LAD Creates Ambassador Program
Carolyn
B. Goff
Would you like to know more about
. . .
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The History of “Certification” in Texas
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The Definition of Paralegal in Texas by the
Task Force
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How the Legal Assistants Division Began
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The Structure of LAD and the People Behind
the Positions
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Acronymobelia in Texas – LAD, ALC, TAPA,
LAU, SCOP, AAfPE
-
Paralegal Education in Texas
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The Texas Forum: The Division, The Bar, The Educators
For
answers to these topics and to meet and talk with some of the most experienced
paralegals in Texas, have one of our AMBASSADORS present one of these or other
topics at your next local paralegal association or district CLE event.
Since
the inception of the Legal Assistants Division in 1981, the Division has had an
outstanding group of individuals serve as President. The Presidents displayed marked leadership skills, dedication to
serving the membership, and a demeanor of professionalism. It is for this special group of LAD members
that the LAD Ambassador Program has been developed. At the June Board of Directors Meeting, a new ad hoc committee
was formed and invited former LAD presidents who are current members of the
Division and who are working in the legal field to participate in this program.
The
LAD Ambassador Program affords the opportunity for this select group of
individuals to continue to serve the Division by sharing their knowledge and
experience with local paralegal associations, educational programs, and
community service organization. Those
who choose to participate will be asked to make two presentations per year with
a focus on continuing education and professionalism.
The
AMBASSADORS will promote LAD and the benefits of membership. It is hoped that their valuable knowledge of
the profession can be of benefit to potential and current LAD members. Their volunteer spirit will be critical in
the effort to reach out to local paralegal associations to gain their
membership and involvement in LAD.
This
article will introduce you to the six charter AMBASSADORS for 2004 - 2005!
MICHELE M. BOERDER, CLA, TBLS
Ms. Boerder served as Chair of the Board of the
Legal Assistants Division (a position now known as President) from 1990 – 1991.
She has also held the position of LAD
District 2 Director, member of the State Bar of Texas Joint Task Force on
Specialty Certification, member of the State Bar of Texas Legal Assistant
Committee, member of the Editorial Review Board for Legal Assistant Today and
past President of the Dallas Area Paralegal Association. Michele has co-authored several paralegal
textbooks and is a well-known speaker for various seminars on the local, State,
and national levels. She was recipient
of the Legal Assistant of the Year award in 1995 from the Dallas Association of
Legal Assistant (now know as DAPA). Ms.
Boerder received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and
her Associate’s Degree (Paralegal Program) from El Centro College. She is a Board Certified Legal Assistant in
Civil Trial Law and a Certified Paralegal with NALA. Michele is a senior paralegal with the Dallas firm of Hughes,
Luce, L.L. P., and has twenty-four years of experience in litigation, both
state and federal, in civil and criminal matters.
On
September 11, 2004, Michele Boerder represented the Legal Assistants Division
at Career Day on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington providing
student membership information and applications.
WENDI A. ROGERS, CP, TBLS
Ms. Rogers served as President of LAD from 1997 -
1998. She has served in several
capacities with the Dallas Area Paralegal Association, the National Federation
of Paralegal Associations, and the Legal Assistants Division. She is an affiliate member of the Association
of Trial Lawyers of America and received their Paralegal of the Year Award in
2003. She also received in 2004 the
William R. Robie Leadership Award from NFPA and Paralegal of the Year Award
from DAPA for 1998. Ms. Rogers received
her Associate’s in Applied Arts and Sciences degree in Legal Assistant Studies
from Tarrant County Junior College and her Bachelor’s degree in Legal
Information Management from the University of North Texas. Wendi is a Board Certified Legal Assistant
in Personal Injury Trial through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a
Certified Paralegal through NALA. Ms.
Rogers is a frequent speaker and author on various litigation topics and is a
former paralegal instructor at Southwestern Career Institute. She is currently employed as senior
paralegal with the law firm of Parham, Jones & Shiver, L.L. P. in Dallas,
Texas, and has worked as a litigation paralegal for eighteen years.
DEBRA CROSBY
Ms.
Crosby was President (formerly referred to as Chair) of the Legal Assistants
Division from 1993 – 1995. For the
Legal Assistants Division, she has served as Editor of the Texas Paralegal Journal,
District 5 Director, and Chair of the Annual Meeting Committee. Ms. Crosby has also been active in Alamo
Area Professional Legal Assistants, Inc., serving in several positions. Her current leadership roles are as Chair of
the Long-Range Planning Task Force that examines issues vital to the paralegal
profession and member of the Joint Task Force of the State Bar of Texas
Standing Committee on Legal Assistants.
Debra has spoken at numerous seminars on varied topics involving
paralegals and was part-time lecturer at San Antonio College for several
years. Ms. Crosby has her Masters in
Administration in Public Address/Communications from North Texas State
University. Ms. Crosby has worked as a
paralegal since 1976 and is currently employed by Jackson Walker L.L.P. in San
Antonio.
LAD
Director of District 1, Debbie Solaski, invited Ms. Crosby to attend a luncheon
in Houston on October 13 to speak about the Task Force and definition of the
paralegal.
RHONDA J. BRASHEARS, CP, TBLS
Ms. Brashears served as President of the Legal
Assistants Division from 2002 – 2003.
With LAD, she has held the positions of District 7 Director, Secretary
of the Board of Directors, LAU Chair, and currently serves as Publication
Committee Chair. In the past, Ms.
Brashears has served in numerous capacities for the Texas Panhandle Association
of Legal Assistants. For the past five years, Ms. Brashears has been an
instructor at Amarillo College in the Paralegal Studies program and is Chair of
the Paralegal Studies Advisory Committee at the college. Rhonda holds a Bachelor’s degree from West
Texas A & M University, Certification from NALA and Texas Board of Legal
Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law.
Rhonda has worked as a paralegal since 1986 and currently is responsible
for management of a number of state and federal litigation files at Underwood,
Wilson, Berry, Stein & Johnson, P.C. in Amarillo.
LISA SPRINKLE, CLAS, TBLS
Ms. Sprinkle served as President of LAD from 1999
– 2000. Lisa has served in various
capacities with LAD including Director of District 16. She has been on the Board of Directors of
NALA and is a past president of the El Paso Association of Legal Assistants
(now known as El Paso Paralegal Association).
Lisa holds her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and completed her
certificate in paralegal studies at El Paso Community College in 1983. Ms. Sprinkle received her CLA designation in
1985 and the NALA Litigation Specialty certification in 1987. Lisa completed the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization examination in Civil Trial Law in 1994. From 1985 – 2004, Ms. Sprinkle taught
part-time at El Paso Community College in the paralegal program and continues
to serve as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Paralegal Program at El Paso
Community College. She has worked as a
paralegal since 1982 and owns her own company, Legal Works, which is a
freelance contract paralegal business in El Paso specializing in civil trial
work.
JAVAN JOHNSON, CLAS, TBLS
Javan Johnson served as President
of the Legal Assistants Division from
2000 - 2001. She has also held numerous
positions in the North Texas Association of Legal Assistants and in District 14
including the position of Director.
Javan has been Chair of the LAD Legal Assistants University (LAU)
Committee, Membership Committee and Public Relations Committee. She has been a member of the Long Range
Planning Task Force Committee for over ten years and is a charter member of the
College of the State Bar, Legal Assistants Division. Javan was recipient of the LAD Outstanding Committee Chair awards
in 1995 and 2002 and the Award of Excellence in 2004. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from
Baylor University. Javan is a Certified
Legal Assistant with specialty in Civil Litigation and is Texas Board Certified
in Civil Trial Law. For the past 15
years, Javan has taught the Introduction of the Legal System and Civil
Litigation courses at Kilgore College.
After working as a paralegal for 18 years for Kenneth Ross in Longview,
Javan started Professional Paralegal Services, a freelance paralegal business.
Carolyn B. Goff is Chair of the Legal Assistants Division
Ambassador Program Ad Hoc Committee.
She has served on the LAD Board of Directors as Director of District 13,
Parliamentarian, and Chair of the Mandatory CLE Ad Hoc Committee. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from West
Virginia University and has hours towards her MBA. In 1982 she was elected Charter President of the Legal Assistants
of West Virginia and has worked as a paralegal since 1972. Ms. Goff is currently employed as senior
paralegal at Mills Shirley in Galveston, Texas, and can be reached by email at cgoff@millsshirley.com.
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