Brevard Paralegal Association

July 2011

The Paralegal Pipeline

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Presidents Message
2 2 2 3 3 4 5 6

Technology Seminar Update FRP Corner BPA Yard Sale PAF Quick Reference Birthdays 2011-12 Board Listing News Sponsor

the meeting to be both interesting and informative. Lastly, PAF and BPA will be busy this month, since this is the time when the new and renewal memberships will get processed. For those of you who have not already done it, I urge you to submit your renewal applications as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact any of us and we will be more than glad to help you. Paralegal Profession We are living in days where history is being made in our profession. Back in 2008 we saw the implementation of Rule 20, creating the Florida Registered Paralegals. Three years later, the Florida Bar has 5519 FRP Members. Just recently, Governor Rick Scott signed a proclamation declaring the week of May 8-14, 2011 as Paralegal Week. And even though the Legislative Bill (HB 1149: Regulation of the Paralegal Profession) introduced in the Florida House and Senate died in Committee,

the Bar Board of Governors has endorsed an enhancement of the Bars current Registered Paralegal program on May 27, 2011. To think that our profession is still young it began only about four decades ago and to see it already in the early stages of becoming a legally regulated and recognized profession is very exciting. Who knows where we will be four decades from now. See you next month,

Summer is here. I hope youre having a great one. Even though BPAs Membership didnt meet in June and we will not be meeting in July, things have been happening in our Profession and your Board has been busy. Board of Directors The Board and Committee Chairs held their first organizational meeting for the upcoming year. We want to make this a successful and productive year and will be providing you with more details as we flesh them out. PAF held an orientation meeting for Presidents and Treasurers on June 25, 2011 in Orlando. Ashley King and I attended this meeting on behalf of BPA and found

Independence Day July 4th

Silvia

Page 2

The Paralegal Pipeline

Canada Day July 1st

Technology Seminar Update

The Florida Alliance of Paralegal Association's upcoming Technology Seminar being held on July 16, 2011 at Edison College in Fort Myers, FL is fast approaching. In this digital age, we need to constantly stay on top of the emerging technology that can assist us in performing our jobs. While you are educating yourself, your family can enjoy all the local attractions that Fort Myers and the surrounding beaches have to offer! The rate for FAPA members is $95, non-FAPA members is $125, and students is $75. Continental breakfast and lunch are included. The registration form and the speaker schedule and other details can be found at FAPAs website at: http://www.fapainc.org/TechnologySeminar2011.html

BPA Yard Sale

Brining back a successful fundraising effort from years past, BPA will host a yard sale this October to raise funds for our scholarships. Please contact Kim Nowakowski at Kimberly.Nowakowski@health-first.org if you are interested in donating or volunteering on the day. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15, 2011. The location is yet to be determined but will be in the Viera/Suntree area from 8am to noon.

Dont forget!
Dont forget to renew your Paralegal Association of Florida membership (which includes your BPA membership pay everything directly to PAF in the all in one membership application) and pay your Florida Registered Paralegal dues!

Florida Registered Paralegal

You are now able to post continuing legal education credits online. Go to www.floridabar.org/frp for instructions on how to post your credits. The instructions will take you to the page where you can post your credits. After your credits have been posted, you can review your CLE history.

The Paralegal Pipeline

Page 3

Parents Day July 24th

PAF Quick Reference

Paralegal Association of Florida, Inc.

Treasurers Report
Savings $3,841.35 Checking $3,088.90

P.O. Box 301 West Palm Beach, FL 33402 (561) 833-1408 (561) 659-1824 fax www.pafinc.org execdirector@pafinc.org

July Birthdays
Laura Peery Jennifer Farrington Ann Landers Karenina Milad John Quincy Adams

Welcome New Member

Bastille Day July 14th

Linda Goettsche

Meeting Policy Reminder

Pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(6) if you RSVP for a dinner and do not cancel within 10 days of the meeting date or do not attend the meeting, you will be sent an invoice for the cost of the dinner.

Page 4

The Paralegal Pipeline

Newsletter Advertising
Half Page $100/Year Or $55/6 months Business Card $50/Year Or $30/6 months Special rates available for one-time ads Submit business card or ad artwork, preferably in .jpg or .bmp format to Kimberly. Nowakowski@ Health-First.Org or send it to: Kim Nowakowski c/o Health First, Inc. 6540 US Hwy 1 Rockledge FL 32955 The Paralegal Pipeline advertising reaches people throughout Florida. The publications revenue supports scholarships and various community service projects, which enables your costs associated to advertising here to be tax deductible. Please make your check payable to Brevard Paralegal Association. Thank you.

2011-12 BPA Board of Directors & Committee Chairs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Silvia Cowan silvinha@cfl.rr.com Vice President Vacant Treasurer Patricia Bieringer pbieringer@cfl.rr.com Secretary Ashley King ajking821@yahoo.com Immediate Past President Kim Nowakowski, RP,FRP
kimberly.nowakowski@healthfirst.org

Job Bank Coordinator Kim M. Dexter, ACP, FCP kdexter@gray-robinson.com Local Bar Liaison Kim Nowakowski, RP, FRP
kimberly.nowakowski@healthfirst.org

Meetings Sabine Martel

for dinner reservations e-mail

BPA is on Facebook!
Search Brevard Paralegal Association and join! We list useful links, information regarding upcoming meetings and events, and its an opportunity to network with fellow members!

bpameetings@yahoo.com Membership Vacant Newsletter Editor Kim Nowakowski, RP, FRP

kimberly.nowakowski@ health-first.org

Parliamentarian Toni-Marie DAlessandro, CP, FCP, FRP

tdalessandro@grayrobinson.com

Publicity Jessica Pauley, CLA, CP Stardust5055@hotmail.com Ways and Means Cathleen Cummings, FRP cmcmlb@bellsouth.net OTHER POSITIONS Historian/Photographer Kim Nowakowski, RP, FRP
kimberly.nowakowski@ health-first.org

Director-at-Large Anne Cope

acope@annecopeconsulting.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Budget

Jenny Lawton-Seal, CP, FRP

zzlawtonj@earthlink.net

Membership
61 Active Members 16 Student Members 2 Honorary Members

Bylaws and Standing Rules

Maureen Mo Martens, CP, FRP

momartens@cfl.rr.com Community Service Toni-Marie DAlessandro, CP, FCP, FRP

tdalessandro@grayrobinson.com

PAF Website Kim Nowakowski, RP,FRP

kimberly.nowakowski@healthfirst.org

Were also on Twitter & Linked In!

Education/Scholarship Roma Molinaro, CP, FCP, FRP, MLA rmolinaro@cfl.rr.com Student Liaisons Elizabeth A. Morrone
bethmorrone@rocketmail.com

Debbie Gapsch dgapsch@cfl.rr.com

Page 5
Florida Bar Board of Governors on May 27, 2011 Voted to Endorse the Special Committee Minority Opinion Of the Special Committee to Study Mandatory Regulation
By way of background, a special committee to study mandatory paralegal regulation (Special Committee) was appointed in 2010 and consisted of nine members Scott Rubin, Esq., Chairperson, along with four attorneys, an attorney educator and three paralegals. The committee submitted its report to The Florida Bar Board of Governors concluding that the Supreme Court had the authority to regulate paralegals and recommending that the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar (the Rules) be amended to state that an attorney be ethically prohibited from holding a nonlawyer employee out to the public as a paralegal unless the individual was a Florida Registered Paralegal (Majority Report). Included with the report was a Minority Opinion issued by two attorney members and supported by two other attorney members. The Special Committee report was referred to the Program Evaluation Committee (PEC) for consideration. At the same time the Special Committee was studying mandatory regulation, the PEC was studying the effectiveness of the FRP Program. At its May 26, 2011 meeting, the PEC discussed the Evaluation of the Florida Registered Paralegal Program and found that the Florida Registered Paralegal Program is functioning effectively and that the majority of FRPs find value with the program and are happy with the progress made. There were eleven (11) proposed recommendations to enhance the FRP program and make it even more efficient. 1) Develop specific plan to increase lawyer and paralegal awareness of the Florida Registered Paralegal program. 2) Increase communication to FRPs regarding membership benefits (new and existing) currently offered by the Florida Bar. 3) Expand monthly publication of the Paralegal Corner article in The Florida Bar News about information relative to the paralegal Profession. 4) Promote The Florida Bars Career Center resource to learn about Availability of paralegal job opportunities. 5) Increase aware of how all approved CLE courses by The Florida Bar are applicable towards fulfillment of 30 hours of continuing Education. 6) Encourage the use of The Florida Bars Annual Convention as a major vehicle to be able to obtain a significant amount of CLE credit hours for one low cost. 7) Establish and maintain communications about various CLE opportunities that are provided at no cost. 8) Request that the Florida Registered Paralegal Committee review the current rule that requires 30 CLE hours for FRPs over a three year period. 9) Facilitate an easier way to access the Florida Registered Paralegal webpage now located on the homepage of The Florida Bars website (top center of page). 10) Improve the paralegal search capability to locate a paralegal name. 11) Post links to various paralegal associations (e.g. NALA, NFPA) on the FRP webpage. This discussion then led to the Special Committees Majority Report along with the Minority Opinion. Both the Majority Report and Minority Opinion can be found at: https://www.floridabar.org/cmdocs/fp007.n sf/c5aca7f8c251a58d85257236004a107f/ 198d20d25677e3e98525785000690976/$ FILE/Special%20Committee%20Report.p df The Minority Opinion contained a number of unsubstantiated findings. Members of the Special Committee were given an opportunity to speak at the PEC Meeting. Patricia DeRamus, FRP, ACP, as a member of the Special Committee and having placed a favorable vote for the Majority Report, discussed each specific unsubstantiated point of the Minority Opinion. It was also brought to the PECs attention that the Minority Opinion addressed items that the Special Committee had not been charged to review and/or discuss. Speaking directly to the Special Committees charges, the Supreme Court was confirmed to have the designated authority to regulate the paralegal profession. The only item left

The Paralegal Pipeline

that the Special Committee was charged to discuss and vote on was should there be mandatory regulation which was voted in the affirmative by a 4 -2 vote with 2 members not being present. The form of mandatory regulation recommended was an amendment to the Rules stating an attorney be ethically prohibited from holding a nonlawyer out to the public as a paralegal unless the individual was an FRP. The PEC Committee was also reminded that according to the Supreme Court transcript of April 2007, The Florida Bar stated the FRP program was truly the first step toward mandatory paralegal regulation. The PEC Committee was also reminded that with 5,501 FRPs (currently 5,513) The Florida Bar FRP Program revenues far exceed the programs expenditures. Ms. DeRamus closing statement, was that since the Majority Report voted in the affirmative that the process should continue with further studies regarding mandatory regulation. A discussion was then opened up to the PEC Committee members which included: A discussion was then opened up to the PEC Committee members which included: 1) 2) 3) Paralegal titles (letterhead and job descriptions); Salary and hiring practices; Comments about recent seminars and those in attendance not being in favor of mandatory regulation; Florida Bar staffing; Do we know the numbers of those in favor vs. who is against (paralegals vs. attorneys)?

4) 5)

A motion was made to accept the Minority Opinion. It was seconded and accepted to be presented to the Board of Governors. Thus, The Florida Bar has declined to support mandatory paralegal regulation at this time.

Page 5 6
Order Flowers Online www.BudsEtc.net "Big Flowers From a Little Shop"

The Paralegal Pipeline The Paralegal Pipeline

Buds Etc...
A Unique Floral Studio Buds Etc... Owners Patti and Doug have opened their dream shop in Melbourne Florida! A country cottage style setting under a huge Florida Oak tree is where this quaint shop brings a Fresh Idea to the floral industry. Patti, with 30 +years experience in the flower business brings Value and Quality to each Unique Design using your choice of fresh or silk flowers. Specializing in Wedding and Parties! Bring in your ideas and have them become a reality! Make an appointment to see our many photo albums. Patti has created wedding flowers for thousands of brides! She has first-hand knowledge of all the latest trends and fantastic items available for the modern or traditional bride. Rentals also available: archways, pillars with huge arrangements, centerpiece stands and much more... Silk designs and interior decorations for your home and office are always available! Our owner/designer will create individual designs for All occasions with Style and Class. Come in and browse our large selection of affordable flowers. "Big Flowers from a Little Shop We are committed to bring you the finest, freshest, highest quality flowers from our shop to your home and office. Buds Etc... Has a Home Staging Department! With so many homes on the market; we give sellers helpful advice and an affordable plan to get their home ready. Well have your home Packed, Cleaned and Staged. So you can put your "Best foot forward" in this busy real estate market. Have your home ready for the potential Buyers, Be Clean, Organized and Uncluttered. Let the experts at Buds Etc... Do it all. Call in your order today (321) 254-0551