Nov-Dec 2014 - Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association

The Paralegal Press
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You
Page 6
NFPA Convention Recap
Page 12
www.neindianaparalegal.org
Fort Wayne, Indiana
November/December 2014
The Paralegal Press
Page 2
A Message from NIPA’s President
Angie Meyer, RP®
The leaves have fallen off the trees and
the days are getting shorter, but I’m not
going to let that dampen my spirits. We
are headed into my favorite time of the
year! The holidays will be here before
we know it, and Sara Cantrell is hard at
work planning our NIPA Christmas party.
Look for more details soon.
Lori Wagner and I attended the NFPA
annual convention in October. The Dallas Area Paralegal
Association were great hosts! I had a great time networking
with other paralegals and being a part of some important
changes within NFPA. Look for Lori’s convention recap on
page 12 of this newsletter.
NIPA has agreed to host the NFPA Region III meeting on
April 11, 2015. More information will be available closer to
time. This will be a great opportunity to meet other paralegals from our Region, and I urge everyone to try to attend
the region meeting or social event being planned.
Inside this issue:
Upcoming Events
3
Christmas Party
4
NIPA Board
5
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire
6
On the Move
8
Judges recognized
9
Basement Case Files
11
From Primary Representative
12
RSS Feeds
15
2015 Fort Wayne Newspapers
Do you hate the long dreary months of winter? Consider
16
Rates
joining one of NIPA’s committees to help pass the time.
Cindy Witters could use help planning the monthly luncheons and spring seminar; Sarah Cantrell could use help planning the Christmas party, annual
meeting and August social; Carrie Thomas could use help finding/writing articles for our newsletter;
Nichole Wiesehan-Monnier could use help with fundraising ideas; and Tonya White could use help
contacting businesses to get them to advertise with NIPA. An hour a month would go a long way to
helping our organization grow!
The Paralegal Press
Page 3
Happy Birthday to:
November
3
6
18
25
-
Jennifer Mahoney
Marie Lucas
Katie Stronczek
Jenna Bates
December
9
18
18
22
27
-
Laurie Walters
Alicia Williams
Amanda Framme
Nichole Wiesehan-Monnier
Connie Feber
Sue Bibbee
Paralegal Anniversaries:
November
December
1985 - Rebeca Gonzales
1997 - Kim Miller
2012 - Katie Stronczek
Upcoming Events
December
10
10
16
25
26
Board Meeting at Burt Blee Dixon Sutton & Bloom
Newsletter article deadline
Annual Christmas Party
Christmas Day – Courthouse Closed
Day after Christmas — Courthouse Closed
January
1
14
19
20
New Year’s Day — Courthouse Closed
Board Meeting at Burt Blee Dixon Sutton & Bloom
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — Courthouse Closed
Membership Meeting
February
10
11
16
17
Newsletter article deadline
Board Meeting at Burt Blee Dixon Sutton & Bloom
President’s Day — Courthouse Closed
Membership Meeting
Page 4
The Paralegal Press
The Paralegal Press
Page 5
2014-2015 Board of Directors
President
Angie Meyer, RP®
ameyer@hallercolvin.com
Secretary
Marie Lucas
marie@gshipley.com
Vice President
Beth Hill
bhill@burtblee.com
Treasurer
Alex Jokay
ajokay@hsk-law.com
Committee Chairs
Advertising
Tonya White
twhite@hallercolvin.com
Newsletter
Carrie Thomas
cthomas@hallercolvin.com
Associate / Student Rep.
Vacant
Parliamentarian
Mickie Potter
mickie.potter@faegrebd.com
Education
Cindy Witters
cwitters@rlwlawfirm.com
Primary Rep.
Lori Wagner, RP®
lwagner@burtblee.com
Event Coordinator
Sarah Cantrell
scantrell@burtblee.com
Pro Bono
Vacant
Fund Raising
Nichole Wiesehan-Monnier
nmonnier@rlwlawfirm.com
Public Relations
Julie Krider
jkrider@forrestlegalfirm.com
Job Bank Coordinator
Katie Stronczek
kstronczek@beersmallers.com
Website Editor
Jennifer Mahoney
Jmahoney@beckmanlawson.com
Membership
Kim Miller
kmiller@rlwlawfirm.com
The Paralegal Press
Page 6
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You
I'm jaded, I know it. Right now, I'm cynical, sarcastic and frustrated. Even I wouldn't want to work for me. But - (and there's always
a "but", isn't there?), I have had just the most straining, draining
and downright paining time trying to hire a couple of people. Let
me explain, please.
There comes a time when you just have to expand your career.
I've given that little no-brainer out since I started leading seminars
years ago.
It's time to take my own advice. At the urging of several clients, I began to tackle the interesting, rewarding and what I think is a fun natural expansion—career coaching.
Clients have started to contact me and I haven't even added a new web page about my new adventure, Legal Careers Rx. Someone must have a lot of faith in me for which I am most grateful.
My focus is career strategy and direction; resume evaluation; interviewing techniques, where do I go
from here? plus how to get there from here, stress and burnout, difficult bosses and co-workers,
continuing education and solutions for on-the-job situations. I've even put together a group of fantastic coaches.
During the process, I had an is-that-true? moment. People had no clue why they weren't being hired.
I would hear lots of complaints and heartbreaking stories. I could see through some whining such as
"there are no jobs out there" or "I'm entry-level and no one wants to give me a break." The biggest
contender: "It's pure age-discrimination, through and through." A lot of the time, it seemed it was always someone else's fault.
My evolving practice revealed there may not be as many "no jobs/age discrimination/no one wants
entry level" situations as people think. Sure, those things exist. However, many times the candidate
was simply in denial.
The manner in which some candidates were approaching their job search was not going to land
them a position with anyone, ever. The funny thing is, none of them thought they're doing anything
wrong. After all, they wrote a great resume, cover letter, wore their Sunday Best and gave 'em hell
during the interview. Someone needs to break the news. People who don't get jobs think the advice
is not applicable to them. It's for someone else.
(Continued on page 10)
The Paralegal Press
Page 7
One of the perks of becoming a member of the
Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association is that
we offer members access to an EXCLUSIVE
job bank!
Looking for quality legal professions?
Consider posting your employment ads with
the Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association!
It’s absolutely FREE!
For more information, please contact Katie
Stronczek, Job Bank Coordinator
Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association
Job Bank Coordinator $ Katie Stronczek
$
(260) 426-9706 $
kstronczek@beersmallers.com
The Paralegal Press
Page 8
ON THE MOVE
George Guido, Esq.
Graly & Guido Law Office
420 Lincoln Tower
116 E. Berry Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Telephone: (260) 423-3395
www.gralyandguidolawoffice.com
Thomas Gallmeyer, Esq., Esq.
Burt, Blee, Dixon, Sutton & Bloom, LLP
200 East Main Street, Suite 1000
1st Source Banking Center
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Telephone: (260) 426-1300
Courthouse Box #11
Do you know of someone
or an office that is moving
or has recently moved?
Please let us know so that we have the
information for the next newsletter.
The Paralegal Press
Page 9
Judges recognized for educational pursuits
and long
long--time service
Several judicial officers (judges and magistrates) were recognized by Indiana Supreme Court Chief
Justice Loretta Rush for their commitment to higher education and their long-time service. Chief
Justice Rush, as Chair of the Judicial Conference, recognized twelve judicial officers who received
an Indiana Judicial College certificate and five judicial officers for 24 years of service on the bench.
Both honors were presented at a 2014 judicial conference.
Indiana Judicial College
A judicial officer must complete 120 hours of education presented by the Indiana Judicial Center to
receive this certificate. The programs offered are designed for judicial officers to enhance their legal
knowledge and improve their personal and professional development. To view and download photographs of the Judicial College graduates, please visit our Flickr page at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/incourts/sets/72157648738317146/.
Judge James R. Ahler (Jasper)
Magistrate Sally E. Berish (Boone)
Judge Jonathan N. Cleary (Dearborn)
Judge W. Gregory Coy (Switzerland)
Magistrate Gael S. Deppert (Marion)
Magistrate Katherine J. Garza (Lake)
Judge David A. Happe (Madison)
Judge Clay M. Kellerman (Franklin)
Judge Mary Margaret Lloyd (Vanderburgh)
Judge Dan E. Marshall (Hancock)
Judge Gary L. Smith (Jennings)
Magistrate Karen A. Werner (Perry)
24 Years of Service
This award is presented to judicial officers with 24 years of service on the bench. Judges are typically elected to a six year term; therefore, a judge receiving this certificate has likely been elected four
times. To view and download photographs of the 24 Years of Service certificate recipients, please
visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/incourts/sets/72157648738208956/.
Judge Nancy Eshcoff Boyer (Allen)
Judge David C. Chapleau (St. Joseph)
Magistrate Glenn D. Commons (Lake)
Judge P. J. Pierson (Sullivan)
Judge Patricia A. Riley (Court of Appeals)
The Indiana Judicial Center serves as the state’s judicial research and continuing judicial education
agency. It develops and sponsors education programming for judges, probation officers and other
court personnel. The Center works to enhance the performance of the judicial system as a whole by
continuously improving the professional competence of judicial officers. For more information on the
Judicial Center, visit courts.in.gov/center.
Page 10
The Paralegal Press
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You
(Continued from page 6)
Here's what I went through, here's why they didn't get hired, and here's what I really wanted to say:
1. You have no current training.
There are no webinars, courses, seminars or anything else on your resume demonstrating you have
kept your skills up-to-date. It's even worse for those out of work whose attitude is it's the firm's responsibility to pay for continuing education, and they have no firm. Or, you are working but the firm
doesn't budget CLE, so you don't go. How am I supposed to trust your knowledge? Is your current
firm involved in training, training, training? I doubt it.
I also hate seeing people take minimum CLE just to fulfill state or association requirements. Do you
think you know everything you need to know to do your job forever? If so, you should be president.
And even that could take a little extra training.
2. I looked up your LinkedIn profile and Facebook page before I invited you to interview.
You may think employers are checking Facebook to see if you're that 20-year-old posting pictures of
you and your buddies wildly drunk at a party. Or, they say they avoid Facebook because it is a
"social" situation and not relevant. Not quite. They peek anyway. How you behave in some social
settings can spill over into your social skills in the office. How about where you got into a public argument on your FB page with Sally over some petty little thing? Remember how it escalated into the
War of Words? It was all about your criticism of typos in her posts.
Was that your attempt at leadership? Hmmm. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to publicly tear
someone down, and I wasn't particularly fond of the fact you encouraged your FB friends to jump in
and defend you. Not my idea of a leader. Here's an indication of what situations may show up on the
job. Red alert! No thanks.
Oh, and by the way, LinkedIn showed different dates and firms than what's on your resume. It didn't
seem to be updated, either. No thanks, once again.
3. You have too many issues such as: needing to work special hours, you have to work from home
certain days, need vast amounts of time off to take care of family problems, etc.
Your billable hours at your last job were what again?
(Continued on page 13)
Page 11
The Paralegal Press
Page 12
The Paralegal Press
FROM THE PRIMARY REPRESENTATIVE
LORI A. WAGNER, RP
The annual NFPA convention was held in Dallas, TX on October 9, 2014, and ran through
Sunday, October 12, 2014.
Thursday was a busy day with CLE seminars provided from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Beginning at 4:15 there were two workshops offered. One workshop demonstrated the values of using Wild Apricot for your website, and the other dealt with the DNA of your
board. A vendor’s reception was held following the workshops, giving delegates an opportunity to meet the vendors and sign up for door prizes. The NFPA board meeting began Thursday night at 7:00 pm and was adjourned at 9:45 pm. The meeting addressed
outstanding routine business, convention reporting and bids for upcoming conventions
and joint conference.
Friday began with the Region meetings. The region director recapped the Thursday
night board meeting for those we were unable to attend. Several board members visited
throughout the day to give a summary of their board position. We are pleased to announce that Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association will be hosting the Spring Region
meeting here in Fort Wayne. This meeting will be held on April 11, 2015. More details
will be coming as we will want all of our members to help host the delegates. Following
the coordinator’s appreciation luncheon, most of the afternoon was spent reviewing the
agenda topics that would be presented during the policy meeting on Saturday. All region
meetings were adjourned 4:30.
From the region meetings, everyone was whisked away to the Treasurer’s meeting.
Tracey Chandler, RP, presented the proposed 2014-2015 budget for the final time and
answered any remaining questions. The delegates will vote to approve this budget on
Sunday morning during the policy meeting.
Finally, a time to network. A lovely social event was held from 6:30 pm until 10:00 pm at
the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. A margarita machine (compliments of a corporate sponsor) and an interesting “Selfie Speed Meet and Greet” started the evening, followed by a good ole buffet of Tex Mex and a photo booth before spending the rest of the
evening touring the John F. Kennedy Museum.
Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to the policy meeting. The roll call began the meeting with 40 associations credentialed to sit on the policy floor. The general business was
conducted. I have a detailed agenda if anyone would like more details of what was discussed.
Page 13
The Paralegal Press
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You
(Continued from page 10)
4. I couldn't get a word in edgewise during the interview.
I figured you had a hearing problem, so I didn't usher you out.
No one talks over the interviewer. Really, they don't.
5. You refused to follow directions when asked to send your resume.
Don't respond by saying "check my LinkedIn profile" when I ask you to send a resume. I don't care
what the magazine articles tell you. I have hundreds of resumes to review all by myself. I am not going to go through each candidate's LinkedIn profile, make notes, try and cut and paste and incur all
that extra work. What makes you think it's ok to go against instructions? Then, you kept calling to see
if I got your email and asking when was I going to schedule an interview. Annoying, really annoying.
What this clearly says is, "This person cannot follow directions and wants to do things his way." No
thanks.
6. Your answers sounded rehearsed, routine and repetitious.
I heard no enthusiasm for the field, no real desire for the job and no knowledge of what we're doing.
Your answers to why you left your last and prior positions were: "For a better challenge" or "I was recruited away" or "for more money." Yuck! Mr. Creativity over here. Can we get just a little more honest?
7. You were not relating to the job I had to offer.
Whatever it was you wanted, I wasn't the person who was going to give it to you. Your answers were
so far off base, I thought you dropped in to the wrong interview. You knew nothing about my organization, me, the job nor how your skills related to this position. You spent most of the interview talking
about your talent and experience that had no relevance to the job.
8. You simply interview badly.
I shouldn't have asked you in after that ridiculous phone interview but I wanted to give you a chance.
When am I going to learn? Never second guess your gut feeling. It's based on experience. I think
you walked out of the interview thinking you aced it. Now I understand the phrase, "Ignorance is
bliss."
(Continued on page 18)
The Paralegal Press
Page 14
NIPA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
As a member of NIPA, some of the benefits that you will receive are:

Automatic membership in the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), the
oldest and largest national paralegal association

The chance to meet and network with other paralegals

Educational meetings featuring speakers on legal
topics and topics affecting the paralegal profession

A Job Bank with Information about local job openings

Discounts on educational seminars

Salary and benefits surveys

Timely news about issues affecting paralegals

Articles about local paralegals and paralegals in
other states

Access to members-only pages on both the NIPA and NFPA websites

Directory of NIPA members including their area of practice

Information about paralegal duties and responsibilities

Public service announcements

Links to CLE and other websites

A chance to win the Paralegal of the Year Award

Personal and professional growth through leadership opportunities

Representation in the Indiana Alliance of Paralegal Associations regarding matters affecting paralegals in Indiana, including regulation
invite your co-workers
To become Members !!
Page 15
The Paralegal Press
RSS Feeds
Indiana Courts have a growing number of RSS feeds available for subscription with an RSS reader
or by email.
Indiana Court Times
This bi-monthly printed magazine and blog covering topics of interest to the courts and the legal
community in and around Indiana is published by the Division of State Court Administration. You can
also subscribe by email.
Case Clips
Case Clips are selected decisions of the Indiana appellate courts abstracted for judges by the Indiana Judicial Center. You can also subscribe by email.
Bits & Bytes: Court Technology Project Blog
This blog, published by the Judicial Technology and Automation Committee, provides updates on
trial court technology projects. You can also subscribe by email.
Legislative Updates Blog
During the legislative session each year, the Indiana Judicial Center publishes weekly information
about bills before the Indiana General Assembly that are of interest to the judiciary. You can also subscribe by email.
Indiana Courts Twitter Page
Follow our updates on Twitter, or if you don't wish to sign up for a Twitter account, you can subscribe
by RSS or email.
Indiana Courts YouTube Channel
Many of our informational videos are available on YouTube. You can subscribe to our YouTube
channel or just get the RSS for our video uploads.
Page 16
The Paralegal Press
Page 17
We have empty seats!!!
We have an open position on the Board of Directors and two open
Committee Chairs. If you have thought about volunteering for your
association in the past now would be a good time to step up and
take a position.
The association is only as strong as its members. We would love to
see some new people get involved and now is your chance. Contact
any Board member regarding these openings.
Let’s fill the table!!
As a member
of NIPA
you receive at
our membership
meetings
The Paralegal Press
Page 18
The Paralegal Press
10 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You
(Continued from page 13)
9. Your grammar was so bad, it was embarrassing.
It's hard to believe you went all the way through college. On second thought, I'd better check that
fact first. I also have no issue that English is your second language. I wish I could speak more than
one. However, your written grammar made no sense and it's my reputation at stake. ESL or not, any
usage of bad grammar and incorrect wording is going to reflect on me—not you. I'm not taking the
risk because I have a soft spot somewhere in my heart and I like you. No way.
10. You showed a lot of disrespect.
Recently, I posted a job opening on various LinkedIn groups. I was flooded with hundreds of resumes. I posted that it was going to take some time to get back to everyone and for those who have
been accepted, I would set up a telephone conference to further discuss their qualifications. I received one post—on a public forum, mind you—from a paralegal who said, "Chere, I don't need to get
your posts for your job over and over. When you're ready, I'll take your call. Until then, stop sending
me notices."
Really? To a prospective employer? Let's not even address the arrogance or rudeness. This egotistical, self-obsessed diva doesn't know that if you set your settings to receive every answer to every
discussion on LinkedIn, you get a copy of the original post. She thinks I am personally sending her
the post over and over. How savvy is that? My response? "Ginny: I only posted once to this group. A
wonderful thing happened! I received 97 resumes in two days! Did I mention one of the qualifications
is great client relationship skills? I wouldn't be sitting by that phone much longer if I were you."
There. Got that out of my system. I needed that. Thanks for letting me vent. <sigh>
Chere Estrin is the CEO of Paralegal Knowledge Institute. She has written 10 books in the legal
field, is a national seminar speaker, Editor of KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals and author of hundreds of articles. She is maintains a career coaching practice for paralegals at Legal Careers RX, a
division of PKI. She can be reached at chere.estrin@paralegalknowledge.com.
The Paralegal Press
Page 19
About The Paralegal Press
The Paralegal Press is published bi-monthly & is
the official publication of the Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association.
Subscriptions are free to members.
The deadline for articles & advertising
for the next issue is December 12.
“Plug In” & Get Involved!
Gain marketable skills, help others, make
friends & meet new people, build business
contacts, increase professional satisfaction,
stand out above the crowd.
Get in the “know.”
Contact
ameyer@hallercolvin.com
to find out how and
where you can serve.
The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
Been meaning to write more?
You should.
Hone your skills by
contributing to the
Paralegal Press today.
Send your wildest ideas to
cthomas@hallercolvin.com.
Page 20
The Paralegal Press
Have a new job, gotten married or
recently received an award?
Be sure to keep the members of NIPA informed.
Send any announcement to cthomas@hallercolvin.com
for inclusion in the Paralegal Press.
The Paralegal Press
Page 21
2014/2015
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
Newsletter, The Paralegal Press (distributed bi-monthly)
Business card size ad
Quarter page ad
Half page ad
Full page ad
One (1) Time
Six (6) issues
$20
$30
$50
$70
E-News (distributed bi‑weekly)
Logo w/link to your website
$100
$150
$250
$375
$150
EVENT & AWARD SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Membership Meetings (3rd Tuesday of each month)
Regular meetings (covers sponsorship only)
Annual meeting (May 2015)
Presentation of Program
$150
$225
*
Seminar (Spring 2015)
Exhibitor table
Refreshment breaks
$100
$50
Paralegal Recognition Award (May 2015)
Sponsor
Co-Sponsor
$60
$30
Marilyn Morlen Scholarship (May 2015)
Sponsor
$500
*Presentation of Program - The sponsor shall, at its expense, provide lunch for everyone who attends the meeting. Sponsor
may put a limit on the maximum number of lunches it purchases; however, the minimum shall be not less than 20. If there
are less than 20 registrants for the meeting (determined after the registration deadline), sponsor need only provide lunch for
those who attend.
Tonya White
Advertising Chair
Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association
You may contact me at:
Haller & Colvin, PC
444 E. Main Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Phone: 260/426-0444
Email: twhite@hallercolvin.com
Make checks payable to:
Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association
Mail to:
Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association
P.O. Box 13646
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46865
The Paralegal Press
Page 22
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Paralegal Press is the Official Publication of the Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association
(“NIPA”) and is published bi-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 NIPA.
Original items printed are the property of NIPA 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 of clarity and space.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
Please notify us of your address change as soon as possible so that all NIPA and NFPA mail will
reach you. Please include the following information: Name, New Address, Phone Number, Fax
Number, and E-mail address. Mail information to: Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association, P.O.
Box 13646, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46865-3646.
Moving???
Help us find you! Be sure to let us
know your new address so we can
update our records.
This includes any changes you
may have to employment information, phone numbers, home or
work
e-mail addresses.
Email Kim Miller at
kmiller@rlwlawfirm.com
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 profession
through its work on the issues of regulation, ethics and education.
23607 Highway 99, Suite 2-C
Edmonds, WA 98026
425-967-0045
425-771-9588 (fax)
info@paralegals.org
www.paralegals.org
News and opportunities of our national affiliate can be accessed at their website listed above.
By updating your information you
will continue to receive the biweekly copy of
News & Websites
and the bi-monthly electronic
Paralegal Press
as well as remain current on
NFPA’s mailing list so that you do
not miss a single issue of The
Paralegal Reporter. Don’t loose
any of your NIPA membership
benefits.