Foust honored with Guilford scholarship

Lisa Foust of Pleasant Garden has been awarded a $500 scholarship from the Guilford Paralegal Association. Foust is a student in the Guilford Technical Community College paralegal program, where she has been named to the Honors List and President’s List.

Foust

Foust, a peer mentor, peer advisor and volunteer tutor for fellow students, plans to graduate in May and pursue a bachelor’s degree at Guilford College.

The Guilford Paralegal Association awards the scholarship each year to a paralegal student who lives or attends school in Guilford County.

The association meets the second Tuesday of each month, with the location alternating between High Point and Greensboro. Meetings are open to any legal support staff, attorneys, paralegal students and prospective paralegals.

For more information, call President Elizabeth Vance at 336-819-6043 or visit www.guilfordparalegalassociation.org.

NCPA takes mentoring bus on tour

The North Carolina Paralegal Association is rolling out an educational bus tour this month to promote NCPA’s Mentoring Program to statewide educational programs. One of the benefits provided to students who join NCPA, the mentoring program is designed to help students transition into working members.

The bus tour makes its first stop on Feb. 2 at the downtown campus of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where a presentation on the program will be given to the new session of 24 paralegal students. Plans are underway for additional stops in Charlotte and in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham.

In other NCPA news, Kaye Summers, the association’s liaison with NALA
(Association of Legal Assistants and Paralegals), has been asked to make a presentation for the 2012 NALA Affiliated Associations Meeting in Omaha. NCPA’s presentation, “Shaping the Future: NCPA’s Mentoring Program,” will feature the bus tour.

Paralegal exam prep course offered in March

Paralegals from throughout North Carolina traveled to Wilmington when Cape Fear Community College offered its first North Carolina Certified Paralegal Examination Prep Course last September. As a result of its success, the college has scheduled the next offering of the course for Saturday, March 31, just in time to prepare for the April 14 NCCP Exam.

Taught by attorney Mitzi Kincaid, the course is designed to help paralegal students and professionals prepare for the exam. Meeting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the course will cover family law, criminal law, civil procedure, contract law, wills and estates, property law, ethics and test-taking strategies.

The course qualifies for seven hours of North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification Credit (six
general hours and one hour of ethics). The registration fee of $99 includes course materials and lunch.

Many of those who attended the September course already had their certification and used the course as a comprehensive review as well as an opportunity to earn CPE hours.

Cape Fear Community College plans to offer the Paralegal Exam Prep Course twice a year, in conjunction with the scheduled NCCP Exam.

For additional information or to register, contact Kris Sipe, professional development training coordinator at Cape Fear Community College, at 910-362-7617 or ksipe@cfcc.edu.

NC board certifies 163 paralegals

The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification on Nov. 8, 2011, certified 163 individuals who passed the paralegal certification exam. The eighth administration of the exam was administered on Oct. 16 to 191 candidates out of 234 applicants who were approved to sit for the exam.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT Exam Prep, Scholarship

Irvin Hankins III, chair of the IOLTA Board and former president of the North Carolina State Bar, accepts a ceremonial check from Renny Deese, right, chair of the Board of Paralegal Certification.

The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification donated a check in the amount of $100,000 to the NC IOLTA program on Oct. 21.

NC IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) is a non-profit program created by the State Bar and approved by the North Carolina Supreme Court. The organization works with lawyers and banks across the state to collect net interest income generated from lawyers’ general, pooled trust accounts for the purpose of funding grants to providers of civil legal services for the indigent and to programs that further the administration of justice.

The plan for certification of paralegals approved by the North Carolina State Bar and adopted by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004 continues to be successful and the number of certified paralegals grows each year. Through this continued growth, the board is able to give back to the legal community through worthwhile donations that help to provide legal services to North Carolina residents.

More information about the paralegal certification program is available at www.nccertifiedparalegal.org or 919-828-4620.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Pitman

Camilla Pitman has been selected to participate in Leadership Greenville Class 38. This 10-month program is designed and facilitated by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce to help develop informed and committed leaders for Greenville County.

As the city clerk for the City of Greenville, Pitman is a certified municipal clerk by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She also is certified as a professional legal secretary by the National Association for Legal Secretaries.

Pitman previously served as president and executive board member of Legal Staff Professionals of Greenville and is this year’s functional director of certification for Legal Staff Professionals of South Carolina.

A graduate of Furman University and North Greenville University, Pitman is a long-time community volunteer, including affiliation with the Miss Greater Greer and Miss South Carolina Scholarship Pageants and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Young American Challenge.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Summers

Pulley, Watson, King & Lischer, P.A. of Durham is pleased to announce that Kaye Summers recently attended The Association of Legal Assistants / Paralegals (NALA) 36^th annual meeting and awards celebration in Dallas, where she received the 2011 Affiliates Award. The award recognizes outstanding contributions and dedication to the advancement of the legal assistant profession through volunteer service to NALA affiliated associations.

Summers has been a member of the North Carolina Paralegal Association for more than 10 years, currently serving as NALA Liaison and Mentoring Chair.  She has also been president, bar liaison and at large director.

She received recognition as the author of an article, “Surviving the Incapacitation of Your Employer,” which was published in NALA’s Facts & Findings magazine. Summers also helped develop this subject into a Continuing Legal Education course for North Carolina attorneys and paralegals.

Summers has been with Pulley Watson for more than 15 years in the firm’s business law practice, where she works on matters ranging from commercial transactions to complex business litigation cases.

Hill

Nettie Hill has been named as a torts paralegal with the Charleston-based personal injury law firm of Richard Wern Lawyers. Hill, who previously worked as a workers’ compensation paralegal, has been with the firm since 1984. She has worked in other areas of the firm, including management.

In her new role, Hill assists attorneys with research and processing of auto and personal injury cases. A native of Ridgeville, S.C., she now lives on Lake Marion in Eutawville, S.C., where she is an active member of the local Lions Club.

The Metrolina Paralegal Association honored Roxanne Crouch, ACP, as the 2011 Paralegal of the Year, an honor given to a paralegal who shows commitment to professionalism and to the advancement of the legal community. Crouch was nominated by Susan Randolph, CLA, NCCP.

Crouch is the assistant vice president, sales support manager, at BB&T Governmental Finance. In addition to serving as a mentor to the contract administrators in her office, Crouch sought to challenge herself by attaining advanced certification in Contracts Administration and Management through the National Association of Legal Assistants.

She also has held several leadership roles in the MPA, including patron chair and treasurer.

The Asheville Area Paralegal Association announces that Ashley Mines is the 2011-2012 recipient of the Susan Russo Scholarship. Mines is a student at Southwestern Community College, where she is majoring in Paralegal Technology and earns a 3.7 GPA.

The Catawba Valley Paralegal Association in North Carolina is continuing its community outreach project with fundraising drives to support Longview Elementary and Maiden Elementary schools. According to the association’s newsletter, both schools have suffered large funding cuts and serve a large number of students on the assisted lunch program.

Members of the association are using “wish lists” to raise money for items such as pencils, glue sticks, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, markers, notebook paper and other items. The group collected donations at its summer meetings and had its first delivery in mid-August. The second delivery of supplies will be made in January.

The newsletter reports that the association also will give each school a monetary donation of $235.

The Guilford Paralegal Association congratulates its 2011 Scholarship winners, Melanie Torres and Joanna Savas.

The Cumberland County Paralegal Association is accepting nominations for Paralegal of the Year. Visit www.ccpara.com for more
information.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Hines

The North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division in May honored Phyllis Hines with its 2011 Distinguished Paralegal Award. Hines was nominated by colleagues and by her coworkers at Myers, Bigel, Sibley & Sajovec in Raleigh.

Hines previously served as chair of the Paralegal Division. Currently, she is a member of the NCBA’s CLE Committee and Intellectual Property Section, chair of the Paralegal Division Nominations Committee, program planner for the annual Intellectual Property Institute for Paralegals and co-founder of the Research Triangle Paralegal Association. She also belongs to the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Notary Association.

Hines has obtained the designation of Certified Paralegal from NALA and the designation of North Carolina Certified Paralegal through the North Carolina State Bar.

In addition to her professional contributions, Hines is involved with community services such as InterAct, which supports domestic violence victims, Habitat for Humanity, North Carolina Food Bank, Wills for Heroes, Student Paralegal Programs and Mentoring, Guardian Ad Litem Christmas for Children, and the Young Lawyers Division Christmas Clothing Drive.

Vance

Elizabeth Vance began her third term as president of the Guilford Paralegal Association in July. She previously served from 2006 to 2008 and enjoyed it so much she asked for the opportunity to serve again. Vance just observed her eight-year anniversary as a family law paralegal at Wyatt Early Harris Wheeler, LLP, in High Point. She earned her Certified Paralegal credential from NALA in 2006 and her NCCP credential the same year. She plans to focus on preparing leaders within the association and improving membership services during her tenure.

The Pro Bono Committee of the South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association is planning its fall food drive for Harvest Hope, a food bank serving people in need. The committee also is seeking community service opportunities.

Yolanda Smith is the new Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division, and Karen Mendorf is the incoming vice-chair. Both have been active in paralegal activities for several years.

Elliott

Stephanie Elliott is the new president of the North Carolina Paralegal Association. Elliott, NCCP, is a senior litigation paralegal for Gray, Layton, Kersh, Solomon, Furr & Smith, P.A., in Gastonia, where she manages the practice of the senior litigation partner, William E. Moore, Jr. Her experience includes corporate and complex business litigation, employment litigation, personal injury, insurance defense, and trust and estate matters. Elliott is also a faculty member of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Continuing Education Paralegal Certification Program.

The National Association of Legal Assistants announces that Tina Louise Daniels has successfully completed the two-day Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) examination and is now entitled to use of the “CLA” or “CP” professional credential. Daniels is among 178 paralegals in South Carolina and 16,382 paralegals nationwide who have attained this goal.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Legal Staff Professionals of Greenville recently elected its new board members. They are (from left to right in photo) Tara Prevatte, parliamentarian/immediate past president; Mary Beth Morgan, president; Patti Bacon, president elect; Kathy Suggs, vice president; Myra Culbertson, treasurer and Yvonne Fortner, secretary.

At the installation ceremony, Morgan challenged members to mentor young professionals in the legal community, assist local bar associations with their events and partner with the Association of Legal Administrators.

Prevatte was honored with the Award of Excellence for her efforts on behalf of LSPG while also serving as an officer of the state association. Prevatte was installed as president of Legal Staff  Professionals of South Carolina in Hilton Head Island on May 1.

Several other members will serve on the LSPSC board for the coming year, including Lois Belle, who will serve as functional director of membership; Fran C. Powell, who will serve as functional director of marketing and Camilla G. Pitman, who will be functional director of certification.

Roxanne Crouch, ACP, is the Metro-lina Paralegal Association 2011 Paralegal of the Year.  The MPA Paralegal of the Year Award is given to a paralegal who exhibits a commitment to professionalism and to the advancement of the legal community.  The paralegal must also be a member in good standing of the MPA.

Crouch is the assistant vice president, sales support manager, at BB&T Governmental Finance in Charlotte. She handles complicated loan issues that need special attention, and she is known as a mentor to the contract administrators in her office.  Crouch earned advanced certification in contracts administration and management through the National Association of Legal Assistants. She has served in leadership roles in the MPA, including patron chair and treasurer.

*   *   *

The Asheville Area Paralegal Association recently elected its 2011-2012 officers. They are Terrie Blackburn, president; Julie Stanfield, vice president; Barbara McDaniel-Bowker, secretary; Alice Hudson, assistant secretary and Aundry Freeman, treasurer.

*   *   *

Kaye H. Summers, with Pulley, Watson, King & Lischer, P.A., in Durham, has been appointed to the Paralegal Certification Committee by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification. Her three-year term began on March 1.

Summers also was elected by the Board of the North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA) as liaison to the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) for the 2011-2012 term.

Summers has been with Pulley Watson for more than a decade and is involved with the firm’s business law practice. She is the past president of the North Carolina Paralegal Association (2007-2009) and a member of the Legal Assistants Division of the North Carolina Bar Association since 2002.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Candace Russell, a paralegal with Nexsen Pruet’s Charlotte office, recently received her advanced certified paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants. Russell is also a participant of NALA’s 2011 Leadership Enhancement and Preparation class and an officer in the Metrolina Paralegal Association.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT, News

On Dec.10, four paralegals from Ted A. Greve and Associates in North Carolina went to lend a hand at the Operation Christmas Child Processing Center in Charlotte. They put together a box for a boy between the ages of 9 and 14 and were eager to place it with the others going somewhere to a child in need. The paralegals – Theresa Hilse, Laura Matthews, Dawn Hemby and Annette Church – joined a few thousand other volunteers gathered that evening at the warehouse to get the boxes ready for shipment to the children.

Prior to reaching the Charlotte warehouse or one of the organization’s other locations across the country, each gift box is prepared by an individual or group specifically for a girl or boy of a certain age. The donors fill them with articles for needy children across the globe. Each shoebox has an assortment of toys, school supplies, hygiene and toiletry items, clothing, shoes, socks and hard candy and chewing gum.

Volunteers at the Charlotte processing center had a wide array of areas in which to assist the organization. Each box had to be inspected, packed and prepared for shipment. There was even a “shoe box hospital” for those that needed a bit of repair.

Hilse, Matthews, Hemby and Church worked with others on an inspection and packaging team. Afterwards, paralegal Laura Matthews said “I’m so glad we did this. We must come back next year.”

“There is joy all around you, from the minute you open the door,” noted another volunteer.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has placed 77 million gift boxes in the hands of boys and girls in dire circumstances. These children live in 130 countries, from the mountains of North Carolina to the Philippines and beyond. In 2009, 8 million children received a box.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Over 100 people attended a career fair at the North Carolina Bar Center in October. Open to all individuals interested in pursuing or currently involved in the paralegal profession, the event was a collaborative effort between the Research Triangle Paralegal Association and the Paralegal Division of N.C. Bar Association.

The event had more than 10 sponsors and 25 representatives from law firms across the state, including Ward and Smith, Myers Bigel, Wyrick Robbins and Young Moore & Henderson. Corporate representatives from Sony Ericsson and Syngenta also participated in the fair.

The program offered career tips, mock interviewing opportunities, résumé reviews, and tips on social networking and professionalism tips. Jennifer Watford, co-planner of the event, spoke highly of the attendees. 

“The candidates were excited to be part of this event. They dressed and presented themselves in a professional manner,” she said.

Students from Miller Motte Technical College’s paralegal program were required to attend the career fair, collect business cards, have their resumes reviewed, participate in mock interviewing if time allowed and submit a paper on their experience.

“We were pleased that the mock interviewing was utilized to such an extent that the interviewers did not leave until everyone who wanted to attend the mock interviewing had their chance, which was nearly one hour after the fair had ended,” Watford said. “In addition, the résumé review proved to be a great tool for many paralegals currently searching for employment and for the paralegal who requested a ‘refresher’ for the résumé that hadn’t been updated in some time.”

Most attendees were not currently employed as paralegals. In addition to students, some were second-career individuals looking for a new in the profession. 

Paralegal associations, including RWPA and the NCBA Paralegal Division, had members present to inform interested paralegals of the benefits of association involvement. Members from the N.C. State Bar’s Board of Paralegal Certification also attended the fair to discuss the benefits of pursuing certification.

Earlier this month, the Asheville Area Paralegal Association in North Carolina gave a presentation to the 28th Judicial District Bar called “The Dollars and $ense of Effective Paralegal Utilization.” Paralegals Laura Champlin, Elizabeth Stallings and Carolyn Timmons provided an overview of the profession and discussed attorney profitability through effective paralegal utilization, substantive tasks that can be performed by paralegals, delegation of work and the unauthorized practice of law. Copies of the handout materials are PowerPoint presentation are available by contacting Champlin at lchamplin@vwlawfirm.com.

Diana Smith, Staff Writer IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SouthCarolina

Several paralegal associations in South Carolina recently installed officers for 2010-2011.

Legal Staff Professionals of South Carolina’s new state officers are: Jamie Early, president; Tara Jean Prevatte, president-elect; Frances Powell, secretary; Stephanie Saporita, treasurer; Kerry Waldrop, functional director of membership; Robin Deming, functional director of education; Jan Berger, functional director of marketing; Lois Belle, functional director of certification and Stacy Burke, immediate past president/parliamentarian.

The Spartanburg County Legal Staff Professionals’ new leadership will be: Robin Deming, president; Sarah Wallace, president-elect; Theresa Douglass, secretary; Nancy Lemmons, treasurer; Rhonda Mitchell, functional director of membership and Kerry Waldrop, chapter liaison.

New officers for Legal Staff Professionals of Greenville include Tara Prevatte, president; Mary Beth Morgan, president-elect; Laura Harling, vice president; Margaret Hampe Campbell, secretary and Patti Bacon, treasurer.

Hilton Head Island paralegal Meredith Lazarski has received her Advanced Certified Paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants. Lazarski is a paralegal with Hale & Bolchoz and is also a member of the National Association for Legal Secretaries. She is also member and officer in the Hilton Head Legal Staff Professionals.

The S.C. Upstate Paralegal Association recently raised $2,340 to donate to the March of Dimes’ “March for Babies” campaign. The association exceeded its goal of $1,500 and also sponsored a comfort station to hand out water and candy to participants in the annual walk/run. Participants in the event included both members and friends. They were: Dorothy Huskey, team captain; Marianna Jackson, co-captain; Barbara Adkins, Daysha Bonner, Jennifer Greene, Karen Hall, Whitney Horn, Gail Inzero, Phyllis Mitchell, Lee Owens, Laura Page, Diane Petrice, Travis Ray, Logan Ray, Liz Scharf, Colleen Stevens, Wendy MacDonald and George Huskey. Gallagher Court Reporting, McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Jackson Lewis & Legal Eagle also helped support the event with SCUPA.

NorthCarolina

Janice D. Linker received the 2010 Paralegal Award from the Metrolina Paralegal Association in May. The award is given to a paralegal who exhibits a commitment to professionalism and to the advancement of the legal community.

Linker has been a senior paralegal at Johnson, Allison & Hord in Charlotte for 37 years. In addition to her professional work, Linker has served several leadership roles in MPA including third vice president, NALA liaison and historian.

Other nominees for the award included Micah DeCamp, Rosa M. Goss, Tiffany Marx Butcher, Laura Peres and Stephanie Elliott-Park.

MPA also installed its officers for 2010-2011 in May. They are Antoine Robinson, president; Penny Higdon, first vice president; Michelle Kass, second vice president; Tiffany Marx Butcher, third vice president; Susan Randolph, secretary; Roxanne Crouch, treasurer and Candace Russell, NALA liaison.

The N.C. State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification honored the members of its paralegal certification committee at its board meeting in May. Committee members Lisa Duncan, Virginia Burrows, Susan McIntyre, Leslie McKesson, Theresa Irvin, Cheryl Waltz Smith and Mary Willard each received a certificate in recognition of their creation of 800 test questions for the paralegal certification exam.

The board also certified 99 paralegals that passed the certification exam at the meeting.

Candace Russell, a paralegal with Nexsen Pruet in Charlotte, has been selected by NALA to be a member of the LEAP Class of 2011. LEAP is a yearlong leadership development program that teaches participants leadership skills beyond what they may have acquired through local associations or community experience.

staff.cpn IN THE SPOTLIGHT awards, officers, spotlight