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December is a time of giving. In the hustle and bustle, do not forget to give time and priority to the things that really matter: family, friends, and community. Take time to rest and rejuvenate before 2024. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season. NALA’s President, Debbie Overstreet, ACP, has a special message to send you into the new year. Click below to watch. 

NALA Commons, our trusted online paralegal community platform, is temporarily unavailable as we transition to an enhanced system. Please note that the duration of the downtime is uncertain. Rest assured, once the upgrade is complete, you will be able to access Commons once again. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this period, as we strive to enhance your experience on NALA Commons. Thank you for your cooperation!  

The NALA account portal will be down TODAY from approximately 9 PM Central to 1 AM Central. During this short window, you will not be able to access your NALA portal, including your education account. We apologize for the inconvenience. You should be able to access your portal as usual in the early hours of the 16th. Thank you for understanding. 

NALA Volunteer Spotlight – Sharon Jones, ACP

This month’s spotlighted NALA volunteer is Sharon Jones, ACP, NALA's Affiliated Associations Director. Can you guess the answer to this question?

What ACP^® credential does Sharon hold?

a) Discovery

b) Trial Practice

c) Business Organizations – Incorporated Entities

d) Contract Management

To see the answer and learn more about Sharon’s unwavering commitment to NALA, click here to read the December Volunteer Spotlight.

Final Reminder: Complete Your NALA Census and Enter to Win $100 and $500!

The year is ending, and this is your last chance to complete the NALA Census in 2023. Not only will you have the opportunity to win $100, but you will also be eligible for the grand prize of $500. As we enter the holiday season, we want to remind you of the importance of your voice in shaping NALA's future.

Your participation in the NALA Census is crucial as we strive to create a more diverse, equitable community of paralegals. Your insights, experiences, and perspectives matter to us. They guide our decision-making, program development, and advocacy efforts. Together, we can ensure that NALA meets the needs of our members, CPs, and affiliate members and fosters a more inclusive profession. 

As we exchange holiday greetings and embrace the spirit of togetherness, we want to express our gratitude for your ongoing support. It is your dedication that helps us build a stronger community year after year. 

Take a moment during this busy season to log in to your NALA account and complete the Census. Your voice is invaluable, and we want to hear from you before the year ends. 

Congratulations to November's $100 gift card winner, Amy Landers, CP! Tune into January’s newsletter for December’s $100 winner and 2023’s $500 grand prize winner.

COMING SOON – NALA’s Certified Paralegal Exam Fundamentals - Second Edition will be getting a bit of a makeover, with a new name, cover, and chapter. The book will now be called The Paralegal's Companion: Fundamentals for legal practitioners and those preparing for the CP^® Exam. It will include a new chapter on bankruptcy to help you prepare for the Debtor/Creditor and Bankruptcy section that will be added to the CP^® Knowledge Exam in January 2024. While the book was originally geared toward those taking the CP^® Exam, we want the updated book to be a resource for all legal professionals. If you already have the current book, you will not have to purchase the new one to get the new chapter. You will be able to access it in your NALA account. Keep an eye on our social media for updates on The Paralegal’s Companion.

NALA's ongoing success and progress can be attributed to the active participation and commitment of our members in advancing the paralegal profession. NALA operates as a membership organization, where the thoughts and opinions of our members hold significant value.

The Talent Acquisition Committee, on behalf of the Board of Directors, invites eligible members to actively contribute to your exceptional association. Serving on the Board offers a fulfilling, satisfying, and enjoyable opportunity to contribute to the development of your association.

Please submit your candidacy declaration by March 15, 2024. Click here to learn more and declare your candidacy.

NOMINATIONS DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2024!

We believe that hard work and dedication should be acknowledged, and the NALA Awards Program does just that. It is a great way to recognize our exceptional members and affiliates for their contributions to the paralegal profession.

• Rising Star Award: Recognizes exemplary service to the paralegal profession by a person who has been a paralegal for less than five years. Click here to submit your nomination for the Rising Star Award today!
• Volunteer of the Year Award: Recognizes exemplary service to the paralegal profession and its members by a person who has been a paralegal for at least five years. Click here to submit your nomination for the Volunteer of the Year Award today!

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 was enacted to protect people over 40 from age-based discrimination in the workplace. At that time, it was common for random age limits to be placed on jobs. The ADEA was designed to make it easier for people over 40 to find and keep employment and to avoid on-the-job discrimination related to things such as salary and promotions. Click here to read this month’s DEI article to learn more about the ADEA and how it affects both employers and employees.

We have some great webinars to finish the year strong! Check them out below and register today!

Dec 19, 12 PM Central: Criminal Defense and Paralegal Investigator Collaboration: A Winning Combination – Discover how paralegals and investigators working together on criminal defense cases can provide the best results for clients. Hear from both a paralegal and an investigator as they draw from their personal experiences.

Dec 20, 12 PM Central: FREE FOR MEMBERS: Chapter 7 Trustees and the Property of the Estate – Learn about Chapter 7 trustees and how to prepare a bankruptcy filing that reduces time and conflict.

Do you deal with bankruptcy cases? NALA has a great resource for you! Our final free-for-members webinar of the year is coming up on December 20th at Noon Central Time. Chapter 7 Trustees and the Property of the Estate is designed to give you valuable info about Chapter 7 trustees and preparing a bankruptcy filing that reduces time and conflict. If you’re not a NALA member, you can still access the webinar for only $23! Register now before spots fill up.

Show us what you have got! Everyone has an area of expertise, and we want you to teach the NALA community about yours in a webinar. While we would love to hear about your legal forte, we also welcome webinars about more general topics, such as mental health, leadership, and ethics. You have something to offer legal professionals from coast to coast, and we are giving you the platform. We will pay you for your time, and you will have the chance to gain recognition and exposure in the legal community. What are you waiting for? Submit your webinar proposal here today.

The 2024 NALA Conference & Expo is on July 11-13 in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Registration is coming soon, and it is never too early to start planning and saving. To stay up to date on the 2024 conference, keep an eye on our website. To find things to do in Louisville, go to the visitor's site and plan your downtime. No matter who you travel with, there is something for everyone in Louisville.

Join us on a transformative journey toward becoming a NALA Certified Paralegal. With expert guidance from Leanne the Lawyer and the right tools at your disposal, your path to success is clear. Register for the CP^® Skills Exam Prep course today, and step confidently into your legal future!

DISCLAIMER: The NALA CP^® Exam creators do not develop or deliver any CP^® Exam study materials. Producers of study materials do not have access to actual CP^® Exam content. Use of any suggested study materials does not guarantee success on the CP^® Exam.

Preparing for the CP^® Knowledge Exam?
We would love for you to be amongst the first testing group for the updated CP^® Exam in January 2024. There will be a new section on the Knowledge Exam: Debtor/Creditor and Bankruptcy. For anyone taking the Knowledge Exam in January, we will refund your testing center fee for that section of the CP^® Exam (it must be paid upfront during the application process). You can be a trendsetter and help set the standard by taking the updated Knowledge Exam in January 2024.

CP^® Partner Testing is COMING BACK!
Employers, schools, and military bases, we are bringing back Partner Testing! In 2024, you will be able to administer the CP^® Exam at your business, school, or military base for aspiring CPs!  For more information, click here and scroll to the PSI Partner Testing drop-down.  

As a Certified Paralegal (CP^®), it is imperative that you know how to enter your CLE credits into your NALA account so that you can qualify for recertification. We made a video to serve as a step-by-step guide on entering your CLE credits. In addition to showing you how to add CLE credits to your NALA account, it also explains the three types of CLE: substantive, non-substantive, and legal ethics. To learn more about the different types of CLE and how to enter them into your account, click below to watch the video.

Facts & Findings, NALA’s award-winning quarterly magazine, is a premier source of information designed specifically for paralegals. This magazine offers the best educational articles written by paralegals, attorneys, and other experts. In addition to feature articles, each issue includes columns on ethics, technology, and software.

You can subscribe for one year (4 issues) for $35 and two years (8 issues) for $50. Subscribers also receive digital versions of each issue. Subscribe by December 31st, and you'll receive all four 2024 issues.

Please note: Members receive a complimentary subscription with their membership.

As a NALA member, you receive exclusive local and national discounts on hundreds of products and services.

To access these deals, go to the Affinity Discounts page on our website and log in.

Your NALA Office Depot® Member Benefits Program has been rebranded to ODP Business Solutions™. You will receive savings of up to 75% on the Best Value List of preferred products with free next-business-day delivery* or in-store and curbside pickup. To receive your member discounts, you will need to re-enroll or register for an account through the dedicated ODP site.
*on qualifying orders

We recently sent out our annual membership survey. Please take some time to fill it out. We value your feedback and want to hear about your experience as a NALA member. Your responses will help us build a better NALA for all our members.

If you are a NALA Honorary Member, that means you have been a member of NALA for 25+ consecutive years! We appreciate your dedication and contributions. As an Honorary Member, you receive FREE Active membership with NALA. However, you still have to renew your membership annually. When it is time to renew, you can do so in your NALA account. If you have any questions, email nalanet@nala.org or call 918-587-6828. Thank you again for your commitment to NALA.

Affiliates, we are accepting proposals for the Affiliate Exchange until December 31st. Is your association achieving remarkable success that you are proud to have accomplished? Share your knowledge by presenting for the Affiliate Exchange Program during the Affiliated Associations Annual Meeting at the 2024 NALA Conference & Expo in Louisville, Kentucky! To learn more and submit a proposal, click here.