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  SAN FRANCISCO PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION

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  • 09/06/2020 9:44 AM | Michael Schiraldi (Administrator)


  • 06/10/2020 11:25 AM | Michael Schiraldi (Administrator)


  • 06/05/2020 2:37 PM | Amy McGuigan (Administrator)

    The violent, senseless and unnecessary death of George Floyd in a street encounter with police in Minneapolis is a tragedy to all.  The San Francisco Paralegal Association (“SFPA”) grieves the death of George Floyd, and also the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor  – and too many others before them.  We affirm the value and dignity of Black life and Black people. We stand in solidarity with the Black community affirming that Black Lives Matter.  

     

    We stand against systemic racism and hatred and we cannot and will not stay silent.  We are committed to action and solidarity with our Black community in SFPA and across the country to demand justice for all Black lives lost.  SFPA is committed to working actively to be part of the change. We invite all to join in our commitment to deepen our anti-racism work.  SFPA will offer webinars geared at educating against racial bias, most will be free to attend, and SFPA pledges to donate any fees collected for programing to Black Lives Matter.

     

    Please take care of yourselves and each other.

     

    In solidarity,

    SFPA 2020 Board members

    Amy Jo McGuigan, President

    Kibibi Shaw, Vice-President

    Erin Keller, Treasurer

    Trish Watson, Secretary

    Malcom Campbell, Director at Large

    Greg Johnson, Director at Large

    Eric Logsdon, Director at Large

    Kimberly Louie, Director at Large

    Cynthia Reese, Director at Large

    Michael Schiraldi, Director at Large

    Gloria Torres, Director at Large


  • 05/18/2020 7:14 AM | Michael Schiraldi (Administrator)

    The SFPA is seeking nominations for the CAPA Paralegal of the Year.  The SFPA has won the award 2 years in a row!


    Please submit nominations by July 1, 2020 to info@sfpa.com


    The criteria for this prestigious award is below:


    ELIGIBILITY

    A candidate must be a voting member of a CAPA member association and compliant with Business & Professions Code Section 6450 et seq. to be eligible for nomination.


    NOMINATION

    A candidate is nominated by a CAPA member association.  It is up to the member association’s Board of Directors and/or Membership to select the candidate it wishes to submit for nomination.


    CRITERIA

    The judges will be looking for the following qualities/experience:

        Contributions to the paralegal profession by:

    • Teaching or tutoring paralegal students
    • Speaking at seminars and conferences on substantive legal topics, on issues concerning the paralegal profession, or on leadership
    • Mentoring paralegal students or other working paralegals
    • Displaying commitment and providing services to professional organizations such as local, state and national paralegal associations.
    • Writing articles for legal publications
    • Commitment to continuing legal education
    • Commitment to community through volunteering or pro bono services within the legal profession or outside the legal profession
    • Contributions to their firms, in-house counsel, governmental agency or non-profit

    Member associations should nominate an individual for Paralegal of the Year by submitting a brief written essay describing why the nominee deserves this honor.  Essays should be kept to a maximum of 500 words.  Supporting materials such as letters of recommendation should not be attached to the essay.  However, you may consider obtaining statements from individuals who have worked or served with the candidate and quote from these statements in the written essay.  Such statements can provide excellent examples of what distinguishes the nominee from other paralegals.  Essays should be submitted to the designated Paralegal of the Year award coordinator who will provide the written essays for the sponsor, who will choose CAPA’s Paralegal of the Year. 

    Judges will be looking for candidates who have demonstrated their value as members of a legal services team, shown dedication to the legal profession, and shown dedication to CAPA’S mission:


    "STRENGTH THROUGH STATEWIDE ALLIANCE -PROVIDING A VOICE OF LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING EDUCATION, VOLUNTARY EXAMINATION, AND ADVANCEMENT OF THE PARALEGAL PROFESSION."


  • 05/16/2020 7:54 AM | Michael Schiraldi (Administrator)

    The San Francisco Paralegal Association is seeking nominees for the NALA Affiliate Award.  


    Please submit nominations to info@sfpa.com by May 27, 2020.


    Purpose: To recognize members or committees of Affiliated Associations for their contribution to the goals and programs of their NALA Affiliated Association. 


    Judging Criteria:  


    Determined by Affiliated Association but examples for guidance:

    1. Assist with and organize CP study groups
    2. Work with bar associations on behalf of the paralegals in the area
    3. Plan educational programs
    4. Develop a pro bono or other community involvement program for the affiliate


  • 02/21/2020 4:21 PM | Amy McGuigan (Administrator)





    Erin J. Keller is a family law paralegal at Fink Family Law.  She has been assisting clients and counsel through mediation, private judge and parenting coordination cases for the past ten years.  Prior to working as an ADR paralegal, Erin assisted in custody and support trials in venues throughout Northern California. Erin earned her Associates Degree and Certificate in Paralegal Studies from City College of San Francisco in 2010 and in all, has twenty-five years of experience in family law.


    Erin is active in the legal community and works to promote continuing education and networking for paralegals.  In addition to her role as Treasurer for the San Francisco Paralegal Association, Erin volunteers with the Alameda County Bar Association where you can find her on the first Saturday of most months doing client intake or preparing forms for pro-per litigants.  Erin is the Marketing Director and member-at-large of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Paralegal Section and is proud to be a long-time member of the informal SF Family Law Paralegals Brown Bag Group as well as other paralegal associations in the Bay Area.


    Erin was born and raised in San Francisco, and still not far from home, takes advantage of all the beauty the Bay Area has to offer with long walks and hikes, outdoor music festivals, and sitting at the beach. 
























  • 02/19/2020 5:12 PM | Amy McGuigan (Administrator)

    After 23 years, the definition of paralegal will no longer be synonymous with Legal Assistant under American Bar Association policy.  


    The ABA Standing Committee determined that the term 'legal assistant' should be removed from the definition in order to clarify the work done specifically by paralegals. In the past the titles of 'paralegal' and 'legal assistant' have been used interchangeably, but the legal community has recognized a distinction between the work done by paralegals and that of legal assistants. In filing the amendment to the ABA Guidelines, the Standing Committee is asking the House of Delegates to approve a revised definition of paralegal (G-103.d).


    The other day they removed that wording from the definition of paralegal as it relates to the approval of an approved paralegal program.  


    https://www.americanbar.org/…/house-of-delegates-reso…/102b/





























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