Posts

Student Spotlight On Lauren Eddings

The Student Relations Committee serves as the bridge between the Paralegal Division and the students enrolled in paralegal programs across the state.  The Committee would like to shine the spotlight on Lauren Eddings, a paralegal student at Coastal Carolina Community College.

Membership in the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Bar Association is FREE to student members. Click here to join.

Mrs. Eddings discusses pursuing her interest while finding balance with her family life and work. 

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From the Outgoing Chair: A Heartfelt Thanks For a Year Of Giving and Growing

By Annette Phelps

It seems like it was only a month ago when I submitted my first blog as your Paralegal Division Chair.  It has been a great year for the division with a lot of new and exciting changes, challenges, and proud moments.

The year started off with my focus on how to change the internal structure of the Paralegal Division to be completely in touch with what all the sections and other divisions are involved with and how to disseminate all that information to the council and members.  A new Section Liaison Committee Chair was appointed to breathe life back into a committee that was struggling for participation.  All section liaisons are now invited to participate in all council meetings so that they have a first-hand experience of everything our division is doing.  They can then report back to each section and division for which they are a liaison, and report back to our division what opportunities are available by way of pro bono work, technology, education, and many opportunities. There are still section liaisons spots available and we welcome anyone interested in joining a section and becoming a liaison to contact us.  The networking that comes from being a section liaison is priceless.

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Paralegal School Memories

By Kimberly M. Johnson

Do you remember your property law instructor? I do.  He was an old school kinda guy who believed each of his paralegal students should know everything about contracts and title research. Our dedication (and grades) were tested each week when he gave us projects to complete at the local courthouse. Mind you, I had a part-time job and other classes. Hmmph. What made him think that his class was the only one?   Let’s just say, I put a little more effort in reading a contract after taking his class.

For some of us, paralegal school was a natural extension after high school.  For some more of us, it was the first door we opened as we  marched into a second career.  For me, it was a step that allowed me to expand my interviewing, writing and researching skills that I used as a staff writer for a daily newspaper. After completing a graduate program,  I applied and was accepted to Midlands Technical College’s paralegal program in South Carolina.  I liked the fact that the paralegal program director is a local attorney and was a former newspaper reporter.

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Managing Time: Don’t Let Life Get In the Way

By Kimberly M. Johnson

Last Saturday afternoon, my friend from college called me. Well into our gabfest, she mentioned that she was apprehensive about starting graduate school.

Let me pause for a moment. The last time we were in school, Bon Jovi was the coolest band around and “LA Law” was the No. 1 TV show. My response was positive. Her reaction was still lackluster. I asked her what was wrong. She lamented, “I have too much on my plate; you know, Andre (her husband), the kids, work, stuff like that. What time and space do I have for studying? Maybe I should put this on hold for semester or two.”

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Getting Out Of My Comfort Zone

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By Kimberly M. Johnson

My first attempt at leaping into the unknown was when I switched careers from meeting deadlines for one editor to meeting deadlines for an attorney, a clerk and a client. My organizational and writing skills were the pillars that held me steady during my time at the public defender’s office. I learned about criminal law and the inner workings of the courthouse, and the unknown became familiar.

A couple of leaps forward landed me in Raleigh. And soon, the unknown became familiar. That’s why I am planning to attend the Paralegal Division Family Law CPE on March 23 at the Bar Center. I will admit it. The closest I have been to family court is a courtroom observation during my paralegal days. So, this seminar is pretty exciting for me.

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The Chair’s Comments: New Year, Exciting New Changes Ahead

phelpsannetteBy Annette Phelps

Welcome everyone to your new Paralegal Division blog! I am Annette Phelps, your new division chair, and I look forward to serving our division over the next year.  At the Paralegal Division Council’s annual retreat in July, the council decided to join other NCBA divisions and sections and move to a blog format. While we will certainly miss the nostalgic sense of reading Paralegal Perspectives, our quarterly newsletter, we hope this switch will more quickly deliver content, including more in-depth articles and a wider range of topics of interest. Your feedback is important as we transition to this new format so please feel free to email me directly at [email protected] with your comments and/or concerns about our new blog.

We hope this year will be an exciting time for the division. Our annual meeting is moving to Pinehurst for the next couple of years. Our CPE Committee is working hard to provide a quality program with a wider range of topics that will hopefully reach a wider group of members. Again, your feedback is crucial to the CPE program we offer by way of web casts, live programs, and the annual meeting.

Pro bono opportunities are a big focus this year. In the upcoming months our division will be assisting intakes for the Veterans Pro Bono Network as well as screening and interviewing veterans. We will post more information on available opportunities in our Pro Bono Spotlight.

As a member of the Paralegal Division you have a voice in our division, and I always welcome a chance to hear from you as to what needs you feel are being met or not being met as a member. If you want to become more involved with the division, there are a number of committees you may serve on. You can view these committees through this link: https://www.ncbar.org/media/571643/pd_committee_signup_form.pdf

I look forward to serving this division over the next year and I am extremely excited over the projects and plans for the upcoming year!