Registration for NFPA's annual Joint Conference (Leadership, Regulation, and Certification) is now open! You can register online at: https://www.paralegals.org/i4a/ams/conference/conference.cfm?conferenceID=148.  This year's Joint Conference is being held in New York City, April 28-30, 2017.  The schedule and other important details about the Joint Conference can be found here: https://www.paralegals.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3283. If you have any questions about NFPA's Joint Conference, please contact your NFPA Representatives, Brenna C. Dickey, RP (brenna.dickey@millernash.com) and/or Thomas C. Holmes, RP (tch@bhlaw.com). 

Please join our Region's local and national leaders at the NFPA Region I Spring Meeting, Saturday, June 3, 2017.  The Region I meeting will be held at the law offices of Forsberg & Umlauf, P.S., located at 901 5th Avenue, Suite 1400, Seattle, Washington 98164.  The Washington State Paralegal Association will be hosting the meeting. If you're unable to attend the Region I meeting and want to provide input to our Region I Director and other Region leaders, please contact your NFPA Representatives, Brenna C. Dickey, RP (brenna.dickey@millernash.com) and/or Thomas C. Holmes, RP (tch@bhlaw.com).  Please also contact us if you want more information about the NFPA Region I meeting.  More details to come! 

OPA Holiday Campaign Reminder

OPA is still collecting donations and gifts for Morrison Child and Family Services, but the deadline is next week! We need your help to meet our goal of providing Christmas gifts to five children. The deadline for donations is December 13, 2016 at 5:00 pm. 

Below is the list of children assigned to OPA.   Please email me to sponsor a child, or a single item on their list.  Gifts should be unwrapped but gift bags are encouraged.  You may deliver your gifts to Dunn Carney, or call me to arrange pick-up.  If you don’t have time to shop but would like to contribute, we will gladly take cash donations and do the shopping for you. We have received several cash donations, but to date the only item claimed is the Pie in the Face game for Zuleika.

Morrison Wish List*

NAME	AGE	GENDER	CLOTHING/ SHOE SIZE	GIFT SUGGESTIONS
Jaden HW	16	F	M	Target gift card, art supplies
Zuleika A	12	F	8.5 Women's wide	Black Nike tennis shoes, Pie in the Face game, kinetic sand
Hana H	11	F		Trolls, makeup, hair accessories
Hunter G	16	M		Legos, remote control car
Hidie H	9	F		Trolls, dolls and hair accessories

Morrison Child and Family Services is a non-profit organization that delivers specialized services to children, from birth through age 18, and families coping with adversity and trauma, partnering with schools, neighborhoods, public agencies and families to create programs for young people, ranging from education and prevention services to outpatient counseling and residential treatment.  Your donations and gifts can make a huge difference for these children this holiday season.

If you have any questions, please contact me.  Thank you and happy holidays!

Kelley Chaney, RP

OPA Pro Bono Co-Chair

503-242-9621

Oregon Paralegal Association Announces New Board and Annual Awards

The Oregon Paralegal Association (OPA) held its 2016 Annual Convention at the Kah-Nee-Ta Resort in Warm Springs, Oregon from November 4 – November 5, 2016. At the meeting, members announced the newly elected 2016-2017 Board of Directors and recognized individuals for their contributions.

  2016-2017 Board Members:

President:                                   Leah Aldred, RP®, Barran Liebman LLP

Vice President:                           Samantha Blair, CRP™, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP

Secretary:                                   Jennifer Stammer, McEwen Gisvold LLP

Treasurer:                                   Niki Harrison, Barran Liebman LLP

NFPA Primary Representative:  Brenna Dickey, RP®, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP

Board Director 2 Year:              Julie Lycklama, RP®, Shumsky & Backman

Board Director 1 Year:              Jered Brown, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP

Board Director 1 Year:              Ryan Moore, Black Helterline LLP

Associate Representative:          Casey McFarlane, Holiday Retirement

Emeritus Representative:           Joyce Kent, RP®

     2016 Annual Awards:

President’s Award:                   Leah Aldred, RP®, Barran Liebman LLP

Outstanding New Member:      Samantha Blair, CRP™, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP

Outstanding Members:             Kathleen Miller, RP®, Stephen H. Miller, PC

                                                  Leah Aldred, RP®, Barran Liebman LLP

                                                  Linda Odermott, RP®, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP

Outstanding Legal

     Service Provider:                Unisearch

Contacts:  Diane Thompson, Co-Chair OPA Nominations& Elections Committee,diane.thompson@holidaytouch.com or Megan Gallagher, Co-Chair OPA Nominations& Elections Committee, megancgal@gmail.com

Dear Fellow Paralegals: 

South Louisiana has been hit hard with catastrophic flooding this month.  A number of members of the Baton Rouge Paralegal Association (BRPA) have been left homeless, or had their personal property damaged or destroyed. They are in need of cleaning supplies, building materials, food and everyday necessities.  In an effort to assist our fellow paralegals in need, OPA is coordinating with the BRPA to collect and distribute gift cards to be used by paralegals hit by this flooding as they rebuild. 

If you would like to donate gift cards, or a check to purchase gift cards on behalf of OPA, please deliver your donations to MaryAnn Ivie, RP, at Schwabe Williamson and Wyatt, 1211 SW 5^th Avenue, 19^th Floor, Portland, OR 97204, before September 7, 2016, or contact her at mivie@schwabe.com with any questions.  

BRPA has compiled a list of local outlets which have gift cards that their members can use:

Building Materials/Outdoor Equipment

Academy Sports & Outdoors

Ace Hardware

Home Depot

Lowe’s

Restaurants

Burger King

Chick-Fil-A

Domino’s

IHOP

Jack in the Box

Little Caesars

McDonald’s

Papa Johns

Papa Murphy’s

Pizza Hut

Sonic

Subway

Taco Bell

Waffle House

Wendy’s

 

Clothing/Housewares

American Eagle Outfitters

Bed Bath & Beyond

Dillard’s

Footlocker

JCPenney

Kohl’s

Macy’s

Old Navy

Payless Shoe Source

Sears

 

Grocery/Housewares/Pharmacy

Albertsons

Costco

CVS

Dollar General

Sam’s Club

Target

Walgreens

Walmart

Winn-Dixie

OPA's new membership management website goes live.

Oregon Paralegal Association's new website will go live on Saturday, August 13, 2016!

The application for the 2016 National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc.’s Thomson Reuters Student Scholarships is available now!

Attached is the scholarship application. Typically, $5,000 (one $3,000 scholarship and one $2,000 scholarship) is awarded annually. The number and amount of scholarships to be given shall be determined annually by the NFPA Board of Directors.

We would love to see one of OPA’s Oregon or Southwest Washington members as the scholarship winner at the annual convention – in Vermont (right when all the leaves are changing colors)!

The deadline is July 1, 2016.

Don’t delay in applying today for these great scholarship opportunities!

For more information about NFPA, please go to: http://www.paralegals.org/

Lauren Gary, OPA Associate Representative (e-mail: lauren.gary5@gmail.com)
Kathleen K. Miller, RP, NPFA Primary Representative (e-mail: kkmiller@reedsportlaw.com)
Brenna C. Dickey, OPA NFPA Secondary Representative (e-mail: brenna.dickey@millernash.com)

NFPA Thomson Reuters 2016 Student Scholarship Form