PRESIDENT'S LETTER
The group also had our picture taken with ND Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to celebrate Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day. He let me sit in his chair and I have a picture to prove it – it was a blast! Unfortunately, I missed the celebration in Bismarck, but I hear they had a great time. See the report for further details.
Alice Johnson, ACP, Melissa Klimpel, ACP, and I recently returned from the NALA Conference in Las Vegas. See Alice’s report on convention for details – it was a great conference with interesting speakers, an array of legal vendors, and networking with paralegals from across the country, including the US Virgin Islands. The NALA Conference charity this year was Three Square. Three Square is a Feeding America affiliate and serves four counties in Southern Nevada. I am happy to report that over $4,000 was raised for Three Square. A representative from Three Square spoke at the all-conference lunch. To prove a point about hunger and need, he had us all repeat after him, “all children are hungry” – everyone repeated loudly and with great gusto “all children are hungry” – he then had us repeat “my child is hungry” – this time, it was muted and lacked the gusto of the first statement. It really struck a nerve and drove home the point that you never know when you may need help. Thankfully, services such as Three Square are there to provide for those in need.
In the May issue of the Summons, I relayed that WDALA would be nominating the Spring Seminar Planning Committee for the NALA Affiliated Associations Award. I excitedly typed up the nomination and submitted it to NALA, confident that this was a great nomination. Unfortunately, the nomination was not accepted. In my excitement to complete the nomination, I did not double check the requirements for the award, which included a majority of the members of the committee were active NALA members.
Happy August…..and to back to school and fall sports. Cannot wait for some HUSKERS football!
We as paralegals/legal assistants will also be going back to school – the WDALA Fall Seminar and Annual meeting, which will be held on September 13, and 14, 2016, at the Holiday Inn in Bismarck. The seminar planning committee has been hard at work preparing for the seminar. If your plans do not allow for seminar attendance, please consider attending the Annual Meeting which will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on September 14, 2016. The agenda includes election of officers for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, voting on the bylaw amendments, the standing rules, and the membership application. If you are unable to attend the Annual Meeting in person, please be sure to submit your designation of proxy and alternate proxy form to Debi Osterby, WDALA Secretary. Further information regarding the seminar, elections, filing of proxies, and voting can be found in this issue.
It has been a busy time since the last issue of the Summons. On June 23rd, Corrina Pfaff; Alice Johnson, ACP; Laurie Guenther, ACP; Lindy Gandy; Afton Basden, CP; Shari Erdman, ACP; and I met with Governor Jack Dalrymple for the Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day proclamation signing.