summer 2004 vol. 10 no. 1                                                                                                                 Return to Contents
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LEGAL ASSISTANTS RECOGNIZED

CECILE WIGINTON, CLA
Director, District 11

Legal Assistant of the Year of Legal Assistants Association/ Permian Basin

“Legal Assistant of the Year” was awarded to Cecile Wiginton, CLA (known to all her friends and co-workers as “Cel”) by Legal Assistants Association/Permian Basin. Upon nomination by a member of LAA/PB, a letter was solicited from her employer of 26 years, Richard B. Saxe, partner in the law firm of Turpin, Smith, Dyer, Saxe & MacDonald. This letter was sent to a panel of three judges consisting of members of the local judiciary. Cel had just joined the law firm of Cotton, Bledsoe, Tighe & Dawson, PC but was also still working as the office manager for the Turpin Law Firm which was closing due to retirement of the partners.
Cel is a charter member of LAA/PB, has served as its president, and has served on the board for many years. She has been vice president, secretary, Education Chairman, Program Chairman, and currently serves Pro Bono Chairman. Also a charter member of LAD, Cel has served on its Membership Committee, Public Relations Committee and Elections Committee for District 11.
Earning certification from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) in 1985, Cel has worked continuously to educate and encourage professionalism among those persons in the legal community and those persons desiring to enter the field.
Cel currently volunteers with Casa de Amigos Pro Bono Clinic and Teen Court. She has taught Kindergarten Sunday School for 30 years at First Baptist Church and is involved with several other local civic organizations. She is always busy!
Cel and husband Eddie have two sons. Chad and wife Kelley with “grand” daughter Lauren, live in Houston, and Jeff and wife Christine live in Midland.

EYVONNE PALMER, CLAS
Eyvonne Palmer was selected to receive the 2003 Legal Assistant of the Year Award for the West Texas Association of Legal Assistants (WTALA). Eyvonne is one of the rare individuals who excels at everything she does and demands nothing short of perfection of herself.
Eyvonne has been a member of WTALA since 1988 and has served the Association in many different capacities: President, NALA Liaison in 1994-1995 and 1998-1999, and Legal Assistants Division of the State Bar of Texas District Director for 2 non-consecutive terms. She is presently employed by Bradford L. Moore, Attorney at Law, in Brownfield, Texas, as Office Manager. She began work in real estate in 1985 when she went to work for a title company. She obtained her certification as a Legal Assistant in 1988 with her specialty in Real Estate and her Certified Legal Assistant Specialty designation in 1989, specializing in Probate and Estate Planning.
In every capacity in which she has served, Eyvonne has gone above and beyond the required demands of the position and set a new standard for achievement. In her present term as the Legal Assistants Division Director of District 6, Eyvonne has attended all meetings of the Board; has brought information to the local Association, has provided opportunities for legal education, and has been available to assist wherever needed and to mentor new members to the profession. The WTALA Legal Assistant of the Year Award was richly deserved.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) announced the winners of their top yearly awards and two of the awards were given to Dallas area Paralegals.

Wendi A. Rogers, CLA, TBLS
William R. Robie Leadership Award given to Wendi A. Rogers, CLA, TBLS. This award is sponsored annually by NFPA in honor of The Honorable William R. Robie and his dedication to the paralegal profession, the expansion of the delivery of legal services and equal access to justice for all Americans. The following criteria, which set Judge Robie apart from the crowd, must be met by the person nominated:
1. Candidate must be a voting, student or affiliate member of an NFPA affiliated association. In no event may a candidate be a vendor, full-time paralegal educator, lawyer or “sustaining” association member.
2. Candidate must possess the qualities exhibited by Judge Robie:
A. Dedication to the paralegal profession;
B. Service to the legal community;
C. Leadership;
D. Participation in association work;
E. Demonstrate a positive attitude toward paralegal education either by service on an advisory board, as an instructor in a paralegal program, or as a speaker in a continuing education project; and
F. Have made a lasting legacy to the paralegal profession through some distinct contribution(s).

The letter of recommendation from the President of DAPA is excerpted below:

Wendi Rogers is quite well known in the Dallas paralegal community. We are fortunate to have various paralegal associations in our area, and Wendi has a terrific reputation among the leaders of these organizations. She has made many far reaching impacts on the profession and in her community by speaking on various topics at events and seminars, and by being a source to which many of us can turn, knowing that she will give professional advice and share her wealth of knowledge.
Wendi has made a strong impact not just locally, but state-wide and nationally. Because of that impact, our association has benefited all over the country. She has represented DAPA state-wide at meetings of the Texas Alliance of Paralegal Associations; as a speaker at various associations and law firms around the state; and on the Board of Directors and as former President of the Legal Assistants Division of the State Bar of Texas. She has also made DAPA shine brightly as a Primary Representative and appointed chair for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.
Locally, Wendi has served in numerous positions on the DAPA Board and chaired several sections for our association. She created the Medical Malpractice Section which has been a great success.
Wendi believes so much in the success of the profession and in every individual she meets that she became an instructor at Southeastern Career Institute (formerly Southeastern Paralegal Institute). Paralegals who were her students still comment on her energy and excitement in class. Wendi took her “show on the road” and has written and presented at many seminars around the State of Texas so that she could share her great ideas with other paralegals.
In Texas, a high achievement is to take and pass an exam offered by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, an arm of the State Bar of Texas. Once that exam is passed, the person attains the title of “board certified legal assistant by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.“ The first year it was offered was in 1994 in three practice areas only. Wendi took the exam for Personal Injury Trial Law and passed. In addition, she is a Certified Legal Assistant. . . . above all, she drives home the importance of the profession, paralegal education, and the necessity for equal access to legal services and justice.

Judge Robie was a big supporter of patting people on the back. He would approve of a leadership award in his name honoring someone who had made a significant contribution to the paralegal field. Wendi Rogers has gone above and beyond helping, shaping, and carving out the paralegal profession.

Allen Mihecoby, CLA, RP
Dyncorp and NFPA Local Outstanding Leadership Award given to Allen Mihecoby, CLA, /RP. The Local Outstanding Leadership Award is sponsored by Dyncorp and NFPA. This award seeks candidates who are (1) a voting, student, or affiliate member of an NFPA affiliated association; (In no event may the candidate be a vendor, full-time paralegal educator, or “sustaining” local association member.) And (2) must possess the following qualities:
A. Demonstrates influential behavior in the paralegal profession;
B. Promotes interest and active participation in association work;
C. Motivates others to work toward establishing and carrying out professional goals; and
D. Is recognized by the legal community as a committed professional dedicated to the advancement of the legal profession.

In Allen’s case, a long standing DAPA member, Kathy Connell, recognized his great qualities as a local leader. Allen’s energy has provided wonderful and informative meetings, set numerous events and projects into motion for members of DAPA, and he more than met all of the criteria and expectations. Below are excerpts from the nominating letter written by Ms. Connell:
In the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area there are three local paralegal associations: the Dallas Area Paralegal Association (“DAPA”), the Legal Assistants of North Texas Association (“LANTA”) and the Metroplex Association of Corporate Paralegals (“MACP”); additionally there is a state association, the Legal Assistants Division of the State Bar of Texas. Allen has been a contributing member (simultaneously of all four organizations), as well as assuming various leadership roles within each local organization, to wit:
Recently, Allen was elected to the position of Vice President of Programs for DAPA. During his first month in office he scheduled the entire upcoming year’s CLE for DAPA’s general membership meetings and began organizing two additional CLE events. In 1999, Allen was appointed Assistant Secretary. Prior to being elected to Vice President of Programs, Allen was appointed to several committees, the Entertainment Committee for two terms, in which he assisted with the organization of each year’s Holiday Luncheon which is referred to as “The Event” of the DAPA year and as a member of the Career Day Committee in which he assisted during a very successful event for Paralegal Students. DAPA sponsors various “Sections”, based on the various areas of the law, e.g. Corporate, Real Estate and Litigation. Allen has served as Chairperson of the Technology Section for two terms, in which he was required to schedule a CLE speaker for each quarterly meeting. Allen has also prompted the sitting Board of Directors to recruit assistant officers, in order to train the next Board members.
Since graduating from Southeastern Paralegal Institute (now known as Southeastern Career Institute), an ABA approved Paralegal Program, Allen has been an advocate for its intern program. With his last three employers, he has been an integral part in starting the employers’ internship program. Several of the interns whom Allen has mentored have expressed great appreciation for the training and practical skills that each received. As a dual-credentialed paralegal, Allen sat on a panel discussion regarding Paralegal Certification for DAPA’s Probate and Estate Planning Section.
The College of the State Bar of Texas (the “College”, www.texasbarcollege.com) is an honorary society sponsored by the State Bar of Texas. The College’s membership is open to legal professionals who go above and beyond the basic levels of continuing legal education proscribed by the State Bar of Texas. Recently the College began accepting paralegal members and Allen was one of the initial paralegal members inducted into the College.

2004–2005
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
ELECTION RESULTS  

Congratulations to the following individuals elected from the even number districts:

District 2 Director
Joncilee Miller, CLA
Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.
Dallas, TX

District 4 Director
Pam Horn
Board Certified Legal Assistant-
Civil Trial Law-Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Lloyd Gosselink
Austin, TX 

District 5 Director
Patricia Giuliano
Cox & Smith Inc.
San Antonio, TX 

District 6 Director
Andrea Kinzy
McCleskey, Harriger, Brazill & Graf, LLP
Lubbock, TX 79493

District 8 Director
Robert W. Soliz
Cole & Easley, PC
Victoria, TX 77902

District 10 Director
Ginger D. Williams, CLA
Sheldon, Jordan & Dunham, LLP
Beaumont, TX

District 12 Director
Lisa Bowles
Gregory & Conner PC
Denton

District 14 Director
Mona Chandler, CLA
Hill & Calk
Longview, TX

District 16 Director
Heidi Beginski
Hicks & Lucky, PC
El Paso, TX

Texas Paralegal Journal © Copyright 2004 by the Legal Assistants Division, State Bar of Texas.

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