PRECEDENT
The Official Newsletter of the Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc.
Volume 198
President’s Message
As we begin a new fiscal year
for IPA, I would like to take this
opportunity to thank each of
you for the opportunity to have
served as your President.
I
am
looking
forward to the
leadership of a new
President, Lauren
Jones of Evansville.
I encourage you to contact
Lauren or any member of the
2014-2015 Board of Directors
with any suggestions or ideas for
events, benefits, etc.
Have you ever thought about
volunteering
to
help
the
association? Now’s the time.
Contact Rachel at the IPA office
or any Board member to discuss
available opportunities that fit
your skills and availability.
July | 2014
Don’t forget to mark your
calendar for Friday, October 24,
2014. IPA will be celebrating
35 years. Registration will
be opening soon. We will be
offering two CLE tracks.
I hope you will all be able to join
us for this wonderful event.
Additionally, there are many
changes happening to our
website. I hope you have an
opportunity to look around the
updated site. We’ve added a site
search box to help you find what
you are looking for.
Director and Parliamentarian.
If you have any interest in filling
any of these positions or helping
out with some of the duties of
these positions, please let us
know.
I hope that you continue to have
a safe summer.
Monica is a litigation paralegal
at Benesch Friedlander Coplan
& Aronoff, LLP. She is currently
serving as President of the
Indiana Paralegal Association.
In This Issue
At our June board meeting, the
Board appointed Cathy Canny
to fill the position of Secretary
for the 2014-2015 year. I was
appointed to fill the CLE Director
position left open by Cathy’s
appointment. We still have three
open positions: Fundraising
Director,
Monthly
Meeting
(Click On Link)
2 Board/Section Chairs
3 Probate/Tax
4 Health Law
5 Monthly Meeting/CLE
6 Save the Date
7 Monthly Meeting Recap
8 GRM Ad/NFPA Announcement
9 Meet the Members
10 July Sponsors
11 Board of Directors’ Meeting
12 Electronic Board Meeting
The Precedent
The Precedent is the official publication of
the Indiana Paralegal Association (IPA) and
is published monthly. The subscription rate
is included in the membership dues. Articles
written by individuals express the view of the
author and are not necessarily those of IPA.
Additionally, IPA’s policy is not to endorse any
advertisement. Therefore, publication of the
advertisement does not constitute endorsement.
Original items printed are the property of IPA
and may not be reproduced without prior
written consent. Letters to the editor are
encouraged, but must be signed in order to
be published. The editor reserves the right to
edit material for clarity and space. To submit
correspondence, articles or orders, write:
The Precedent
c/o Indiana Paralegal Association
125 W Market Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Or email:
newsletter@indianaparalegals.org
NFPA Information
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, NFPA
is a non-profit professional organization
representing more than 11,000 paralegals in
the United States. NFPA is the national voice
and the standard for excellence for the paralegal
professional through its work on the issues of
regulation, ethics, and education.
Indiana Paralegal Association
2013-2014
Board of Directors
President
Monica Dabio
mdabio@indianaparalegals.org
Education
Nancy Noble
nlnoble2@gmail.com
Monthly Meeting
Wendy Stokes
stokesgwendolyn@msn.com
Vice President
Lauren Jones, RP®
ljones@joneswallace.com
Ethics
Linda Howard
linda@golitkodaly.com
Newsletter
Lottie Wathen
lwathen@cohenandmalad.com
Secretary
Arlene Morris
amorrismorgan@yahoo.com
Fundraising
Raven Earley
ravenearley424@gmail.com
NFPA Primary Representative
Angela Hopson
ARHopson@csmlawfirm.com
Treasurer
Edna Wallace, RP®
emw@whzlaw.com
Job Bank
Julie Johnson
jjohnson@boselaw.com
NFPA Secondary Representative
Tracey Woolsey
twoolsey@bgdlegal.com
Continuing Legal Education
Cathy Canny
ccanny@beneschlaw.com
Marketing
Joanne Alexovich
JAlexovich@csmlawfirm.com
Parliamentarian
Marnie Hamlet
mhamlet@comcast.net
Membership
Everlla Savage
esavage@psrb.com
Technology
Tracey Woolsey
twoolsey@bgdlegal.com
Section Chairs
Change of Address
If you have a recent change of mailing
address, please update that information
with IPA as soon as possible so your IPA
and NFPA mail and emails will reach you.
Members can login and update their contact
information online at any time at www.
indianaparalegals.org. Changes made
online automatically update the online
membership directory and any future emails
sent by IPA will be sent to your new email
address. Members may also log in to the
NFPA Website at www.paralegals.org and
update their contact information as well
as preferences. The first time you login,
you must request a password by entering
your email address associated with your
membership and click “I need a password.”
An email will be sent to your email address
with your password.
Alliance
Cathy Canny
ccanny@beneschlaw.com
Intellectual Property
George Gray
George.Gray84@gmail.com
Paralegal Credentialing
Angela Woodlee, RP®
angela.woodlee@rolls-royce.com
Bankruptcy
Robin McGraw
robin@rubin-levin.net
Legislation
Bonnie Lewis
Bonnie.Lewis@btlaw.com
Probate/Tax
Arlene Morris
amorrismorgan@yahoo.com
Corporate
OPEN
Litigation
OPEN
Elections
OPEN
Marketing/PR
Jessica Norfleet
jfleet826@gmail.com
Pro-Bono
Monica Dabio
mdabio@indianaparalegals.org
Employment/Labor
OPEN
Family Law
Lottie Wathen
lwathen@cohenandmalad.com
Health Law
Karen Bruner Stroup
kstroup@iu.edu
Real Estate
OPEN
NFPA Secondary
Laura Thirion
lthirion@bgdlegal.com
Regulation
Edna Wallace, RP®
emw@whzlaw.com
Non-Traditional
Melody Schulz
melody.schulz@us.endress.com
Student Section
Everlla Savage
esavage@psrb.com
Anyone interested in serving on the Board of Directors should contact IPA’s President,
Monica Dabio, at president@indianaparalegals.org. Or call 317-686-3141.
2
Probate/Tax Section Updates
Lately, it seems that I have been
frequently asked, “What do you do now
in the Probate/Tax area of law when
there is no Inheritance Tax in Indiana”?
It seems like a lot has changed over the
past year with the Inheritance Tax laws
changing in Indiana. I don’t think that
many of us are still preparing Federal
Estate Tax Returns any more. In light
of these facts, we are turning to estate
planning, income tax preparation,
and other probate matters, such as
guardianships and adoptions. We now
turn to estate planning and succession
planning to make sure that our clients
have their estate and business plans in
order. In thinking about your estate
planning, it is very important to have
the six (6) legal documents.
The first legal document is a Will. This
document will reflect how you desire
to have your estate handled after your
death. You should be sure to name
the person that you want to act as your
Personal Representative, and also be
sure that your assets are distributed the
way you want them to be. Your Will
should be reviewed and updated from
time to time as your life changes.
trustworthy and someone who is good
at managing money.
The Health Care Power of Attorney is
a person that you trust to make medical
decisions for you if you are not capable
of doing so yourself. This could be
for long term care or for a short time
depending upon your health.
A HIPPA Release Waiver is a
document that would allow your health
care providers to speak to other family
members and not just your Health Care
Power of Attorney.
A Living Will is a very important
document and allows you to make it
very plain to those people providing
care to you that you don’t want your
life prolonged in the event that you are
terminal. This document allows you
to make your wishes known if you are
unable to communicate because of a
terminal condition.
These documents are all very important
in estate and end of life planning and
should be reviewed every five (5)
years.
If you have not had the opportunity to
get involved with the Indiana Paralegal
Association, I urge you to join us for
one (1) of the monthly luncheons or
for a CLE on a subject of your interest.
Going to the monthly luncheons, CLEs
and other social events is a lot of fun
and keeps you connected with your
peers.
Arlene Morris
Probate/Tax Section Chair
IPA Job Bank
The second legal document is a Power
of Attorney. The Power of Attorney is
a very important part of estate planning,
and could be more important than a
Will for older people. There are two
(2) types of POAs. There is the POS for
The Job Bank is one of the many benefits provided to IPA Members at no charge. The most
finances and legal matters and the POA current listing is located on the IPA website under Members Only Section, Paralegal Career
Center, IPA’s Job Bank.
for health matters.
The General Durable Power of
Attorney or POA for Financial and
Legal Matters gives your nominee
access to your finances and the ability
to act for you when you are unable to
do so. This person would be able to
sign checks, sell your home, manage
your investment accounts and sign
tax returns to name a few. This
person should be someone that is very
The Job Bank, updated weekly, is available 24/7 for your employment needs.
The Job Bank accepts listings for open positions from direct employers at no charge. We
accept listings from recruiting firms for a monthly fee.
If you would like to submit an open position for the Job Bank, write a brief description and
send to:
Julie H. Johnson
IPA Job Bank Director
jobbank@indianaparalegals.org
Disclaimer: Only ads received directly from the hiring company or firm and containing a job description
considered appropriate for the skill set of a paralegal will be considered for posting.
3
Health Law Update
Compiled by Karen Bruner Stroup, Health Law Section Chair
Health-law related information, resources,
and events are showcased in the Health
Law Section Update from various local,
state, and national sources. The purpose
here is to spotlight Health Law as an area
of practice and contribution in your work
as a paralegal.
Resources
Social impact bonds (SIBs) are pay-forsuccess arrangements that can be used
to address public health issues such as
asthma and infant mortality. SIBs are
used as financing mechanisms to raise
upfront funding from private investors
for social and public health preventative
interventions. The Public Health Law
Program has released the SIBs Resource
Package to provide public health
practitioners and individuals interested
in healthcare finance with an overview of
SIBs and how they can be used to promote
public health.
1. Social Impact Bonds Issue Brief. A
descriptive overview of social impact
bonds, new financing mechanisms used to
attract private investment for public health
initiatives. Find more information and
download Public Health Law and Policy
Innovations: Social Impact Bonds.
2. Research Anthology. This Public
Health Law Program Research Anthology
is intended to provide a starting point for
further exploration of SIBs. The Research
Anthology includes articles, technical
guides, and other materials selected to
account for the different perspectives, roles,
and responsibilities of parties involved in
SIBs, existing and potential applications
of SIBs, and issues raised by SIBs. Find
more information and download the SIBs
research anthology.
3. Presentation on Social Impact Bonds.
This presentation provides a detailed
introduction of SIBs. It includes an
explanation of social impact bond structure
and function, an outline of important
considerations involved in SIB programs,
examples of existing SIB applications for
issues such as recidivism, homelessness,
asthma, and early childhood outcomes,
and a selection of current and proposed
laws related to social impact bonds or
other pay-for-success programs. Find
more information and download the SIBs
presentation at: http://www.cdc.gov/phlp/
docs/sib-introduction.pdf
Source: May 2014 Public Health Law News/Public
Health Law Program, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, see:
http://www.cdc.gov/phlp/
news/current.html#sib1
Navigating
the
Food
Safety
Modernization Act: Resources for State
and Local Governments:
h t t p s : / / w w w. n e t w o r k f o r p h l . o r g /
the_network_blog/2014/05/28/452/
navigating_the_food_safety_
modernization_act_resources_for_state_
and_local_governments
Healthcare Reform: Affordable Care
Act Legislative Data Base/National
Conferece of State Legislatures (NCSL):
http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/newhealth-reform-database.aspx
The NCSL State Legislative Tracking
Database tracks new bills filed in response
to the Affordable Care Act. With the major
features of the federal law in effect as of
Jan. 1, 2014, this database includes the
latest state measures being considered
during 2014 sessions.You can search
legislation by state, year, topic, keyword,
current status, and/or primary legislative
sponsor.
Medicaid/The Henry J. Kaiser Family
Foundation:
http://kff.org/medicaid/
Conferences
2014 Public Health Law Conference. The
2014 Public Health Law Conference will
take place October 16–17, 2014, in Atlanta,
Georgia. The conference will gather public
health and legal experts from across the
country to examine and discuss today’s
critical challenges in public health law. Find
more information about the conference and
learn how to get the early bird registration
rate.
October 7, 2014
Annual Continuing Legal Education
Program
Crucial Information for Health Law
Attorneys & Executives: Law, Business,
and Ethics in Today’s Healthcare
Marketplace.
CLE: 6.0 HOURS (INCLUDES 1.0 HOUR
OF ETHICS) HOURS (Pending Approval)
LOCATION: Inlow Hall, 530 W. New York
Street, Indianapolis, IN
CONTACT: Shaun Dankoski at sldanko@
iupui.edu or 317-278-4789
Save the Date! The Annual Continuing
Legal Education Program will take place on
Tuesday, October 7, 2014. This year’s topic
is: Crucial Information for Health Law
Attorneys & Executives: Law, Business, and
Ethics in Today’s Healthcare Marketplace.
6.0 Hours Indiana CLE Credit (including
1.0 Hour of Ethics), pending approval
Topics include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Liability of innovator companies
regarding generic products
New Rules of Discovery
NAFTA
Mobile Health Apps
Social Media Issues for Attorneys
Update on Indiana Discipline Cases
Online Registration for Outside Attendees
COMING SOON
Source: http://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/events/
current.cfm?eid=226
Tools
The Public Health Law Program, in partnership with the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, has created
menus summarizing some legal strategies states have used to address prescription drug misuse, abuse, and overdose. The Public
Health Law Program has added the following new menu to its prescription drug menu library:
Menu of Tamper-Resistant Prescription Form Requirements: An inventory of various state laws aimed at inhibiting diversion of
prescription drugs by establishing requirements for tamper-resistant prescription forms
Source: May 2014 Public Health Law News/Public Health Law Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, see: http://www.cdc.gov/phlp/news/
current.html#sib1
4
Monthly Meetings
Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc.
July 24, 2014 Monthly Meeting- ANNUAL MEETING
11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Please join us for Indiana Paralegal Association’s
July 24, 2014 monthly meeting.
2014 Annual Meeting will include
Awards Presentation
and
Swearing-In Ceremony presided over by:
The Honorable Edward W. Najam, Jr.
Indiana Court of Appeals
CLE Resources:
IPA: The Probate Tax Section meetings
are held every other month beginning at
11:30 a.m. For upcoming meeting dates
email probate@indianaparalegals.org
Register at: www.indianaparalegals.org
IPA’s 35th Anniversary
SAVE THE DATE:
Friday, October 24th
Renaissance Hotel11925 N Meridian St, Carmel, IN
Full Day CLE program
Registration will open in July
***Location:
The Conrad Hotel
50 W Washington Street, Indpls 46204
Menu:
Red Onion & Tomato Salad, Hearts of Romaine, Aged Balsamic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grilled Chicken Breast w Brandied Cherry Gastrique
Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes and Summer Vegetables
Mango Cheesecake w Graham Cracker Crust, Fresh Fruit
Tea and Coffee
Price:
Member:
$35
Non-Member: $35
Reserved Table for 10: $350.00
*NEW RESERVED TABLE OPTION FOR 2014- Purchase a full table at the Member Price!
Simply purchase the table and then email info@indianaparalegals.org with the names of those who
will be sitting at your table. IPA will place a reserved sign on your table.
PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS by Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 12:00 P.M. IPA cannot
guarantee seating for late reservations. Cancellations after 12:00 noon on July 22, 2014
will still require payment. IPA DERIVES NO PROFIT FROM THE COST OF THE
MEETINGS.
More information and online registration: July 24, 2014 Monthly Meeting
NFPA
(www.paralegals.org)
has
partnered with the American Institute for
Paralegal Studies (AIPS) to provide online CLE Seminars for credentialed and
working paralegals. The seminars range
from practice tips to substantive law
topics and are offered fully on line. Each
seminar runs for two weeks facilitated
by an instructor in a collaborative,
interactive, environment. The CLE
seminars are 12 contact hours and equal
1.2 Continuing Education Units.
Also check out www.aips.com the
American Institute for Paralegal Studies
offers several on-line seminars. Oneline courses run two (2) weeks, and
completion of each course generates a
certificate of completion with associated
CLE credits.
Wendy Stokes
IPA’s Monthly Meeting
**UPCOMING EVENTS
August 20, 2014- Mary Kay Hudson, Director of Court Services, Indiana Judicial CenterCoordinating problem-solving courts on statewide basis; the New Veterans’ Court in Indiana held at
the Bar Association Conference Rooms at the Regions Building.
September 17, 2014- at the Regions Building- NFPA Agenda Topics AND George E. Edwards, Carl
M. Gray Professor of Law and Dir. Program in Internat’l Human Rights Law
5
Cathy Canny
IPA CLE Director &
Alliance Section Chair
IPA’s 35th Anniversary
SAVE THE DATE
Friday, October 24th
Renaissance Hotel-11925 N Meridian St, Carmel, IN
Full Day CLE program
Registration will open in July
6
Monthly Meeting Recap
Brian Burbrink was the guest
speaker for IPA’s Northside Meeting
on June 18, 2014. Burbrink is a
labor and employment attorney with
Ogletree Deakins, Nash, Smoak &
Stewart, PC Breeden as well as the
current Secretary/Treasurer of the
IBA Labor and Employment Law
Section. He regularly counsels
employers on proper employment
policies and spoke on recent U.S.
Supreme Court decisions affecting
employment law.
Burbrink began with a few statistics
regarding the Supreme Court of the
United States (“SCOTUS”). Of the
73 opinions issued in the 2012 term
(Oct. 2012 to Oct. 2013) 4 involved
employment/employee issues. 38
cases (49%) were decided 9-0 and
23 cases (29%) were decided 5-4.
All 4 of the employment/employee
benefits cases were decided 5-4.
Burbrink discussed the Vance v.
Ball State University decision
which was decided June 24, 2013
and addressed the issue of who is a
“supervisor” for purposes of a Title
VII harassment claim. He also
addressed the UT-Southwestern
Medical Center v. Nassar decision
decided in April 2013 which
addressed the issue of the proper
standard of causation for Title VII
retaliation claim.
This monthly meeting was held at
the Two Penn Mark Conference
Center and featured a potato
bar with salad and chili from
McAllister’s. Elections for the
2014 – 2015 Board of Directors
for IPA were also finalized. Many
thanks go to Wendy Stokes, our
monthly meeting director for
arranging the location and food, to
our vendors and to Brian Burbrink
for speaking to us.
The next meeting will be Thursday,
July 24 at The Conrad for the
swearing in ceremony for the 20142015 IPA Board of Directors. Hope
to see you there.
Joanne Alexovich
IPA’s Marketing &
Public Relations Director
There was a lively question and
answer portion at the end of
Burbrink’s presentation. Burbrink
often advises his clients on
litigation avoidance. If employers
can prevent lawsuits they will save
money and time. He noted that the
#1 issue for many employers is that
they have employment policies but
they don’t follow them. The #2
issue is that they have no training
for first-level supervisors. It is
good to have policies outlined but
employers need to make sure they
follow them and also make sure
that the employees outside of
Human Resources also know those
policies. If there is no handbook,
Burbrink advised consistency and
documentation.
7
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management. Our cost-effective capabilities include imaging, hosting and workflow. Our digital
repository platform encrypts, backs up and firewall-protects digital data while allowing direct-to-folders
scanning, faxing or emailing from local or remote locations.
On or offsite, we provide the imaging and conversion of paper-originating information to virtually any
digital format. Select records can be imaged as needed through Scan-On-Request. GRM’s affordable,
quick-to-deploy SaaS (Software as a Service) system delivers Cloud-based hosting, custom flexibility,
secure archiving, retention/ compliance, disaster recovery, business process integration and many other
benefits for a rapid Return on Investment.
As a full, lifecycle information management provider, GRM can maintain physical and electronic
inventories simultaneously, providing a seamless bridge to an increasingly digital environment.
To experience all the benefits of the GRM Digital solution, please contact us at 317.686.5754. Our team
in Indianapolis is dedicated to serving you. Visit us at www.grmdocumentmanagement.com.
GRM Indianapolis
2002 S. East Street
Indianapolis, IN 46225
As a member of IPA and NFPA you are cordially invited to attend the 2014
Annual Convention and Policy Meeting in Dallas, Texas, October 9th –
October 12th. Come and meet your NFPA Leaders, colleagues and other
professionals. NFPA has carefully put together an excellent selection of
continuing legal education classes.
Come to Dallas and attend the various workshops, region and policy meetings.
The link to the Convention Brochure and Registration Form is listed below.
Whether you are new member or have been a member for numerous
years,every IPA member is welcome! Convention registrationopens July 1,
2014.
http://www.paralegals.org/
When: 10/9/2014 to 10/12/2014
Where: Dallas, Texas
8
Getting to know........
Robert Cooper, III
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness. The Declaration of
Independence July 4, 1776.
On the first Friday of this month, we
celebrated the birthday of our Nation.
In the United States, we often take for
granted the freedoms that we have,
including the freedom to celebrate our
Independence Day on an annual basis.
Were it not for the brave men and
women who, over the last 238 years,
bravely chose to fight to protect those
freedoms here and on foreign lands,
our 4th of July cookouts, parades and
memorial services likely would no
longer exist.
Please allow me to
introduce you to
Robert G. Cooper,
III
(“Rob”),
IPA
Student
Member, who is
also a veteran,
having served as
a member of the
Indiana
Army
National
Guard
from 2004 – 2010.
Rob’s
military
career
includes
service to our
Nation during Operation Iraqi Freedom
and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Prior to his Iraqi deployment, in 2005,
Rob was also deployed to the State
of Mississippi following Hurricane
Katrina, where the Indiana National
Guard soldiers participated with a
huge relief contingency. While Rob
is extremely proud of his service
while on deployment to Iraq, he
is the most proud of his service in
Mississippi (for which he received
the Army Commendation Medal, the
Air Force Achievement Medal, and
the Humanitarian Service Medal for
his deployment). “I am so proud and
blessed to have been a part of that
team, and more importantly, to have
helped out my fellow Americans. It
may have been brief, but in those few
months, we personified the ideals
of ‘Hoosier hospitality.’ Moreover,
we epitomized the spirit of working
together as Americans to love, assist,
and provide for each other.” This
quote from Rob speaks volumes as to
the kind of person he is.
Rob is currently a paralegal student
at Marian University (where he will
graduate in 2015) and is currently
working as an intern under the tutelage
of Jamie Collins at Yosha, Cook,
Shartzer & Tisch. In that position, Rob
has been exposed
to various facets
of plaintiff’s work
and finds that he
really likes the
writing
aspect
of a personal
injury paralegal’s
duties; at the
moment, writing
demands on a
daily basis seems
like
paralegal
nirvana to Rob.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y,
part of the work that must be done
before the demand is created is one
of the parts that Rob finds the least
appealing – medical record review
and chronology building. It’s not
that Rob does not like to do them, as
he is confident it will get easier as
he becomes more experienced, but
combing through reams of medical
records can become tedious in a hurry
(rest assured, Rob, you are not the only
person to have ever felt that way). Rob
believes that anticipating the attorney’s
needs as a case is being moved forward
will be the most challenging aspect of
plaintiff’s work (if he elects to continue
to work in personal injury). In a short
period of time he has recognized that
knowing how to juggle paperwork,
deadlines, client needs, and attorney
needs will be crucial in that field. Rob
is also interested in criminal law and
real estate law.
When asked what prompted him to
become a paralegal, Rob told me that
it was his wife who suggested that he
go back to school. In the military, he
was a photojournalist, webmaster, and
graphic designer (among other duties),
but he has always had a passion for
the law. He is happy with his decision
to pursue a paralegal education and is
excited about what his future holds.
Rob lives in the Irvington area of
Indianapolis with his wife, Amanda,
and a “fat little Dachshund-mix named
Oscar.” His parents and younger
brother live in Vincennes, where the
bulk of his father’s family resides.
Rob proudly admits to being a bit of
a nerd who, in his spare time, enjoys
comics and video games. Rob also
brews his own beer and, were he not
planning a paralegal career, his dream
job would be to open a micro-brewery
and distribute beer to his favorite pubs.
I asked Rob what one thing about
him might surprise people. As is the
norm for Rob, his response was quite
funny – to the point that I must quote
it in its entirety. “I’m about to drop
a bombshell; considering that I am
Hoosier by blood and by choice, this
one’s going to sting. I absolutely
cannot stand John Mellencamp’s
music. I just can’t relate to it; I’ve
never sucked on chili dogs outside
a Tastee Freez, I don’t want little
pink houses for you and me, and
I wasn’t born in a small town.”
Unlike Rob, your author DOES like
John Mellencamp’s music (and confess
that I often still call him John Cougar
Mellencamp), but will forgive Rob for
his poor taste in music.
It seemed apropos to ask Rob how
he celebrates our Nation’s birthday.
Again, I quote Rob here, “How
do I celebrate the 4th? I take the
time to celebrate our country’s
independence by enjoying the things
we are free to do; for me, I grill, brew
up a special batch of beer, call up my
fellow service members and thank
them for their service…”
Rob, thank you for agreeing to be
featured and I sincerely thank you
for your service to our State and our
Country. I expect that you will do
great things as a paralegal and we all
wish you continued success in your
paralegal education.
Meet the Members
Each month, with the hope of getting to know our fellow members better, the Meet the
Members section will feature an IPA member. If you are interested in being “introduced” to
the 300+ members of the IPA, please contact Lottie Wathen, Newsletter Director, via email
at newsletter@indianaparalegals.org or by telephone at
317-636-6481, ext.228.
Lottie Wathen
IPA Newsletter Director &
Family Law Section Chair
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July Sponsors
IPA offers a number of ways for individuals, paralegal employers, legal service providers, continuing education providers
and paralegal schools to become involved with IPA.
IPA members include more than 350 paralegals and paralegal students
from across Indiana. IPA’s mission is to establish good fellowship among association members and members of the legal
community; to encourage a higher order of ethical and professional attainment; to further education and training among
members of the profession; and to cooperate and foster working relationships with bar associations and other professional
organizations. For more information about marketing and sponsorship opportunities with IPA, contact us at info@indianaparalegals.org.
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Board of Directors’ Meeting
Minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Paralegal
Association, Inc., held on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at The Corydon Group,
125 West Market Street, Suite 300, Indianapolis, Indiana.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by President, Monica Dabio.
PRIOR MINUTES
A draft of the April 8, 2014 Board Meeting Minutes were previously
e-mailed to each Board member. A motion was made, seconded
and carried to accept the April 8, 2014 Board Meeting Minutes,
as prepared.
The April financials were submitted to the board for approval.
A motion was made, seconded and carried to accept the April
financials as submitted.
Officers Present:
BOARD MEMBER TOPICS
Budget
Treasurer
Edna Wallace
Edna Wallace talked about the budget for the upcoming
year. The budget committee has met and some of the
requests were cut so that IPA can stay within its budget
for the upcoming year. The 35th Anniversary budget
committee will keep costs in mind when they are finalizing
their numbers. A motion was made, seconded and carried
to accept the proposed budget for the 2014-15 year.
Elections
President
Monica Dabio
Monica Dabio reminded the Board that it was time for
elections for the upcoming year, and asked the current Board
if they were returning. Courtney Mills has volunteered to be
the Election Chair for the upcoming election.
Directors Present:
By teleconference:
Absent with Notice:
Monica Dabio
Lauren Jones
Arlene Morris
Edna Wallace
Cathy Canny
Linda Howard
Joanne Alexovich
Everlla Savage
Angela Hopson
Tracey Woolsey
Julie Johnson
Gwendolyn Stokes
Marnie Hamlet
Raven Earley
Lottie Wathen
35th Anniversary Update
Vice President
Lauren Jones
Lauren Jones reported on the 35th Anniversary Celebration and
advised the Board that she has confirmation to have this event at
the Marriott Renaissance Hotel on the north side of Indianapolis
on October 24, 2014. A discussion was had about the topics for
the 35th Anniversary Celebration. The rooms hold forty (40)
people in each room, with seminars running for the entire day.
Membership Categories
Treasurer
Edna Wallace
Edna Wallace pointed out that there is a section in the IPA by-laws under
Article 3, Membership, at Section 3.02 (e) for “Advisory Member”. Some
of the small law firms would be able to afford to become an Advisory Member.
This would produce more income for the association. If the language could
be changed to include the same language as a Sustaining Member, more law
firms would be able to assist in an advisory capacity. IPA might be able to charge
$200.00 per year with two (2) free lunches included for the Charitable Luncheon in
December. Marnie Hamlet, Parliamentarian for IPA will send the suggested change
to the by-laws to the Board for review, and this would be able to be included as an
electronic vote when members vote at election time.
Table Reservation Policy
President
Monica Dabio
Monica Dabio discussed the table reservation policy and advised that we need to have a policy in
place because of prior problems with people attending luncheons that wanted to sit together and did
not reserve a table. There are normally tables of eight (8) or ten (10) people per table. After discussion, a
motion was made, seconded and carried that if someone wants to reserve a table for a luncheon, they will be
charged for the entire table at the time of the reservation, and this will be reflected on the IPA website when the
reservation is made.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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President
Vice-President
Secretary/Probate/Tax
Treasurer/Regulation
CLE
Ethics
Marketing
Membership
NFPA Primary Representative
Technology
Job Bank
Monthly Meeting
Parliamentarian
Fundraising
Newsletter
Board of Directors’ Electronic Board Meeting
The following are Special Minutes of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Paralegal Association held on May 1, 2014 via electronic
mail where the following topic was presented, discussed and voted on.
Directors participating via email
Marnie Hamlet
Lauren Jones
Julie Johnson
Angela Hopson
Cathy Canny
Arlene Morris
Lottie Wathen
Tracey Woolsey
Edna Wallace
Wendy Stokes
Joanne Alexovich
TOPIC – Motion to Approve the 35th Anniversary Contract with Renaissance Hotel. The motion was carried by a vote of 9 to
approve.
Arlene L. Morris, Secretary
Indiana Paralegal Association
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