legal assistant program meeting stated criteria. The $500 CLA scholarship is available annually to NePA members to help cover the cost involved with preparing for and taking the CLA exam or ACP course. The scholarship committees review applications and recommend approval of the recipients to the Board of Directors, which makes the final selection. The CLA Scholarship Committee has also been ac-tive this past year discussing revisions to the application process which will clarify the application and selec-tion process for our members. Additionally, the CLA Scholarship Committee, in cooperation with the Board of Directors, is exploring new ways in which to encourage more applications for the scholarships NePA pro-vides.

NePA held its Annual Recognition Breakfast on September 18, 2008. The Honorable Laurie Smith Camp, Judge of the United States District Court was the special guest and keynote speaker. Following the breakfast and membership meeting, NePA held its fall seminar, with educational sessions continuing through the afternoon of Friday, September 19, 2008. Topics covered at the seminar were public school litigation, merger filings, electronic discovery, DNA evidence, medical interpreters, Adobe 8, ethics, probate and family law. This year was the first year NePA offered break-out sessions in the afternoon of the final day of the seminar. The membership had a choice of family law or probate for the first session and Adobe 8 or ethics for the second session.

The Nebraska Paralegal Association wants to say THANK YOU to the 86 members and students who attended its Mid-Year Meeting at Mahoney State Park on April 24, 2009. In an effort to increase activity in other Districts in Nebraska, NePA offered an outstanding seminar at no charge to its members on April 24, 2009, calling it NePA’s Stimulus Package. The members responded enthusiastically and were rewarded with quality speakers and a beautiful venue set in one of the most beautiful parks in Nebraska and had a record attendance! The focus of the seminar was making good our goal of bringing the District 2 (Lincoln) and other outstate members and students back into active status. This was a successful endeavor and NePA is very proud for its large strides in reaching this goal. Topics at the seminar included medical re-cords, ethics, case management in a paperless office, and a very interesting presentation by a Nebraska lobbyist regarding Nebraska’s unique unicameral system.

Since July 2007, District 1 has sponsored monthly luncheons with speakers on various topics. This year’s topics have included career development, Westlaw business and SEC filings, environmental law, and court reporting. NePA also had a guest speaker from the Open Door Mission and participated in Hope for the Hungry in 2008. NePA has also been active in collecting clothing and other donations for Lydia House and the Salvation Army within the past 12 months. NePA will continue its valued charity work with the par-ticipation of a team for Relay for Life, supporting the American Cancer Society on June 5-6, 2009.

http://www.nebraskaparalegal.org


NePA was also active in celebrating Law Day, as is our tradition. Each year NePA is in charge of the poster contest in connection with the OBA Law Day activities. The poster contest is open to the 5th grade students from Omaha area public and parochial schools. This year the parochial school area was expanded to include all the parochial schools which fall under the Omaha jurisdiction. The posters are judged based on adherence to the Law Day theme, clarity, creativity and neatness. The 2009 poster contest winners were 1) Mallory Rolf from St. Wenceslaus School in Dodge, Nebraska, winning a $75.00 savings bond and a 1 year family membership to the Joslyn Art Museum; 2) Clara Crenshaw from St. James/Seton School in Omaha, winning a $75.00 savings bond; and 3) Shaelyn Vering, also from St. Wenceslaus School in Dodge, Nebraska, winning a $50.00 savings bond. Kaye Benak is NePA’s repre-sentative for this event. She sits on the OBA committee as chairperson of the poster contest, prepares the contest flyer and works with the schools to see that the flyer is distributed to the students, makes arrangements to get the poster entries back from the various schools, puts together a panel of judges to pick the winning posters, works with LaMar Outdoor of Omaha to get the winning poster displayed on a billboard at 77th and Dodge Streets from April 15 to May 15 and presents the awards to the winning students at the Law Day luncheon. This is a great community event and it is so great to see the stu-dents learn, through art, about Law Day and our legal system.

NePA held a retirement luncheon honoring Virginia Koerselman in October of 2008 to celebrate the numerous contributions Ms. Koerselman has made to NePA and the paralegal profession. With the re-tirement of Virginia Koerselman came the opportunity for NePA to become more involved with the CLA Review Course held at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. Ms. Koerselman was in-strumental in this program and it was imperative that the program continue. The Review Course is be-ing conducted by an Ad Hoc Committee (Sub-Committee of Continuing Legal Education Committee) con-sisting of Loretta Phillips, Janie Boswell, ACP, Ann Atkinson, ACP and Annette Dieteman, CP. Working with Metropolitan Community College, a 9 week study course will be offered for $200 to members who are preparing for the Certified Paralegal exam offered through the National Association of Legal Assis-tants (NALA). The next study course will be offered from September 28 through November 23, 2009. Flyers will be mailed to all members and information will be available on the NePA website. An e-mail blast will be provided to our members prior to the class to encourage those who have not obtained the credential to take the class and obtain professional certification through NALA. NePA encourages its members to pursue the CLA/CP and ACP designations and honors its members for that achievement. NePA provides congratulatory e-mails, assists with publication of the announcement of the achievement in the local newspapers, and will begin this year with honoring those who have achieved these creden-tials at our annual Recognition Breakfast with presentation of a lapel pin to commemorate these achievements.

NePA also purchased some promotional items this year to assist in our efforts to increase our mem-bership. NePA purchased emery boards, pocket mirrors and produced new brochures, highlighting our many programs and member benefits, including education, CLE opportunities, mentoring, and charity contributions to the community. Our membership continues to grow. Additionally, Carla Larsen, District 2 Director, has visited several Nebraska colleges and law firms promoting our association.

NePA is very lucky to have so many wonderful members who are willing to devote their time and talents to our association. In addition, NePA is fortunate to have three of our members who served NALA in leadership positions this past year. NePA congratulates Ann Atkinson, ACP, NALA Secretary, Janie Boswell, ACP, NALA Region VI Director, and Linda Hess, ACP, Chair of the Certifying Board. These three women have spent a number of years in service to both their state and national associations, im-proving the paralegal profession.

Additionally, NePA has the pleasure of honoring two additional members for their outstanding con-tributions to NePA. This year was the first year that NePA nominated one of its members for NALA awards. NePA members unanimously voted to award Stephanie Henson, ACP, the


NALA Affiliate Award for Outstanding Service for Nebraska for the year 2009. Ms. Henson was nominated based on her continual contributions of her time and talent to NePA. Ms. Henson has do-nated centerpieces, food, her time and other volunteer services to NePA, as well as having served as NALA Liaison, President-Elect, President, and as a past President of NePA. She currently serves and the Official Publications Editor. This award will be presented to Ms. Henson at the NALA Annual Convention in San Diego, CA in July.

We also had the pleasure of a unanimous vote to nominate Connie K. Kretchmer for the 2009 National Affiliated Associates Achieve-ment Award. Ms. Kretchmer joins many qualified nominees for this national award and was nominated based upon her national contri-butions to both her state and national paralegal association, as well as her numerous contributions to the paralegal profession, includ-ing but not limited to her teaching experience and extensive work on the CLA Review Course and review publications. Ms. Kretchmer is also a past President of NALA. Should Ms. Kretchmer be selected by NALA, she will also be presented with an award at NALA Annual Convention in San Diego, CA in July. NePA also had one member, Christina L. Koch, ACP, selected to par-ticipate in the LEAP program this past year. We are very fortunate to have so many members excel at both the state and national levels.

In the coming year, NePA hopes to increase its membership, continue to contribute to the educational goals of its members, provide additional charitable contributions to its community and participate in having a positive impact on the paralegal profession as a whole. NePA values its affiliation with NALA and looks forward to continued service to paralegals across the state.

Submitted by Christina L. Koch, ACP, NALA Liaison for the Nebraska Paralegal Association

Due to some technical problems with the program the In Brief has been edited down to a manageable size. You may also encounter some design errors. We regret this occurrence, but we have been working on this issue for over two weeks. Time to fish or cut bait—we decided to fish. Have a great holiday!

The Staff of the In Brief

Documents

Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA) - EBRASKA …...Kalisha Reed, Chantelle Hope, Caryn Redding and Laurie Nading Library Committee Ann Atkinson and Linda Hess Membership Committee