District 16 Members:

The Paralegal Division is happy to announce that Clara Buckland, CP has been appointed by the Board of Directors to serve as your 2022-2024 Director.

Clara is the 2014-2015 Past-President of the Division and served the Division in several capacities before then.  Namely as District 16’s 2005-20016 sub-chair on the Professional Development Committee, and District Director for two terms from 2006 to 2010.  While on the Board of Directors, Clara served as liaison for the National Association of Legal Assistants and the Association of Legal Administrators, and on the Division’s Executive Committee as its 2007-2009 Secretary, and 2009–2010 Parliamentarian. Clara served as Chair of the Membership Committee from June 2012 to June 2013, the same year she was elected as the 2013-2014 President Elect.

Clara is a Certified Paralegal and EEO Legal Investigator with the office of the General Counsel of the El Paso Electric Company (“EPEC”).  In her role as in-house Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator, she investigates matters which may be construed as a violation of any state or federal employment laws, or the Company’s policies and procedures.  In her capacity as paralegal, she works closely with inhouse and outside counsel on employment, civil and commercial litigation matters. Clara responds to Claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits and represents the Company in Appeal Hearings before the Texas and New Mexico unemployment Commissions.  Prior to her move to EPEC, Clara worked at Kemp Smith LLP, in the specialty area of Labor and Employment Law for 17 years, and with Associate Judge, Kathleen C. Anderson, in Family Law for five years.  Clara has been a paralegal for 30 years and has been very vocal on the imposition of mandatory continuing education requirements for all Texas paralegals.

Clara received her A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies from the El Paso Community College and has served on the college’s Advisory Committee for the Paralegal Program.  Clara is a former member of the El Paso Paralegal Association and has served on that organization’s board in various capacities, including President in 2003, the same year she received the Paralegal of the Year Award.  Clara is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and is currently working on earning her AWI-CH certification.

Clara enjoys many interests, including artistic projects, reading, hiking, bike riding and yoga!  Clara has an identical twin, Claudia.  She is married to Bucky (Mark) and they have two lovely daughters, Jazmine and Olivia.  In addition, they have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren, Jason, Raymond, Jordan, Jayden, Gabriel, and Trynity.

You can reach Clara at District16@txpd.org.

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