Congratulations to all the 2024 NALS Award Winners! We are proud of all the dedication and support you each have provided NALS! These award winners were recognized and celebrated at the 2024 National Legal Education Conference in Portland, OR. 

Did you know that as a NALS member you can add a NALS logo or a certification logo to your email signature? Show off your pride in your NALS membership or in your certification by downloading one of our logos now! Be sure to log-in to your NALS account to download it for free! 

 

2024 – 2025 Officers for the National Association for Legal Support Professionals

(April 5, 2024) Indianapolis, IN – The National Association for Legal Support Professionals announces the 2024-2025 Officers who will take office on May 1, 2024.

Serving are:

President: Amylyn Riedling, PP, PLS-SC

Secretary: Brandy Bewley, PP, CLP-SC, RP

Treasurer: Tara Jean Brown, PP, CLP, SCCP

  Directors: Ed Clark, PP, SC - Civil Litigation and Debbie Sutton, CLP

The new Board and Officers will be installed at the NALS Membership Meeting on April 19 at 1:00 P.M. EST.

The Board of Directors is the governing body of NALS. The Board oversees every aspect of the association, always acting in the best interest of the legal services community. One of the primary roles of the NALS Board of Directors is to create and maintain the mission and vision of the organization, including long-term planning, financial oversight, determining and monitoring programs and services, and advocating for NALS. NALS Board members are volunteers.

About NALS:

Established in 1929 by Eula Mae Jett, NALS was incorporated as the National Association of Legal Secretaries in 1949 and renamed the National Association for Legal Support Professionals in 2021. For 95 years, NALS has been a leader in the legal services industry, offering continuing legal education, certifications, and networking to legal support professionals across the country. NALS members represent every area of this industry, from paralegals and legal assistants to legal administrators and office managers. Because of this diversity and an openness to welcome all members of the industry, NALS offers a broad spectrum of expertise to make the programs offered valuable to all members of the legal services industry. Learn more at http://www.nals.org.

NALS has numerous awards that honor excellence in the legal industry. There are awards for NALS members and non-members both. There are awards for leadership, educators, volunteering, certification, and more. You can nominate yourself or someone else. If you know someone who deserves to be recognized for their hard work, nominate them now!

Nominations are due July 1, 2024.

The NALS committees are in search of new committee volunteers. Volunteer terms of service for most committees begin May 1^st and continue until April 30^th next year. There are numerous committees you could join – we have committees for everyone! NALS has committees for marketing, education, membership, certifications, and more. Gain more information and join a committee now!

Members submitting interest forms in the spring will be contacted about their committee placement by April 25.

2024 Legal Education Conference

We're excited to announce that the 2024 National Legal Education Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon from October 13 - 15, 2024!

We'll be celebrating NALS' 95th anniversary and hosting three days of education, networking, and fun at the Hyatt Regency Portland. NALS attendees can choose between a standard room for $159/night + tax or $174/night + tax for a room with south-facing city, river, and mountain views.

Make sure to save the date in your calendar, and check the 2024 Confernece Page for more updates.

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Volunteer to Plan the Conference

Want to help plan the conference? Want to help plan the 2024 National Conference? Volunteers don’t have to be located in/around Portland - we welcome volunteers from across the nation.

If you're interested in being a committee chair or member, email Amanda Bureau with your interest.

2024 – 2025 Board of Directors for the National Association for Legal Support Professionals

(February 28, 2024) Indianapolis, IN – The National Association for Legal Support Professionals announces the 2024-2025 Board of Directors who will be installed at the NALS Membership Meeting on April 19, 2024. Their term will begin May 1, 2024. 

Serving are:

 New Director, as of May 1, 2024:

• Brandy Bewley, PP, CLP-SC, RP
  

Continuing Directors:

• Tara Jean Brown, PP, PLS, SCCP

• Ed Clark, PP, SC - Civil Litigation

• Amylyn Riedling, PP, PLS-SC

• Debbie Sutton, CLP
  

The Board of Directors is the governing body of NALS. The Board oversees every aspect of the association, always acting in the best interest of the legal services community. One of the primary roles of the NALS Board of Directors is to create and maintain the mission and vision of the organization, including long-term planning, financial oversight, determining and monitoring programs and services, and advocating for NALS. NALS Board members are volunteers.

OFFICER ELECTIONS

The NEC will announce a slate of Board members to be considered for officer roles no later than March 15.

On March 20, another ballot will be distributed to voting members to select the Board members who will serve as President, Treasurer, and Secretary for the 2024-2025 year.

View more voting information here.

About NALS:

Established in 1929 by Eula Mae Jett, NALS was incorporated as the National Association of Legal Secretaries in 1949 and renamed the National Association for Legal Support Professionals in 2021. For 95 years, NALS has been a leader in the legal services industry, offering continuing legal education, certifications, and networking to legal support professionals across the country. NALS members represent every area of this industry, from paralegals and legal assistants to legal administrators and office managers. Because of this diversity and an openness to welcome all members of the industry, NALS offers a broad spectrum of expertise to make the programs offered valuable to all members of the legal services industry. Learn more at http://www.nals.org.

Thank you to Alma Friedrich, PP, CLP, President of NALS of North Carolina, for organizing this effort.

1. What do you value about your NALS membership?

2. What can we do differently to serve you better?

You can use this form to submit your answers. Thank you for your continued support and making NALS a great organization!

While we can’t ever imagine that legal dramas will be truthful and complete characterizations of the practice of law, let’s be real, no one would watch if they were (even, maybe especially, us).

Read the Article Here

·        LIG Health and Wellness Round-Up: Summer 2023 Edition

Healthy living, healthy eating, and mental health tips for the start of the new year could help keep your healthcare costs down when paired with the benefits of your health coverage!

·        Upcoming Trips? 6 Essential In-Flight Health Tips to Know Before You Board

Jetting away on a trip is great, but it can also take a toll on your body. Here are some common problems and how to combat them on your next trip.

·        12 Things To Know Before Buying Health Insurance

Buying health insurance can be a complicated process involving technical terms, insurance jargon, and confusion. To make this process easier, we’ve gathered a list of 12 important things you should know before buying health insurance.

·        The Lifelong Journey of Health Insurance: From Youthful Choices to End-of-Life Care

Life is a journey filled with choices, some of which have far-reaching consequences. One such critical choice is that of health insurance. This article aims to guide you through the labyrinth of health insurance choices, from the onset of adulthood to the considerations for end-of-life care.

·        Navigating Eye Health in a Digital World: In-depth Guide to Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Implementing Effective Strategies

With an understanding of the potential risks and the implementation of specific habits and routines, we can safeguard our eyes and promote healthier vision.

·        Is Telehealth Actually Any Good Or Should You See Your Doctor In Person?

Thanks to the invention of the computer, laptops, mobile devices, and tablets, you can see your doctor without leaving the comfort of your couch and get a consultation, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment all through a simple video call.

LIG Solutions can help you review your health coverage options – contact the team at LIG today! Check the NALS membership section to learn how to access this exclusive member benefits program.

*Disclaimer: Medicare is available to some individuals under the age of 65 in limited circumstances. LIG Solutions is not affiliated with the U.S. government or federal Medicare program. LIG Solutions complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

In its second year, the ALP Partner program grew to include 22 schools/legal programs from across the country. Over the academic year, 410 ALP exams (including retakes) were administered across 37 exam sessions. This program provides marketing and instructional support to participating schools, and offers their students the opportunity to stand out from the crowd by earning a national credential that establishes their foundational legal skills and readiness for a legal support career.

Thank you to the hardworking volunteers on the NALS Certifying Board and Education Committee, as well as the passionate teachers whose efforts make this program possible. Exciting updates are in the works for the coming academic year, so keep an eye out! If you know an accredited legal program that may be interested in participating, please let us know by emailing us at cert-edu@nals.org. 

For all the recent, newly installed leaders for NALS chapters across the country I am excited to see what your groups can accomplish in the next 365 days too! Please let me know about your meetings, conferences, events, and goals for the year. I want to be your cheerleader and help in any way I can to make your year a success.

Committees and Volunteers:

Thank you to all NALS members who have signed up to volunteer their time on one of the national committees. The committees are the backbone of NALS and the products and services we can bring to all of you. If you are interested in volunteering on one of the committees, please contact me, one of the other board members, the committee chairs, or the NALS staff for more information. We would love to discuss the committees, your NALS passions, and how your passions can translate into improving NALS for all our members.

National Legal Education Conference, Houston, Texas, August 21 - 23, 2023:

May 1 marked the opening of the registration for our national conference in Houston, Texas. This year the conference will be held Monday, August 21^st through Wednesday, August 23^rd at Hotel Derek. While I know this is different time of the week for the conference I am hopeful and encouraged that this change allowed NALS to hold this conference at Hotel Derek, a venue which is giving our attendees a room rate of $119/night, not charged the daily amenity fee (typically $17/day), and offering this rate three days pre conference and three days post conference (based on hotel availability).

The Hotel Derek is surrounded by the most prestigious shopping, entertainment venues, and area attractions! I am also excited of being able to take advantage of taking flights into Houston on a Saturday and headed home on Thursday which are typically cheaper flight days. You can choose to fly into either Houston Hobby or George Bush International airports. Make sure to check Delta Airlines for flight options and use the NALS Meeting Event Code for special discounts to get to the conference.

I need to acknowledge all the hard work by the conference committee to bring the amazing line up of education. On August 21^st the conference committee has arranged a Legal Writing Workshop from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. I personally cannot wait to attend this session! This year we will have a session for the first-time attendees and then roll into the Welcome Reception. For more information on the conference, all the amazing education sessions, and fun activities please visit the NALS website at www.nals.org/2023conference.

Awards & Recognition of NALS members:

May 31, 2023 is the deadline for all nominations for the NALS National Awards. In addition to the NALS Award of Excellence, there are eight other awards for which our members deserve to be recognized. To see the list of awards and more information about all the awards, please visit the NALS website at www.nals.org/awards. I am excited to find out who this year’s winners will be for each category.

Open “door” policy:

NALS members who know me from my many leadership positions on all three levels of NALS know I have a true open “door” policy. Please do take a minute to tell me what you want to see from NALS, questions you have regarding NALS, and benefits you would like NALS to provide through your membership. While I cannot guarantee I or NALS can fulfill all your requests, I can promise you I will read/respond to every email. The more NALS members communicate with me and the Board about NALS the more we can work towards improving NALS and the tangible and nontangible benefits that come with your membership. You can reach all of the Board members at board@nals.org or me personally at amylynpp@gmail.com.

Look for updates from me and the Board of Directors as we travel through the NALS 2023-2034 year. I look forward to seeing each of you in Houston!

Amylyn Riedling
2023-2024 NALS President 

Serving are:

• President: Amylyn Riedling, PP, PLS-SC
• Secretary: Debbie Sutton, CLP
• Treasurer: Ed Clark, PP, SC - Civil Litigation
• Director: Tara Jean Brown, PP, PLS, SCCP
• Director: Reba Peden, PP, CLP

The new Board and Officers were installed at the NALS Membership Meeting, April 28 at 1:00pm ET.

The Board of Directors is the governing body of NALS. The Board oversees every aspect of the association, always acting in the best interest of the legal services community. One of the primary roles of the NALS Board of Directors is to create and maintain the mission and vision of the organization, including long-term planning, financial oversight, determining and monitoring programs and services, and advocating for NALS. NALS Board members are volunteers.

“NALS is grateful to all of the members who expressed an interest in serving the Board as well as the slate of candidates who participated in the election process,” said NALS President Julie Abernathy, PP, PLS. “We are fortunate to have so many talented and engaged members dedicated to the legal support profession and this organization.”

Now that the members of the Board have been selected, the NALS Nominations and Election Committee will announce which board members will be considered for the offices of President, Treasurer and Secretary. Those positions will also be voted on by the NALS membership. That voting concludes April 3.

In addition to voting for new members of the Board of Directors, the NALS membership elected outgoing president Julie Abernathy, PP, PLS to the Nominations and Elections Committee.

About NALS:

Established in 1929 by Eula Mae Jett, NALS was incorporated as the National Association of Legal Secretaries in 1949 and renamed the National Association for Legal Support Professionals in 2021. For over 90 years, NALS has been a leader in the legal services industry offering continuing legal education, certifications, and networking to legal support professionals across the country. NALS members represent every area of this industry from paralegals and legal assistants to legal administrators and office managers. Because of this diversity and an openness to welcome all members of the industry, NALS offers a broad spectrum of expertise to make the programs offered valuable to all members of the legal services industry. Learn more at http://www.nals.org.

The conference features speakers from diverse aspects of the legal industry who will present current information on key areas of law. Through these presentations and discussions from some of the industry’s most respected experts and leaders, attendees can earn continuing legal education (CLE) credits. The conference planning committee is currently accepting speaker proposals.

In addition to education, the conference welcomes exhibitors of products and services key to helping legal professionals perform at a high level every day. Full details about becoming an exhibitor are available, although exhibit space is limited.

“We are extremely excited for this year’s conference,” said Helene Wood, PP, PLS, TSC-RE, 2023 NALS Conference Committee Chair. ­­­­­­­­­“It’s important that legal professionals have a space to gather, collaborate and grow professionally with one another.”

All legal professionals are welcome to attend – NALS members and non-members alike. A detailed schedule, registration costs, and other details will be added to the website when confirmed. 

About NALS:

Established in 1929 by Eula Mae Jett, NALS was incorporated as the National Association of Legal Secretaries in 1949 and renamed the National Association for Legal Support Professionals in 2021. For over 90 years, NALS has been a leader in the legal services industry offering continuing legal education, certifications, and networking to legal support professionals across the country. NALS members represent every area of this industry from paralegals and legal assistants to legal administrators and office managers. Because of this diversity and an openness to welcome all members of the industry, NALS offers a broad spectrum of expertise to make the programs offered valuable to all members of the legal services industry. Learn more at http://www.nals.org.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (October 5, 2022) –Two associations serving legal support professionals, The American Association for Paralegal and Legal Education (AAfPE) and the National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS) are partnering to survey paralegals and legal support professionals on the skills and software they use every day while serving the American justice system. This survey's results will inform the AAfPE Core Competencies for paralegal curriculum and the content of NALS certification and education programs.

“AAfPE educators are dedicated to preparing students with the knowledge and skills that employers need in today’s workforce,” said AAfPE President Toni Marsh, Program Director, Paralegal Studies, George Washington University. “Law offices have undergone dramatic changes over the last two years, so now is an excellent time to conduct this survey.”

The survey was launched at the NALS 2022 National Legal Education Conference in Charlotte, NC. The survey link will now be distributed through State Bar associations, other professional associations, and social media channels.

“For more than 90 years, NALS has been the leader in the legal services industry offering continuing legal education and certifications, we are excited to be working alongside educators to ensure emerging legal professionals have the tools they need for success,” said NALS President Julie Abernathy, PP, PLS.

Anyone working in the legal support industry is encouraged to respond at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NALS2. As a thank you for spending about 10 minutes on the anonymous survey, NALS is offering participants access to a free legal CLE course. Organizations interested in distributing a survey link customized for their membership should contact NALS at info@nals.org or 918.582.5188.

About AAfPE:

Established in 1981, AAfPE’s roots go back to the mid 1970s when the American Bar Association sponsored the first conferences for paralegal educators. While much has been accomplished in the field of paralegal education from this beginning, there is still much more to be done to fully develop the potential for both the paralegal field and education for the profession. Learn more at https://www.aafpe.org/.

About NALS:

(June, 2022 – Indianapolis, IN) - The National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS) is proud to announce its 2022 National Legal Education Conference is planned for September 15-17 at Sonesta Executive Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. Registration for the conference is now open.

The conference will feature speakers from diverse aspects of the legal industry who will present current information on key areas of law. Through these presentations and discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to earn up to 15 continuing legal education (CLE) credits from some of the industry’s most respected experts and leaders.

In addition to education, the national conference will welcome exhibitors of products and services key to helping legal professionals perform at a high level every day. Furthermore, there are scheduled networking opportunies to allow attendees to make lasting connections and gain industry insight.

“We are extremely excited for this year’s conference.” said Traci Wolfe, PP, 2022 NALS Conference Committee Chair. ­­­­­­­­­“It’s important that legal professionals have a space to gather, collaborate and grow professionally with one another.”

All legal professionals are welcome to attend – NALS members and non-members alike. Register before August 15 for the lowest rates. Cost for NALS members is $349 and cost for non-members is $449. Students register at a discounted rate of $249. More information may be found online at https://www.nals.org/page/2022conference.

Thank you to our current sponsors and exhibitors: Capitol Lien, Dragun Corporation, Huseby, InterActive Legal, Steno, Veritext and Filevine. To register as a sponsor or exhibitor, reserve your package before August 1, 2022.

The Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC) announces the following results:

NALS President: Julie A. Abernathy, PP, PLS – Hamilton, Texas

NALS Secretary: Reba Peden, PP, CLP – Paralegal with Elmore & Peterson Law Firm, Ridgeland, Mississippi

NALS Treasurer: Tara Jean Brown, PP, PLS, SCCP – Paralegal at The Greene Law Firm P.A., Greenville, South Carolina­­

NALS Director: Amylyn Riedling, PP, PLS-SC – Paralegal/Office Manager for Robin H. Balsam P.S., Tacoma, Washington

NALS Director: Debbie Sutton, CLP – Quality Assurance Specialist for the Town of Sahuarita Police Department, Sahuarita, Arizona 

NALS’ new leadership will be sworn in during a membership meeting on Thursday, April 28.

“I am excited to serve as the new NALS President alongside such a talented board. NALS is an amazing association with wonderful members. I look forward to the opportunity to steer NALS towards a better future. I have been a member for over 45 years and have NALS in my DNA.” said NALS President, Julie Abernathy. ­­­­­­­­­

Julie A. Abernathy, PP, PLS has been a member of NALS since 1975. She has served in numerous chairmanships and offices at all levels of the association, including President of Austin LPA, Waco LPA, and Texas ALP. In addition, Julie has served the national association as Region 6 Director, Membership Director, Secretary/Treasurer, President-elect, and as the 39th President in 2009-2010.   She served as a Trustee on the NALS Foundation 2010-2014 and served as the Foundation Chair from 2011-2014. She continues to be active on all levels. 

The new board aims to guide NALS in line with the established strategic direction of providing continued education to members, increasing inclusive member engagement and increasing the awareness of the NALS brand.

• Julie A. Abernathy, Emeritus PP, PLS
• Tara Jean Brown, PP, PLS, SCCP
• Reba Peden, PP, CLP
• Amylyn Riedling, PP, PLS-SC
• Debbie Sutton, CLP

• Marcie Carter, PP, PLS-SC (Chair)
• Sandy Lavender (Vice Chair)
• Shannon Crossley
• Donna Dendy, PP, PLS
• Ron Herbison
• Tina Hurley, PP, PLS