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Certification

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Independence is a wonderful thing.  Our forefathers fought hard for this nation’s independence, and we celebrate and commemorate that freedom on special days like the 4th of July.  NALS’ members celebrate a different kind of independence.  It’s the independence of education and certification.  The knowledge attained through NALS provides you with a certain independence – an independence that opens opportunity’s doors  – allowing you to work efficiently with the necessary skills to perform your duties with assurance.  Celebrate your independence; educate and certify yourself through NALS!  Apply today for the September exam sitting.

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Education

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Have you had a chance to attend one of the NALS webinars?  If not, let me share with you what to expect when you attend for the first time.  The process is very user friendly.  After you register for the webinar, you will receive an email confirmation.  When it is time to attend, you will click on the link contained in the email.  That takes you to ReadyTalk where you will see the PowerPoint prepared by the presenter.  You will need to dial into the tollfree number to hear the audio portion of the conference.  During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to type in questions for the presenter or ask questions at the end of the webinar.  They have all gone very smoothly and we hope you will join us soon. 

What is the section of the certification exam that the majority of people say they have the most trouble with?  If you are like me, it is the written communication section.  Therefore, we are VERY excited to announce a six week series of webinars on – Nuts and Bolts of Written Communication.  They will be once a week from August 3 through September 10 at 8:00 p.m. CDT.  Please join us for this series of informative webinars.  More information will be released soon.

While your Education Committee does not have any sessions or study groups planned for the month of July, we encourage you to take the opportunity to attend regional meetings.  AND mark your calendar now to attend the upcoming online study group.  These sessions are great for certification review and for recertification cle.

Enjoy your summer!!

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Text Development

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Terminology is one of the toughest things to study when preparing for the ALS, PLS, and PP exams.  Here's a study tip that's been going the rounds for some time, for those of you who haven't heard it:

Copy the pages of the glossary in your textbook.  (For the ALS, that's the Basic Manual for the Lawyer's Assistant; for PLS and PP, the Advanced Manual; and for the PP, it's a good thing to review the glossary and definitions given in West's Paralegal today.)  Take those copies and cut them up.  Paste the definition on one side of an index card and the term on the other.  (I can tell you from experience that the Advanced Manual glossary has about 1,100 terms--so you need 1100 index cards and six glue sticks.)  Some tips on getting this burdensome task done:  If you have children, you can pay them (or make them?) do the gluing for you.  The gluing can be done--whether by you or by the kids--in front of the television.  It takes me about a week to get it done that way.

Carry the index cards everywhere you go--bundle up a pack of 100 for purse-sized convenience.  The whole thing will fit in a shoebox.  Go through the entire index file once, removing any cards where you can identify the term from the definition the first time around.  (Put them in the back of the shoebox with a separator.)  Go through the rest of the cards whenever you can, making a mark on the card each time you can guess a term from the definition.  Learn your learning threshold.  I can retain a term if I identify it three times; some people may need to repeat that five or seven times.  When you know the term, put it in the back of the shoebox.  Keep a stack of your hardest terms to take with you to the exam--you can study them before the exam starts or inbetween sections.

When you've passed your certification exam, give, lend, or sell your shoebox to the next person in your LSA who wants to get certified.  And good luck!  I expect to see your name in the list in the next edition of @Law.

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Membership

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RETAINING CURRENT NALS MEMBERS
By:  Reneé L. Kleinjan, PLS

What chapters do to maintain their current members is as important as gaining new members in today’s economic times.  Here are just a few ideas for membership retention found on the NALS.org website under “Information for Leaders”, “30 Ways to Keep Members”:

• Feature a “member of the month” in your publication.
• Recognize members who reach milestone membership anniversaries.
• Recognize your members as often as possible.
• Be sure to thank members for their participation at each and every level.
• When important issues come up, call some of your least active members and ask them for their opinion.
• Hold professional development programs to give members the tools to be successful volunteers and leaders.
• Hold a retention contest.
• As members renew, send them a deck of cards which has the organization’s logo on the back of the cards and different messages on the face of each card, a Certificate of Membership, or business cards. For more information on retention of members, please visit the NALS Website at  http://www.nals.org/nalsorg/membership/30ways.html.

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Strategic Planning

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Responses to Environmental Scan #2 are coming in very slowly.  The Strategic Planning Committee asks that you follow the link on the NALS Web Site and complete this important four (4) question survey. 

NALS will hold two focus group sessions at the Annual Educational Conference and National Forum in Irvine, California this October.  Here are this year's topics:

1.            The Economy, the Changing Law Firm Environment, and the Role of the Modern Legal Professional
            Saturday, October 10, 2009, 10:30 am – 12 noon

The economic downturn has taken a huge toll throughout the country contributing to a changing law firm environment.  All who are part of the legal industry are increasingly being asked to do more with less.  As small, medium, and large law firms throughout the country are re-evaluating every nook and cranny of their firms in terms of “value,” what is the role of the modern legal professional?  What changes are being made and how are legal professionals adapting to increased expectations?  What does the law firm of the future look like?

2.            The Lean, Mean, “Green” Machine           
            Saturday, October 10, 2009, 2:00-3:15 pm

Environmentalism has been around since before the Industrial Revolution.  Even Benjamin Franklin petitioned the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1739 to stop waste dumping and remove tanneries from Philadelphia, PA.  Though the proponents of the environmental movement have often been viewed as fanatics, “going green” has now become a fashionable lifestyle choice which is gaining in popularity.  What are you doing or being asked to do to be more environmentally friendly?  What are modern law firms doing to go “green”? 

 States and chapters are encouraged to conduct focus group sessions on these topics in their area.  For more information, please email NALS President-Elect Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS, at infanti@ballardspahr.com.

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Nominations & Elections

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Calling all members!  The call for nominations for NALS 2010-11 Officers and Directors has been announced. Believe it or not, it is now time for YOU, the members of NALS, to nominate YOUR leaders for next year. Please consider making a nomination of one or more of your fellow NALS members for the following positions: President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Certification Director, Education Director, Marketing Director, Membership Director, and all eight Regional Directors. The Official Call for Nominations can be found in the summer issue of @Law or on the NALS website at www.nals.org/board/nominations/. All nominations must be postmarked or faxed to the NALS Resource Center or submitted online by August 1, 2009.

Think Big! Change your association by nominating your future leaders! Change yourself by running for NALS Board!

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NALS Foundation

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WIN $100 COURTESY OF THE NALS FOUNDATION!

The NALS Foundation Trustees are seeking donations for the silent auction to be held at the 58th Annual Education Conference & National Forum in Irvine, California.  All donors who send their donations to the Resource Center for receipt by August 1, 2009, will be entered in a special NALS Foundation Donors Drawing.  The winner will be announced in Irvine and will receive $100!

Donations should be sent to Jennifer Reed, NALS Resource Center, 8159 East 41st Street, Tulsa, OK 74145.  Each donated item must include the donor’s name, brief description of the item, value of the item, and the name of a contact person if applicable.  Please email Jennifer Reed at reed@nals.org prior to sending the item.  Remember, your donation must reach the Resource Center by August 1 for you to be eligible for the Donors Drawing!

Reminder:  If you plan to bring a donation with you to Irvine, please email Jennifer Reed by September 1 with the donor’s name and a description and value of the donated item in order that it may be included in the silent auction/sweepstakes. 

In our efforts to raise funds for NALS member programs and grants, the Trustees appreciate both your donations and your participation in the silent auction and sweepstakes.  Remember:  The NALS Foundation will put your dollars to work for you!

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maximizing your potential!

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NALS is dedicated to enhancing the competencies and contributions of members in the legal services profession.
NALS Resource Center | 8159 East 41st Street | Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145 | 918.582.5188 | 918.582.5907 (fax)