Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. - January 18
Our country will come together Jan. 18 to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Words cannot express the true impact Dr. King’s legacy has on our great nation. We encourage you to take a moment and reflect on his message of freedom and equality for all. You can read and listen to his iconic speech at the Lincoln Memorial for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom by clicking here.
 
In honor and celebration of Dr. King, the NALA office will be closed Monday, January 18, 2021.

Introducing the NEW Volunteer Spotlight!
First, we want to thank you for your continued support of NALA through a trying 2020. We hope this year brings success, joy and a new sense of normalcy as we kick off 2021.
 
NALA volunteers are invaluable, and we cannot thank you enough for your time, dedication and passion for NALA and the paralegal profession. To honor these wonderful individuals, we are introducing the NEW NALA Volunteer Spotlight! In each monthly newsletter, a different NALA volunteer will be featured. This spotlight will include the volunteer’s professional achievements and fun facts about them. We hope you enjoy this opportunity to get to know your fellow NALA members on a more personal level!
 
In the first ever Volunteer Spotlight, we would like to introduce you to Chris Lillo, ACP, of South Dakota. Chris has been a member of NALA since 2010. Chris, we appreciate all you have done and continue to do for NALA. Please click here to read January 2021’s Volunteer Spotlight!

Introducing "Paralegal Brief"!
As part of our commitment to provide the best resources for paralegals and other legal professionals, NALA is thrilled to announce the launch of a new online resource for the paralegal community: Paralegal Brief.
 
Paralegal Brief brings together the widest set of expert, thought-leadership content from hundreds of leading sources. Powered by Aggregage technology, Paralegal Brief uses machine intelligence, smart algorithms, social media and audience-driven data to deliver the most relevant, custom-curated content to each and every reader. With Paralegal Brief, you can access the best expert insights, in-depth analysis, and the latest information from hundreds of sources, all together in one place.
 
Welcome emails from Paralegal Brief were sent out to NALA members last week. We are excited to welcome you to this new community for paralegal professionals! Enjoy this valuable resource, and please let us know if you have thoughts or ideas on how to make this service better. To access Paralegal Brief, please click here.

Awards Nomination Deadline - FEBRUARY 1
We are excited to continue the NALA Awards Program in 2021! We are already coming up on nomination deadlines for the first two awards – the Rising Star Award and the Volunteer of the Year Awards. Nominations for both awards are due no later than February 1, 2021.
 
The purpose of the Rising Star Award is to recognize exemplary service to the paralegal profession by an individual NALA member who has been a paralegal for less than five years. The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes exemplary service to the paralegal profession and its members by an individual NALA member who has been a paralegal for at least five years.
 
To learn more about nomination criteria, who can submit a nomination, and the details of each award, please visit the NALA website by clicking here.

Declare Your Candidacy - NALA Board Elections 2021
Have you ever considered running for NALA office? If so, now is your chance!
 
If you are passionate about the paralegal field and want to impact the future of NALA, a NALA board position might be the right fit for you. Our board members are active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and for the paralegal profession. Serving on the board is a rewarding, gratifying and enjoyable way to be engaged in your association. 
 
Open board positions include the following: Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and two At Large Director positions. For a detailed explanation of each role, please click here.
 
All candidates must complete a Declaration of Candidacy form and provide a high-resolution photograph to NALA. You can submit this form electronically to pvanstraten@nala.org, or by mail, no later than March 15, 2021 (postmarked or received). Declarations received after the deadline will be not be accepted. You can download a Declaration of Candidacy form by clicking here.
 
Please take a moment to thoughtfully consider if you would like to declare your candidacy for the NALA board of directors. NALA needs outstanding and dedicated professionals who genuinely care about the future of the organization and the paralegal profession.

2020 Membership Survey - Closes January 25
NALA is continually trying to improve and make the association the best it can be for our members. In order to accomplish this, we ask members to complete the Membership Survey each year for the previous calendar year.
 
The 2020 Membership Survey is currently open and will close on January 25, 2021. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey you received via the email account you have on file with NALA. Your confidential feedback is key to our continued improvement and future success. We appreciate your time!

Membership Grace Period REMINDER
Effective January 1, 2021, NALA implemented a 30-day grace period to renew a membership following its expiration date to help avoid interruption of member-only benefits. If you need an invoice to present to your employer, click here to download the PDF. For questions, please contact our office at (918) 587-6828 or email us at nalanet@nala.org.

The NALA Commons Community
One of the biggest lessons 2020 taught us is how vital community is to our everyday lives. This not only includes in-person communities but virtual communities as well.
 
If you haven’t yet had the chance to check out NALA Commons, our member-only collaborative social site, please take a moment to do so. This member exclusive benefit is an easy way to connect with your peers and fellow NALA members, ask questions, discuss relevant topics to the paralegal field, or simply have someone to chat with. You can join groups specifically tailored to your interests, and the NALA board of directors and NALA staff are actively involved on the site to interact with you and answer your questions.
 
There is no better time to join the NALA Commons community! To access the site, click here or go to the NALA website homepage, click on the NALA Commons button under Quick Links, login to your NALA account, and you are in! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our staff members.

January DEI Article – Justice Ginsburg’s Legacy
In this month’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion article, Bobby Rimas reflects on the impact Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy continues to have on our country, specifically the fight for equality for all.
 
Ginsburg famously stated, “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself, something to repair tears in your community. Something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you. That’s what I think a meaningful life is – living not for oneself, but for one’s community.”
 
To read how she fulfilled her own mission and learn more about her lasting impact, please click here to read the full article.

2020 NALA Conference Recording Bundle
The 2020 Conference Recording Bundle is still available! If you attended the 2020 NALA Conference @ Home, you can purchase the Conference Recording Bundle for only $199 for NALA members ($249 for non-members). If you did not have the opportunity to join us for this year’s virtual conference, you can purchase the bundle for $575 for NALA members ($628 for non-members).
 
To purchase individual conference sessions or view a complete list of all of NALA’s on-demand webinars, please visit our website.
 
*Please note that on-demand access to the recordings are available for one year from the purchase date.

FLSA and Employee Pay Compliance
January 20  |  12 p.m. CT   |  CLE: 1
Over the last decade, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) cases have increased dramatically in federal courts, impacting all business sectors. This webinar will address the basic requirements under the FLSA, including requirements for employee pay, record keeping requirements, classification issues, and common pitfalls that lead to litigation.

Executing A Successful Remote Deposition
January 27  |  1 p.m. CT  |  CLE: 1  
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated health risks forced much of the legal community to conduct depositions, arbitration hearings and other proceedings remotely. That shift also presented an opportunity to reshape the model for memorializing and managing testimony that has existed for more than a century. The industry has embraced cloud-based technology platforms, allowing cases to move forward efficiently. Yet the technology itself is proving it does not need to be a temporary fix. Using speech-to-text algorithms, practitioners can now access a live rough transcript of the testimony and analyze, tag and annotate it without delay. They can also capture and edit digital video and audio testimony that synchronizes fully with the associated text within the transcript. No more waiting on the arrival of the certified transcript. Plus, the organization and introduction of exhibits online can be much smoother. These changes help save time and money and offer a strategic advantage. However, taking a remote deposition requires its own workflow and strategies. A nice user interface on a screen is one thing but functioning comfortably in the new environment is another – so is planning for its use. Location selection? Lights, camera, action? Managing a witness from a separate room? Cybersecurity? In this webinar, Rob Feigenbaum, CEO and co-founder of Prevail Legal, Inc., discusses how paralegals can address these challenges, execute remote depositions and manage testimony.

Special Education Law: A Civil Right
February 3  |  12 p.m. CT   |  CLE: 1.5
In this webinar, we dive deep into how Special Education Law is rooted in Civil Rights Law and Disability Law. We walk through the federal government’s responsibility of public education to not only legally provide – but also legally protect – civil and disability rights in education. We discuss the role of the 10th Amendment and its influence on public education as a national policy, as well as States’ rights to promulgate education law. This is an essential part of the conversation regarding public education and disability rights that is often either not acknowledged or not thoroughly discussed. The three main pieces of law discussed are the following: The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The learning objectives focus on discussing these three pieces of legislation and how each one contributes to – and inherently protects – Special Education Law as a civil right and not a privilege. 

Inclusivity, Intersectionality, and Becoming a Better Ally
February 10  |  12 p.m. CT  |  CLE: 1.5  
This webinar explores how to be an ally who is a leader – one who supports equality, stands up for the rights of others, and is a powerful voice alongside marginalized individuals or groups. *NON-SUBSTANTIVE

CP Exam Reminders:

• The Student application fee is for paralegal students currently in the last semester or quarter of the paralegal program.
  • All student applicants are required to submit a Student Waiver form within the application.
• The Knowledge Exam is administered year-round.
• The Skills Exam is administered in February, April, July and October.
• You can take your exam at your job, college or military base. Click here for more details under the Testing Center Qualifications & Forms section.
• If you have any questions, please contact us at testing@nala.org.

Certification

• Congratulations to the newest NALA Certified Paralegals from the October 2020 testing window! We know that you are proud of your wonderful accomplishment! Here are some helpful links:
  
  • CLE Categories
  • How to enter your CLE
  • CLE entry FAQs
• January Certificants! Your certification expires on 1/31/2021. We have sent a reminder for you to enter your CLE into your NALA account. If you have already met the required 50 hours, including 5 hours of legal ethics, and not more than 10 hours of non-substantive credits, you may recertify online now! You may also mail, fax or email the PDF Recertification form to us before 1/31/2021.
• If you have any questions, please contact us at cle@nala.org.

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.