Sue Morton from The Morton Group was a guest speaker at the Winter Conference in January. This was the first time that I have heard Ms. Morton speak and I was very impressed with her professionalism and experience. One of the exercises Ms. Morton provided for us was a goal worksheet. On the worksheet, you identify the goal, choose what area in your life the goal is (e.g., family, emotional, social, career, etc.) and you set a target date to achieve that goal by. You also identify the possible obstacles that may come up and what solutions you will use to get past the obstacles. To keep track of your goal, you write down specific steps that will help you to achieve your goal. I learned from Ms. Morton that for me one of the most important steps to achieving my goals is to revisit my worksheet at consistent time intervals to see if I need to make any adjustments to stay on track of achieving my goals. The time intervals will vary depending on how far out your target date was set. 

Armed with Ms. Morton’s goal worksheet, I have noticed a difference in the way that I set my goals and the steps that I now take to achieve them. I am excited to see how high my waves will be when I meet my goals. I encourage you to keep setting goals and starting your ripples. Be sure to celebrate when see how high your waves are as you reach your goals!

Anne Jack, PP, PLS
President (2011-2012)
NALS of Arizona 

For me, NALS is an organization with awesome members who support and guide me to become a better person.  I am excited to contribute my resources to make our organization the best that it can be.  NALS is important to me because I belong to a community.  I continually meet new and amazing people through NALS and there is no limit to the inspiration that I take away from our local, state and national meetings.  I am able to share my experiences and ask for guidance from people who have already passed the hurdles I am just now starting to encounter.  

NALS also gave me the opportunity to become a certified paralegal and, in today’s job market, my certifications give me an advantage over my peers.  Belonging to NALS has also given me the opportunity to grow as a person and a leader and has given me the courage to take on tasks that I wouldn’t have thought possible just a few years ago.  

Another advantage to being a member of NALS is that I am kept updated with industry changes and have access to exceptional CLE.  


Be sure to share your passion for NALS and start your ripple today!  I hope that I have as much fun in 2012 that I did this year and I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the Winter Conference in Phoenix on January 28!

Anne Jack, PP, PLS
President (2011-2012)
NALS of Arizona 

There are so many opportunities for us to contribute and give back to our local communities, the possibilities really are endless! If you have a favorite charity, think about what you can do to make a difference. You can become very involved (volunteering on a monthly basis) or just commit to a one day project, it’s your choice. I am hopeful that we will all make a commitment to improving our community by volunteering!

What is new with NALS? I am sure that you know that NALS is now offering Specialty Certificates! Staying in line with the new CLE tracks that NALS will be offering at its education conferences and through its webinars, the Specialty Certificates can be obtained in the areas of:

1.  Litigation / Civil Law,

2.  Corporate Law,

3.  Estate Planning / Family Law, and

4.  General Law.

To be eligible for a Specialty Certificate, you must have a current PP or PLS certification and have earned a minimum of 50 hours of CLE in one of the designated tracks within your 5 year PP / PLS certification period.  Additional information and the Application can be found at www.nals.org.

Have you registered for the NALS 60th Annual Education Conference and National Forum in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 13-16 yet? Over 15 hours of CLE will be offered in each of the specialty tracks at the conference. The deadline to register before the rate goes up again is August 1! You still have time!

NALS is encouraging its members to Engage 5 again this year with its Membership Campaign. If you sign up 5 new members this year, NALS will waive your national membership dues! Or, if your firm pays for your membership dues or you are a life member, NALS will give you at $98 credit voucher that can be used towards NALS webinars, conference registrations, or in the NALS store! The new members must be in the same membership classification. Once you have your five new members, complete and submit the waiver form found on the NALS website and you will be a NALS Super Star (just like our very own NALS of Arizona member Audrey Saxton, PLS)! Be sure to Engage your 5 new members this year!

Anne Jack, PP, PLS
President (2011-2012)
NALS of Arizona

We have done so many great things this year! 
Without the help of amazing volunteers, none of these ideas and/or programs would have been possible.  A great big THANK YOU goes out to:

Nancy Anderstrom, PP, PLS
Whitney Birk, CP
Carol Campbell, PP
Christine Clayton, PP, PLS, CERT
Vernelle Collins, PP, PLS
Delana Freouf, PLS
Thelma Gonzalez, PLS
Diana Hallman, PLS, CLA
Anne Jack, PP, PLS
Tanya James, PLS
Karen McElroy, PP, PLS
Kelly Meyer, PLS
Ed Pavese, PLS
Brenda Reid, PP, CP
Audrey Saxton, PLS
Kathy Sieckman, PP, PLS, CLA
Kerie Trindle Byrne, PLS
Sarah Zimmermann

Although my term as President is almost over and as we prepare to welcome Anne Jack, PP, PLS as our new President, we can still use our NALS Bingo cards and remain involved in NALS.  Next year, as Immediate Past President and Region 8 Liaison, I plan to remain actively involved with NALS of Arizona.

I know my involvement has had a positive impact on my professional career as well as my personal life.  I continue to encourage you to reap these amazing rewards NALS offers and to

        B-e the best you can be
        I-nspire others
        N-etwork with legal professionals
        G-ather knowledge
        O-bserve the rules of professional conduct

Thank you all for another amazing year!

Simply mark off the squares on the Bingo Card on page 19 of the Winter issue of The Abstract and email or mail the completed card to me with your name written on the card no later than January 15, 2011.  You will receive one entry for each BINGO you have!  If you have blackout – you will receive an additional entry!

Remember, getting BINGO is easy!  Do you attend your local, state, regional and national meetings, seminars, conferences, OLC sessions and webinars?  Do you participate in NALS social media, are you a fan of NALS on Facebook?  Do you follow NALS of Tucson & So. AZ on Twitter?  Do you belong to the NALS Community on Ning?  They all count!  Did you pass or renew your certification or obtain or renew your CLE Award?  Did you write an article for a NALS publication?  Do you read your local, state and national NALS publications?  Just by reading this article, you filled up one square!  Do you currently serve on the local or state board?  Do you participate in local, state, regional and/or national committees?  BINGO – BINGO!  What about the NALS Affinity providers?  Do you take advantage of AFLAC benefits, get the UPS or Hertz discounts?  Each of these will get you one step closer to BINGO!

Remember, be the best you can be, network, gather knowledge, observe the rules of professional conduct, and inspire others to do the same.   NALS helps you do all of these things!

I look forward to seeing you on February 11-12, 2011 at the Desert Diamond Casino for the NALS of Arizona Winter Conference!  Have a wonderful new year!

Be the best you can be
Inspire others
Network with legal professionals
Gather knowledge
Observe the rules of professional conduct

Tara Hughes, PP, CP
President (2010-2011)
NALS of Arizona

You will notice that the cost of the conference has increased by $25. The Board discussed the increase at our last board meeting and decided to increase the registration fees due to the increased costs we incur in having these conferences. We welcome comments and suggestions from our members. I hope that this will not deter you from attending and I hope to see you there! As always, we will have vendors (shopping), raffle prizes and plenty of networking with our fellow NALS Pals!

I am so happy to congratulate all who passed the certification exams this past September. I especially want to congratulate those in Arizona: Barbara Griskowitz, ALS of NALS of Yavapai County and Kerie Trindle Byrne, PLS of NALS of Phoenix!  Congratulations!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tara Hughes, PP, CP
NALS of Arizona President 2010-2011

B e the best you can be
I  nspire others
N etwork with legal professionals
G ather knowledge
O bserve the rules of professional conduct

NALS of Phoenix is holding its annual Half-Day in Court during Court Observance Week on October 15, 2010.  In the spirit of this year’s theme, “Citizens and their Courthouse,” Half-Day in Court will be held at the District Courthouse on the topic of immigration and naturalization.  They conclude the morning session with attendance at a naturalization ceremony.  If you have never been, it is amazing!

NALS 59th Annual Education Conference and National Forum is being held in Branson, Missouri beginning October 21, 2010.  You still have time to sign up!  Remember to come in early so you don’t miss our very own David Horowitz in a bonus leadership session bright and early on Thursday morning!  David is also the closing keynote speaker and will be discussing the Value of Showing Up.

NALS of Arizona is holding a Survivor Course on November 5, 2010 at the Black Canyon Conference Center.  We have scheduled Pat Sallen, the State Bar of Arizona’s Ethics Counsel, a panel of judicial assistants and a speaker on software in the law office.  We are offering this education in person or via webinar.  You have no reason to miss this opportunity!

Don’t forget about the monthly educational opportunities that each local chapter provides: NALS of Phoenix’s membership meetings are held the second Thursday of each month, NALS of Tucson & So. AZ’s membership meetings are held the third Thursday of each month, and NALS of Yavapai County’s membership meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month.  Try attending a membership meeting of a different local NALS chapter – reconnect with those you see only twice each year!

Remember that every education session you attend gets you one step closer to BINGO!  You can be the best you can be, networking, gathering knowledge, observing the rules of professional conduct, and hopefully, inspiring others to do the same.

I challenge you – how many times are you going to BINGO this year? ●