HOUSTON PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION!

DECEMBER 5, 2012

HPA Newsletter
HPA Annual Holiday Social
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m.
The Empire Room in The Rice is located downtown Houston at 909 Texas Avenue. HPA will be collecting toiletries and funds for Vets Christmas Bags as well as toys and funds for Child Advocates. Items to bring for Vets Christmas Bags: Candy, travel size shampoo, conditioner, soaps, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, make up samples, reusable bags, small appliances, toiletries from hotel stays and cash/check donations. Items to bring for Child Advocates: New unwrapped TOYS, TOYS, TOYS! RSVP at www.hpatx.us under Events Tab.

Table of Contents
HPAs Holiday Social!.........1 NALA CP and ACP!..........2 HPA Executive Board Member Spotlight!..........3-4 Website Member Update Reminder!...........................4 NALA Webinar!.................4 Theres An App For That!..5 Volunteer Opportunity!.....5 Calendar of Events!............5 Get Connected!..................5

RSVP TODAY HO-HO-HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

Members: Free Guests: $10 (to be donated to above charities) Event sponsors: Datascope and Merrill Corporation

Contact Info: PO Box 2466 Houston, TX 77252 Website: www.hpatx.us Email: admin@hpatx.us

Volume 2, Issue 17!

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HOUSTON PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION! NALA CERTIFIED PARALEGAL EXAM

Test your knowledge: Legal Terminology

DECEMBER 5, 2012

1. True or False. Conversion refers to the wrongful taking of personal property with the intent to deprive its owner of it permanently. 2. True or False. That which increases the size or value of property is called an accession. 3. True or False. Res gestae refers to a child in gestation for purposes of applying the Rule Against Perpetuities. 4. True or False. A verication is a sworn statement of the truth of the facts stated in an instrument, document, or pleading. 5. That portion of a pleading which request relief against the opposing party or parties is called the: a. habendum clause b. ad litem cluase c. ad damnum clause d. ad respondendum clause
Virginia Koerselman Newman, Certied Paralegal Review Manual (3rd ed.) Answers: 1. True, 2. True, 3. False, 4. True, 5. c. ! !

ACP PROGRAM - CURRICULUM BASED CERTIFICATION

SPOTLIGHT ON PERSONAL INJURY This course oers a variety of certications to paralegals based on practice areas. Paralegals may earn multiple certications in practice areas. If a Certied Paralegal (CP) successfully completes the Core Course and all 8 practice area courses, the paralegal is eligible for the ACP Personal Injury Credential. The Personal Injury Core Course and Specialty Area Courses are written for paralegals with a working knowledge of the following: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Federal Rules of Evidence Statutes of Limitations and Repose Burden of Proof Damages and Remedies Insurance Policies and Subrogation Practice & Procedure Forms Power of Attorney Release and Consent Liens Agency Witness Statements and Adavits Internet Research The following is required of Certied Paralegals (CP) for ACP certication in a practice area: CP certication in good standing Successful completion of PI Core Course Pre-Test (Note: This requirement is waived for paralegals with the Discover y and Trial Practice ACP Certications) Successful completion of PI Core Course including submission of the Lear ning Contract and Statement of Completion Successful completion of a PI practice area course including submission of the Learning Contract and Statement of Completion

Volume 2, Issue 17!

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HOUSTON PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION!

DECEMBER 5, 2012

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: KELLY K. CORBIN

HPA EXECUTIVE BOARD SPOTLIGHT (NALA LIAISON & NEWSLETTER)
C u r r e n t H PA B o a r d Position: NALA Liaison and Newsletter Chair Prior HPA Board Positions: S e c r e t a r y, E d u c a t i o n Liaison Initial role with HPA?Education Liaison How did you rst become a member of the Board? I contacted the President and volunteered. Job Title: Senior Litigation Paralegal Employer: Aversano & Gold Years of Paralegal Experience: 20 years Education: B.A. in Paralegal Studies, Stephen F. Austin State University and Paralegal Certicate, University of Houston Professional Certications: Board Certied Paralegal - Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization and Advanced Certied Paralegal (Discovery, PI-Automobile Accidents, and PI-Individual Medical Liability), NALA Specialty Areas: Catastrophic Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability Career Highlight: Every time I get an update from a former client and hear how the work we did has impacted their life, I am lled with pride. Each client represents a different career highlight for me. Future Professional Goal: I want to be the rst Paralegal in Texas to complete ACPPersonal Injury certication from NALA. Paralegal Practice Tip: Never stop learning and growing. Ask a newbie how they would handle a task. You might be surprised to learn that you dont have ALL of the answers Volume 2, Issue 17! or the monopoly on the best way to do something. Information is power. Change can be freeing. Listen. Ask. Learn. Favorite Way to Handle Work-Related Stress: I dive deeper into the work and attack the stress head on. This isnt the healthiest approach and certainly is not doctor recommended. Favorite Internet Resource: Google is too simple of an answer, but I live in the search engine (i.e. Tron or the Matrix). A more obscure site that I use for investigation is snitch.name (no www). I also love www.snopes.com for disproving urban legend email and Facebook posts that just wont die! Favorite Social Media Site: Facebook because its Facebook and Twitter because hashtags are fun. #hashtagsarefun Fun Fact (about me): I have an obsession with information, sharks, and all things Last Book You Read: Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster and a re-read of Are You There God, Its Me Margaret by Judy Blume R e c i p e Yo u r F a m i l y B e g s Yo u t o Cook:Italian Cream Cake One Gadget You Can't Live Without: Anything with an logo Favorite Quote: Your ability to nd the silly in the serious will take you far -my favorite fortune cookie Paralegal/Legal Association Membership(s): HPA, NALA, TXPD, and AAJ I still need to learn how to: Properly end a sentence without a preposition and not sound as if I am writing/speaking in the original Queens English. I am puzzled by: How politics and religion can turn a rational person irrational. Page 3

HOUSTON PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION!

DECEMBER 5, 2012

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: KELLY K. CORBIN

HPA EXECUTIVE BOARD SPOTLIGHT (NALA LIAISON & NEWSLETTER)
I get stressed out by: Questionnaires. Personal motto: Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. You is kind. You is smart. You is important. Do. Or do not. There is no try. Life is like a box of chocolates. . . . Well, you get the picture. My motto: Never give up. Be condent. Accept that change is an inevitable part of life and embrace it. And whenever possible, lose yourself in a great movie. What do you know for sure: When disconnected from the Internet, I nearly cease the ability to function. #addiction What one thing in life can you always count on:When you doubt yourself, you will make the wrong choice. Im almost sure about this. Maybe. Wait. Denitely. What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received: Never be afraid to ask a question. Sometimes a seemingly simple or innocent question or observation can blow a case wide open.

If you havent updated your member prole on our website, please take a few minutes and do so. We need your permission to email you the newsletter and list your birthday and more. Also, be sure to check the website regularly for updated events and job postings. Job postings are available to members only. www.hpatx.us

NALA WEBINAR Transition from School to Work Place Thursday, January 17, 2013 @ 3:00 p.m. THE PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY PROJECT For Students, Recent Graduates, and Those Beginning a Paralegal Job Search NALA will be hosting a FREE webinar for those transitioning from the classroom to the workplace, AND for those seeking employment due to lay os and life changes. This webinar will be oered January 17, 2013, at 3:00 pm CENTRAL time. If you are involved in a NALA aliated association, please share this with your student members! Speakers for the program are Tulsa paralegals, Elizabeth H. Nellis, ACP, and Beverly Pace, ACP. If you have participated in their NALA Campus LIVE program on Witness Interviews, you know this will be a great program for grads.

Volume 2, Issue 17!

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HOUSTON PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION! THERES AN APP FOR THAT TM

DECEMBER 5, 2012

This weeks app: Box.com (free) Online File Sharing With Box, you can store all kinds of les online - from large presentations to a school paper - then arrange them into folders just like on your desktop. Access them anytime, anywhere; share with friends or collaborate with teammates, too. Just sent them a link. * With Boxs intuitive interface, you access les quickly and easily: from anywhere, on any device. * Share les with a link, then encourage ongoing sharing by inviting people to view, edit and upload les. * 5GB free storage; upgrade for more storage and increased le size uploads. www.box.com

Calendar
December 9, 2012 Hanukkah begins December 12, 2012 HPA Holiday Social December 25, 2012 Christmas Day December 26, 2012 Kwanzaa begins January 1, 2013 New Years Day January 1-31, 2013 NALA CP Exam Window January 5, 2012 HPA Executive Board Meeting January 13, 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon HPA December Birthdays Jennifer Evans, CLA 12/4 Cassie Wheeler 12/12

VOLUNTEER NOW
CHEVRON HOUSTON MARATHON Volunteer Event Tanglewood & Huckleberry - Refueling Station 17 Date: Sunday, January 13, 2013 @ 6:30 a.m. HPA is currently recruiting members/guests of members to join us at the Chevron Marathon. Members/guests will be volunteer their time and eort at Refueling Station 17. To register as a HPA volunteer for this event, you must c l i c k H E R E a n d e n t e r H PAs Jo i n C o d e : ParalegalAssociation13 (case sensitive). Funds collected and earned at this event will be donated directly to Bos Place (a non-prot organization oering free grief support services for children and their families.)
Questions/Contact: Cindy Russo at CRusso@haysmcconn.com Volume 2, Issue 17!

Get Connected
FACEBOOK HPAs Fan page is open to all. Member only information cannot be found on the fan page. LINKED IN Group for HPA Members only. WEB www.hpatx.us

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