Paralegal Division News

Check the CLE Calendar often to see if there are any CLE opportunities that apply to you!  It is never too early to start working on those CLE hours for renewal.

The Paralegal Division’s DIRECTOR ELECTION for District Directors in odd-numbered districts (Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 15) will take place March 20 through April 7, 2025.

• Beginning on January 23, 2025 each Elections Subcommittee Chair will prepare and forward, upon request, the following materials to potential candidates for director in their respective district at any time during the nominating period:

1. A copy of the List of Registered Voters in candidates’ respective district;
2. A sample nominating petition; and
3. A copy of Rule VIII of the Standing Rules entitled “Guidelines for Campaigns for Candidates as Director.”

• Each potential candidate must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Eligibility Requirements. The candidate must satisfy the eligibility requirements of Article III, Section 3 and Article IX, Section 1 A and Section 4 of the Bylaws and Rule VII B, Section 5b of the Standing Rules.
2. Declaration of Intent. The candidate must make a declaration of intent to run as a candidate for the office of director through an original nominating petition declaring such intent that is filed with the Elections Subcommittee Chair in the candidate’s district pursuant to Rule VII B, Section 5 of the Standing Rules.
3. Nominating Petition. The original nominating petition must be signed by the appropriate number of registered voters and must be submitted to the Elections Subcommittee Chair in such district, on or before February 14, 2025.

If you are interested in running for District Director, or need further information regarding the election process, contact the Elections Committee Sub-Chair in your District, or the Elections Chair, Melanie Langford, ACP at Elections@txpd.org.

2024-2025 District Election Committee Sub-Chairs:

District 1 – Michelle Rowland, ACP, CP, TBLS-BCP – michelle.h.rowland@exxonmobil.com

District 3 – Susan Davis, TBLS-BCP – sedgpd@gmail.com

District 5 – Melanie Langford – Elections@txpd.org

District 7 – Amber Griffith – amber@fphlawfirm.com

District 11 – Karmen Johnson – karmenj@andersonclements.com

District 15 – Arturo Ortiz – chino1411@icloud.com

NOTICE OF VOTING— March 20 through April 7, 2025

All Active members of the Paralegal Division in good standing as of March 20, 2025 are eligible to vote. All voting must be completed on or before 11:59 p.m., April 7, 2025.

All voting will be on-line and no ballots will be mailed to members.

Please take a few minutes to logon to the PD’s website (beginning March 20) and cast your vote for your district’s director. The process is fast, easy, anonymous, and secure.

• Between March 20^th and April 7, 2025 go to www.txpd.org
• In the My Account section, click on “Votes”
• Follow the instructions to login and vote

Have you been thinking about joining the Paralegal Division?  Well, through February 25, 2025 you can join for 1/2 price:  https://txpd.org/membership/new-member-application/

There is no better time to join!

Members joining between December 1 and February 25 (Pro-Rated Time Period) join the Division for half price and will be members through the end of the membership year, which is May 31.  Active and Associate members will be required to obtain the mandatory CLE hours for renewal, 6 hours of CLE, 1 of which must be legal ethics.  Two of the six hours can be satisfied with self-study or pro-bono, neither of which can replace the legal ethics requirement.  So, depending on when you join you will have between 3 and 6 months to complete your CLE requirements for renewal.

The Paralegal Division (PD) of the State Bar of Texas is proud to sponsor an Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award.  Its purpose is to promote the awareness of pro bono activities such as those defined by the State Bar of Texas, and to encourage PD members to volunteer their time and specialty skills to pro bono projects within their community by recognizing a PD member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to pro bono service.  Paralegals are invited to foster the development of pro bono projects, to provide assistance to established pro bono programs, and work closely with attorneys to provide unmet legal services to people with low incomes. This annual award will go to an individual PD member, who performed the pro bono service(s) in the State of Texas, and has volunteered his or her time and special skills in providing uncompensated services in pro bono assistance to their community.  The recipient of the award will be announced at the Paralegal Division Annual Meeting Luncheon, his/her expenses to attend the Annual Meeting Luncheon will be incurred by the Division, and a profile of the individual will be published in the Winter issue of the Texas Paralegal Journal.

The nomination form can be found here:  2025 Exceptional_Pro_Bono_Award_Nomination_Form

Pursuant to Standing Rule X of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas, notice is hereby given of an election for the office of 2025-2026 President-Elect.  This election will be held by electronic mail during the month of January 2025 by the Board of Directors.

Qualifications for serving as President-Elect of the Paralegal Division are contained in Standing Rules X as follows:

X.    OFFICERS

B. ELIGIBILITY

1. 1. Any current or past Director who is currently an active member of the Division and who has completed at a minimum a full term (two (2) consecutive years) as Director is eligible to be elected as President or President-Elect.

Any qualified individual who is interested in running for office of President-Elect should forward a one-page resume, together with a letter of intent to run, to the nominations committee chair at the following address or electronic mail address TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 2025 and a confirmation e-mail will be sent by January 17, 2025

Susi Boss
Chair, President-Elect Nomination Committee
Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, LLP
12000 Huebner Rd., Suite 200
San Antonio, TX 78230-1210
Telephone: (210) 56-4027
District5@txpd.org

 Note:  In the event the Board of Directors of the Paralegal Division elects an individual who is currently serving as a Director, a vacancy will be declared in the district in which that individual serves.  An election will be held to replace the outgoing Director (President-Elect) at the time the elections for the Board of Directors are regularly scheduled.