reporter - south dakota paralegal...

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South Dakota Paralegal Association, Inc. f/k/a

South Dakota Legal Assistants Association, Inc.

Fall Seminar

REPORTER

Vol. 23, No. 3 SDPA Reporter Summer 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By Dixie Riter, CP

SDPA begins another

year with a new

Executive Committee,

including a new

President—yours truly.

I must confess to being

very nervous about

taking on this leadership role. After all, the last

time I held the office of President was as a high

school sophomore, before some of our members

were even born! Yet, time marches on. The

Annual Meeting took place, the slate of officers

was elected, and my duties began.

My first, and most important, task was to

appoint members to the various committees

within the organization. I worried—and didn’t

sleep—and worried some more. But, after a

couple of emails to the membership, volunteers

began sending in their preference forms. And

when we were missing a couple of spots, an

email or quick phone call was met with an

enthusiastic, “Yes, I’ll be happy to do that for

you!” I want to give my sincere thank you to

those who have agreed to chair or be members

of our Committees. They are listed elsewhere in

the newsletter, so be sure to get to know them

and thank them!

THIS ISSUE:

Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

7 Habits of the “Born Organized” . . . . . . . . .4

NALA Liaison Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Job Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Member of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

NALA Affiliates Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Minutes of Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Notice of Semi-Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . .17

Fall Seminar Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Following the Annual Meeting, the NALA National

Convention in Omaha was next on the horizon. As

your President, I was privileged to attend and

represent SDPA to other paralegals and their

organizations throughout the nation. Some asked me

how SDPA is able to serve members from such a

large geographic area. I am proud to say that when I

described how we rotate the location of our annual

and semi-annual meetings throughout the state so

that everyone has the opportunity to participate,

they expressed what a great plan that is and how

President’s Message continued on page 2

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SDPA 2012 – 2013 Executive Committee

President: Dixie Riter, CP [email protected] 1st Vice President: Christi Weideman, ACP [email protected] 2nd Vice President: Brianna Hoefert, CLA

[email protected] Secretary: Heidi Weelborg, CP

[email protected] Treasurer: Cindy Schmit, ACP

[email protected] NALA Liaison: Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS

[email protected]

continued from page 1

they are going to work on emulating our formula for

success! For more details on the convention, please be

sure to check out the report by our new NALA Liaison,

Leslie Antonsen. And as many of you are aware, SDPA

held a drawing for a free registration to the national

convention, with the eventual winner being Candy

Sarris. Congratulations, Candy!

Finally, it is my goal to make this upcoming year one of

involvement for each and every member, no matter what

that might entail. You are welcome to email your

suggestions to any one of our Executive Committee

members and can find our contact info on our website at

www.sdparalegals.com. Please, please, PLEASE

remember that SDPA is not some phantom organization

in a far off place. SDPA is each one of us, and we all

have something valuable to share. I look forward to

working with you and to making this an exciting and

fulfilling year for all paralegals in South Dakota, and

especially for our SDPA membership!

COMMITTEE REPORTS

AUDIT Chair: Paula R. Newman Donita Moes

My last report covered a period ending on September 30, 2011. I have since been supplied with and reviewed the financial transactions for SDPA for the period October 1, 2011, through May 31, 2012. I have verified the bank reconciliations and find them to be without error.

EDUCATION Co-Chair: Val Winegar, CLA Co-Chair: Abby Breyfogle Member: Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS Member: Christi Weideman, ACP

The Education Committee has begun to prepare for the Fall Seminar, which will be held on October 12, 2012, in Sioux Falls. This year’s Fall Seminar will be held in the banquet room at the Cherry Creek Grill at 3104 E. 26th Street. We will not be blocking any hotel rooms as we are not having our Seminar in a hotel. However, we will be providing a list of hotels and phone numbers on the registration form. Each member can then make their own hotel arrangements, if needed. The Committee is in the process of finalizing topics and speakers. As always,

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we are looking for sponsors. If anyone knows of a sponsor, or has suggestions of someone to contact who might become a sponsor, please contact one of the Committee members. Registration forms will be finalized in the near future and emailed to you. We hope you will consider attending this year’s Fall Seminar.

ETHICS

Chair: Jessica Rounds Member: Vicki Blake, CP

Ethics Committee has nothing to report.

FINANCE

Chair: Cindy Schmit, ACP

See Treasurer’s Report on page 16.

LIBRARY Clara Kiley, CP

Library has nothing to report.

MEMBERSHIP

Chair: Dori Quam, ACP Member: Rhonda Henning Member: Angela Bailey (student)

We currently have 99 members in our association, 61 of which are certified.

NEWSLETTER Chair: Chris Lillo, ACP Member: Jennifer Frederick, CP Editor: Melissa Sasker, ACP Editor: Karen Armstrong, PP

The Newsletter Committee continues to work on

streamlining the publication process and to add content of interest for SDPA members. We are excited to welcome Melissa and Karen as the newest members of the newsletter team. Our goal this year will be to highlight SDPA Committees and provide you with insight into what committee members actually do. We will also continue to encourage members to submit articles for publication. If you have topic ideas or would like to write an article, let us know. We would love to help! As always, we welcome your feedback and are committed to making the Reporter a publication that you look forward to reading.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Chair: Vicki Blake, CP Member: Jennifer Pravecek, ACP Member: Becky Buhmann, PLS, CLA Member: Denise Pauly, PLS, CP

Nominations and Elections has nothing to report.

PARLIAMENTARIAN Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS Parliamentarian has nothing to report.

POSTMISTRESS Chair: Cindy Schmit, ACP

PostMistress has nothing to report.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Chair: Cindy Schmit, ACP Member: Brianna Hoefert, ACP Member: Jennifer Doubledee, CP

The Professional Development Committee has been gathering and reviewing information for a mentoring program within the South Dakota

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Paralegal Association. We welcome your ideas as we work on establishing this program. You can contact Cindy at [email protected], Brianna at [email protected], and Jennifer at [email protected]. The $250 CLA/CP Exam Reimbursement for an SDPA member taking and passing the CLA/CP exam in 2012 is still available. The application for the CLA/CP Exam Reimbursement can be found on our website www.sdparalegals.com or by contacting the Professional Development Committee members at the above addresses.

PUBLIC RELATIONS Chair: Becky Purington, CP Member: Deana Olson, CP Member: Jennifer Doubledee, CP Member: Heidi Weelborg, CP

Public Relations has nothing to report.

WEBSITE Chair: Tammy Ackerman, CP Member: Jackie Hoefener, CP

Website has nothing to report.

SOUTH DAKOTA

PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION

us on FACEBOOK at:

www.facebook.com/pages/South-Dakota-

Paralegal-Association/149985754725?ref=ts

OR Visit our website at:

www.sdparalegals.com

The South Dakota Paralegal Association is a non-profit organization committed to the preservation and continued growth of the paralegal profession.

7 Habits of the "Born Organized"

By: Vicki Voisin, ACP

You must know people who appear to have been born organized. They never forget a birthday. They

can locate

a document in seconds. They know exactly where to

find anything in their home or their office.

The definition of organized is being “methodical and efficient in arrangement or function”. This

translates to being able to find anything in a minute

or two. Since some people put The Paralegal Mentor

in this category, I’m going to let you in on some of

my own organizing habits, as well as those I’ve

observed as I’ve watched other people who seem to

have been “Born Organized”.

Here are 7 sure-fire habits:

1. “Born Organized” people make plans. They set

aside the time to plan their work, events, meals and

any other looming responsibilities. Want to do this,

too? Before you finish up your work for the day, take

5 minutes to plan your priorities for the next day and

tackle them first. When someone asks you to take on

the planning of a huge project, take out your calendar

and plan, step by step, how and when you’ll get it

done.

2. “Born Organized” people have a place for everything and everything in its place. Everything,

whether at home or your office, has a specific place

to “live”. The goal is that if anyone asks, “where do I

find the _____?” you should be able to tell them.

This includes paper and files. Another goal is that

when you need something, it is “waiting for you.”

Your purse, brief case, cell phone, and keys should

always be waiting for you in the same place.

3. “Born Organized” people use systems and

routines. Systems and routines tell you what to do

when something happens. For instance, as you run

low on supplies, they should immediately be put on

your list and then purchased. This is a system and it

guarantees you will not be caught without copy paper

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NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS If you have an article submission, please save it in MS Word (or as “Rich Text Format”) and e-mail it as an attachment to Jen Frederick at: [email protected]. If the above formats will not work for anyone, contact a committee member for other options. Please submit in final form for publishing to minimize editing. If you need assistance with editing or article ideas, please contact a committee member. Submissions for an ad or full-page insert can be sent as a PDF. SDPA Newsletter submission deadlines are:

January 31 April 30 July 31

October 31

and toner – or mayo and sugar. Your routines…both

morning and evening… are systems that will help

you remain organized. For example, putting your

toothbrush back in the same place every time you

use it is a routine. I’ll bet you never lose your

toothbrush! See…routines work!

4. “Born Organized” people write things down. Lists bring order to chaos. They help you organize

your thoughts – jumbled thoughts are chaos. When

you write things down, you clear your mind so you

can focus on more productive thoughts. Also,

making a list increases your ability to remember

things.

5. “Born Organized” people declutter regularly. Make time to go through your desk drawers and

discard anything that doesn’t work or isn’t used. Do

the same with your clothes and other belongings. If

you don’t love it…if it doesn’t fit…if you don’t use

it…then get rid of it. Set up a regular schedule for

decluttering documents and email.

6. “Born Organized” people put things away

when they’re through using them. If you take just

a few minutes to put things back where they belong

(see number 3 regarding your toothbrush) every day,

your home and office will always be clean and

comfortable. You won’t mind having people in your

office for a meeting or as company in your home.

This includes taking an extra minute or so to file a

document or delete an email.

7. “Born Organized” people are instant decision makers. When mail comes in, open it and instantly

decide if you should toss it, file it, delegate it or take

care of it immediately. If something will take you 2

minutes or less, take care of it right away. DO NOT

add it to the “put it here for now” to take care of

later. This also applies to work you’re given – and if

you make instant decisions, you will not find

yourself overwhelmed and working in layers.

Your challenge? You, too, can be organized. It

doesn’t take any special talent. Simply adopt the

habits above and do regular maintenance.

Once you’ve adopted a habit, do quick touch-ups

when you see things begin to go wrong. Don’t wait

until things get so bad that you have to start over

from the beginning.

Build just ONE of these habits into your daily

routine every week until you, too, become “Born

Organized”.

============================

© 2012 Vicki Voisin, Inc.

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 is the co-author of The Professional

Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career

Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a

weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and co-hosts

The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced

by Legal Talk Network.

More information is available at

www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers

receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

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NALA LIAISON By Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS

WOW! That is what I can say about attending my first NALA Convention in Omaha. I have never attended a national convention before and this was, well, a little overwhelming. I can honestly say that I was in awe of Karen Greer McGee, the other members of the NALA Board of Directors, as well as the NALA organization as a whole. They put on an amazing seminar. I started my adventure on Wednesday morning attending the keynote address given by Susan Koenig. She was a great motivational speaker and I believe jump-started the members into really looking at what they want from their career and how to go about getting it. Ms. Koenig then spoke during the convention luncheon on Shifting Focus from Your Fear to Your Future: Seven Essential Skills for Going from Worry and Doubt to Being a Professional of Clarity and Confidence.” She was a tremendous speaker and certainly gave the members some points to think about. During the morning session, I attended the Family Law Institute. For somebody who has worked in family law for many years, this was a great review. The speakers were from North Carolina and they provided a wonderful insight into their forum. On Wednesday afternoon, I attended the Membership Forum. All candidates who were running for NALA positions were introduced and then the members were introduced to the LEAP class for 2013. Congratulations to Brianna Hoefert for being selected as a member of the 2013 class! Our past president, Tammy Ackerman, was a candidate for Region VI Director. She was running against Melissa Klimpel, ACP from North Dakota. Melissa was elected as the Region VI Director and I am sure she will do a great job. Melissa Hamilton, ACP was elected as NALA Treasurer. On Thursday, I once again attended the Family Law Institute and then in the afternoon attended the 2012 Affiliates Exchange. There was a presentation from the North Carolina Paralegal’s Association in which they shared what they have done to implement a mentoring program within their association and the success they have had with that program. This was a very interesting

presentation and a program that SDPA might want to look into further. I believe it might be a great way to get new members and retain current members. I later attended several roundtable discussions. One very interesting discussion was on what my new responsibilities as the NALA Liaison would be! During the awards presentation, Dixie Riter accepted the award for Cindy Schmit who received the 2012 Affiliated Associations Affiliate Award for South Dakota. Congratulations to Cindy!! Thursday evening we went to the Lied Jungle at the Omaha Zoo. This was great! We did not get to see very many animals but the ones we did get to see were amazing!! Many people commented on how nice our SDPA shirts looked! Don’t forget to look at the pictures of our zoo trip on the website. On Friday, I finished up the Family Law Institute and then assisted at our Affiliates table by handing out information about SDPA, answering questions, and meeting many new friends. There were many affiliated association exhibit tables, which I toured, and I registered for some awesome door prizes, such as a Kindle Fire. I attended the NALA annual meeting and award presentation on Friday afternoon. The members watched the winners from 2012 LEAP class give their presentation and then all LEAP participants received their awards. NALA and SDPA might be looking at a participant for the 2014 class!

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This is what makes life worth living every minute, every day.


I finished up on Saturday morning by attending Technoethics Ethical Considerations in the Age of Technology as well as the Professional Power Playbook. The Power Playbook was put on by Vicki Kunz and Vicki Voisin. They were entertaining but they also provided some very good tips on how to execute your goals and build the type of career you want – exactly how you want it. Thank you so much for providing me the opportunity to serve as NALA Liaison so that I could attend this amazing convention and bring back ideas that SDPA might be able to use. _______________________________________________________________________________________________

SDPA Table at NALA Convention – Omaha SDPA Members at NALA Convention – Omaha

Left back: Jackie L. Hoefener, CP, Dori Quam, ACP, Chris

Lillo, ACP, Dixie Riter, CP, Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS

Front: Tammy Ackerman, CP

Pictures submitted by Dixie Riter, CP, SDPA President

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SDPA JOB BANK

Chair: Laura Stewart Member: Jessica Rounds

There are currently 7 openings in the job bank. If you are an employer or know of an employer seeking paralegals and/ or legal staff, please contact me. PARALEGAL – Rapid City Barker Wilson Law Firm seeks a full-time paralegal in our civil litigation practice in our Rapid City office. Our firm represents people harmed by the wrongful acts of others and this paralegal position is demanding and rewarding. The paralegal is an essential member of our team and provides legal services to our clients under the supervision of our attorneys. We offer competitive salary, health insurance and retirement benefits. Resume and cover letter may be submitted confidentially by email to [email protected] or by regular mail addressed to Mike Wilson at P.O. Box 1795, Rapid City, SD 57709. (posted 7/26/12) LEGAL SECRETARY – Rapid City The Rapid City office of Lynn Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun seeks a full time legal secretary. Applicants are expected to provide secretarial assistance to assigned attorneys and/or legal staff. Secretarial duties will include preparation of legal documents such as contracts, briefs, complaints and motions. The legal secretary will have responsibility to transcribe dictation, proofread documents to ensure a high quality work product, maintain client file information promptly and accurately, assist in the billing process, maintain and coordinate calendars and meet deadlines. Applicants should be familiar with computer programs including Word and Excel. Work will include additional assignments when team coverage is necessary, provide assistance with special projects and cooperate with other support staff in performing any duty essential to the achievement of efficient operations. Duties will include answering telephones and greeting clients. Must have: high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent, accurate typing skills of 65 wpm, excellent communication skills both oral and written, between 3-5 years legal secretarial experience, ability to manage multiple tasks at one time and perform well under deadlines. If interested please send resume to: Attn: Pam Asbridge Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C. P.O. Box 8250 Rapid City, SD 57709 or Email: [email protected]

(posted 7/19/12)

RECEPTIONIST/CLERICAL ASSISTANT – Rapid City Full-time receptionist/clerical assistant at law firm. Must be professional and discreet, possess excellent phone manners and communication skills, and be able to multi-task while paying attention to detail. Typing and computer proficiency is required (Microsoft Word/Outlook). Experience required; wages DOE. Please submit resume and references to Thomas Braun Bernard & Burke, LLP, Attn: Office Manager, 4200 Beach Drive, Suite 1, Rapid City, SD 57702 or email [email protected]. (posted 7/19/12)

RECEPTIONIST/BOOKKEEPER – Rapid City Small busy law firm seeks mature individual for receptionist/bookkeeper/runner. Duties include: answering phone, greeting clients, filing, ordering supplies, making travel arrangements. Light bookkeeping to include: accounts payable, client billing, deposits, handling trust account transactions. Must have computer skills: Excel, Word Perfect, Word. Need automobile, valid driver’s license and insurance. Salary depends on experience and qualifications.

Send resume and cover letter detailing qualifications in relation to required duties to: Viken Law Firm 4200 Beach Drive, Suite 4 Rapid City, SD 57702 Or email to: [email protected] (posted 7/19/12)

LEGAL ASSISTANT – Rapid City Federal Job Opportunity Location: Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Attorney, Rapid City, South Dakota Position: Legal Assistant; Permanent/Full Time Position Major duties, salary information, qualification requirements, and automated application procedures are included in the vacancy announcement available www.usajobs.gov Job Announcement Number: 12-SD-701803-DE (Open to all US Citizens) Job Announcement Number: 12-SD-701810-MS (See Who May

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LOCAL AREA LUNCHEONS

Several paralegal luncheons take place across the state. It is a great opportunity to meet other paralegals, share ideas and resources, earn CLE credits, or just get out of the office! Sioux Falls Luncheon Contact: Cindy Schmit, ACP [email protected] Phone: 605-331-1031 The Sioux Falls area paralegals meet at noon on the second Thursday of each month. Times and locations are announced via e-mail and on the SDPA Facebook Fan Page. Black Hills Luncheon Contact: Becky Purington, CP [email protected] Phone: 605-593-4551, ext. 101 The Black Hills area paralegals meet at noon on the second Wednesday of each month. Times and locations are announced monthly via e-mail. Watertown Luncheon Contact: Karen Armstrong, PP [email protected] Phone: 605-886-0010 The Watertown area paralegals meet every other month on the last Thursday. Pierre Luncheon Contact: Abby Breyfogle [email protected] Phone: (515)664-6264 The Pierre area paralegals plan the upcoming meetings at each luncheon.

Be Considered) Applications will be accepted through August 1, 2012 Applications received by EMAIL or Mail cannot be considered. (posted 7/13/12) LEGAL SECRETARY/PARALEGAL – Rapid City Skilled legal secretary/paralegal is sought for civil and criminal law practitioner. Requirements include: strong organizational skills, excellent grammar skills, proficient typing skills and transcription skills. Applicant will be involved in all aspects of the law office including the above and client reception. Valid driver’s license, insurance and automobile are required. Wage dependent upon qualifications. Submit cover letter and resume to Daniel Pahlke, 1010 Soo San Dr., Suite 205, Rapid City, SD 57702 or e-mail at [email protected]. (posted 5/25/12)

LEGAL RECEPTIONIST – Rapid City Busy 3-attorney law firm is looking for a part-time receptionist approximately 25-30 hours per week, willing to work over the noon hour. Duties include answering phones, greeting clients, scheduling appointments, filing, and data entry. Must have computer skills and knowledge of Excel and Word. Some in-town travel may be required so ideal candidate should have an automobile, valid driver’s license, and insurance. Please email resume and cover letter to Anker Law Group, P.C. at [email protected]. Pay depends upon experience and qualifications. (posted 5/21/12) _____________________________________

Laura Stewart, Paralegal SDPA Job Bank Committee Chair Phone: 605-333-0003 Email: [email protected] FULLER & SABERS, LLP. 7521 S. Louise Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57108

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THIS SPACE FOR RENT!!! SDPA advertising rates per issue (camera ready) Full Page........... $50.00 + 3.00 tax = 53.00 Quarter Page.....$20.00 + 1.20 tax = 21.20 Half Page...........$30.00 + 1.80 tax = 31.80 Business Card..$15.00 + 0.90 tax = 15.90

Jennifer X. Frederick, CP

SDPA 2011-2012

Outstanding Member of the Year

2012 Nomination Letter

I respectfully nominate Jennifer Frederick, CP, as SDPA’s

Member of the Year. Jen is a graduate of SDPA’s 2011

Leadership Academy and currently serves as a member

of the Newsletter Committee. Jen took the initiative last year by volunteering to

reformat the newsletter and made suggestions for improving the content and look of

the newsletter. This year, she followed through and implemented that vision. It is

through Jen’s enthusiasm, creativity, and hard work that SDPA’s Newsletter, The

Reporter, has developed into a first-class, informative publication with interesting

content and tips for SDPA’s members. It was part of Jen’s vision to add member

articles, pictures, and leadership tips to the Newsletter, and she has taken on the

time-consuming task of formatting the Newsletter with diligence and enthusiasm.

Having taken on this monumental task, Jen’s efforts and foresight have saved

considerable expense in preparing the member newsletter, allowing for additional

funds to be reallocated to the education of paralegals, one of the primary purposes of

SDPA. I have no doubt that the newsletter will continue to evolve and improve under

her leadership and guidance. I see Jennifer Frederick, CP, as an upcoming force and

future leader, who is committed to the continued success of SDPA and who is

sincerely interested in contributing to the professional development of paralegals in

South Dakota.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/Chris Lillo, ACP

Newsletter Committee Chair

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NOTES FROM NALA

THE LEADER – TALENTS

Be Prompt.

If you can’t keep your appointments you

will soon be a clog in the gears.

Leadership Manual. Guidelines for Effective Leadership, pg. 9. Reprinted with permission of NALA, The Association of Legal Assistants, Paralegals. For further information, contact NALA at www.nala.org or phone (918) 587-6828.

Former SDPA President,

Tammy Ackerman, CP

CINDY E. SCHMIT ACP

SDPA’S RECIPIENT OF 2012 NALA AFFILIATES AWARD

The SDPA Executive Committee is excited to announce that Cindy E. Schmit, ACP, was honored at the NALA Convention in Omaha, Nebraska, as SDPA’s nominee for a NALA Affiliates Award. Each year NALA presents awards to NALA members or committees of affiliated associations in recognition of their contributions to the goals and programs of the NALA affiliates. The following is our nomination of Cindy to receive this award. We recognize that Cindy’s contributions to SDPA go far beyond those mentioned here. Please join us in congratulating Cindy and thanking her for her continued service and substantial contributions to the success of SDPA ~

CONGRATULATIONS, CINDY!!

Cindy Schmit is a litigation paralegal for sole practitioner, John Peterson, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Since joining SDPA in 2000, she has held several leadership positions, including President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Treasurer and NALA Liaison. Cindy is currently serving as Treasurer (her second 2-yr term) and chairs SDPA’s Professional Development Committee. In addition to her outstanding contributions as an officer of SDPA, Cindy is dedicated and passionate about professional development and mentoring. She was instrumental in organizing SDPA’s 2010-2011 Leadership Academy and coordinates monthly CLE luncheons for Sioux Falls area paralegals. She actively promotes the paralegal profession and membership in SDPA to paralegal students and serves on the program action committee for the paralegal program at Globe University. Cindy also successfully implemented a “Cookies for Clerks” service project to promote goodwill with Clerks of Court and county offices throughout the state.

Cindy’s other achievements include attaining ACP designations in Trial Practice and Automobile Accidents. She is a graduate of NALA’s 2010 LEAP Class and is a past recipient of SDPA’s Member of the Year Award.

Respectfully submitted, SDPA Executive Committee 2011-2012 Tammy Ackerman, CP Dixie Riter, CP Christi Wiedeman, ACP Deana Olson, CP Chris Lillo, ACP

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Egg Rolls

1 medium head cabbage 1 tsp. garlic powder

(shredded) 1 cup shredded carrots

1 lb. ground pork 2 tbs. soy sauce

1 sweet pepper (chopped) 2 tbs. brown sugar

1 tbs. chopped garlic ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tbs. flour

1 -1/2 tsp. garlic salt egg roll wrappers

__________________________________________

Brown pork in a skillet mixing in garlic, peppers, and seasonings. Add cabbage, carrots, and

soy sauce, cook until softened. Mix in brown sugar; add flour and stir until thickened. Let

cool. Meanwhile heat oil in a pot. Wet edges of egg roll wrappers, fill with pork mixture, roll

starting at the corner folding in the edges. Fry in oil until golden brown. Serve warm with

sweet and sour sauce.

DID YOU KNOW?

State Bar of South Dakota

Definition of a Legal Assistant

(Source: SDCL 16-18-34)

Legal Assistants (also known as paralegals) are a distinguishable

group of persons who assist licensed attorneys in the delivery of legal

services. Through formal education, training, and experience, legal

assistants have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system,

substantive and procedural law, the ethical considerations of the

legal profession, and the Rules of Professional Conduct as stated in

Chapter 16-18, which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under

the employment and direct supervision of a licensed attorney. This

rule shall apply to all unlicensed persons employed by a licensed

attorney who are represented to the public or clients as possessing

training or education which qualifies them to assist in the handling of

legal matters or document preparation for the client.

American Bar Association

Definition of a Legal Assistant

(Source: 1997 ABA Annual Meeting)

A legal assistant or paralegal is a

person, qualified by education,

training or work experience who is

employed or retained by a lawyer,

law office, corporation,

governmental agency or other

entity and who performs specifically

delegated substantive legal work for

which a lawyer is responsible.

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SOUTH DAKOTA PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING

June 22, 2012

Welcome: President Tammy Ackerman called the 2012 Annual Meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance at 11:07 a.m. The meeting was held at the Ramkota Hotel, Rapid City, South Dakota. Tammy introduced the members of the Executive Committee. Roll Call: Taken by 1st VP and acting secretary, Dixie Riter, with 25 SDPA members in attendance. Minutes of October 14, 2011 Semi-Annual Meeting: The minutes were approved. Treasurer’s Report: Report was given by Cindy Schmit and approved as presented. NALA Liaison Report: Report was given by Chris Lillo. Chris attended the NALA convention in Texas as SDPA’s voting delegate and is chairing SDPA’s NALA-Omaha Committee. As Liaison, Chris is responsible for filing SDPA’s semiannual and annual reports with NALA, which reports have been completed and filed. Chris invited members with questions about the upcoming NALA convention in Omaha to feel free to ask her. SDPA has asked to be a host of the Early Bird Reception as a Region VI Affiliate and is also a sponsor for the Lied Jungle Reception at the Henry Doorly Zoo. Chris encouraged members to attend the national convention in Omaha. Committee Reports:

Education Committee: Report given by Brianna Hoefert, who thanked the sponsors, including Barker Wilson Law, Johnson Heidepriem Law, Mangosteen Mavericks, Prairie Reporting, Jackie Hoefener, and also Print Mark-et for donating printed materials.

Membership Committee: No report given. Tammy Ackerman noted that the Executive Committee was assisting with updating the membership list this year, and members should contact the Membership Committee when/if a member changes firms or address.

Audit Committee: Report by Paula Newman, read by Dixie Riter. The bank reconciliations were

verified and found to be without error for the period of 9/30/11- 5/31/12. Ethics Committee: No report given.

Public Relations Committee: Report by Chris Lillo will be included with the Special Committee

Report on the upcoming NALA national convention.

Library Committee: Report by Lona Sue Jensen, read by Becky Purington. The library provides

seminar DVDs for members to check out if they are not able to attend the seminar, so they can still receive CLE

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credits. The library also provides reference material, reference books, mock exams, etc., for those studying to take the CLA examination. Additions to the library this past year include DVDs from the October 2011 seminar and books by John Maxwell including 360 Degree Leader, Winning Attitude, Developing the Leaders around You, and Becoming a Person of Influence. The library has ordered The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success by Vicki Voisin. Sue announced her resignation as Librarian after serving the past three years and expressed her thanks.

Newsletter Committee: Report given by Chris Lillo. As of October 2011, the SDPA Reporter has been produced in-house, implemented and edited by Jen Frederick and Chris Lillo. Executive Committee members have contributed articles this past year, and all members are encouraged to do the same. Plans are for the newsletter to be published on the SDPA website. Chris encouraged members to give the Newsletter and Executive Committees ideas of what they want to see published in the Reporter.

Professional Development Committee: Report given by Cindy Schmit. Several committee

members have had articles published in the Reporter. SDPA received several scholarship applications, and the 2012-2013 SDPA scholarship was awarded to Erin Atkins of Box Elder, a student at Western Dakota Tech Institute in Rapid City. SDPA has not received any CLA reimbursement requests, but members are reminded that $250 is budgeted and available to assist with the cost of successfully passing the NALA CLA/CP exam. The application is on our website. The deadline for the September CLA/CP test is August 1, 2012. Cindy thanked Christi Weideman and Deana Olson for their assistance as members of the Professional Development Committee.

Job Bank Committee: Report by Laura Stewart, read by Tammy Ackerman. The job bank currently has eight open positions available across the state – with six in Rapid City, one in Sioux Falls, and one in Sioux City. The job positions are posted on the website. Employers should contact Laura Stewart for publishing available positions.

Website Committee: Report by Tammy Ackerman. Kayne Larimer, former website committee chair, took another position outside of the legal profession and has resigned his position. As President, the website software was loaded onto Tammy Ackerman’s computer, and she will make revisions as appropriate. The Executive Committee is considering a new website software program to make edits to the website more user-friendly. Tammy encouraged members to contact the new Website Committee with suggestions.

Nominations & Elections Committee: Deferred to election of officers. Special Committee: Chris Lillo, chair of the NALA-Omaha Committee, announced that plans are set

for SDPA to have an Affiliates Table at the NALA Convention in Omaha. She worked with the Public Relations Committee to purchase items to give away at the table. Each member attending today should have received a book of post-it flags and an SDPA pen. The committee has purchased gift bags to put the items in, together with an SDPA notepad. Shirts embroidered with the SDPA logo have been ordered for the convention and are available for purchase at $25. Several members will be attending and others who would like to attend or would like a shirt can contact Chris.

All Committee reports were approved as presented. Election of Officers: The slate of nominations for SDPA 2012-2013 officers was presented by the Nominations/Elections Committee as follows: President – Dixie Riter, CP 1st Vice President – Christi Weideman, ACP


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SDPA Education Committee Members – June 2012

2nd Vice President – Brianna Hoefert, ACP Secretary – Heidi Weelborg, CP Treasurer – Cindy Schmit, ACP NALA Liaison – Leslie Antonsen, PP, PLS There were no nominations from the floor. Motion to approve the slate of officers as presented was carried. Unfinished Business: There was no unfinished business. New Business: Executive Committee Decisions:

a. Development of SDPA Handbook is in progress and will be put on website when complete. b. Student mentoring program is in progress. c. The membership application is in process of revision. d. Changes and updates for the website are being considered, including a new software program.

Announcements: a. New CLA/CP designation(s) – Darylynn Plucker. b. New ACP designation(s) -- Cindy Schmit, Auto Accidents.

c. NALA – articles have been submitted by several SDPA members, and others are encouraged to submit articles for publication.

d. State Bar Article – SDPA submitted an article published in the April/May edition on the subject of educating attorneys in the use of paralegals in their practice. There may be a possible CLE in October in Rapid City on the appropriate use of paralegals. Henry Evans is the liaison with the State Bar.

e. Law Day – Several members participated in Law Day throughout the state. Members were encouraged to share ideas and to contact the President or Public Relations Committee for additional Law Day opportunities.

NALA National Convention Free Registration Drawing:

• Winner: Pam van Engelenhoven

• 1st Alternate: Becky Buhmann

• 2nd Alternate: Candy Sarris Member of the Year 2011-2012: Jennifer X. Frederick. A gift was presented to outgoing President Tammy Ackerman by incoming President Dixie Riter. The SDPA 2012 Annual Meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m. Respectfully submitted by Dixie Riter, Acting Secretary

SDPA Seminar Speaker – June 2012 Education Committee Members – June 2012


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Photo Log & Index Sheets available

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Upcoming Events 2012 October 12

SDPA Semi-annual Meeting, Sioux Falls, SD

October 31

Submission deadline for SDPA Reporter


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reporter - south dakota paralegal...

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