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STARTING A STUDENT ORGANIZATIONBy: Kathleen A. EllzeyAs a student in the Paralegal Studies Program atDeKalb Technical College, before I began on myquest to start a new student organization, I did someresearch to find out what organizations were currentlyoffered through my school and if any interested me.I spoke with Virgil Costley, the Paralegal StudiesProgram Coordinator, and he informed me that formerstudents had previously attempted to start paralegalorganizations in the past, but had lost interest.However, Mr. Costley and Mrs. Murray, an instructorat DeKalb Tech, were both interested in beingadvisors for a paralegal organization.T h ebrainstorming began. I asked myself, “how can youkeep your fellow paralegal students informed if wedo not have our own organization?” I began askingmy classmates, “if the college had a paralegalorganization, would you join?” The response wasoverwhelming. I created a membership interest formrequesting a student’s name, contact information,schedule (fulltime or part-time), convenient meetingtime, and any suggestions for the group’s activities.Response was strong: twenty-three students filledout the form and were interested in becoming officers.Before formally asking permission from the ParalegalStudies Program and the school to form theorganization, I had to undertake the following basicsteps:1. find people to help organize (these volunteerswere the first officers of the organization);2. recruit at least one advisor;3. create a name (“Paralegal Alliance”),constitution, mission statement, and logo;4. choose a focus for the organization based on theinterests and needs of the school’s population;5. conduct a simple survey to find outapproximately how many students would beinterested in participating;6. determine the organization’s main objective andgoal; and7. create a membership application for students tocomplete and submit.took place at the group’s first meeting andcompleted the process of establishing anorganization:1. planning the general format of theorganization’s meetings;2. announcing the organization’s first meetingtime and location;3. typing up an agenda, approximating durationof planned activities; and4. incorporating student input and suggestionsas appropriate.The Paralegal Alliance held its first meeting onJuly 23, 2007. Attendees included Kathleen A.Ellzey (President and Acting Treasurer), HansiHolloway (Vice President), Vanessa Moody (VicePresident), Lindsey Santoyo (Secretary), DelanaKiett (member), Alma Mitchell (member), SolinSaleh (member), Virgil Costley (advisor), CeliaMurray (advisor), Nola Sayne (GAP StudentGrowth Coordinator), and Barbara Clay (DTCStudent Services Coordinator).During this initial meeting we all gained awealth of information including how to access thegroup webpage, upcoming projects, next meetingdate and member contact information.Today, the Paralegal Alliance has twelvemembers.Kathleen is a student in the Paralegal StudiesProgram at DeKalb Technical College. Sheexpects to complete her associates degree withhonors in March 2008. Besides founding theParalegal Alliance, Kathleen is the VP of PhiTheta Kappa Honor Society, Student GovernmentAssociation President, and GAP StudentAmbassador. DeKalb Tech’s Paralegal StudiesProgram has just received its charter for LambdaEpsilon Chi, the Paralegal Studies Honor Society,and she will be one of its first inductees. Kathleenplans to transfer to Kaplan University where shewill complete a B.A. in Science with an emphasisin Corporate Law and work on becoming acertified paralegal.After these steps were completed, I then focusedon the inaugural meeting. The following activities6

2008 GAP CALENDAR OF EVENTSAnthony’s Restaurant 3109 Piedmont Rd 5:00 cocktails 6:00 dinnerFeb. 12GAP Dinner MeetingAugust 12Speaker: Mary McKay,NFPA Region III DirectorSponsors: OPENApril 8Speaker: OPENSponsors: OPENOctober 7GAP Dinner MeetingGAP Dinner MeetingSpeaker: OPENSponsors: OPENSpeaker: OPENSponsors: OPENJune 10GAP Dinner MeetingDecember 9GAP MembershipAppreciation DinnerMeeting11th Annual GAP HolidayPartySpeaker: OPENSponsors: OPENSpeaker: OPENSponsors: OPENPut our EXPERIENCEtoWORK forYou.As one of Atlanta’s top staffing firms with more than 20 years of experience,CambridgeStaff is uniquely positioned to help you achieve your career goals. A unique understanding of the paralegal industryWE OFFER : A reputation for representing the highest quality candidates and clients A consultative approach to your career or next critical hireWhether you’re staffing your office or steppingup your career, CambridgeStaff has what you r Piedmont Center Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30305404.842.2800 (phone) 800.563.6101 (toll-free)7

GAP 2007 CORPORATE SPONSOR MEMBERSAndrew Grace Associates, LLCHenning Mediation &Arbitration Service, Inc.Paranet CorporationServices, Inc.HIRECounselPINow.comHolland Imaging LLCRoadOne ExpressHudson LegalRobert Half LegalHuseby, Inc.ServeNow.comBusiness Mailing ServicesIkon Office SolutionsSpecial Counsel, Inc.CambridgeStaffKelly Law RegistryTransPerfect Translations, Inc.CanopyLegal Corp.LawStaff GroupTrial ExhibitsCity of Atlanta, Law DepartmentLegal EagleUPS, Inc.Counsel On CallLegal Video Services, Inc.(Atlanta)Visual Litigation Services, LLCAnthony’sAtlanta Attorney ServicesBrown & GalloBull Darity Hopson& Worley LLCCourtroom Visuals, Inc.Cox Communications, Inc.DA ForensicsDiscovery Support Services, Inc.Document Technologies Inc.EMag SolutionsEsquire Litigation Solutions, LLCMLQ Attorney ServicesWheeler ReportingCompany, Inc.Mariposa PublishingMerrill CorporationMerrill Legal SolutionsNational CorporateResearch, Ltd.Estrin Professional CareersNational NetworkReporting CompanyFirstPro, Inc.OmnivoreFulton County Daily ReportParamount Staffing, Inc.Georgia Pacific CorporationGAP 2007 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITYSPONSORSA tip of the hat tothe following lawfirms which “upgraded”their GAPmembership toCorporateSponsors:Gray, Rust, St. Amand,Moffett & Brieske, LLPAtlanta Technical CollegeEmory UniversityKing & Spalding LLPAugusta Technical CollegeGeorgia Perimeter CollegeMiller & Martin PLLCClayton State UniversityGriffin Technical CollegeDeKalb Technical College,Clarkston CampusGwinnett CollegeNelson Mullins Riley &Scarborough, LLPDeKalb Technical College,Covington CampusJohn Marshall Law SchoolWashington OnlineLearning Institute8Powell Goldstein LLPSeyfarth Shaw LLP

2007 AVLF WINE TASTINGby: Chrissy WeeksThank you to all of the paralegals in the Atlanta legal community who generouslydonated both time and money to Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation(“AVLF”) annual wine tasting this year. It was not only hugely successfulfinancially, but it was a great party.We were not finished doing ouraccounting by the deadline for thisnewsletter, but we are on track tohave raised an estimated 250,000.The annual wine tasting is ourbiggest fundraiser and helps usincrease our ability to provide equalaccess to justice to the underservedmembers of our community.Michael Misenheimer, GAP Directorof Pro Bono and regular volunteer atAVLF with Bobbie Alexander, AVLFAdministrative AssistantDionne Hines, Paralegal at AVFLand GAP MemberA special thank you to Michael Misenheimer, GAP’s Director of Pro Bono anda regular volunteer at AVLF. Michael spent most of the evening (and the nextday) working hard to help us make sure that everything was seamlessly executed.AVLF is working to build more opportunities for paralegals to participate in probono. We hope you will join us next year as either a guest or a volunteer for thisannual fundraiser. The 2008 wine tasting is scheduled for Thursday, November6. For more information about AVLF go to www.avlf.org.9

SOAKIN’ IT UP IN TAMPA BAY!2007 Convention Reportby Kevin O. FogleThe 2007 AnnualConvention of theNational Federation ofParalegal Associations(“NFPA”) was held at theHyatt Regency in Tampa,Florida, on October 18-21 and was hostedby the Tampa Bay Paralegal Association. This year’s conventionthemed “Soakin’ it up in Tampa Bay!” was very well attended byforty-five of the fifty-five member associations of NFPA. It iscommon practice for each association to send two delegates. Thedelegates representing GAP were Kevin O. Fogle, Vice Presidentand NFPA Primary delegate, and KarenProuty, RP, NFPA Secondary delegate.The convention began on Thursdaywith a day of seminars on topics such asProbate Litigation, Medical Malpractice,Forensic Reconstruction, White CollarCrime, and Adoption Law.in Iraq and informed us how much it meant to her for all involvedin the project to take time out of their busy days to prepare andsend packages to them. This was a very emotional display.Certificates were presented to each association that is a part of theproject, one of which was GAP.The policy meeting was held all day Saturday and part of theday Sunday. At the policy meeting, we brought agenda topics tothe floor and discussed their merits. Once we exhausted allopposition to voting, a vote was taken on any agenda topic thatproposed a change to the bylaws or policies of NFPA. As you mayrecall, a survey was circulated before the convention asking foryour vote and comments on the agenda topics as presented priorto the convention. Many of the agendas wereadopted as resolutions, and you can reviewthem as passed on the National Informationpage of the GAP website.One of the agenda topics that caused agreat deal of discussion dealt with the ModelPlan for Paralegal Regulation (“Plan”). Manybelievedthat the Plan submitted was tooOn Friday morning we attended ourgeneralandseparate Plans should be drafted,region meeting which offers an opportunityoneforaCertificatescheme and one for ato meet members of associations in ourRegistrationscheme(collectivelyreferred toregion, to share ideas on uldmanagement, and to discuss other topics odelPlanforinterest. GAP is in Region III, ich,incidentally,wasincludes the following associations:RP, CLA, Region III Director; and adopted during the policy meeting. TheCleveland Association of Paralegals,Greater Lexington Paralegal Association,Karen Prouty, NFPA Secondary at drafting of separate Plans would allow anIndiana Paralegal Association, Memphisthe 2007 NFPA Annual Convention association that wishes to seek regulation intheir state to use the Plan which best fits theParalegal Association, Michiana Paralegaltypeof regulation they wish to pursue as aAssociation, Middle Tennessee Paralegalguide.Afteralong,strenuousdiscussion, it was decided by theAssociation, Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association, Palmettodelegatebodytosendthisagendatopic back to the co

Today, the Paralegal Alliance has twelve members. Kathleen is a student in the Paralegal Studies Program at DeKalb Technical College. She expects to complete her associates degree with honors in March 2008. Besides founding the Paralegal Alliance, Kathleen is the VP of Phi Theta Kappa Honor S