Volume 33, Number 4 April 2012 Member of National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) OCPA Turns 35! Did you know that OCPA turns 35 this year? How would you like to see OCPA celebrate its 35th birthday? If you have any ideas as to how we can give back to our members, please email me at Hilary. [email protected]. On April 11, 2012, Joseph C. Scott, J.D., Director of Deadlines.com & CompuLaw ADERANT will discuss “Calendaring as a Risk Management Strategy” Learn about the importance of automated rules- based calendaring in order to prevent the leading cause of malpractice claims – calendar-related errors! Ms. Scott will cover the complexities of the rules, malpractice carrier mandates, as well as common mistakes and how to prevent them. Don’t forget 2012 is your compliance year as a paralegal. You must have 4 hours of General Law and 4 hours of Ethics completed by the end of 2012. Our April General Meeting will be 1.0 hour of Ethics MCLE. Please don’t forget to bring canned goods for the Orange County Food Bank (OCFB) to the April General meeting. In addition, to collecting items at all of our General Meetings, you can volunteer on four (4) Saturdays in 2012: May 5, July 14, September 15, November 3. Volunteering begins at 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. You can help OCFB assemble the food boxes for children and seniors at their distribution center located at 11870 Monarch Street in Garden Grove. If you are interested in participating in these volunteer activities, please contact OCPA’s Pro Bono/Community Services Chair, Cindy Mascio, ACP, CAS, at [email protected]. Are you a new member of the OCPA? Find out more about the organization and all of its benefits at the New Member Meeting on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at Sarno, A Veritext Corporation. RSVP at Hilary. [email protected]. Save the Date for this year’s NALA Conference in Omaha, Nebraska from July 25th through July 28th. Come celebrate NALA’s 37th Annual Meeting and Educational Institutes. More details to follow. Finally, come help us make this year’s Annual Educational Conference better than ever! This year will be OCPA’s 26th Annual Educational Conference, and lots of planning goes into this great event. If you’re interested in helping out with this conference, email Kerry Swancutt at kerryswancutt.ocpa@ gmail.com.. Would you like to volunteer and get more involved with the OCPA? Volunteering is a great way to meet your co-paralegals and networking. Simply email me to learn more about how you can get involved. - Hilary Martin, OCPA President Disclaimer: The articles contained in this publication have been prepared for and are intended to provide information use- ful to members of the Orange County Paralegal Association (OCPA) and the legal professional community, at-large. The information presented is not to be taken as legal advice nor do the views represent a statement of OCPA policy. OCPA Members Pass CP Examination A big congratulations to OCPA members Shirlene C. Bobro and Carrera Falk who passed the January 2012 Certified Paralegal Examina- tion. The OCPA Board applauds your accomplishents and hard work! President’s Message Inside this Issue: President’s Message 1 Calendar & Events 2 Membership & Statistics 3 Articles: Paralegals Fight for Overtime Pay 4-5 Paralegal Planaphobia 6-7 Your Paralegal Career 8-9 Online Notarization 10 NALA Update 12 OCPA Corporate Sponsors Sustaining Members 13 OCPA Board 14
Transcript
Volume 33, Number 4 April 2012
Member of National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
OCPA Turns 35!Did you know that OCPA turns 35 this year? How would you like to see OCPA celebrate its 35th birthday? If you have any ideas as to how we can give back to our members, please email me at [email protected]. On April 11, 2012, Joseph C. Scott, J.D., Director of Deadlines.com & CompuLaw ADERANT will discuss “Calendaring as a Risk Management Strategy” Learn about the importance of automated rules-based calendaring in order to prevent the leading cause of malpractice claims – calendar-related errors! Ms. Scott will cover the complexities of the rules, malpractice carrier mandates, as well as common mistakes and how to prevent them. Don’t forget 2012 is your compliance year as a paralegal. You must have 4 hours of General Law and 4 hours of Ethics completed by the end of 2012. Our April General Meeting will be 1.0 hour of Ethics MCLE. Please don’t forget to bring canned goods for the Orange County Food Bank (OCFB) to the April General meeting. In addition, to collecting items at all of our General Meetings, you can volunteer on four (4) Saturdays in 2012: May 5, July 14, September 15, November 3. Volunteering begins at 8:30 a.m. to
10:30 a.m. You can help OCFB assemble the food boxes for children and seniors at their distribution center located at 11870 Monarch Street in Garden Grove. If you are interested in participating in these volunteer activities, please contact OCPA’s Pro Bono/Community Services Chair, Cindy Mascio, ACP, CAS, at [email protected]. Are you a new member of the OCPA? Find out more about the organization and all of its benefits at the New Member Meeting on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at Sarno!, A Veritext Corporation. RSVP at [email protected] the Date for this year’s NALA Conference in Omaha, Nebraska from July 25th through July 28th. Come celebrate NALA’s 37th Annual Meeting and Educational Institutes. More details to follow.Finally, come help us make this year’s Annual Educational Conference better than ever! This year will be OCPA’s 26th Annual Educational Conference, and lots of planning goes into this great event. If you’re interested in helping out with this conference, email Kerry Swancutt at [email protected].. Would you like to volunteer and get more involved with the OCPA? Volunteering is a great way to meet your co-paralegals and networking. Simply email me to learn more about how you can get involved.
- Hilary Martin, OCPA President
Disclaimer: The articles contained in this publication have been prepared for and are intended to provide information use-ful to members of the Orange County Paralegal Association (OCPA) and the legal professional community, at-large. The information presented is not to be taken as legal advice nor do the views represent a statement of OCPA policy.
OCPA Members Pass CP ExaminationA big congratulations to OCPA members Shirlene C. Bobro! and Carrera Falk who passed the January 2012 Certified Paralegal Examina-tion. The OCPA Board applauds your accomplishents and hard work!
Articles: Paralegals Fight for Overtime Pay 4-5Paralegal Planaphobia 6-7Your Paralegal Career 8-9Online Notarization 10
NALA Update 12OCPA Corporate Sponsors
Sustaining Members 13OCPA Board 14
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OCPA Calendar & Events
To learn more, simply visit the OCPA website at: www.ocparalegal.org
April = = =
Date Time Title Location
4/4 6:00 pm Board Meeting Sarno!/Veritext
4/11 6:00 pm OCPA General: “Calendaring as a Risk Management Strategy”
Radisson Hotel
4/17 6:00 pm Immigration Section: “Spousal Petitions and Out of Wedlock Children Petitions”
Sarno!/Veritext
4/25 12:00 pm Litigation Section: “Nuts and Bolts of Trial Preparation”
Dpmt C7, Orange CountySuperior Court
MayDate Time Title Location
5/2 6:00 pm Board Meeting Sarno!/Veritext
5/2 6:00 pm Bankrupty Section: “Exemptions, Taxes and Chapter 11 Business Reorganization
Sarno!/Veritext
5/5 8:30 am Pro Bono: OCPA/OCFC Work Day OCFB
5/15 6:00 pm Bankruptcy Section TBD
5/16 6:00 pm Criminal Section TBD
Save the Date!OCPA 26th Annual Educational
Conference
Date: Saturday, September 8, 2012 Time: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Place: Radisson Hotel, Newport Beach
“Established 1977 – OCPA Celebrates 35 years of supporting & educating Paralegals! Who are we and what sets us apart?”
Please join our diverse legal community at this annual education opportunity. No matter your level of experience, come see how to enrich your career.
MCLE Credit Provided – 5.0 hours Topics to be announced soon.
Speaker or Exhibitor Inquires? To learn more, please contact Conference Chair Kerry Swancutt at [email protected].
JuneDate Time Title Location
6/6 6:00 pm Board Meeting Sarno!/Veritext
6/13 6:00 pm General Meetig Radisson Hotel
6/23 All day CAPA Educational Conference Sacramento, CA
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New Members
Lisa HamannBeth EllisonLilian WongEthmiriam CastanedaTonya NeeleyNicole McEwenAmy S. HuangBarbara StroudColin EnglerLougen MeersSharon L. Jordan
OCPA Membership & Statistics
3/17/2012Account Balance
ASSETSCash and Bank Accounts
Checking 32,168.77Maximizer 100,947.51PayPal.com 0.00Savings 6,255.34Post Office 300.00TOTAL Cash and Bank Accounts 139,671.62
TOTAL ASSETS 139,671.62
LIABILITIES 0.00
OVERALL TOTAL 139,671.62
Net Worth - As of 3/17/2012As of 3/17/2012
3/17/2012 Page 1Monica SharizadehAmanda DoElizabeth LubinJeanne O. SwedoMichelle ArachikavitzRudy LopezSarah SandovalIsaiah LeslieTrisha L. MatherMaureen A. GentryKerri Johnson
The financial services industry has paid millions of dollars in back wages to loan o#cers it misclassified as exempt from overtime pay. High-tech companies have been forced to pay back wages to help-desk employees who were classified improperly as exempt computer"professionals.Now paralegals are putting law firms on the hot seat with similar"claims.“It’s an extremely common problem,” said Rex Burch, an employment lawyer atBruckner Burch"who specializes in wage and hour law and represents individual"workers.Nationwide, 48 lawsuits are pending in which paralegals allege violations, including one against a prominent Houston personal injury law"firm.The Mostyn Law Firm, which represents consumers and businesses in insurance disputes
including hurricane claims, was sued by one of its former paralegals who contends she typically worked more than 70 hours a week but didn’t receive overtime"pay.Sherri Davis, who worked for the law firm for two years until she left in 2009, subsequently was joined in the lawsuit by another of the firm’s former paralegals – workers who research cases, prepare files and maintain contact with"clients.They allege that they and dozens of other paralegals were misclassified as salaried employees, said Houston lawyer"Alex Mabry, who is representing the"plainti!s.Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge"Keith Ellison"conditionally certified the case as a class action, allowing other paralegals who worked at the firm since August 2008 to join. The certification will require the Mostyn firm to provide the
names and addresses of its current and former"employees.Will Stukenberg, an employment lawyer at Meyer White who is representing the Mostyn Law Firm, said he isn’t sure how many employees will be eligible to join but added that it’s a small"number.
“We feel confident that once the case gets to the merits and the facts come out, that we will be successful,” said Stukenberg, who declined further"comment.The Mostyn Law Firm, which has o#ces in Houston, Galveston, Beaumont and Austin, argued to the court that its paralegals shouldn’t be lumped together
Write for the OCPA Compendium!
Do you have an issue or topic of interest to share with your fellow OCPA members? Simply send your draft to the OCPA Compendium Editor Tracy Hermans at [email protected] for publication. Suggested topics range from professional development, technology and the law, research and writing, continuing education, and your thoughts on the profession. Articles will be reviewed and edited prior to publication.
Paralegals Fight for Overtime Pay
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because they perform di!erent tasks, including some with supervisory"duties.Ellison rejected that argument and noted that from the evidence presented, the paralegals performed substantially the same duties and that the law firm had a policy that it didn’t pay its salaried employees"overtime. Mabry sees the irony in the situation.“It seems to me that if you are in the business of representing people to address their rights and to get them the compensation they are owed, you should honor that principle with your own employees as well,” Mabry said. Burch, who isn’t involved in the case, said the U.S. Department of Labor has been clear for a long time that paralegals are entitled to overtime pay. It’s been spelled out in opinion letters and is noted specifically in the most recent update of wage and hour"rules.Paralegals are not considered professionals partly because their work generally doesn’t require advanced education, such as a medical or law"degree.Burch said some paralegals have worked for him and at larger firms with a couple of years of community"college. But many law firms and corporate legal
departments still classify their paralegals as exempt from overtime, and Burch said he can understand why. Many lawyers see their paralegals as their right arm, he said. They value the paralegals’ opinions and rely on them to do a lot of the"work.But unlike a CEO’s executive assistant – who wields considerable power because of the position and can be considered exempt from overtime – a paralegal can’t give legal advice, dictate settlement terms or make independent legal"decisions.The only exception to that, Burch said, could be the top supervising paralegal who hires, fires and also manages the"o#ce.
About the Author: Jeannie S. Johnston has been a Paralegal for over 18 years, has spoken at National Paralegal Conferences and is the Founder and CEO of Paralegal Gateway, Inc. a/k/a www.ParalegalGateway.com – the world’s oldest and largest online Paralegal portal on the world wide web.
Do you disagree or agree with the opinions shared in this article?
Share your information and feedback by emaillng the OCPA Compendium Editor at [email protected].
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Technology ReviewApps to help you plan, prepare and maximize your time e#ciently.
Evernote Need to remember an important event or idea? Create indi-
vidual notebooks and categories on any subject. Take snapshot pictures, use bullets points and outlines. It’s easy-to-use and accessible on your iPhone or Android and computer. Your information is backed-up to a secure server. Warning: you may find yourself addicted to this app. Cost: Free
TripitNext time you’re planning a trip, use this app to store your
itinerary, check-in to flights, and keep current on flight schedules. Tripit locates your itineraries in your email account and stores them in one central location. Great for traveling. Cost: Free
CardMunchSign in through LinkedIn and simply take a photo of a busi-
ness card you just received. The app syncs the information to your contacts, and LInkedIn. A
networker’s dream. Cost: Free
MileBugCreate and store your company mileage us-ing your phone’s GPS
technology. Save routine logs and back-up to a secure server for future use. Cost: $2.99
Paralegal Planaphobia: What is it? Do you have it?
Do you envy the people who always know in July what they’re doing over Christmas vacation?" Who purchase concert tickets months in advance? Who make flight arrangements early enough to use their frequent flier miles? Who have standing appointments for ‘high maintenance’ activities like manicures and pedicures and getting their hair done?They’re never scrambling at the last minute hoping they can be ‘worked in’. They never miss the opening of the new play. They never have to take the ‘left over’ seats on the airplane and end up monitoring the toilets. They’re simply not afraid to make those plans in advance...and usually their plans work out just as (ahem!) planned.Let me tell you about my friend Michelle who definitely does not have Planaphobia." She traveled to Ireland with friends in 2009. They had such a fabulous time that they wanted to return to see the rest of the country and visit some of their favorite sights....and soon because they’re not getting any younger: they want to enjoy walking in the countryside and the grounds of castles, cathedrals, villages and other landmarks.How did Michelle...who’s a single, hard working paralegal...make this happen? Is she just ‘lucky’? No!One of her favorite quotes is from Abraham Lincoln:
“Commitment is what transforms promise into reality.”She lives by this quote. She made a commitment and then she made her plans. She and her friends set a date, made flight reservations and hired their driver well ahead of their departure date. Then she started her ‘Ireland fund’ to set aside money from each paycheck and any bonus that came her way.The volcano in Iceland did erupt just before Michelle’s scheduled trip. Did that stop her? Why would it? Of course she held her breath until the plane touched down in Dublin...but she just figured if she got stuck over there she’d use her Irish background to buy a pub and put her prior bartending experience to good use. She was ‘going with the flow’.In the end, the trip went o! without a hitch, and Michelle returned to her paralegal job savoring many happy memories. She has absolutely no regrets...except perhaps that she didn’t get her Irish pub.Time marches on."The months and years go by in spite of your hesitation and fears. If you have Planaphobia, there are steps you can take that will help you make plans and enjoy life to the fullest:Always have a bucket list." Almost everyone has seen the movie ‘Bucket List’ starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, two men who are facing death so they go about fulfilling the items on their list of things they want to accomplish before they ‘kick the bucket.
Planaphobia is a common malady I’ve identified while studying time management issues." It strikes large numbers of our population, even paralegals.What is it? Planaphobia is the fear of planning.Planaphobia stops you in your tracks and keeps you from enjoying many of the things you’d really like to do but are afraid to plan for. Perhaps you’ll be too busy at work. Perhaps something better will come up. Perhaps you won’t feel well that day. Perhaps a volcano will erupt and you won’t be able to fly. The excuses are endless.
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You should have an ongoing ‘bucket list’ of things you want to accomplish or do during both in the near future and as your life goes on.Routinely update your bucket list." A bucket list is a work in progress that will change as you cross things o! or think of new things to add. The lesson to be learned is don’t wait, or waste, another minute. Make your list, clarify what is important to you, and start living a more fulfilling life today.Remember, the creation of a list of life goals allows you to imagine a life that is rich in possibilities." You always have something to look forward to. When you declare your goals, you declare your intent and raise your level of awareness of opportunities that are there for you.If making a plan is too overwhelming,"break it into small steps. If you’re paralyzed by a big goal, you should consider the steps you must take to achieve the goal and then work on accomplishing each step. Plan when you will do each one. Little by little, you’ll reach the big goal just like Michelle who
contributed to her ‘Ireland Fund’ with each paycheck.Use your calendar to make your plans."A calendar o!ers you a year of endless possibilities. Days and months with nothing on them give you permission to make commitments. For instance, the Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair has taken place on the second Saturday in August every year for 52 years. It’s a given that in January I’ll enter that date in August on my calendar so I can attend.If this is still di#cult for you, one thing that might help is to put optional meetings or anything else that comes up on your calendar. They’ll go on with or without you, but if your event or travel is canceled, you’ll be able to pick up where you left o! and attend the event you originally thought you had to miss.Don’t hesitate to accept invitations." If you have nothing else on your calendar, go ahead and RSVP immediately. If you hesitate, you’ll wait until it’s too late and you’ll have another missed opportunity.Retain your spontaneity." Life is
all about seizing the moment. Everything doesn’t have to be planned down to the minute. If something you’d like to do comes up on the spur of the moment, don’t hesitate to say ‘Yes!” and enjoy.When you get past your Planaphobia, be ready to be amazed at the joy you’ll feel."You’ll be doing more of the things you really want to do. You’ll be more calm, happier and you’ll always feel ‘ahead of the game’. Remember this quote from Peter F. Drucker: “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” Promises and hopes aren’t the same as actually doing...and life is about doing.”
About the author: Vicki Voisin, “The Paralegal Mentor”, delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and co-hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.Imagine a life that is rich in possibilities
What planning tips do you have? Do you use lists, a day-planner, sticky notes or your favorite app for your iPad or smartphone?
Share your tips and feedback by starting a thread discussion on OCPA’s LinkedIn or Facebook page.
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Your Paralegal Career: 6 Simple Steps to Stay on Top of Your Game
It’s time to change your mindset!"Staying on top of your game requires some work...and I don’t mean the kind of work that keeps you behind your desk from 9:00 to 5:00 (or later) every day. I’m talking about the work you must do to keep you and your mind fresh and energized.Here are some simple steps you can take to do just that:1. Make yourself available to those who may be newer to the career field." If you’ve been in the profession for a while, you should welcome, encourage, mentor and praise those who are coming after you.They will look to you for advice and direction. Be there for them. They are the future but guidance from those with history is crucial.Kristina Duncan" and" Melissa Highnote, CP"joined me for this picture at the NALS Conference in Cincinnati. It’s great to know that the future of this profession is in such capable hands!2. Never say, ‘I can’t.’" There’s absolutely nothing you can’t do once you put your mind to it. When you’re o!ered a challenge at work, tackle it with gusto. Ask for help and guidance if you need to. Learn everything that will help you in meeting the challenge. Dig
in and work hard.Repeat the mantra of The Little Engine That Could: “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” Then change that to “I KNOW I can!” You WILL reach the top of the mountain...success is waiting on the other side.3. Never stop learning."Always embrace change and stay in the know! People who are always learning something new are not only more interesting, but also happier in general. There’s always something fresh and exciting going on: new rules, case law, and procedures, as well as new books, courses, technology, and vocabulary. Make a deal with yourself to learn something new every day to keep your motivation in high gear.4.Credentials do matter."Credentials say a lot about you: your depth of knowledge, credibility, determination, diligence, and more. Don’t kid yourself...if you’re in competition for a job witha person who has the same amount of education and work experience, your credentials will give you the leg up you’ll need.Be sure to pursue all of the credentialing you can...then be sure to toot your horn. Let people know you have those credentials and how hard you worked for them. Also, put the designation on your business cards and firm letterhead. If you’re curious about the authority to do that, see"Peel"v"Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee of Illinois, 110 S.Ct. 2281 (1990).5. Join an association...local, state and/or national."My mother always said, “Birds of a feather flock together.” This is certainly the case with professional associations.An association will provide you with continuing education opportunities, as well as connections that will enhance
Has this happened to you?"You wake up one day and realize you’re no longer the youngest kid on the block. 1. You’ve worked as a paralegal for a decade or more. 2. You’re feeling a bit stale. 3. You wonder if you’ve made the right career choice. 4. You consider your options and see only limitations. 5. You don’t feel quite at the top of your game.
your career. You will make lifelong friends that you can count on for assistance when you need contacts or information from their neck of the woods. This will happen more often than you might think.6. If joining is good, being a contributing,hard-working member is even better." Just carrying your membership card isn’t enough. You’ll reap the benefits of belonging to an association when you jump in with both feet, get really involved, and take on responsibilities: write articles, speak at seminars, plan a retreat....be generous with your time, your ideas and your enthusiasm. When you do this, you’ll find your voice, you’ll make a di!erence in the profession, and you’ll be more ‘professional.’Your challenge:"Think about the steps you can take to stay on top of your game. Go new places, nurture your friendships, accept challenges, embrace goals. Never stop until you’re at the top of the mountain...I know you’ll like what you find on the other side.
Share your insight and your experience and become a mentor today through the Orange County Paralegal As-sociation.
With over 400 members an-nually (and growing!), you can get involved in a way that is meaningful, direct and one-on-one.
Mentoring is another way to network. By providing inval-uable information members, you will gain new connec-tions and share practice tips with each other. Mentors are especially needed for newly graduated paralegal students and others new to the legal field.
To learn more about becom-ing a mentor, simply email Hilary Martin at [email protected].
ABA Standing Committee on Legal AssistantsThe Standing Committee on Paralegals develops and promotes policies relating to the education, employment, training and e!ec-tive use of paralegals. The Standing Committee, through its Approv-al Commission, continues to serve as the body to set standards for paralegal education. The Standing Committee monitors trends in the field and recommends for approval and reapproval to the House of Delegates (the ABA’s policy-making body) those paralegal train-ing programs that have met the standards and guidelines set by the ABA for quality paralegal education. California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (CAPA)CAPA is a statewide non-profit, mutual benefit corporation dedicat-ed to the advancement of the paralegal profession and the proposi-tion that paralegals gain strength through alliance. CAPA represents California paralegals working in attorney- supervised settings and CAPA supports, encourages, and promotes an active relationship among its a#liated member associations, attorneys, national, state and local Bar Associations, and others in the legal community. Commission for Advanced California Paralegal SpecializationCACPS is following NALA’s lead and entering into a new certifica-tion process to stay in step with the accelerating pace and evolving needs of the paralegal profession. A shift from the specialty exam-site testing program to a curriculum-based Internet learning and assessment process is the primary transformation of the former program. National Association of Legal AssistantsThe National Association of Legal Assistants is the leading profes-sional association for legal assistants and paralegals, providing continuing education and professional development programs. In-corporated in 1975, NALA is an integral part of the legal community, working to improve the quality and e!ectiveness of the delivery of legal services. The National Association of Legal Assistants is com-posed of over 18,000 paralegals, through individual members and through its 90 state and local a#liated associations. Newport Harbor Bar AssociationThe Newport Bar Association provides seminars on a variety of legal topics, including valuable practice tips and practice tools with comprehensive program materials that can assist the local legal practitioner. Earn MCLE credit and have fun meeting local attorneys in Newport Beach. We also have social functions and joining the Newport Bar is a great way to meet attorneys in the Newport Beach Community.
Helpful Groups & Resources
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The web-based platform purports to al low a person to submit copies of identification over the Internet and to use a webcam in lieu of a personal appearance in front of a notary public. Appearance via webcam" does not meet" the requirements for notarization in California.
California notaries public are authorized under current law to perform electronic notarizations as long as all the requirements for a traditional paper-based notarial act are met, including the use of a seal for all but two specific documents used in real estate transactions. California law requires a person to appear
personally before a notary public to obtain notarial acts like acknowledgments or jurats This means the party must be physically present before the notary public. A video image or other form of non-physical representation is not a personal appearance in front of a notary public under current state or federal laws. The technology solution o!ered by this private company does not comply with California law.
A private company claims to have the first online notarization website and has sent misleading information and made false claims to California notaries public concerning a new online notarization service.
Online webcam notarization is invalid and illegal in the State of California
For more updates, go visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/busi-
ness/notary/customer-alert.htm
Online Notarization Services: Not Legal in California
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NALA April Update
NALA’s 37th A n n u a l Meeting and Educat iona l Institute We are getting closer to this
year’s Annual Meeting and Educational Institutes which will be held on July 25-28, 2012 in Omaha, Nebraska. The educational institutes planned for this year are: Bankruptcy, e-Discovery, Essential Skills, Family Law, Personal Injury, and Real Estate. Saturday’s line up will include sessions on public speaking and how to promote your skills. Speakers are Vicki Voisin, ACP, The Paralegal Mentor, and Vick Kunz, ACP, a former president of NALA with a great “how-to” in communications. The Member Exchange Closing Presentation choices are: “Beyond the Basics, Microsoft O#ce Tricks for the Legal Professional” or “Ethical Considerations in the Age of Technology.” This is going to be a great educational experience. I hope to see you there!NALA A#liate Award Each year, NALA
presents its A#liate Awards at the Annual NALA Convention to NALA members or committees of a#liated associations, where a majority of the committee members are NALA members, in recognition of their contribution to the goals and programs of an a#liated association." Designees are nominated by their a#liated association for such contributions as assisting with and organizing CP study groups, working with bar associations on behalf of the legal assistants in the area, planning educational programs, and developing a pro bono or other community involvement program for the a#liate. If you know someone deserving of this prestigious award, please submit their name and bio to me at [email protected] no later than April 10, 2012. NALA Making a Di!erence RecognitionNALA also recognizes outstanding achievements of a current NALA member or a NALA A#liated Association who has made a di!erence in the paralegal profession or in their communities. This recognition is designed to inspire and motivate, as well as celebrate who
paralegals are and what paralegals have accomplished. The nominee must be either a current NALA member in good standing or a current NALA a#liated association. Current NALA members who are Board Members, Committee Members, and Chairs are ineligible. You can submit a nomination at any time of the year. Please contact me if you know someone deserving this recognition and I will be happy to help you get your nomination submitted. Spring classes o!ered by NALA Campus Live. NALA started the year o! with another impressive program line up! The new courses include programs for preparation for the Certified Paralegal Exam, and advanced programs in real estate, intellectual property, administrative law, bankruptcy and litigation. The program brochure is available online. Registration fees are $80 per course for NALA members, and $105 for non-members. Active members: your NALA CLE Gift Certificate will cover the cost of one course.Till next month,
Maria Conzelman, CP
NALA is the leading paralegal association in the US. Its mission is to provide continuing education and professional development programs to all paralegals.
1516 Tulsa, OK 74119www.nala.org
Visit the NALA Website for more information.
11 1
THE ASSOCIATION OF
37TH ANNUAL MEETING & EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES
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OCPA Corporate Sponsors
OCPA Sustaining Members
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OCPA 2012 Board of Directors
2012 Board of Directors Retreat
Board members meet annually to discuss agenda items, planning goals and upcoming events. If you are interested in meeting members of the board, simply contact OCPA President Hilary Martin at [email protected].
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Compendium // April 2012 // Volume 33 // Number 4
Committed to Excellence through Education, Certification and Ethical ResponsibilityPublisher: Orange County Bar Association
Editorial Team: Tracy Hermans, Dawn Martin, Karlene Miller, Krystal Pazanti, Liz Spinazze, Tamira Stewart
The Compendium is the o!cial publication of the Orange County Paralegal Association (OCPA). P.O. Box 8512, Newport Beach, CA 92658
