address delivered by international speaker, author, and former legal
secretary from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Cheryl
Wood. Wood excited us with her passion and relation to the legal
industry. She reminded us that we’re all winners and that winning
is “in our DNA”! Wood spoke to us about strengths and weaknesses
and how when we rely on others in our weak areas, it makes us
better —because we’re better together.
After the keynote, attendees headed into various CLE and
professional development/leadership sessions such as “Bankruptcy,
Litigation and the Use of Social Media,” and “Cultivating
Leadership,” to name just a few. We had several other exciting,
entertaining, and informative sessions over the next few days. We
also enjoyed a superhero-themed event, sponsored by the NALS
NFPA® 2017 ANNUAL CONVENTION
and POLICY MEETING By Christine Flynn and Robert Hrouda, RP®
The National Federation of Paralegal
Associations’ Annual Convention and Policy
Meeting was hosted by the New Orleans
Paralegal Association October 12-15, 2017, at the
Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Attended by 41 paralegal associations comprised
of delegates from Regions I, II, III, IV and V,
the theme of this year’s convention and policy
meeting was “Mardi Gras in October”.
The conference kicked off in full swing on
Thursday, October 12, with 16 concurrent
continuing legal education sessions as well
as student sessions and NFPA workshops.
Speakers provided a wealth of information in
specific practice areas, including eDiscovery,
litigation, immigration, business and corporate
compliance, and cannabis law. NFPA also held
the coordinator appreciation/recognition and
networking luncheon. Later that evening, NFPA
held an open board of directors meeting.
On Friday, October 13, the day commenced
with the traditional first timer’s meeting, which
is a beginner’s overview of the policy meeting.
NFPA region meetings were also held, during
which delegates discussed agenda topics, shared
ideas, and exchanged association updates.
NFPA honored several paralegals from member
associations throughout the United States for
meeting and/or exceeding the recommended
aspirations for completion of pro bono/
community service hours.
Events continued later that day with the
“Meet the Candidates” forum where delegates
were afforded an opportunity to ask questions of
the proposed candidates for the NFPA board of
directors. The day’s luncheon featured keynote
speaker, Matthew Block, executive counsel in
the Louisiana governor’s office. The eventful
day concluded with the NFPA social event
where members put on their dancing shoes
and were treated to an evening filled with food,
entertainment, and fun — New Orleans style!
The day also featured a “casual day,”
with contributions donated to the Support
of Lawyers/Legal Personnel—All Concern
Encouraged. SOLACE provides an avenue for
the Federal Bar Association legal community
to reach out in small, but meaningful and
compassionate ways, to FBA members and those
related to them in the legal community who
experience a death, some catastrophic event,
illness, sickness, injury, or other personal crisis.
NFPA raised over $600 for this year’s charity
through various raffles and donations.
The policy meeting was conducted on
Saturday, October 14, including discussion of
agenda topics.
The NFPA
Awards Luncheon
followed that
day with awards
presented
to: Dardie
E. Robinson
(Oregon Paralegal
Association) -
Individual Pro
Bono Award;
Paralegal
Association of
Central Ohio -
Association Pro
Bono Award; Elizabeth Velez Urie - Thomson
Reuters $3,000 Scholarship Award; Kajal Patel
- Thomson Reuters $2,000 Scholarship Award;
Jessica Kubiak, OSBA, (Paralegal Association
of Central Ohio) - PACE Scholarship; Angela
Woodlee, RP (Indiana Paralegal Association) -
Certification Ambassador; Leah M. Aldred, RP,
OCP (Oregon Paralegal Association) - Outstanding
Local Leader; KaTina Whitfield, ALP, CRP (Dallas
Area Paralegal Association) - Paralegal of the
Year; and John Goudie, AACP (Oregon Paralegal
Association) - William R. Robie Leadership Award.
Later that evening, participants attended
their respective region dinners, a yearly tradition
providing an opportunity to network, catch up
with old friends, and even make some new ones.
The policy meeting continued on Sunday,
October 15 with additional discussion, voting on
agenda topics, and the swearing in of the 2017-
2018 NFPA Board of Directors:
President - Valerie Wilus, RP, Pa.C.P.;
Vice President and Director of Profession
Development -Mindi Schaeffer, M.S., RP,
OSBA, AACP; Vice President and Director of
Positions and Issues -Lori Boris, RP, MnCP;
Vice President and Director of Membership -
Yvonne DeAntoneo; Vice President and Director
of Paralegal Certification - Nita Serrano, RP;
Vice President and Director of Marketing -
Lisa Lynch, CRP; Secretary and Director of
Operations - Cherylan Shearer, RP; Director,
Region I - Ronell Badua; Director, Region
II - Mianne Besser; Director, Region III - Lori
Wagner, RP, IRP; Director, Region IV - Becky
Reedy, NJCP; Director, Region V - Jose Estes; and
Board Advisor - Lisa Vessels, RP, CP, FRP.
The convention and policy meeting
concluded with the “passing of the torch”
ceremony in which the ceremonial “torch”
was passed to the Washington State Paralegal
Association, which will host the 2018 convention
on October 25-28, 2018, in Seattle, Washington.
For more information, please visit us at www.
paralegals.org
NFPA 2017-2018
Board of Directors
4 Q4 - 2017 www.ParalegalToday.com
Foundation, where we met some superheroes we already knew and
quite a few new superheroes.
Lastly, just before we wrapped up the conference with our
inspiration station and closing session, we awarded the NALS Award
of Excellence to Debra Taylor, PP, PLS, and acknowledged and
thanked Norfolk Education Task Force chair Tara Jean Brown and her
committee for putting together great education sessions.
While 2017 has been a fantastic year, we have some amazing events
coming in 2018, starting off with the NALS 2018 Virtual Leadership
Course and Education Series in March; Adventure Tulsa, April 6-7, 2018;
Leadership Appreciation Day, July 5, 2018; and the NALS 67th Annual
Education and Networking Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, September
20-22, 2018. View our events online at www.NALS.org/Events.
/paralegals.org
/www.ParalegalToday.com
/Events