Member Newsletter
June 2020

NALA is the Nation's Leading Professional Association for Paralegals

Equipping paralegals for the challenges of the future through certification, professional development, and advocacy.

-NALA Mission Statement
Ensuring paralegals are known and valued as an integral part of the legal ecosystem.

-NALA Vision Statement
Association News

Excitement is building for the 2020 NALA Conference @ Home July 9-11! This fully virtual event provides a unique opportunity for anyone to attend from the comfort of their home or office. We are thrilled to announce virtual conference attendees can earn up to 11 CLE credits during this event! Don't miss out on the chance to choose from over 30 engaging sessions with dynamic speakers while earning CLEs toward their certification. We are fully committed to providing paralegals with the quality education they need while still maintaining social distancing.
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NALA Digital Badges (Coming Soon!)
An exciting new digital resource will be announced at our upcoming virtual conference, but we are giving NALA members an exclusive sneak peek!

Have you ever wanted a way to showcase your NALA achievements online? NALA members, CPs, ACPs, and this year’s conference attendees will be the first to take part in this new digital platform. We are thrilled to provide a way for our members and certificants to virtually display their hard work and dedication to the paralegal field.

Stay tuned for the official announcement during the 2020 NALA Conference @ Home. For those who can’t attend, don’t worry. We will be sending out an email with all the details after conference.

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NALA has been a longstanding sponsor of The Paralegal Voice since its inception. Subscribe today!
 
Embracing Technology: How AI Helps You Work Faster & Smarter
Paralegals are constantly searching for information for their attorneys, and many AI tools are making legal research easier than ever. Are you making use of AI in your daily tasks? Tune in with host Carl Morrison and Nicole Clark to learn more about AI’s many use cases in legal and how it can help streamline your paralegal practice. Carl also introduces a new segment—Practical Paralegal War Stories—where he shares some of his personal experiences in the profession. Listen Now

Be on the lookout for special episodes that will be available pre conference, during conference, and immediately after conference. You don't want to miss them!

A Special Farewell Message from NALA President, Jill I. Francisco, ACP
SANTIAGO GROUP, LLC
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Membership
  
 
Ask the Board Candidates!
Check out the 2020 NALA Board Elections group on the *NALA Commons platform! This forum is intended to be a place where NALA members and candidates can engage in conversation about the upcoming election.
 
To learn more about each of the candidates, along with their qualifications and responses to the candidates’ question(s) for 2020, please visit our website. Each candidate was also asked to create a video with their own personal message to voters. Those videos can be found on the NALA YouTube channel.
 
*Your NALA Commons login is the same as your NALA account login.
NALA sent out postcards last week reminding members that the voting window for the 2020/2021 board of directors election will be opening June 17th. Unfortunately, the title of the postcard—"Your Vote Matters”--comes across as very insensitive during this time of powerful demonstrations and protests all across the country in response to centuries-old racial injustice in America and in support of Black Lives Matter. I wanted to share with you, our members, how this happened.
BOD Candidates  
[NALA ELECTION 2020] Voting Opens This Month!
Voting for the 2020 NALA Board of Directors election opens this Wednesday, June 17! As an Active Member of NALA, you get the privilege to vote for important issues within the association. This includes voting for who you think is the best candidate to represent your interests on the NALA Board of Directors.

How to vote: You will receive a direct email invitation to your primary email address. You may cast your vote from the convenience of your office, home, or cellphone. Please note we are using a vote-submit-confirm process. Your vote will not officially count until you have confirmed your vote. Only Active type members in good standing forty-five (45) days prior to the annual meeting shall be qualified to vote.

You will have until July 8 at 5 p.m. CT to cast your vote. Election results will be announced during the Annual Membership Meeting on July 9, 2020.

Click here to view the Board Candidate profiles and videos!
Education
 
NALA Launches NEW CP Practice App!
Looking for more ways to prepare for the CP Exam? NALA has launched a new addition to the CP Practice Exam – the NALA CP Practice App

The NALA CP Practice App, which is included as a benefit when you purchase the online NALA CP Practice Exam from www.nala.org, is an excellent resource to help you prepare for the Knowledge portion of the Certified Paralegal Exam. For one fee, you can test yourself on the topics from any device, as often as you would like.

After purchasing the CP Practice Exam, you will receive an email with instructions on how to download and access the new smartphone app. Access is available for one year from date of purchase.

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FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In light of recent events that have focused the country’s attention on racial justice, NALA is making this on-demand webinar available to all NALA members at no cost. 

Over the years, diversity, equity, and inclusion have increasingly become a focus in the legal profession.In this session, we will explore diversity, equity, and inclusion and detail ways that you can be involved in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Register Today!
Upcoming Events
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Common Ethical and Legal Pitfalls in Estate Planning
JUNE 16  |  12:00PM CT  |  CLE HOURS: 1  |  ETHICS
In the field of Estate Planning, we, as professionals, must be weary of common ethical and legal pitfalls. In this webinar, we will review, among other things, the standards of competent representation, maintaining confidence while admitting to not knowing the answer, disclosure of conflict of interests, ensuring legal capacity, and creating an engagement letter.
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Preparing for Mediation in an Era of Social Distancing
JUNE 23  |  11:00AM CT  |  CLE HOURS: 1
The coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected the way and manner in which disputes are being deliberated. Mediation, a popular alternative dispute resolution process, has largely transitioned from an in-person office setting to remote Zoom videoconferences and teleconferences to ensure that recommended social distancing guidelines are being followed. Remote mediations, if properly understood, can provide an effective mechanism for potentially resolving your clients’ claims and disputes. As such, it is important for legal professionals to learn what is involved in these remote mediation processes, understand how they can be effectively utilized, and know what must be done to prepare in advance of mediation. This 60-minute webinar will introduce these remote mediation processes and include a discussion of what the legal professional should do to ensure that clients, attorneys, and mediators are prepared for a successful remote mediation.
Certification News
Examinees
  • The Knowledge Exam is administered year-round. PSI has reopened some testing centers. Here is a link to check their availability: https://www.psionline.com/closures. If you are unable to locate a testing center near you, but your workplace is eligible, you can test there. Email testing@nala.org and we will send you the required documents!
  • The April/May 2020 Skills Exam results will be released in September.
  • The July 2020 Skills Exam testing window will be open July 1-31, 2020.
NALA CPs & ACPs
As you navigate and adjust your way through this new "normal”, here are some Helpful Links:
Store
 
"Phenomenal Paralegal" T-Shirt
Dress for success with our super-soft, breathable “Phenomenal Paralegal” T-shirts. This Next Level shirt comes in a heather gray color with the NALA logo printed behind the neck. This comfortable, roomy top is the perfect addition to your wardrobe. Limited quantity available.

$18.50 + Shipping

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NALA CP Exam Fundamentals - Third Edition
NALA’s Certified Paralegal Exam Fundamentals book is designed to provide the examinee with 300 pages of content covering all of the topic areas in NALA’s CP Exam. The book is written by attorneys, paralegals, and paralegal educators who share their knowledge and skills with examinees to help them study for the exam. 

Book Rates:

$99 - Members
$119 - Nonmembers

 
Stainless Steel Coffee Tumbler
Stainless steel outer wall with a navy blue PVC outer sleeve with white stitching. Tumbler has double-wall insulation, a stainless-steel lid with slide lock to help prevent spills, and a no-slip bottom. Not microwave or dishwasher safe.

$20 + Shipping

Affinity Discounts

As a NALA member, you receive exclusive local and national discounts on hundreds of products and services. To access these deals, log into your NALA account and then go to the Affinity Discounts page on our website.