NALA Programs Heat Up

      The impressive array of educational and professional development programs that NALA has cultivated in the past 35 years are entering the new year with renewed vigor and an intense focus on the needs of paralegals.

NALA Campus LIVE! (Click here to see the schedule of courses)

      The scope of NALA’s educational programs can be seen in the Spring Session of NALA Campus LIVE! for 2010. With 44 courses scheduled from February 4 through May 25, this is the largest session ever offered in this popular interactive format that allows registrants to participate via personal computer and toll-free telephone conference call.

      The first course to be presented on February 4 will be on the timely subject of “New gTLDs,” a hot topic for paralegals involved in Internet IP matters. The course will be taught by Debra J. Monke, ACP, who is well known for her previous presentations and magazine articles on intellectual property topics.

      A dozen of the Spring Session courses are recommended as preparation for the  Certified Paralegal Examination.  The LIVE! presentations include the established courses on the “American Legal System,” “Basic Business Organizations,” “Civil Litigation,” “Blue Book Review of Citations,” Judgment and Legal Analysis,” “Legal Research,” and “Written Communications.”

      The presenters of these courses are attorneys Virginia Koerselman Newman JD, Karen Sanders-West, ACP, JD, and Mary Kubichek, MA, JD. They have diligently updated and freshened the material over the years for the most reliable information offered anywhere.

      All of the Ethics courses by Vicki Voisin, ACP, qualify for ethics credit. These range from basic through advanced presentations, and include a course on “Ethics and Technology.”

      There are a number of general career skill courses ranging from “Public Speaking” by Vicki Kunz, ACP, to “Time Management” by Vicki Voisin, ACP. Courses in general practice areas and specific specialties range from “Elder Law” and “US Citizenship and Naturalization,” to “Advanced Discovery Techniques” and “Trial Preparation for Federal Courts.” The final course of the Spring Session will be “Concordance 2007” on May 25 by Victoria Craig.

      Registration for LIVE! presentations is $80 per course for NALA members, and $105 for non-members. Special fees are offered for multiple participants at single sites. Members are advised by e-mail of upcoming courses and provided with hyperlinks to the appropriate registration screen. Registration is required for CLE credits.

Advanced Paralegal Certification

      More than 1,881 paralegals have earned the Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) credential since the Web-based certification program was inaugurated in mid-July 2006. Florida continues to lead the way with 348 of the ACP certificates awarded as of last October, followed by Texas with 338 and California with 105.

      By area of specialty, Civil Litigation led in the number of ACP credentials with 501, followed by Discovery with 228, Real Estate with 213, and Contracts Administration/Contracts Management with 193.

      NALA is conscientious about keeping the APC courses current and has recently updated the information for the Trial Practice and Discovery modules to reflect changes in the Fed. R. Civ. P regulations. Curricula in Land Use, and Criminal Law are in development, and the Personal Injury program is nearing a “launch” date early in 2010.

Other Educational Programs

      NALA has been in the forefront of internet-based continuing education for the past decade, and the venerable NALA Campus.com site, with material prepared by Virginia Koerselman Newman, remains popular with paralegals wanting to freshen up their knowledge on their own schedule. This online CLE features pre-tests and a user-friendly interface allowing paralegals to study at their own pace and be assured that they are getting the most for their investment.

      Those who prefer the personal dynamic of classroom education have not been overlooked by NALA. The annual Certified Paralegal Short Course remains a popular offering, and the wide variety of courses offered at NALA’s annual convention are a cost-efficient way to compress several days of intensive classroom CLE into a single-destination investment.

      The 35^th Annual Convention and Exhibition this year will be July 14–17 at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL. The nation’s largest gathering of paralegals will feature three institutes in “Bankruptcy Law,” “Elder Law,” and “Veterans Law,” as well as tracks in “Essential Skills,” “Corporate Law,” “Litigation,” and “Hot Topics.”

      NALA affiliated associations get to show their stuff at the Affiliates Exchange presentations and in the affiliates exhibits hall. There will also be the annual Member Exchange Presentations for NALA members selectively chosen for this prestigious event. The annual awards presentations will acknowledge affiliates and members who have made outstanding contributions to the paralegal profession in the past year.

Facts & Findings

      The flagship publication of NALA is widely respected throughout the legal community, and is an educational resource in libraries and a number of paralegal schools. Formerly a quarterly two-color publication, Facts & Findings has gone to a full-color format published bimonthly beginning this year. It is produced under environmentally friendly best practices as certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

      The magazine features articles on substantive legal topics by acknowledged authorities, and also includes helpful information and tips on sound paralegal practices and career advancement. The magazine is included in NALA membership dues, but non-members may subscribe for $35/year. Special lower rates are offered for students.

      NALA programs are conceived, planned, and implemented around the needs of paralegals. The process is continuous and 2010 will mark the 36^th year that NALA has been developing programs  aimed at helping all paralegals as well as members and affiliated associations. Visit the NALA website at www.nala.org for current information on all of NALA’s programs.