Young Scholars Program

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1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Breakout Session #2 Business Law Track
Jean G. Schtokal, Shareholder, Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., Lansing,
Michigan, will present “Piercing the Corporate Veil.” Ms. Schtokal’s practice ar-
eas include Business Organization and Planning and International Business Law. Litigation Track
Thomas A. Norton, Senior Attorney, Miller, Canfi eld, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.,
will present “Document Production.” Mr. Norton’s practice areas include Product
Safety, Product Litigation and Torts, and Corporate Discovery Management. 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Breakout Session #3 Business Law Track
Matt G. Hrebec, Shareholder, Foster, Swift, Collins &
Smith, P.C., Lansing, Michigan, will present “Sarbannes-Oxley Act Compli-
ance.” Mr. Hrebec’s practice areas include Business Organization and Plan-
ning, Employee Benefi ts and ESOPs, and Taxation. Litigation Track
Robert J. Wierenga, Senior Counsel Miller, Canfi eld, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.,
will present “Trial Preparation.” Mr. Wierenga’s practice areas include Litigation
and Dispute Resolution, with emphasis on antitrust counseling and litigation Michigan Paralegal Continued on back cover! State Bar of Michigan Spring 2005 michael franck building
306 townsend street
Lansing, MI 48933-2083 www.michbar.org State Bar of Michigan PRESORTED FIRST CLASS U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANSING MI 48933 Table of Contents Section News ..................1 National News ............8-11 State & Local News . 14-22 Features .................. 15-24 Date: Friday, May 6, 2005 Place: State Bar of Michigan Michael Franck Building 306 Townsend Street Lansing, Michigan 48933-2083 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Registration, Continental Breakfast and Vendor Displays
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.: Keynote Speaker
Nancy J. Diehl, the 70th president of the State Bar of Michigan, is the
Chief of the Felony Trial Division in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s
Offi ce. She oversees general trials, homicide, auto theft, major drugs,
and the Child and Family Abuse Bureau that she established early in her
career. She is a nationally sought after speaker and trainer on domestic
violence and child abuse investigation, prosecution, and related issues.
Diehl has also co-authored four booklets for children that are requested
nationwide. A range of topics are covered in titles like: It is Good to
Tell the Truth, Kids Go To Court, Kids and Secrets, and Sometimes it is
Sad to be at Home...What is a Kid to do about Domestic Violence. 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Legal Writing in Plain English
Jeanette Buttrey, Associate Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School,
Lansing, Michigan, will present “Legal Writing in Plain English.” Profes-
sor Buttrey joined Cooley’s full-time faculty after having served as a Legal
Methods instructor, a research and writing grading assistant, and visiting
professor. 10:30 a.m. to Noon: Breakout Session #1 Business Law Track R. Scott Keller, Partner, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, Grand Rapids,
Michigan will present “International Trademark Protection: New De-
velopments Involving The Madrid Protocol.” Scott Keller practices in
the areas of intellectual property and internet law and litigation, includ-
ing trademarks, copyrights, domain names and unfair competition. Litigation Track
Peter N. Tassie, Managing Counsel, Ford Motor Company, Offi ce of General Counsel,
will present “Fact Finding: Methods of investigation, when to use investigators, and how
to know if you have a ‘smoking gun.’” Noon to 1:00 p.m.: Networking Luncheon A NNUAL S EMINAR P REVIEW ! Annual Seminar Preview
Continued from page 1 2 Michigan Paralegal M ESSAGE F ROM THE C HAIR Disclaimer Articles and columns that appear in the Michigan Paralegal do not necessarily refl ect the offi cial position
of the Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and their publication does not constitute an
endorsement of views which may be expressed. Publication and editing are at the discretion of the editor.
The Michigan Paralegal wishes to encourage republication and dissemination of articles it publishes. For
information about securing permission to reprint articles, please address inquiries to the editor. Editor’s Note: The section newsletter is published quarterly. The deadline for submission of items for the
Summer 2005 issue is June 21, 2005. Section News and Business, Letters to the Editor, National News, and calendar items: Please send to Margaret
Lucas Agius, CLA, Managing Editor, by e-mail (agius@millercanfi eld.com) or facsimile [(734) 747-7147]. State and Local News: Please send to Kathleen D. Kasiorek, CP, State and Local News Editor, by e-mail
(kkasiorek@wnj.com) or facsimile [(616) 752-2500]. Features: Please send to Linda A. Potter, CP, Features Editor, by e-mail (l.potter2@verizon.net) or facsimile
[(989) 773-6414]. C HAIRPERSON Kathleen D. Kasiorek, CLA (616) 752-2264 kkasiorek@wnj.com C HAIRPERSON -E LECT Vicki Voisin, CLAS E X -O FFICIO C HAIRPERSON KathyAnn Blunck S ECRETARY Cami M. McEvers T REASURER Kevin D. Gasiewski, CLAS C OUNCIL Susan M. Brey Denise E. Gau Heather A. Hill, CLAS Susan M. LaFerier Randy L. Mitnick Ruth M. Schaub STANDING COMMITTEES A NNUAL M EETING KathyAnn Blunck, Chair J OB B ANK Margaret Lucas Agius, CLA, Chair E DUCATION Vicki Voisin, CLAS, Chair M EMBERSHIP Kevin D. Gasiewski, CLAS, Chair N EWSLETTER Margaret Lucas Agius, CLA, Co-Chair Linda A. Potter, CP, Co-Chair P RO B ONO Kathleen D. Kasiorek, CP, Chair P UBLIC R ELATIONS Ruth M. Schaub, Chair S CHOLARSHIPS Heather A. Hill, CLAS, Chair W EBSITE Kathleen D. Kasiorek, CLA, Chair C OUNCIL AND C OMMITTEE D IRECTORY Welcome to Spring. As I write this, we are just one day into the season of rebirth
and renewal but the ground is still covered
in snow! Hopefully by the time you read
this the days will be sunny and a little
warmer. I have already noticed little green
shoots promising the arrival of lilies soon
to arrive in my garden. This regeneration
of life is so refreshing each Spring. The
vegetation around me is emerging from
dormancy and I fi nd myself with a renewed
energy as well. The Legal Assistants Section
certainly hasn’t been dormant these past
few months, but we do hope to share some
of our positive energy with you.
As you know, our annual education seminar takes place on May 6. As you
can see, our education committee has
put together a fabulous program that you
defi nitely won’t want to miss. Look for
registration information to come in the
following weeks.
As promised last time, we present the second installment of our Ethics column.
Our ethics guru, Vicki Voisin, walks us
through a scenario that may be all too
familiar to many of us. Find out how to
handle this challenging ethics situation.
The career path of a paralegal has been known to take many twists and turns, but
who would guess that one would end up in
Baghdad? Check out a special report from
Margaret Agius regarding a fellow paralegal
on the front lines in Iraq. Perhaps it will add some perspective the next time you
feel like you’re under heavy fi re on the
job!
Finally, get ready to celebrate Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day on May 3. You’ll
fi nd information and ideas in a letter
from the Section Council.
We have so much more to share with you in this issue of The Michigan
Paralegal. Read on and be ready to get
energized!
As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions.
You can reach me at kkasiorek@wnj.com
or at 616-752-2264. Kathleen Kasiorek,
CP has been a
paralegal for
eight years. She
holds a Bachelor’s
Degree in Business
Administration and
an Associate’s Degree
in Legal Assisting
from Ferris State
University. Kathleen is an Intellectual Property Paralegal at Warner
Norcross and Judd LLP in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. She is the current chairperson of the
State Bar of Michigan, Legal Assistant Section
and is an active member of the Grand Rapids
Bar Association, Legal Assistant Section, the
Greater Grand Rapids Intellectual Property
Paralegal Association, and the National
Association of Legal Assistants. 3 Spring 2005 C OUNCIL N EWS Kathleen D. Kasiorek,
Section Chair Summary of January 22 Council Meeting 1 The Council of the Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar
of Michigan met via teleconference
on Saturday, January 22, 2005.
The following council members
were present: Susan Brey, Kathleen
Kasiorek, Katherine Mansfi eld,
Randy Mitnick, Ruth Schaub and
Vicki Voisin. Section members, Linda
Jevahirian and Margaret Agius also
attended.
The minutes of the October 30, 2004 meeting were approved.
Ms. Kasiorek presented the Treasurer’s Report and the
Membership Committee Report
in Mr. Gasiewski’s absence. Mr.
Gasiewski reports that he is
often asked about the benefi ts of
membership in the section and he
suggests preparing a brochure to
distribute to potential members. Ms.
Brey will work with Mr. Gasiewski on
this.
Ms. Kasiorek reported on the annual meeting in Ms. Blunck’s
absence. The State Bar annual meeting
will be held September 22 and 23 at
the Kellogg Hotel and Conference
Center in East Lansing. Details of the
program were discussed.
Ms. Voisin presented the education committee report. The
spring seminar is scheduled for May 6
at the State Bar Building, which has a
capacity of 80 persons. Details of the
program were discussed.
Ms. Agius presented the job bank committee and newsletter committee reports. Ms. Agius suggested a feature
article on a paralegal from NALA who
is currently stationed in Baghdad and
is posting diary entries on the NALA
discussion board. It was agreed that
this article should be run in the next
issue of the Michigan Paralegal.
Ms. Jevahirian presented the public relations committee report
in Ms. Schaub’s absence. The
committee presented several ideas
for Legal Assistant Day, the Section
Anniversary, a proposed Founders
Award and a proposed Legal Assistant
of the Year Award.
Ms. Brey will report on the election procedures committee at the
March meeting.
There were no reports on the pro bono, scholarship and website
committees.
Publication of meeting minutes in the Michigan Paralegal was discussed.
Ms. Mitnick moved that highlights
from the minutes of each meeting be
published in the Michigan Paralegal
along with a notice that full minutes
of the meetings would be made
available upon request. Ms. Mansfi eld
seconded the motion and it was
unanimously approved.
The council secretary, Marianne Delaney, has resigned. Cami McEvers will take over as secretary. A new
council member will be appointed by
the council.
Upcoming meeting dates and locations are as follows: Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:00 p.m. -
Lansing Saturday, August 6, 2005 10:00 a.m.
- Grand Rapids Thursday, September 21, 2005 6:00
p.m. - Lansing Spring Seminar - Friday, May 6, 2005
- Lansing Annual Meeting - Friday, September
23, 2005 – East Lansing The Council Meeting was adjourned
at 12:21 p.m. 1 Full meeting minutes are available to section members by request, from either the Section
Chair or the Section Secretary. 4 Michigan Paralegal M EMBERSHIP C OMMITTEE N EWS Kevin D. Gasiewski, CLAS Membership Committee Chair New Members Legal Assistants Section
S TATE B AR OF M ICHIGAN New Section Members
(as of 22-March-2005) Shelley F. Anzalone, Ann Arbor, MI
Amy Frances Bowman, Detroit, MI
Ruth Anne Dudley-Chippewa,
Peshawbestown, MI Brian Philip English, Ann Arbor, MI
Wendy Gabriel, Grand Rapids, MI
Cheryl Lynn Gray, Bloomfi eld Hills, MI
Sharon Louise Harris, Detroit, MI
Megan Ann Hempel, Lansing, MI
Keith Robert Hicks, East Lansing, MI
Sarah B. Hondorp, Grand Rapids, MI
Mary Catherine Jakary, Troy, MI
Mary Jean Kelley, Fife Lake, MI Karen Marie Klein, Sterling Heights, MI
Michelle Lee Lelek, Dearborn Heights, MI
Beryl Jane Levin, Farmington Hills, MI
Laurie K. Mizrahi, Hazel Park, MI
Judy Anne Musgrove, Detroit, MI
Rachel Kathleen Ross, Howell, MI
Patricia Ann Stickels, Kalamazoo, MI
Melanie Lynne Thomas, Detroit, MI
Renee Mary Tomko, Detroit, MI
Mary G. Trayner , Bloomfi eld Hills, MI
Natalie Marie Walter, Ann Arbor, MI
Jacqueline Sue Weed, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI Stacy Lynn Westra, Ada, MI
Nancy J. Yucha, Detroit, MI E DUCATION C OMMITTEE R EPORT See Cover Story for Seminar Preview! Snail Mail List Serv Section Website Watch for Seminar Brochure and Registration Form Coming Soon By: 5 Spring 2005 E THICS C ORNER Continued on page 6 It is panic time in the law offi ce. You have been employed as a legal assistant by the same attorney for
several years. He happens to be out of
town taking depositions. A deadline
looms: a document absolutely has to be
fi led with the Court by 5:00 p.m. that
afternoon.
No problem, you think. Your boss is expected back in the offi ce by
3:00 p.m. That will allow plenty of
time for him to review the fi nal draft,
sign it, and for you to deliver it to the
Courthouse before the Clerk’s offi ce
closes.
You drafted the document and gave it to your employer for his review a few
days earlier, fully aware of the deadline.
He reviewed and revised the document,
but did not return it to you in time for
it to be prepared in fi nal form before
he departed.
It is now 3:00 p.m. The document is on the attorney’s desk, waiting for his
review and signature. Then the phone
rings. It is the DREADED CALL. He
has been held up and will not be back
in the offi ce until the next morning.
But what about the fi ling deadline? No
problem, he says, go ahead and sign his
name. After all, you have worked for
him for years and he knows you have
prepared the document exactly as he
would have wanted it.
What should you do? A. Sign the document, make
copies, and hurry to the
Courthouse?
B. Remind your employer it
is unethical for you to sign his
name to a pleading? I am certain you chose B. This is the correct answer, the ethical answer.
Signing your employer’s name to the
document constitutes the unauthorized
practice of law. Here is the reasoning behind this choice:
First, we will turn to the Michigan Court Rules, specifi cally MCR 2.114
which applies to all pleadings, motions,
and affi davits. MCR 2.114 (C)(1) states that
every document of a party
represented by an attorney shall
be signed by at least one attorney
of record. MCR 2.114(D) states that
the signature of an attorney
constitutes a certifi cation by the
signer that he or she has read the
document. Further, the person
signing the document certifi es
that to the best of his or her
knowledge, information and
belief formed after reasonable
inquiry, the document is
well grounded in fact and is
warranted by existing law. Only the attorney of record is allowed to sign a pleading. You cannot
sign your employer’s name, even at his
direction.
Let’s take this one step further by reviewing the Michigan Rules of
Professional Conduct. MRPC 5.5 deals with the
unauthorized practice of law and
states that a lawyer shall not assist
a person who is not a member
of the bar in the performance
of activity that constitutes the
unauthorized practice of law. MRPC 5.3 refers to a lawyer’s
responsibilities regarding
nonlawyer assistants and states
that a lawyer shall be responsible
for conduct of such a person
that would be a violation of the rules of professional conduct
if engaged in by a lawyer if the
lawyer orders or ratifi es the
conduct. Further, the Guidelines for Utilization of Legal Assistants adopted
by the State Bar of Michigan in 1976,
with the last revision approved in
1993, also addresses the issue of signing
an attorney’s name to a pleading.
Guideline 2 states that a lawyer may
ethically assign responsibility to a
legal assistant for the performance of
tasks relating to the representation
of a client and the law fi rm’s delivery
of legal services, commensurate with
the experience and training of the
legal assistant and where the lawyer
directly supervises the legal assistant
and reviews the legal assistant’s work
product before it is communicated
outside the law fi rm.
The following is a direct quote from the Comments attached to
Guideline 2:
Paragraph “c” addresses the propriety of a nonlawyer drafting legal
documents….It is improper for a legal
assistant to sign the lawyer’s name to a
legal document, even with the lawyer’s
direction and consent. See MRPC 4.1.;
MCR 2.113.
In other words, an attorney has a duty to supervise his employees and to
be certain that their actions are ethical.
This duty to supervise includes the
review of all documents before they
leave the law offi ce.
How can you ethically handle this situation?
If there is more than one attorney in the fi rm, another attorney may sign
on behalf of the absent lawyer. Vicki Voisin, CLAS ETHICSBASICS™ Submitted to Legal Assistants Association of Michigan for publication in the NEWSBRIEF April 30, 2003
Submitted updated text to Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan for publication in the Michigan Paralegal April, 2005 6 Michigan Paralegal Ethics Corner
Continued from page 5 If your employer is a sole practitioner, you may be out of luck.
However, since I am never above
begging, I would call the Clerk to ask
permission to fi le an original document
with a faxed signature page. The
document could then be sent by fax or
e-mail to the attorney for his review. If
it met with his approval, he could sign
and fax back the signature page. You
would fi le the page with the original
signature as soon as he returned to the
offi ce.
Still, you may be out of luck if you are fi ling a motion because most Clerks
will only accept a motion bearing
original signatures.
Should your fi rm adopt the attitude that “no one will ever know”
if you sign the attorney’s name to the
document, please remember that there
are sanctions for violation of MCR
2.114 and there have been at least two
instances where attorneys have been
reprimanded by the State of Michigan
Attorney Discipline Board for this very
conduct.
There are other instances where you should stand your ground and
refuse to sign your name (or someone
else’s) to a document.
One instance that comes to mind is the witnessing or notarizing
of someone else’s signature. It goes
without saying that it is unethical and illegal to sign as a witness to a signature
unless you actually see the person sign.
In addition, you must be certain of
the identity of the person signing the
document. Is it really Jane Doe? You
may have to ask for identifi cation.
To take this one step further, imagine your embarrassment (not
to mention the legal ramifi cations)
of having to tell a Judge “Yes” that is
your signature as a witness to the wife’s
signing the mortgage but “No” you did
not actually see her sign it. This is a
nightmare waiting to happen. Don’t let
it happen to you.
Another area where you should use caution is the signing of
correspondence on behalf of your
fi rm. You must be sure that any
correspondence signed by you clearly
identifi es your status as a nonlawyer
AND covers only information or
procedure. Providing legal advice is the
responsibility of the attorney. If you do
so, this constitutes the unauthorized
practice of law.
Signing a document is an important step in the legal process.
Only an attorney may sign his name
on a legal document. Only an attorney
may sign correspondence that contains
legal advice. Whenever you put your
name on the dotted line as a witness or
a notary, be sure you actually see the
person sign the document and always be certain of his identity.
One last word of advice: Always be courteous to Court personnel. When
you are begging for help at the last
hour, they just may be more inclined to
assist you! Vicki Voisin, CLAS, is Chair- Elect and Education Chair for the
Legal Assistants Section of the State
Bar of Michigan. Vicki is a nationally
recognized
lecturer and
author on
issues of ethics
for legal
support staff.
She is a Past
President of
the National
Association
of Legal
Assistants (NALA). During her career,
Vicki has received numerous awards
recognizing her leadership skills and
contributions to the growth and
development of the paralegal profession.
She was awarded the 2003 President’s
Award by NALA, and will be a key
speaker at the Association’s 2005 annual
convention in Kansas City, Missouri. She
also received the 2000 Mentor Award
from the Legal Assistants Section of the
State Bar of Michigan. Vicki Voisin, CLAS Certified Legal Assistant EthicsBasics SM Ethics Education for Legal Support Staff P.O. Box 743
Charlevoix, Michigan 49720 Telephone: (800) 790-6284 E-mail: info@ethicsbasics.com www.ethicsbasics.com 7 Spring 2005 April, 2005 Dear Legal Assistants Section Members, Are you ready to celebrate? May 3 is Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day and the Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar wants Legal Assistants and Paralegals throughout Michigan to
celebrate! The Legal Assistants Association of Michigan (LAAM) was instrumental in implementing the very first Legal Assistant Day. On May 2, 2000, Governor John Engler signed a Proclamation
declaring May 3, 2000, and every May 3 thereafter, Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day in Michigan. This
Proclamation was the result of the work of LAAM members Tina Hall and Marcy Jankovich, CLAS, who
worked with State Representative Clark Bisbee and Governor Engler's offices in establishing this
Proclamation. On February 25, 2005, Governor Granholm signed another Proclamation, additionally
recognizing LAAM’s contribution to the founding of the Legal Assistants Section as well as the 15-year
anniversary of the section. As another Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day approaches, we encourage all of you to find creative ways to observe this special day. Here are some suggestions: H Decorate your work area with balloons, streamers, etc. H Send a floral arrangement to be enjoyed by the legal assistants in the office. H Frame a copy of the official proclamation of Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day for your office.
(Additional copies may be downloaded from the Legal Assistants Section web page.) H Gather with your fellow legal assistants to share “war stories” – funny, interesting and downright bizarre accounts from the field. (Bearing in mind issues of confidentiality.) H Bring in a cake or another treat to share with your co-workers. H Coordinate a luncheon for the legal assistants in your office. H Get together at a local restaurant after work. We would love to hear your suggestions for other fun and unique ways to celebrate. Share them with us and your fellow section members on the Legal Assistants Section ListServ. Once you’ve planned for your celebration, be sure someone has a camera handy. We want to see pictures of how you celebrated. We’ll share your pictures in the next issue of the Michigan
Paralegal. Please send digital photos or scanned copies of your pictures via email to agius@millercanfield.com or on disk to Margaret Lucas Agius, CLA, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone,
P.L.C., 101 North Main Street, 7th Floor, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104. Whichever way you choose, be sure to take this opportunity to commemorate our special day. Legal Assistants and Paralegals work hard and we deserve this opportunity to celebrate! Sincerely, k Kathleen Kasiorek
Section Chair 8 Michigan Paralegal Wanted—Mature Legal Assistants/ Paralegals to Volunteer 1/4/05 Elder Law of Michigan, Inc., a
statewide non-profi t organization with
the mission to promote and protect
the rights of seniors in Michigan
through information, advocacy, and
legal advice needs volunteers to help
meet the legal needs of the thousands
of older citizens who call our Legal
Hotline for Michigan Seniors, the
Michigan Pension Rights Project and
the Michigan Coordinated Access
to Food for the Elderly (MiCAFE)
Project each year. Because people are
generally more comfortable sharing
personal information with peers or
near peers, we are actively seeking
volunteers with some life experience
and an understanding of the law to
work with clients.
Some options include: Pension Rights: For volunteers who
love to work cases and appreciate the
satisfaction of advocating for retirees,
the Pension Rights project offers the
opportunity to take on a case load of
clients, review documents, do appeals
and resolve benefi t issues. It is a great
opportunity to learn about pension law
and make a huge difference in retirees’
quality of life. Since 1998 our team of
staff and volunteers has helped retirees
recover over $1.8 million in pension
benefi ts. Local volunteers from the
greater Lansing area are needed for this
project. Call Kimberly Stepanski, JD
at 800-347-5297 (at the greeting, enter
extension 239) or kstepanski@elderslaw.
org if you are interested or for more
information. MiCAFE
Help older low income seniors apply
for Food Stamps! Only about 40% of
the seniors eligible for the program P RO B ONO N EWS in Michigan take advantage of it.
We need volunteers in the City of
Detroit, the City of Flint, and in Kent
County to volunteer at local senior or
community centers to complete Food
Stamp applications for seniors using an
online computer system. The average
monthly benefi t for seniors that are
found eligible for Food Stamps is
about $59/month! It is a great way to
make an immediate impact on the life
of a senior in need. Call Sarah Cook
at 877-664-2233 or scook@elderslaw.
org if you are interested or for more
information. For background on our organization,
our website is www.elderslaw.org. If
you know a senior who needs free
legal advice and is over 60 years of
age, encourage them to call the Legal
Hotline for Michigan Seniors at 800-
347-5297. SAVE THE DATE! The State Bar of Michigan’s 70th Annual Meeting will be held September 22-23, 2005 at a new location
— The Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in
East Lansing. Highlights will include the swearing
in of the 71st SBM president at an inaugural lunch
on Thursday, and a Distinguished Service Awards
luncheon on Friday honoring the contributions of
outstanding lawyers and judges.
The Annual Meeting Committee is still working on the details of the program. As in previous years,
core activities like Section meetings and programs as
well as Board of Commissioners and Representative
Assembly meetings will also be held. The Board of
Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,
September 21, at the State Bar building in Lansing.
The Legal Assistants Section Annual Meeting and Seminar will take place on Friday, September 23, 2005. More information will follow as it becomes available. A NNUAL M EETING R EPORT 9 Spring 2005 Continued on page 10 The Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan shall
present at least two nonrenewable
tuition/books-only scholarships, to be
limited to the amounts available for
distribution. For the year 2005, the
scholarships may range from $250-
$1,000 and are available to those who
are enrolling or are enrolled in a Legal
Assistant degree/certifi cate program at
a post secondary college or university
located in the State of Michigan. One
scholarship may be awarded only
to a member of the Legal Assistants
Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
However, if the Legal Assistants
Section of the State Bar of Michigan
does not receive enough qualifi ed
applicants, it may elect to award less
than two scholarships.
Factors considered in awarding the scholarship will include scholastic
or legal career achievements, future
career goals, and leadership ability.
The candidate must: 1. Be either a high school senior who will be enrolling or an
individual (which includes
section members) who is
currently enrolled or will be
enrolling in a Legal Assistant
degree/certifi cate program at
a post secondary college or
university located in the State of
Michigan. 2. Have at least a C average, or not below 70 if percentile
system is used, to be
substantiated by transcript of
grades. 3. Be able to enroll in fall term. 4. Be a resident of the State of Michigan. 5. Complete entire application including the required
attachments. Candidates nominated in prior years who meet current qualifi cations
are eligible for re-nomination.
The application and all required attachments must be submitted on
the forms provided to the Legal
Assistants Section of the State Bar
of Michigan Scholarship Chair, and
must be postmarked no later than July
1, 2005. Any application postmarked
after that date will be disqualifi ed.
The Scholarship Committee of the Legal Assistants Section of the State
Bar of Michigan (the “Scholarship
Committee”) may select not less than
three, nor more than six fi nalists from
the entries submitted. The fi nalists
shall be voted on at a meeting of the
council of the Legal Assistants Section
of the State Bar of Michigan.
Prior to submitting the applications to the Scholarship
Committee, the Scholarship
Committee Chair shall remove from
each application all identifi cation of
the applicant and assign a number to
each application. The recipient will
be timely notifi ed to enable him/her
to make arrangements for his/her
ensuing school term.
In the event a scholarship recipient does not accept the scholarship award,
the scholarship shall be awarded to the
next highest non-recipient in order.
The scholarship recipient must notify
the Scholarship Committee Chair of
fi nal decision regarding enrollment no
later than August 15, 2005. Should a scholarship recipient not enroll in the
ensuing term in school, thereby forfeiting
the award, it may be presented to the
next highest non-recipient.
The scholarship monetary award shall be paid directly to the school of
the scholarship recipient’s choice for
enrollment in the ensuing term in school.
Any scholarship award must be used in
full within one year from the date of the
written notifi cation to the recipient of
his/her selection as a winner. Any unused
scholarship award, or portion thereof,
shall be refunded by the school to the
Michigan State Bar Foundation Legal
Assistants Scholarship Fund by June 1 of
the year following the presentation of the
award.
The Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan
State Bar Foundation Legal Assistants
Scholarship Fund will always endeavor to
award scholarships to the most qualifi ed
applicants.
Members of the Scholarship Committee are not eligible to receive
from the Legal Assistants Section of the
State Bar of Michigan for the year in
which they serve on the Committee. Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan Scholarship application must be fully completed with all of the following documentation and returned to the scholarship chair postmarked no later than July 1, 2005 1. An offi cial transcript of grades Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan Scholarship Award Rules and Regulations S CHOLARSHIP C OMMITTEE 10 Michigan Paralegal Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar of Michigan Scholarship Application must be fully
completed with all of the following documentation and returned to the Scholarship Chair
postmarked no later than July 1, 2005 LEGAL ASSISTANTS SECTION OF THE STATE BAR OF MICHIGAN
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM NAME _____________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS __________________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE __________________________ FAX________________________________ E-MAIL ____________________________________________________________________ SCHOOL ___________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS __________________________________________________________________ PRINCIPAL/DEAN’S NAME __________________________________________________ DATE OF GRADUATION _____________________________________________________ CURRENT GRADE POINT AVERAGE __________________________________________ ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE SECTION? _______________________________________ If so, what is your A number ____________________________________________________________ Return this application with required attachments to: Heather A. Hill, CLAS Scholarship Chair Legal Assistants Section State Bar of Michigan O’Reilly Rancilio P.C. 12900 Hall Road, Suite 350 Sterling Heights, MI 48313 hhill@orlaw.com Return this application with required attachments to: Heather A. Hill, CLAS Scholarship Chair Legal Assistants Section State Bar of Michigan O’Reilly Rancilio P.C. 12900 Hall Road, Suite 350 Sterling Heights, MI 48313 hhill@orlaw.com from most recent attended school (high school or college). 2. A one-page letter of
recommendation from the
applicant’s current teacher or
counselor, addressed to the Legal
Assistants Section of the State Bar of
Michigan stating: a. Applicant’s activity and
leadership record;
b. A description of applicant’s personal traits, character, drive, home background, and need; and
c. Reasons the applicant should
be awarded this scholarship. 3. One additional letter of
recommendation from someone
other than a member of the
applicant’s family, such as an
employer, teacher, pastor, or friend. 4. A one-page autobiographical
statement prepared by the
applicant, showing date of birth,
schools attended, employment,
school and outside activities,
accomplishments, family
background, and hobbies. 5. A double-spaced essay of at
least 250 words, but no more Scholarship Committee
Continued from page 9 than 1,000 words, giving a brief
description of applicant’s career goals
and desires. Please Note: Grammar, neatness, attention to instructions and completeness of application will all be considered. 11 Spring 2005 N ATIONAL N EWS Compiled and Edited by Margaret Lucas Agius,CLA
Managing Editor
agius@millercanfield.com Continued on page 12 The American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc. (AAPI) http://www.aapipara.org Certifi cation News
The American Alliance of
Paralegals,
Inc. is pleased
to announce
the American
Alliance Certifi ed
Paralegal (AACP)
designation.
Visit the AAPI
Certifi cation Page (http://www.
aapipara.org/Certifi cation.htm) for
an application. The standards and
procedures for the AACP program are:
Educational and Experience Criteria;
Submission of Application and
Transcript; Issuance of Certifi cation
and Credential; Code of Ethics;
and, Maintenance of Certifi cation/
Continuing Legal Education
Requirement. Annual Seminar Information
The AAPI Annual Seminar will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, during
September or October 2005. More
information will follow. Legal Assistant Today (LAT) http://legalassistanttoday.com/ Legal Assistant Today Announces
13th Annual Salary Survey Results
March 1, 2005 (Costa Mesa, Calif.) — The editors of Legal
Assistant Today are proud to
announce the results of the 13th
Annual Salary Survey are available
in the March/April 2005 issue. In
this year’s feature article, “Peace
of Mind” by Rod Hughes, legal
assistants experienced continued
salary growth in 2004, with a national average salary of $45,935
— an increase of $1,127 more than the
average paralegal salary in 2003. The
average raise also increased to $2,747,
an increase of more than $300.
Featuring 14 pages of graphs,
charts and information, this year’s
survey results highlight: • National and regional
breakdowns for 2004 salaries,
bonuses and raises • A comparison of national and
regional salary averages from
1999 to 2004 • Additional regional salary
breakdowns by education and
experience • National statistics regarding
billing requirements, benefi ts,
job environment, certifi cation
and hiring requirements,
exempt vs. nonexempt status,
employment outlook and
more. LAT’s Salary Survey questionnaire is mailed to a random sampling
of paralegal subscribers across the
nation every year, asking more
than 50 questions regarding their
salary, employee benefi ts and job
environment. The results are then
tabulated and presented in our annual
Salary Survey, which highlights
national and regional breakdowns.
LAT subscribers receive this annual issue as a part of their
subscription package.
For subscription
information, call
(800) 394-2626
or e-mail customer-
service@jamespublishing.
com. Or to purchase only the March/April 2005 issue
featuring the Salary Survey results,
contact Robin Mechem at (714) 755-
5450. Legal Assistant Today Announces Its
Eighth Annual Paralegal of the Year
Contest
March 1, 2005 (Costa Mesa, Calif.) — The editors and staff of
Legal Assistant Today are proud to
announce that nominations are now
being accepted for the eighth annual
Paralegal of the Year contest, open
to all paralegals with a minimum of
three years of paralegal/legal assistant
experience.
New this year! The nominator of the individual who is selected as the
2005 Paralegal of the Year also will
receive $100.
The magazine has featured this annual contest since 1998 to recognize
and reward experienced paralegals who
demonstrate exceptional qualities, both
on the job and for the profession as a
whole.
Sponsored by Image Capture Engineering, the Paralegal of the
Year contest is open to all paralegals
who meet the contest’s requirements,
including: • All nominees must have a
minimum of three years'
experience as a paralegal/legal
assistant. • Self-nominations are not
allowed. All nominees must be
nominated by another person.
(The nominator can be a
paralegal manager, supervising
attorney, client, co-worker,
association member or any
organization.) • All nominators must submit a
statement on the nomination 12 Michigan Paralegal » » » form of at least 500 words,
providing information and
specifi cs on the nominees’
signifi cant activities in each
of the following categories:
Work Contributions, Paralegal
Profession Contributions,
Educational Contributions
and Civic Contributions.
Nomination statements of less
than 500 words will disqualify
the nomination. • Multiple nominations are encouraged; however,
a different person must
complete each nomination,
with an accompanying
statement per the above
requirements. The winner will be chosen by the LAT Editorial Advisory Board, and
featured in the September/October
2005 issue. The winner also will receive
a $1,000 cash prize, award plaque and
complimentary one-year subscription
to LAT. Two runners-up will also be
chosen, and will each receive an award
plaque and a complimentary one-year
subscription to LAT. The Runners-up
will also be featured in the September/
October 2005 issue.
All nominations are due by May 6, 2005. For complete contest
requirements and to fi ll out a
nomination form, please go to the LAT
website at www.legalassistanttoday.com. Managing Knowledge 101
The January/February 2005 issue of Legal Assistant Today contains a
feature article by Linda A. Potter,
Newsletter Committee Co-Chair
and Features Editor of the Michigan Paralegal. “Managing Knowledge: How
paralegals can head up KM projects
for their fi rms” focuses on knowledge
management in the legal arena,
and how paralegals fi t into law fi rm
knowledge management initiatives.
“Managing Knowledge” is also one of
two features selected from the January/
February issue of LAT to have its full
text reprinted on the LAT website.
Non-subscribers may access the article
at http://legalassistanttoday.com/issue_
archive/feature1_jf05.htm. National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. (NALA) http://www.nala.org/ 2005 NALA Convention
July 13-16, 2005
Hyatt Regency Crown Center
Kansas City, Missouri The Heart of America
Kansas City is the venue for celebrating NALA’s 30 years as the nation’s foremost professional
association for paralegals. Although
NALA will be meeting at the Kansas
City Hyatt Regency Crown Center on
the Missouri side of the line, the KC
metropolitan areas actually includes
more than 136 municipalities in both
Kansas and Missouri.
Not only is the city well known for the arts, jazz, barbeque and professional
sports, its location places it within
250 miles of both the geographic and
population centers of the U.S. This
position as “The Heart of America”
means that no one will have to travel
more than 1,900 miles to attend the
30-year anniversary convention. 30 Years Strong
When NALA was incorporated in 1975 to provide continuing education
and professional development
programs for legal assistants, paralegals
were just becoming recognized as a
distinct part of the legal community.
Today, NALA represents more than
18,000 legal assistants both through
individual membership and through 90
state and local affi liated associations.

The 2005 Convention Program
Plans are underway for a memorable education and celebration
activities in Kansas City. The
educational program will include: Institutes
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Trial Practice

Essential Skills Workshop National News
Continued from page 11 13 Spring 2005 - Written Communications
- American Legal System
- Legal Research
- Judgment & Legal Analysis
- Ethics

Educational Tracks
- Leadership
- Corporate Law (franchise/
employment; corporate compliance/
risk management; intellectual property)
- A la Carte (bankruptcy, criminal law/
crime scene forensics; bond law/special
fi nancing)

NALA Member Exchange Presenters
Announced
Creativity, sound preparation, and psychological considerations are traits
to be emphasized in both presentations
selected this year for the National
Association of Legal Assistant’s
prestigious Member Exchange Program
during the association’s 30th annual
convention July 13–16, 2005, in
Kansas City.
The fi rst presentation will be by Beverly A. Boyd, CLA, with the
Atkinson, Haskins law fi rm in Tulsa,
OK, and Elizabeth Nellis, CLA, a
freelance paralegal, also from Tulsa.
They will present a lecture on “The Art
& Science of Witness Interviews.”
The second presentation will be an interactive hands-on production,
including a role-playing exercise, on
“Making Stellar Presentations with
Style, Confi dence and Finesse” by
Patricia J. Gustin, CLA, CFEI, a
freelance legal assistant in Harrisburg,
PA, and Kimberly J. Houser, CLA,
with Capital BlueCross in Marysville,
PA.
The lecture on witness interviews will offer an overview
of effective interview techniques,
including psychological and non-
verbal considerations important to
success. Outlines for developing
a general witness interview, with
sample questions and suggestions for
customizing the interview to obtain
specifi c information, will be covered.
Guidelines for using the same interview
skills in other aspects of career
development will also be presented.
Discussion of a fi ve-step method for making stellar presentations will
include a role-playing exercise in the
production on delivering presentations.
The importance of thorough
preparation, effective “packaging,”
and avoiding verbal and non-verbal
blunders will be covered. A tip sheet
will be provided for future reference.
Member Exchange presentations are competitively selected from among
proposals submitted each year by
NALA members across the nation.
The program offers an exceptional
opportunity for members to share
expertise, present successful strategies,
and heighten their profi les in the
paralegal profession. The 2006 call for
proposals will be made in the summer
of 2005. National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. (NFPA) http://www.paralegals.org/ 2005 NFPA Annual Convention
The Paralegal Association of Southern Nevada will host the NFPA
2005 Annual Convention, “Viva Las
Vegas,” April 28 to May 1, 2005,
at the Golden Nugget, Las Vegas.
Registration materials and further information are now posted on the
NFPA Website. Registration options: • Thursday Seminar Registration (Open to all) • Policy Meetings, Regional Meetings and Workshops
Registration (only for
Delegates, Local Association
Offi cers and observers) • Luncheons and Events (Open
to all) • Friday Night Social (Open to
all) Registration may be made by mail, fax, or via the NFPA website. A
$20.00 late fee is assessed after March
14, 2005. No cancellation refunds
are available after April 5, 2005. A
substitution of registrants is permitted. 16 Michigan Paralegal A Member of the MPS Group THAT’S WHAT WE DO, EVERY DAY. When your workload exceeds your workforce, Special Counsel has the answers. Leading law firms and corporate legal departments have come to rely on our full range of legal workforce solutions. From temporary staffing to direct hire, and with leading edge solutions such as our Concise® Deposition Summary Service, we handle it all. We do it by containing costs so you can grow your bottom line. Call us today and find out how we can do it for you. DID YOU KNOW that Special Counsel now offers medical document review services? Legal Nurse Services has qualified professionals on call. Call toll-free today for information. 1-888-58-NURSE (1-888-586-8773) (248) 614-0013 (800) 737-3436 www.specialcounsel.com ® 17 Spring 2005 I NTERNATIONAL S POTLIGHT Compiled and Edited by
Margaret Lucas Agius,
CLA, Managing Editor,
agius@millercanfi eld.com AVONDALE ESTATES, Ga., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ - - The Legal Assistant Management Association (LAMA) has
changed its name to the International Paralegal Management
Association (IPMA), effective January 1, 2005. This decision
refl ects the association’s chief objective —to serve as the main
supporter and promoter of paralegal managers worldwide.
The name change stems from the fi ndings of a special task force created by the organization’s Board of Directors. The
group was asked to analyze the title “legal assistant manager”
as it was understood and used within the legal industry, in
order to determine whether the association’s name was still
appropriate. The task force discovered that 75% of LAMA’s
membership preferred the title of “paralegal.” An industry-
wide review of the term’s usage illustrated a similar shift.
Education programs used “paralegal” in their titles three times
as often as “legal assistant;” and the American Bar Association
renamed its Standing Committee on Legal Assistants to the
Standing Committee on Paralegals.
“Our organization’s main goal is to promote the development, professional standing and visibility of paralegal
managers,” says IPMA President Gary Melhuish. “Our name
has changed, but our commitment to the professionals we
represent is stronger than ever, and we will continue to provide
outstanding programs, services and benefi ts to our members.”
The name “International Paralegal Management Association”
clearly describes the association and its membership, and
enhances IPMA’s positioning for the future. Using the term
“paralegal” reinforces a more universal recognition of the job
title, and brings IPMA in line with other organizations that
currently represent the interests of paralegals. Likewise, the
use of the term “international” better refl ects the association’s
growth as a worldwide entity, as refl ected by the association’s
membership and programs. Law Society of Upper Canada partners with newly-formed
College Advisory Group to support paralegal education (CANADA NEWSWIRE PHOTO/Law Society of Upper Canada) TORONTO, Jan. 20 /CNW/ - The Law Society of Upper Canada is pleased to announce a partnership with
Ontario community colleges that will pave the way for the
education and licensing of paralegals in Ontario.
January 20, 2005 marks the launch of the College Advisory Group (CAG), an advisory committee that includes
the representatives of seven participating community
colleges. The group will play a fundamental role in the
smooth transition toward future paralegal licensing and
regulation.
“In anticipation of the new licensing process for paralegals – which still requires government legislation - we
will be creating rigorous educational standards and programs
for students who wish to become independent paralegals in
their communities,” said Tracy Ryder, Program Coordinator
of the Court and Tribunal Agent program at Humber
College in Toronto. “Our educational expertise will be a
critical resource in the development of any future paralegal
licensing program.”
The advisory group includes representatives of Durham College, Seneca College, Centennial College, Algonquin
College, Humber College, Fleming College, and Sheridan
College, the Law Society, the Ontario Ministry of Training
Colleges and Universities, as well as the Ontario Association
of Career Colleges.
“Over the past few years, we have developed a strong working relationship with the Law Society that will
undoubtedly prove highly benefi cial as we move to create and
expand community college paralegal programs,” said Helene
Gilhooly, coordinator of the Algonquin College Law Clerk
program in Ottawa. Nation’s Leading Paralegal Management Organization Changes Name to International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA) Continued on page 18 18 Michigan Paralegal “We are very pleased the colleges have demonstrated interest in this issue,” said Frank Marrocco, Q.C., Treasurer
of the Law Society of Upper Canada, its top elected offi cial.
“By helping the committee develop high-quality educational
programs and standards for students who wish to provide
paralegal services, the colleges are showing leadership in both
skills training and consumer protection.”
The CAG’s creation comes at a time when the Ontario government is considering the introduction of legislation that
would, for the fi rst time, require the Province’s independent
paralegals to
be licensed
and regulated.
Ontario’s
attorney
general took
an important
step toward
paralegal
licensing and regulation in January 2004, when he asked the
Law Society what needed to be done to expand its mandate
to include public protection for consumers of paralegal
services. Currently, no legislation exists to provide consumer
protection for users of paralegal services.
The Law Society is a public body with a mandate to regulate in the public interest. Following the attorney
general’s request, the Law Society consulted with a variety of
stakeholders including paralegals and community colleges
throughout the province. Based on these discussions, the Law
Society submitted to the Attorney General last September a
proposed regulatory model for the delivery of all legal services. Among other things, the proposed model calls for mandatory educational requirements as part of the licensing
process for independent paralegals. The CAG is developing
these educational requirements and programs in anticipation
of new legislation that would protect members of the public
who use paralegal services. Cease and desist order issued against paralegal TORONTO, Feb. 9 /CNW/ - The Superintendent of Financial Services today issued an interim Cease and Desist
Order against a St. Catharine’s paralegal, Marcello Calise. The
order is effective immediately.
Under subsection 441(4) of the Insurance Act, the Superintendent orders that Marcello Calise and Calise
& Associates Legal Services Inc., and any agents or
representatives thereof: A. Immediately cease carrying on business as
statutory accident benefi t representatives;
B. Immediately notify in writing all clients of
Calise and Calise & Associates Legal Services Inc.
who have claims for statutory accident benefi ts that
Calise can no longer act for them; provide them with
a copy of this cease and desist order; and, provide
copies of every notifi cation sent to each client to the
Superintendent forthwith; and,
C. Immediately cease advertising or holding
out, in any form, as a statutory accident benefi ts
representative within Ontario. It is alleged that Calise misappropriated a client’s settlement funds and accepted fees under a contingency fee arrangement. International Spotlight
Continued from page 17 “The Law Society is a public body with a mandate to regulate in the public interest.” “The Law Society is a public body with a mandate to regulate in the public interest.” , q p 19 Spring 2005 Not a college major or a drum major, a U.S. Army Major! Patricia C.
Anderson, CLAS, is a senior paralegal
for McGuireWoods LLP in Richmond,
Virginia. Pattie is also a Major in the
United States Army Reserve. Her unit
was called to active duty in Iraq in
December 2004.
Pattie sends regular diaries with photos to the NALANET WebBoard.
She gave permission to print excerpts
and photos in the Michigan Paralegal,
and welcomes correspondence and care
packages from paralegals everywhere: MAJ Patricia C. Anderson CPIC PAO Baghdad APO AE 09316 E-mail: pattiea@gmail.com January 03, 2005 Happy New Year! Wow, what a whirlwind
the past week or two
has been! On December
22, we fi nally left Camp
Virginia, Kuwait and
headed for a local air
fi eld, where we boarded a
C-130 plane with another
unit and fl ew to Baghdad.
The lowest-ranking soldiers got
to sit in the cockpit; the rest of us
got to take turns up there for a few
minutes at a time, which was VERY
cool.
We landed at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), where
we waited for the “air bridge.” Because
of IEDs, the road between BIAP and
the Green Zone/International Zone is
closed, so people are shuttled back and
forth on Blackhawk helicopters. Did
I say that being in the cockpit of the C-130 was
cool? It didn’t
touch the
helicopter
trip!
I got a
window
seat on the
Blackhawk,
and it was an
amazing view
of the city.
Of course,
seeing our
gunner with a 50-cal weapon scanning
the rooftops was a bit sobering, but it
was a really sweet ride.
Once we arrived in the Green Zone, our bags were lined up and
sniffed by search dogs. Finally, we moved to the
palace, where
we began in-
processing.
We were
issued linens
(defi nitely not standard
military
issue stuff
– patterned
sheets and a comforter or fl eece
bedspread), assigned tents, and we got ID badges for the
Palace and US Embassy complex. After
dinner, I went to bed pretty early – I
was exhausted!
Someone (incorrectly) told us that the palace was the former Palace of
the Republican Guard; I later learned
it was Saddam Hussein’s former
Presidential Palace. A State Department
employee who got the grand tour
saw me taking pictures one night and
told us a little bit about the history. Apparently the
main, central
section of the
palace (now
referred to as the
rotunda) had
existed for many
years. Saddam
Hussein had the
north and south
wings added on
later and gave the
workers just six
to nine months to complete the additions. The fl oors
and major walls are made of marble.
For the fi rst few days, we ate most of
our meals in the dining facility there,
which was used as the palace’s banquet
room. The food here is really good,
especially the desserts. I have to be
careful not to eat too much.
Our fi rst day at the offi ce was Christmas Eve, and we met out
counterparts of the unit we are
replacing and quickly began learning
out new duties. I will be the command
information (CI) offi cer; in other
words, my main responsibilities are
the newspaper and website for the
Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-
I, formerly known as the coalition,
although that term is not favored any
more). The offi cer I am replacing is a
real character. He also took a few of us
on a nickel tour of the International
Zone and showed us the house that our
unit will take over when his unit leaves.
* * *
We had to work on Christmas Day, too, but we started the day by
opening presents. We received lots
of great care packages. We received
cards, stockings and care packages S PECIAL R EPORT Major CLAS By Margaret Lucas Agius, CLA, Managing Editor Continued on page 20 Ongoing items needed for our deployed troops! Our deployed troops enjoy music CDs, handheld games, X-Box games (frequent request), paperback books, and playing cards. Other needed items are assorted travel size toiletries, men/women socks, gloves (black, brown and army green), men/women boot inserts or insoles, AT&T calling cards (deployed troops can only use AT&T), packets of Gatorade, packets of pre- sweetened drink mix, packets of good coffee, hot cocoa, breakfast bars and assorted snacks that keep. Please do NOT remove food items from original packaging. (Source: http:// www.4thetroops.net/. See also: www.Give2TheTroops.org.) Ongoing items needed for our deployed troops! Our deployed troops enjoy music CDs, handheld games, X-Box games (frequent request), paperback books, and playing cards. Other needed items are assorted travel size toiletries, men/women socks, gloves (black, brown and army green), men/women boot inserts or insoles, AT&T calling cards (deployed troops can only use AT&T), packets of Gatorade, packets of pre- sweetened drink mix, packets of good coffee, hot cocoa, breakfast bars and assorted snacks that keep. Please do NOT remove food items from original packaging. (Source: http:// www.4thetroops.net/. /
/ See also: www.Give2TheTroops.org.) w w A A Pattie Anderson, Christmas 2004 20 Michigan Paralegal » » » from school children and two different
Girl Scout troops. A friend of mine
is the former president of a paralegal
association in Baltimore, and her group
sent us four boxes of goodies. Also, the
secretaries from McGuireWoods did
“Operation Pattie’s Pals” in lieu of their
gift exchange this year and sent each of
us a large box brimming with goodies.
What a wonderful surprise that was!
* * *
That’s all for now. I hope you all have a prosperous New Year! (Major) Pattie Anderson February 04, 2005 Greetings from Baghdad! As you might imagine, this past week was a
very busy and exciting one with the
elections. I know I say this every week,
but it is really hard to believe that
another week has gone by already.
I have two different time trackers that count down the days until we will
leave here (or, should I say, when we
PLAN to leave here). One has been
counting the days since I left home
back in mid-October (420 days total
until we might leave on 9 Dec 05), and
the other counts the days only since we
arrived in the International Zone on
22 Dec 04 (352 days total). I was really
fl oored to see today that we’ve already
been here for more than six weeks!
No doubt by now you have all heard about the rocket attack
on the palace/U.S. Embassy last
Saturday night. It was by far the most
frightening experience since we have
been here. However, as usual, the press
got details wrong. I read at least two
accounts that claimed the explosion
could be heard throughout the city.
Hmm, I was in my trailer on the palace
grounds, and I heard no such thing;
my fi rst indication that something was
wrong was the sirens that sounded
after the attack. In fact, there was no explosion – the
damage was caused
by the kinetic energy
of the rocket hitting
the building, but
it did not explode.
We spent nearly
an hour cowering
under out beds, in
bunkers, or in the
bomb shelter in the
palace basement
before the “all clear”
was sounded. I had
been out the door
on the way to the
gym when the sirens
fi rst sounded and I was full of nervous
energy, so I went over to the gym.
It was the emptiest I have ever seen
it. One of the MWR workers who
mans the desk said that “everyone had
run scurrying out like rats” when the
alarms sounded. No doubt they did!
* * *
Have a great week. Thanks, as always,
for your support! Pattie March 7, 2005 Greetings from Baghdad! I had a very busy week this week. I told
some of you that I was planning to
go to Camp Victory late last week.
The night before the convoy, one of
the staff sergeants in my unit told me
that Route Irish (the main highway
between the International Zone and
Victory) was closed, and you had to
take a much longer (and arguably
much more dangerous) route through
back roads. So I called the captain in
our offi ce who was coordinating the
convoy (he’s one of the “bomb magnet”
captains). He assured me that if I did
not go, I would not leave them short
in terms of security or manpower, that
they would just have an empty seat, so I begged off. When they
got back the next day,
I found out that Route
Irish was NOT closed
after all, and the convoy
had taken it both ways
without problems. Oh
well.
But that doesn’t mean
I was stuck here in
the IZ all week. On
Sunday night, I got a
last-minute mission:
our offi ce was working with a Marine division
to send press out for
an event at Camp Hibbiniyah (west of Fallujah), and
four members of the press (all from
ABC) decided not to go because a pool
reporter who already planned to go
said he would share his product with
them. But it had been a big deal to
schedule the helicopters, so the public
affairs offi cer who organized the trip
would be in trouble if there were four
empty seats. So two people from our
translation team, a broadcaster from
AFN, and I went to fi ll the seats. We
took Marine CH-46E helicopters,
which are similar to Army Chinook
helicopters. Not quite as cool as Black
Hawk helicopters; although most of
us had “window” seats, but except for
the crew, all seats face away from the
window. Each bird had two pilots, one
crew chief, and two .50-cal gunners.
The three guys in back (the crew chief
and gunners) all looked so serious
when we fi rst boarded and throughout
most of the fl ight (basically, once we
left the IZ for the duration). While we
were still in the IZ, the crew chief was
leaning out his window taking photos
from the air. I wondered to myself how
long the crew had been in country that Pattie Anderson, Al Faw Palace, Saddam’s “Big Chair” Special Report: Major CLAS
Continued from page 19 21 Spring 2005 he would want photos like that. But
once we got close to the border of the
IZ, the camera was put away, and he
assisted his gunners by scanning the
ground for anyone or anything that
might cause us trouble. We had to
make a quick stop in Fallujah, and then
we fl ew into Camp Hibbiniyah. Once
we landed, the crew lifted their Darth
Vader-like visors, smiled at us (the fi rst
time they smiled the entire fl ight) and
wished us well.
Hibbiniyah was originally used as an air base for the British air force
before WWII, when it served as the
headquarters for the British air force
in Iraq. The British turned it over to Iraq in 1959, and until recently it was
used as an Iraqi air base. We were there
because an Iraqi army unit was being
assigned there, and it was the fi rst
permanent base for an Iraqi army unit
in the entire Al Anbar province. They
are currently sharing the base with a
U.S. Marine division with an attached
Army battalion, but the idea is that
eventually, the Iraqis will entirely take
over the base.
Soon it was time to return. I fl ew back in the same bird (with the same
crew) that I fl ew in earlier. I found out
why the guys looked so serious and
why the crew chief was taking photos
– they told us, “You guys must be on
a really important mission, because
we usually only fl y at night.” Well, we were supposed to have an Iraqi general
fl y out with us (he did not), and we did
have a U.S. Marine general fl y back in
the other bird.
* * *
The members of the Iraqi media were just like kids in a candy store.
They were taking photos of one
another and acting goofy. At some
points of the trip, we had to make
them put their cameras away because
fi lming was not allowed, but as soon
as they got the “go” signal again, the
cameras were back out. And they
had so much fun on the helicopter!
After the ceremony was over, the TV
reporter did a stand-up report. It was in Arabic, so I didn’t
understand what he
said, but at the end
he said something
that made everyone
laugh hysterically.
Our translator saw the
puzzled look on my
face, so she said he did
his report, and then
said, “And tomorrow,
I shall probably be
beheaded.” Gallows
humor from the folks
who were repressed for so long, I guess.
When I got back, my editor was freaking out because we did not have
a commentary written to go along
with our man on the street column
(our question this week: Do you wear
a seat belt when you travel here, and
why?). I had started one, and was really
too tired from the trip to do a proper
job on it, but you gotta do what you
gotta do, so I made myself fi nish it.
We got an email the next day from
someone who just transferred here
from the Army Safety Center, and he
said he’s sure they’ll want to re-run it
in their own publication. Nice to know
someone is reading my commentaries.
Our website is back up, so the last few issues of the Scimitar can be seen online here: http://www.mnf-iraq.com/
coalition-news/publications/scimitar.htm.
* * *
On Friday we went to the 9 mm pistol range. Some of our people have
already drawn pistols, even though
the commander and fi rst sergeant
are the only two people in the unit
who qualifi ed on the pistol in the
proper time period (some records were
fudged). I requested that most of my
section will get the pistols, but none of
us will draw them until we qualify with
them. Unfortunately, during our 10
rounds of familiarization shooting, the
weapon I had was so bad, that after the
fi rst two rounds, it misfi red after every
single round. So I was thinking too
hard when it came time to qualify and
shot very poorly. I wasn’t the only one
who did not qualify; I hope we can try
again soon.
Saturday was my day off, which I really enjoyed. Yesterday I went to
chapel with three other folks from my
unit. Every week, the chaplain asks
the congregation if we have anything
we want to give thanks for followed
by prayer requests. As the microphone
was being passed around while people
were giving thanks, we heard nearby
explosions of two rockets. Everyone
was quiet for a moment as we listened
for more rockets or explosions and we
considered whether we needed to get
our body armor and helmets and move
to a bomb shelter. Then someone in
the back called out, “THANK GOD
those did not hit us!” The timing was
pretty uncanny. Both rockets struck
near the landing zone, but there were
no injuries. That is something to be
thankful for. :-)
Have a great week. My day off will probably be switched this week and I
may go to Victory on Saturday, so I am
not sure when I’ll do my next update. Pattie 22 Michigan Paralegal S TATE AND L OCAL N EWS Compiled and Edited by Kathleen D. Kasiorek, CP
State and Local News Editor
kkasiorek@wnj.com STATE NEWS
Eastern Michigan University one of only two universities in U.S. to offer
Army Paralegal Program
EMU is now one of only two universities nationwide to receive
American Bar Association (ABA)
approval for the Army Paralegal
Specialist Degree Program. The other
institution is the College of Mount St.
Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Army paralegal specialists assist judges, Army lawyers and unit
commanders with legal matters and
judicial work. They provide legal and
administrative support in areas such as
international law, contract law, defense
legal services and judicial legal services.
“This is a great way for the paralegal program and Eastern
Michigan University to partner with
our Armed Forces to bring ABA-
approved paralegal education to
service members around the world,”
said Daniel Ray, associate professor
and coordinator of legal assistant
(paralegal) studies at EMU’s College of
Technology.
The Army makes promotions and pay grade increases based upon
education, among other factors, said
Ray. Army paralegals with this degree
should advance in the Army and be
more marketable if they decide to leave
the military.
Approximately 50 students are expected to enroll in the EMU
program for courses beginning in May.
Any current Army paralegal specialist who began the Army Judge
Advocate General (JAG) School’s 27D
advanced individual training (AIT)
course after March 2001 is eligible
to enroll. This 10-week JAG School
course, which must be completed for
an individual to be an Army paralegal
specialist, trains paralegals to perform legal work under the supervision of a
lawyer.
The Army JAG Corps, established in 1775 by George Washington, is
the oldest law fi rm in the nation. It is
a wide-ranging practice that includes
military law and criminal prosecution,
as well as international law and legal
assistance in the U.S. and abroad.
The Army Paralegal Specialist Degree Program requirements include
a minimum of 50 hours of general
education courses, at least 59 program
hours and 15 hours of free electives
to reach the required 124 hours for
graduation. Credits can be awarded
for coursework taken through the
JAG school and other colleges and
universities.
EMU, which has been training paralegals for nearly 25 years, fi rst
received ABA approval in 1991. The
University received ABA approval after
undergoing an extensive investigation
of self-evaluation reports as well as on-
site inspections of program operations.
Programs that complete the evaluation
process are approved for seven years.
For additional information about the Army Paralegal Specialist
Degree Program, contact Ray at
734.487.4330. Information on
enrolling, degree requirements, transfer
credit and advising are at http://
ce.emich.edu/armyparalegal. Annual D. Augustus Straker Bar Association Corporate Counsel Breakfast On Thursday, April 21, 2005, the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association
will host its Annual Corporate Counsel
Breakfast, “The Urgency of Inclusion:
The ‘Call to Action’ Initiative.” The
breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m.
to 10:00 a.m. at Skyline Club in
Southfi eld.
The event will feature a panel discussion focused on “A Call to
Action: Diversity in the Legal
Profession”, which was created in 2004
by Sara Lee General Counsel Roderick
Palmore and unanimously adopted in a
resolution by the American Corporate
Counsel. The Call to Action requests
that corporations commit to working
only with law fi rms who proactively
seek diverse fi rm members and practice
inclusion. For more information about
the “Call to Action,” visit http://www.
mcca.com/site/data/magazine/2005-01/
saralee0105.shtml.
The panel participants, who include Richard White, Vice President
and General Counsel of AAA
Michigan and Secretary of American
Corporate Counsel, will discuss
how this resolution will impact both
participating corporations and law
fi rms that seek to service them.
This year’s co-sponsor is Special Counsel, The Global Leader in Legal
Solutions. For more information,
contact Jill R. Pace, Esq., Director of
Client Services, Special Counsel, Tel:
248-614-0013, Fax: 248-614-6913,
jill.pace@specialcounsel.com. LOCAL NEWS Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association (DMBA) http://www.detroitlawyer.org/ On April 7, 2005, The Detroit
Metropolitan Bar Association, Legal
Assistants Committee held a panel
discussion on Corporate Law. The
panel consisted of Beth Waursyniak,
a senior corporate paralegal at Masco
Corporation; Thomas J. Dono, » » » 23 Spring 2005 the Associate General Counsel at
Metaldyne Corporation; Karen Malnar,
senior paralegal at Jaffe; Brenda White,
from CT Corporation; and Ellen
Brisson from Sirius Coaching Services.
The Committee continues progressing
at full throttle, with the next monthly
luncheon series featuring a unique
presentation by Linda S. Jevahirian,
Founder and President, Legal Search
& Management, Inc. Her presentation
on the Principles of Negotiating
Compensation will be held on Tuesday,
May 17 from 11:45 to 1:15 in Detroit.
For the June 22 meeting the Committee is planning an evening
gala at the Roostertail in Detroit. The
team is being led by Mary Fry of AXA
Advisors. Additional details will be
forthcoming.
Registration for both events is available online at www.detroitlawyer.
org or by calling the DMBA at 313-
961-6120 ext. 214.
The DMBA offers Associate Membership to Legal Administrators,
Legal Assistants, and Librarians. The
Legal Assistant Committee offers
monthly luncheons, networking
and career development meetings,
a community service group, and an
opportunity to become involved
with the mentor/mentee program.
Information can be found at www.
detroitlawyer.org. Vanessa Lozzi, Chair,
can be contacted at lozzi@butzel.com
or 248.258.3857. Linda Jevahirian Grand Rapids Bar Association (GRBA) http://fi rms.fi ndlaw.com/grbala/ The Grand Rapids Bar Legal
Assistant Section is evaluating the
possibility of changing its name from
“Legal Assistant Section” to “Paralegal
Section” based on membership interest.
The section continues to accept donations of clothing, non-perishable
foods, toys, etc for the Women’s Crisis
Center.
The section met for its annual “kick-off ” meeting January 12,
2005 and on March 9, 2005 for a
presentation on E-Commerce/Internet/
Technology Law by Lisa Smith, Senior
Corporate Counsel and manager of the
Trademark & Copyright practice group
of the Legal Division of Alticor, Inc.
The next meeting is scheduled for May 11 and will feature a speaker from
the Kent County Sheriff Department.
The topic is forensics and evidence.
Future meetings are tentatively set
for September 14, November 9 and
December 14. Further details are to
be announced. Leadership meetings
are held every other month and are
scheduled for April 13, June 8, August
10 and October 12.
The GRBA Legal Assistants Section is open to Legal Assistants and
Paralegals meeting its membership
criteria who are employed and
sponsored by an attorney member of
the GRBA. The Section is currently led
by Katherine Mansfi eld, Chairperson. Oakland County Bar Association (OCBA) http://www.ocba.org/ The Oakland County Bar Association will meet on Thursday,
April 21, 2005 at the Royal Oak
Brewery and then will go to see
Kathleen Madigan at The Comedy
Castle at 6:00 pm. Future meetings are as follows: Wednesday, May 11, 2005–6:00
p.m.–Butzel Long offi ce in
Bloomfi eld Hills (Topic to be
announced)
Wednesday, June 8, 2005–6:00
p.m.–Butzel Long offi ce in
Bloomfi eld Hills (Planning for
2005/2006) The OCBA offers Legal Assistant Membership to those who are qualifi ed
through education, training or work
experience and employed or retained
by a lawyer, law offi ce, governmental
agency or other entity in performance
of legal services not primarily clerical
or secretarial under the ultimate
direction and supervision of a licensed
attorney. Legal Assistant Members
must be sponsored annually by an
OCBA member who certifi es as to the
above. The OCBA Legal Assistants
Committee is currently lead by Linda
F. Johnson (Chair) and Denise Gau
(Vice Chair). For more information,
contact Denise at (313) 983-7402. Washtenaw County Bar Association (WCBA) http://www.washbar.org/ Attention Washtenaw County
Paralegals and Legal Assistants:
The Washtenaw County Bar Association is seeking individuals
to organize and chair a Paralegal/
Legal Assistant Section. If you are
interested in becoming involved in
this endeavor, please contact Judith
Van Amburg, 734-994-4912 or
vanamburgj@ewashtenaw.org. 24 Michigan Paralegal Introducing: Deborah Lech Shubnell Q. How did you decide to become a paralegal?
A. One of my fi rst jobs out of high school was for
a very well known Plaintiff ’s personal injury fi rm
downtown in the late 70’s (yes, that long ago!). I saw
how involved the paralegals in that fi rm were allowed
to be in the cases and I knew that if I wanted to have
that type of involvement and daily challenge, I would
need to obtain a paralegal degree and better training in
that direction. Thus began my career choice. Q. Have you been happy with your career choice?
A. I have been very happy with my career choice. I
believe the profession and I have evolved over time. I
contemplated for a time going to law school, but I was
a single parent at the time, so my daughters needed me
more than I desired to go to law school. I went on to
obtain a Master’s Degree instead. Q. Is this a second career for you or did you have a
“previous life” before becoming a paralegal?
A. This is the only career I have had in the past 30
years. I have recently obtained my Master’s Degree, so I
am hoping to branch out into a new career of teaching
paralegal classes or management classes at college
at night. I would still be involved in the paralegal
profession during the day but look forward to sharing
some of the knowledge I have gained over the years to
new members of our profession. Q. What do you like best about the profession?
A. I think the thing that I like best about the profession
is the daily challenges, variety of case work, client
contact, and total involvement with the fi le from
beginning to end. You get the opportunity to see your
hard work to fruition. Q. What would you change if you could?
A. I would defi nitely change the perception some
members of the legal profession have regarding
paralegals in general. Some legal professionals, both
attorneys and offi ce staff, just do not respect the
abilities of the highly qualifi ed paralegals that exist.
Also, I would say lack of professionalism is a pet peeve
of mine, whether it be interoffi ce or between offi ces
of opposing counsels. There is just no reason for the
amount of rudeness that has been displayed between
different offi ces. We may be on opposite sides of cases,
but we are all in the same profession. Q. Where do you see the paralegal profession heading
over the next fi ve years (e.g. evolving into more
responsibilities, stagnation, reduced opportunities, etc)?
A. I see a need for continuing education requirements
of some sort, i.e., required seminar attendance or a
broader base of classes being taught in the paralegal
programs to also address management, professionalism
and confl ict resolution issues in a law offi ce. I also M EMBER P ROFILE Linda A. Potter, CP, Features Editor, l.potter2@verizon.net Telephone (586) 469-5050
Facsimile (586) 469-0018
E-mail debbielech@yahoo.com DEBORAH LECH SHUBNELL
Hoste & Bejin, P.C.
50 Crocker Blvd.
Mount. Clemens, Michigan 48043 EDUCATION:
1976 - 1987 Associates Degree; Legal Assistant; Macomb County Community College; Graduated Magna Cum Laude 1999 - 2001 BBA Management; Northwood University; Graduated Magna
Cum Laude; 2002 - 2004 Master of Science in Administration and Management; Central
Michigan University; Graduated Summa Cum Laude WORK EXPERIENCE:
1999 - present Hoste & Bejin, P.C., 50 Crocker Blvd., Mt. Clemens, MI 48043; PARALEGAL/OFFICE MANAGER; handle all
aspects of case management from initial client interview to fi nalization of
case; compose all documentation, including correspondences, briefs, motions,
complaints, mediation summaries, corporate minutes, leases; real estate
documents; etc. for general litigation practice law fi rm; conduct legal research
for preparation of briefs, motions, and mediation summaries; preparation
of discovery requests, document review; All aspects of offi ce management,
including marketing, total quality management, professionalism,
bookkeeping, billing, client/attorney relationship promotion; developed fi rm
brochure and offi ce marketing materials 1995 - 1999 Peter J. Lucido, P.C., 39999 Garfi eld Road, Clinton Township, MI 48038; PARALEGAL with specialization in
Family Law. Responsible for management of 80 percent of family law case
docket from initial client interview to fi nalization of case; composed all
correspondences, briefs, motions, complaints, mediation summaries, etc.;
procured legal research materials and installed computer databases (child
support/alimony programs); performed legal research to prepare briefs;
participated in and conducted settlement meetings for divorce actions;
procured and met with experts, such as Certifi ed Public Accountants who
performed corporate valuations 1986 - 1995 Richard R. Scarfone, P.C., Ihrie, Scarfone & O’Brien, 24055 Jefferson, Ste. 2000, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080; PARALEGAL/
OFFICE MANAGER; handled all aspects of case management from
initial client interview to fi nalization of case; wrote all documentation
including correspondences, briefs, motions, complaints, mediation
summaries, corporate minutes, etc.; conducted legal research using Westlaw;
participated in court sessions and settlement negotiations; All aspects
of offi ce management, including marketing, total quality management,
professionalism, bookkeeping, billing, client/attorney relationship promotion 1982 - 1986 Self-Employed; Detroit, Michigan Free-lance legal investigator/researcher for Plaintiff ’s personal injury lawyers
in Tri-County area; performed complete case investigations; accident
investigation, including interviewing witnesses and police agencies,
photographing accident scenes, reviewing medical records and other fi le
materials to assist in the preparation of the matter for trial 1977 - 1982 Goodman, Eden, Millender & Bedrosian, 3000 Cadillac Tower, Detroit, MI 48226; Worked full-time in the Investigation Department
of Plaintiff’s personal injury law fi rm; responsible for docket control and
scheduling and research duties of the department, which included interviewing
witnesses; library research; research on computer database/information systems;
cataloging of books in the library; interview and profi le clients as to injuries;
preparation of evidence and witness information for trial purposes; assisted all
attorneys in the fi rm with their legal investigation needs for the specifi c case
- which included products liability cases, medical malpractice cases, automobile
negligence cases and other personal injury matters ADDITIONAL SKILLS:
Computer - various computerized billing programs; WordPerfect; Microsoft
Word; Microsoft Offi ce; Lexis; Westlaw; Computer database searches; Excel;
PowerPoint; Peachtree; Quicken MEMBERSHIPS:
State Bar of Michigan, Paralegal Section; Macomb County Bar Association;
Association of Legal Administrators, International and Metropolitan Detroit
Chapters Continued on page 25 25 Spring 2005 they will also display exceptional loyalty to jobseekers that
conduct themselves in a professional manner. This translates
into giving the courtesy of truthful information, realistic
expectations, prompt response to telephone and e-mail
messages, reasonable availability for interviews, punctual
arrival at interviews and timely feedback subsequent to
interviews. It also means that you should be prepared to make
cogent and timely decisions. A supportive legal recruiter, one
who is on your side, can become your personal agent of career
development and achievement.
So, how do you identify a legal recruiter who is best suited to be your career activist? Ask your peers for referrals of
legal recruiters with whom they have had positive experiences.
Contact the placement services director at the school,
college, university or law school you attended and ask for
recommendations. Attend professional organization events
and seek to meet any legal recruiters in attendance.
Once you have identifi ed one or more recruiters, ask them questions to determine their professional history, how
they work and what their expectations are of candidates
with whom they work. Avoid recruiters who will not advise
you in advance of where they are submitting your resume or
credentials. Additionally, you should ask prospective recruiters
about some of their recent successes. The idea is for you to
interview prospective recruiters to determine which one is
best suited to be of help to you.
Although you may be tempted to associate with multiple legal recruiters at the same time, it is generally in your
best interest to work with one recruiter at a time. You will
maximize the attention and time they devote to you and it
will eliminate any client confl icts that may arise from dual
representation. If your selected recruiter does an inadequate
job on your behalf, inform them of your desire to be removed
from further consideration and seek an alternative recruiter.
You have probably invested both thousands of hours and dollars becoming a legal professional. With proper
management, you can get the most satisfaction, growth
and compensation from your career. Although you can go
at it single-handed, it is best to have a qualifi ed ally who
understands your vision, your passion and your capability.
Select a legal recruiter who will serve you in the pursuit of
advancing your career and achieving your goals. Your career as a paralegal has probably never been more challenging. The pressure of tight deadlines, an ever-
increasing volume of work, gridlocked commutes and perhaps
business-related travel may be taking a toll on your overall
job satisfaction. Couple these issues with an irritable or
demanding boss and you may want to resign your position.
As you contemplate resigning, you decide you need to maintain cash fl ow and you really don’t have the time to
conduct a thorough job search on your own. Additionally,
employment authorities agree that it’s better to look for
another job when you’re currently employed. What do you
do?
Many professionals have found that they need managers or agents to steer them through the maze of career or personal
fi nance management. Elite athletes, media personalities
and numerous others have benefi ted from the objective
guidance provided by intermediaries who are experienced and
resourceful experts. These specialized managers can save time,
reduce aggravation and identify opportunities that would
otherwise remain unknown. Good agents can steer their
clients down the road of success.
A dedicated legal recruiter can serve as your professional agent and play a key role in your career. They can help you
construct a resume that gets the attention of hiring managers.
They can coach you on creating the best possible impression
during employment interviews. They can facilitate reference
checks, identify opportunities in the hidden job market,
provide invaluable insight about companies or fi rms and do
the extensive follow-up associated with scheduling interviews.
A good legal recruiter will also be a strong personal advocate
who will strive to negotiate the best possible employment
offers for you.
While competent legal recruiters will demonstrate strong allegiance to the client employers who pay their service fees, Y OUR C AREER PUTTING A JOB CHANGE AGENT TO WORK FOR YOU Lynn DeLap
Managing Director
Contract Counsel
Royal Oak, Michigan believe that, due to the struggling economy, paralegals are going
to have to wear more than one hat in the offi ce, i.e., becoming
offi ce manager and paralegal all rolled into one job position. Q. Where would you like to be professionally in fi ve years, either as a
paralegal, or in a different career?
A. One of the reasons I obtained my Master’s Degree in
Administration/Management, is that a Master’s Degree affords the ability to teach college classes without a teaching certifi cate
being required. Therefore, professionally in fi ve years, I would
love to be teaching law offi ce management, confl ict resolution
or a similar curriculum in a college paralegal program. I
thoroughly enjoy this profession and want to promote it to
current college students who are contemplating becoming
paralegals. Member Profile
Continued from page 24 26 Michigan Paralegal American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc., The
http://www.aapipara.org/index.htm American Association for Paralegal
Education (AAfPE)
http://www.aafpe.org American Bar Association Standing
Committee on Paralegals
http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/ Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
http://www.detroitlawyer.org/ Grand Rapids Bar Association
http://www.grbar.org/ or http://fi rms.fi ndlaw.
com/grbala/

International Paralegal Management
Association (IPMA)
[Formerly Legal Assistant Management
Association (LAMA)]
http://www.paralegalmanagement.org Legal Assistant Today
http://legalassistanttoday.com Legal Assistants Association of Michigan,
Inc. (LAAM)
http://www.laamnet.org Legal Assistants Section of the State Bar
of Michigan
http://www.michbar.org/legalassistants/ Legal Assistants Section Job Bank
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/la_sbm_
jobs/ Macomb County Bar Association
http://www.macombbar.org/ National Association of Legal Assistants,
Inc. (NALA)
http://www.nala.org National Federation of Paralegal
Associations, Inc. (NFPA)
http://www.paralegals.org Oakland County Bar Association
http://www.ocba.org/ Paralegal Gateway
http://www.paralegalgateway.com/ State Bar of Michigan
http://www.michbar.org Washtenaw County Bar Association
http://www.washbar.org/ C HECK OUT THESE WEBSITES home contact us site map search legal assistants section mission council information membership info links annual meeting news listserv michigan paralegal newsletter michigan legal assistant newsletter print this page SBM general information member directory admissions, ethics, and regulation justice initiatives opinions, research and links programs and services public policy resource center publications sections for the public public resources media resources 27 Spring 2005 Advertise in the Michigan Paralegal The Michigan Paralegal is the offi cial publication of the Legal
Assistants Section of the State Bar of
Michigan; it is published quarterly. The
Michigan Paralegal is an economical
and effective means for you to reach the
more than 600 members of the Legal
Assistants Section of the State Bar of
Michigan. The Michigan Paralegal
accepts advertising from companies
that provide useful resources to legal
assistants or paralegals. Ads must be
camera-ready. For further information, contact Heather A. Hill, CLAS, Advertising
Manager, at (586) 997-6483, or
use the Advertising Space Contract
provided. Advertising Terms and Rates Deadline Receipt of ad copy and payment is
due three weeks before the fi rst day
of publication. Cancellations must be
received in writing two weeks prior
to publication. I ssue Ad Due Issue Mailed by Summer 2005 June 21, 2005 July 12, 2005
Fall 2005 Sept. 22, 2005 Oct. 13, 2005 Winter 2006 Dec. 21, 2005 Jan. 10, 2006 Spring 2006 Mar. 20, 2006 Apr. 11, 2006 Billing Policy Prepaid ads only. Ads that are not prepaid will not be published. Rates (Prices are PER ISSUE) $150 – full page/insert $100 – half page $75 – quarter page $50 – business card/classifi ed Michigan Paralegal Advertising Order Form Insertion Order: Prepayment is required. Rates (Prices are PER ISSUE)
$150 – full page/insert
$100 – half page
$75 – quarter page
$50 – business card/classified Issue Size Cost Per Issue Summer 2005 Fall 2005 Winter 2006 Spring 2006 Summer 2006 Fall 2006 Winter 2007 Spring 2007 TOTAL Advertiser’s Name Advertising Agency Name (if applicable) Address City, State, Zip Phone Fax Contact Person Name and Title E-mail

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