IN REVIEW...
Feature Article:
Mid-Career Development:
Choices, Challenges
and Change
President’s
Message:
Sometimes It Is
What You Know
Letter From
the Editor:
Basics of U.S. Trademark
Practice Seminar in
San Francisco
Technology Corner:
E-Discovery: It’s Getting
Scary Out There
LAPA 2005 Spring
Career Conference
Summary
I’m Snowed In –
Yeah, Right!
and
LAPA Spring Career
Conference a Success
Also in This Issue:
Directors’ Meeting Summary
2
Calendar of Events
3
LAPA Career Center Info
12
LAPA - CLA Review Course Info.
13
CAPA 18th Annual Edu. Conf.
17
New & Renewing Members
18
Board of Directors Listing
19
APRIL 2006 VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
reporter
LOS ANGELES
PARALEGAL
ASSOCIATION
1
1
3
Sometimes It Is What You Know
by Lorryn K. Abbott, CLA
When I am asked what is the most important thing to
know as a paralegal, there isn’t a single one-word answer
that comes to mind. First, is organization. It is vital for a
paralegal to be organized. Turn your back, and ignore the
paperwork on your desk for a couple days, and I guarantee
it will multiply exponentially. You will find yourself doing archeological excavations
for that assignment from the attorney due tomorrow by close of business.
Second is prioritization. When you have three cases and five attorneys and six
projects, three with the same deadline, you need to know which comes first.
It is not always the assignment for the partner that takes priority. (Usually the
assignment from the associate is for the same partner, and may in fact take
priority over the assignment that came directly from the partner.) Part of
prioritization is learning to occasionally say “no.” Knowing when your work
4
5
FEATURE ARTICLE
Mid-Career Development:
Choices, Challenges and Change
by Tari J. Grigsby
It could be said that life is like a 10-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we
never use. Why? Are we just too busy to take the time to think about the variety
of directions we could take? Are we telling ourselves “someday I will go back
to school” or “someday I will try a new area of specialty” or “someday I will
join my local paralegal association?” Are you flowing with the course of the
river or are you jetting toward your future without considering new choices,
challenges or change within your career? Are you a junior or senior paralegal
or a paralegal manager? What would you like to be?
Most of us do not take time or are unaware of the process of considering a
career for the most important person in our life: ourselves! Why is it important
to take the time to assess and re-assess your career at various stages in your life?
Because your career will stagnate if you don’t consider the choices you may have
within the profession. The four stages of career development include the following:
continued on page 6
continued on page 17
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Monday, May 1, 2006
National Law Day
How will you celebrate?
LAPA’S OFFICE HOURS
Direct your inquiries to LAPA’s Administrative
Manager, Tracey Booth, at 866.626.LAPA: Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
contact info on page 19.
2
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
LAPA REPORTER
The Reporter
is published monthly by the Los Angeles Paralegal
Association. The news and views presented express the authors’
views and not necessarily those of LAPA. Publication of any article or
advertisement does not imply endorsement of the opinions, products
or services offered. LAPA assumes no responsibility for verifying facts
offered by contributing authors or in reprinted articles. Readers
should consider information contained in these articles as guidelines
to be independently confirmed as to timeliness.
©2006 Los Angeles Paralegal Association. All rights reserved.
THE ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL DEADLINE IS THE 5TH OF
THE MONTH PRIOR TO PUBLICATION.
Articles and News items should be directed to LAPA at [email protected].
Inquiries about making a submission should be directed to LAPA at
[email protected], or call Tracey Booth at (866) 626-LAPA.
Inquiries about advertising placement, applications, membership
materials and address changes should be directed to Tracey Booth,
LAPA Administrative Manager, at (866) 626-LAPA.
Articles will be published as space permits. The Newsletter
Committee reserves approval and edit rights on any article submitted.
The Los Angeles Paralegal Association is a non-profit, mutual benefit
corporation within the meaning of section 501(c)(6) of the Internal
Revenue Code. Membership dues and donations to LAPA are not tax
deductible as charitable gifts, but may be deductible as related business
expenses. LAPA suggests that you consult your tax advisor in this regard.
by Bobby T. Rimas, LAPA Director-at-Large and Acting Secretary
The meeting of the Board of Directors of the Los
Angeles Paralegal Association was held Tuesday, March
7, 2006, at Perkins & Coie, 1620 26th Street, Floor
6, South Tower, Santa Monica, CA, 90404. President
Lorryn Abbott called the meeting to order at 7:14 p.m.
• In a unanimous vote, Bobby Rimas was voted as
acting secretary.
• In a unanimous vote, the board approved hiring a
new CPA to do the association’s taxes.
• Director Donna Reznick-Goodich presented the
Financial Report to the Board.
• Director Todd Frankel reported on recent and
upcoming speaking engagements at various
college programs. He further reported that the
March 4th Litigation Seminar was well attended.
• Director Donna Reznick-Goodich reported that there
is a full slate of Probate Seminars planned.
• Board Advisor Mary L. Theroux announced that
there would be a book-signing reception for author
Pamela Samuels Young March 23, at the Downtown
Los Angeles Marriott. She also announced that the
UCC Insurance Seminar will take place on May 9.
• Director Denise Sierra reported that she is looking
into places to have the South Bay Seminar, with a
possible location at the Marriott in Torrance. She
DIRECTORS’ MEETING SUMMARY
further reported that the possible date for the
South Bay Seminar is April 12.
• Vice President A.E. Maersch stated to the Board
that there are two Director positions vacant for
2006 and two Director positions vacant for 2007.
• President Lorryn Abbott announced to the Board that LAPA
products are in stock and the Salary Survey is available.
• President Lorryn Abbott reported that the website
is coming along. In a unanimous vote, the board
approved increasing the web site space allowance
and number of available e-mail addresses.
• Director Donna Reznick-Goodich reported that the
Spring Career Conference would be Saturday, March
11 at the Downtown Los Angeles Marriott and would
consist of four Paralegal panel members, a recruiter
and a labor/employment attorney.
• Vice President A.E. Maersch presented the CAPA
Report. CAPA’s 18th Annual Conference takes place
June 24 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo,CA.
Recommendations for the two paralegal representatives
to the legislative committee was due by March 15.
• Director Donna Reznick-Goodich reminded the Board
that the NALA Annual Conference will take place
July 26-29 in Tampa, Florida and that NALA will
webcast a seminar on Introduction to Convention,
which is available to all NALA members.
• Board Advisor Mary L. Theroux reported that the
next October Conference Committee Meeting will
take place on March 22 at 915 Wilshire Blvd,
Suite 2000, Los Angeles. The theme for LAPA’s
30th Annual October Conference is “Looking
Back…Looking Forward” and the event will take
place Oct. 14 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los
Angeles. She also reported that the October
Conference Committee is currently working on
securing speakers and vendors for the event.
• President Lorryn Abbott reported that the Holiday
Benefit Gala will take place either Dec. 2 or 9 at
the Grand Café at the Omni Hotel in Downtown
Los Angeles. She requested that proposals for charity
recipients be tabled until the next Board Meeting.
• Secretary Bobby T. Rimas read through the action
list prepared during the meeting. The meeting was
adjourned at 9:07 p.m.
Basics of U.S.
Trademark
Practice Seminar
in San Francisco
by Carl Alvarado, LAPA Reporter Editor
I flew out of the Ontario Airport last month, to
attend a trademark seminar in San Francisco which
took place on February 24th. It was a good seminar
put on by Half Moon, LLC which provided four
Intellectual Property speakers, each of whom covered
everything from the basic principles of U.S. trade-
mark law, to learning how to police, enforce, and
maintain trademarks here in the U.S. and abroad.
What made this particular training session so inter-
esting, wasn't so much the in-depth discussion as to
what trademarks are, but rather, what trademarks
“are not” insofar as intellectual property issues are
concerned. Intellectual property laws, and the lawyers
and law firms which govern their practice and
enforcement, not only consist of trademarks, but also
includes patents, copyrights, servicemarks and the
licensing procedures sometimes inherent in each.
One distinguishing IP feature as to just what a
trademark is NOT for example, is that while patents
and trademarks may sometimes share the same or
similar legal issues related to infringement, by statute,
patents are litigated only at the Federal court level,
while trademark litigation can take place within the
venue of both federal and civil court jurisdictions
within each State.
Trademarks are defined as “source identifiers” which
can display a particular word, a particular name, a
particular symbol, slogan, device, sound and even
scent. Primary examples as seen in today's free market
enterprise include such identifiers as the golden
arches of McDonalds restaurants, the 7 Eleven or
Circle K convenience store logos, or cute, whimsical
little slogans which seem to stay with us throughout
the day once we hear them on the radio or on TV
such as: Where's the Beef? Coke...its the real thing!,
Go Greyhound and leave the driving to us, or how
about...Snap, Crackle, Pop, Rice Krispies!
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
3
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Contact telephone numbers on page 19.
APRIL
4- Board Meeting – Reed Smith, downtown, Kai Ellis, CLA
12- South Bay Section Seminar– Hilton Hotel, Torrance, Denise
Sierra,
Topic: Best Calendaring Practices
, featuring Joseph
C. Scott, Esq.
19- Probate/Estate Planning Section Seminar – Olympic
Collection, Mary Koske,
Topic: tba
.
MAY
2- Board Meeting– IndyMac Bank, Pasadena, Kai Ellis, CLA
9- Downtown and Corporate/Real Estate Sections Joint
Seminar
– UCC Insurance, Mary Theroux, CP.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
continued on page 18
In the January issue of the Reporter, the reprint
information was left off for the article titled,
New
Law Cracks Down on Fraudulent Notaries,
Specifies- The Importance of Acknowledgment
Wording.
It should have included the information as
follows. “Published by the National Notary
Association, 9350 De Soto Ave., Chatsworth,
California, 91311-4926, and reprinted with
permission. Contact the NNA at (800) 876-6827 or
online at www.NationalNotary.org.”
FOR THE RECORD
4
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
This regularly occurring column addresses technology trends, appli-
cations and new products in the legal industry.
E-Discovery: It’s Getting
Scary Out There
by Gregg L. Weiner
The use of electronic devices expands each and every
day. E-mail, instant messaging, personal digital
assistants are everywhere. These are wonderful tools
of convenience in the workplace and at home.
Unfortunately, they have the opposite effect on legal
professionals, as they create masses of information
that pose enormous discovery burdens.
These burdens continue to multiply, which has made
disputes over e-discovery a common occurrence
rather than the novelty they were just a few years
ago. Despite the growing attention of courts and
commentators to this topic, the murky and fast-
developing field of e-discovery presents even greater
challenges -- and risks –than ever before.
This article discusses the new focus on the role of
legal professionals in e-discovery and offers some
suggestions for how to avoid making mistakes that
could lead to the spoliation of electronic evidence
and the subsequent sanction of client and counsel.
Judge Shira Scheindlin's most recent decision on
e-discovery, Zubulake v. UBS Warburg, 2004 WL
1620866 (S.D.N.Y. 2004), directly addresses
counsel's role in e-discovery -- something prior decisions
on this topic had not done. The Zubulake case involved
a claim of employment discrimination by a saleswoman
at UBS Warburg. In discovery, she sought e-mails
sent and received by certain UBS personnel. Like
most companies today, UBS regularly backed up its
employees' e-mails to tapes that are inaccessible,
which were then recycled on a regular schedule.
In one of her earlier Zubulake decisions, Judge
Scheindlin found that the duty to preserve does not
extend to backup tapes that are inaccessible (such
as those typically maintained solely for the purpose
of disaster recovery), except when the party can
reasonably identify the tapes on which documents
from “key employees” would be located and the
information is otherwise unavailable. 220 F.R.D.
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
continued on page 10
5
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
LAPA Spring Career
Conference a Success
by Eric Lassiter
The subjects, first and foremost, were jobs and
career development. The venue was LAPA’s annual
Spring Career Conference.
More than 50 professionals from throughout the
area came together on a recent Saturday at the
downtown Marriott Hotel for a half-day get-together
aimed at improving their employment prospects.
Attendees consisted of a well-balanced mix of local
litigation, transactional and in-house paralegals.
Their experience levels ranged from high-level career
veterans to those just entering the profession.
In addition to hearing from a variety of speakers, the
conference offered opportunities to meet with a variety
of vendors and to chat with fellow attendees and speakers.
The keynote presentation was from Hardy Ray
Murphy, an attorney with the Los Angeles office of
Reed Smith LLP. He provided an informative and
well-organized update on California’s wage and hour
laws. He concluded by taking questions from the
audience. His presentation was useful both as an
overview of the subject and for insights on how the
regulations can have an impact on paralegals’
employment situations.
Attendees also heard from Karyn Schlinkert, a
director from the Providus legal employment agency,
who offered insights into the current paralegal job
market and the qualities and experiences that
employers are seeking from those they hire.
The day began with a panel discussion by four paralegals
talking about their recent experiences in establishing
their careers: Todd Frankel, a LAPA board member
who is working for Reed Smith LLP; Carl Alvarado,
editor of the LAPA Reporter and a paralegal with
The Hecker Law Group; Denise Sierra, who is working
for a prominent family law firm and also has started
her own business providing paralegal services to
other attorneys, and Eric Lassiter, a journalist who
has embarked on a second career as a paralegal.
I’m Snowed In – Yeah, Right!
by Scott Lupton
Unfortunately, I missed LAPA’s recent Career
Conference. However, I had a unique excuse. I sent
this e-mail the Monday following the meeting:
I am so sorry that I missed the LAPA Career
Conference on Saturday, March 11. Attached are
photos as proof of my unusual predicament. I awoke
Saturday morning to find the power out and snow
falling outside my window. Really, snow!
When I realized the time I immediately got ready
(without power) and went to the garage. After I
figured out how to open the door, I realized that I did
not have the contact information for the event.
I quickly went back in the house to get the information,
which was on my computer (also needs power). It’s
now 10:30 and I know where I am going, I’m just
not sure who I am meeting and I can’t find any
phone numbers to call.
As I start to back out of the garage, I notice that my
car brakes do not work. Actually, they were working
fine; the tires just don’t grip ice and snow. I could
not get out of my driveway.
The power was out until late Sunday. However, this
was the first power outage where I didn’t need to worry
about keeping the refrigerated items from getting warm.
Again, I apologize for my absence. I was truly looking
forward to sharing my job search experience. If another
opportunity arises, please consider me. I can’t
imagine it snowing again for some time.
Be careful what you ask for. As a “reward” for missing
the conference, the LAPA has requested that I write
a brief article on “My Job Search.”
My employment history had been about as steady as
an employer could ask for. I worked 12 years at a
mid-sized Los Angeles firm, followed by a six-year
stint at a Los Angeles office of a New York based
international law firm. Even my reason for switching
firms was reasonable, the first firm filed for Chapter
11 and closed its doors, and the second was hanging
on by a thread, after down-sizing from 65 to 20
LAPA 2006 SPRING CAREER CONFERENCE SUMMARY
continued on page 8
continued on page 18
6
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
1. Self assessment
2. Career assessment
3. Decision making
4. Goal setting
Self assessment: There are many ways to assess where
you may want to go with your life. They include
exploring your interests, skills, achievements,
experience, personality traits, preferred job environment
and values. You can seek out a local community college
career center, career planning books, or employment
office to use written assessments that will give you
clues to some of these areas about yourself. Some
colleges and career consultants offer either work-
shops in career planning or individual counseling.
Consider areas of legal work that may even seem
unrealistic and keep your options open. Make a writ-
ten list of your key interests and only those skills you
enjoy using. Do you love your work? Take time to
reflect on your achievements. Examine what it is
about each achievement that gave you gratification.
Next, concentrate on your work experience and look
for patterns of satisfaction in each job to replicate in
your current work setting or in considering a change.
Assess your positive personality traits and the type
of work environment you most enjoy, such as a small
team environment or a formal corporate atmosphere.
Make sure your personality blends with the team as
personality conflicts cause deep dissatisfaction.
Think about your values and what is most important
for you to feel successful and happy in your job. Do
you value a sense of accomplishment, challenge,
variety and appreciation for your efforts? Are you
internally motivated or externally motivated by praise,
money or certificates and degrees? Ask others how
they envision you and what they see as your positive
traits. List everything in writing by developing your
own personal Self-Assessment Profile.
Career assessment: Gather as much information as
you can about your career. Talk to others in your firm
about growth opportunities and job enrichment.
Considering learning new things and expanding your
skill base. Speak with others in different legal work
settings. Prepare a list of questions about how they
got into their position, what they do and what they
like and do not like about their job. As you listen,
pay attention to anything that sparks your interest.
FEATURE ARTICLE
- continued from page 1
continued on page 7
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
7
Reflect and keep a journal. Network as much as
possible. Create opportunities to discuss your inter-
ests within and outside your firm. Attend paralegal
association meetings and speak with people you do
not know. Sign up for seminars, classes, workshops.
Contact a career/job development center. Take your
list of key interests to the Internet or the local library
or career center. Review the Occupational Outlook
Handbook edited by the U.S. Department of Labor,
and other career related Web sites and books. Look
for related occupations where you may be able to
use your expertise and combine it with another
interest such as environmental law or an area of
specialization you have not considered. Paralegals
are increasingly employed in nontraditional careers
where your skills can be useful, such as human
resources, insurance claims, civil and criminal
investigation, and government research, mediation/
arbitration.
Decision making: Now is the time to reflect upon all
the information you have gathered. Consider how
well your interests, preferred skills, personality
strengths, preferred job environment and values,
both professional and personal, match the career
options you have before you. And keep in mind the
need to maintain balance in your life.
Think of yourself first and realize that if you have
gathered enough information about yourself and
your potential opportunities you can make the best
possible decision at any given time. Do not look
back and persecute yourself for the decision that
may not have worked in your favor. Realize you did
your best, given the amount of time and information
you had to work with at that time in your life.
Welcome new opportunities for growth even if they
are scary.
Goal setting: The key to moving forward in your
paralegal career is using what you have learned to
set long-term, intermediate, and short-term goals
with concrete plans for accomplishing them. Begin
with a five-year plan, then break it into what you are
going to do in the next year to help you achieve your
long-range goals. Write down monthly goals and
steps for accomplishing them.
You must begin by breaking down a large goal into
small written, measurable, observable goals. For
example, if your five-year goal is to become an
office administrator in a large corporate office, think
about what steps you can do each month to work
toward that goal. Your one-year goal could be stated
as “I will make a written list of new monthly goals
for this year toward my 5 year goal.”
Your first-month goal could be “I will make an
appointment to speak with one office administrator
in a large law firm.” This could be your own law
office or another setting such as a corporate law
department. Another monthly goal could be that you
will attend an appropriate seminar in the next
month. The goals must be specific, achievable,
believable, observable and measurable. Make each
monthly or weekly goal small in order to succeed.
When writing your monthly goals make a column for
the date you achieved each. Remember goals are
guidelines and do not have to be set in stone. They
will help you focus on your personal success and to
evaluate your progress. You may revise goals or
steps as needed. Sign your plan of action and have
a witness sign it also to really make a commitment.
Implications for your future: As a paralegal you can
apply what you have learned to a variety of settings
and areas of specialization. Some of the many areas
are corporate, international law, maritime law, intel-
lectual property, cyber law as well as a variety of
related careers as mediator/arbitrator, legislative
analyst or assistant, contracts administrator, com-
pliance officer, internet research specialist, trade-
mark administrator, licensing coordinator.
Remember you have skills that are transferable to
other jobs such as contract administration back-
ground, real estate background, negotiating skills,
research skills, fact-finding, and knowledge of legal
terminology. People skills of listening, deciphering
verbal information, communicating and problem
solving are important to list as strengths. Other
skills may include teamwork, time management,
leadership, organization, detail follow through and
ability to keep matters confidential. Once you know
and can articulate your personal profile, what you
FEATURE ARTICLE
- continued from page 6
continued on page 12
8
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
continued on page 9
employees, I knew my time was limited.
I engaged the services of a headhunter and within one
week I had another job. Unfortunately, the match
did not seem to work for either side. I felt isolated
and removed from the day-to-day interaction that I
had been used to. In addition, branching out into a
new field for me proved to be frustrating.
I tried my best to make it work, but the union was one
that needed to end. I departed on good terms and
started my long journey into finding the “right” job.
At first, I thought I could take a pay cut and work
closer to home. There is a reason very few people can
afford the luxury of working close to home, it doesn’t
pay (unless you live downtown). After a temporary
assignment, I began to look downtown again.
Next was the endless stream of the dreaded “temp-
to-perm” positions. This is where the employer pays
you under market value (with no benefits) to see if
“it’s the right fit.” Talk about a carrot on a stick.
Work to impress everyday for months until they
decide to make a decision. I do not recommend
temp-to-perm positions. No one ever made a decision
before I made the decision to move on.
Finally, I found a great firm. It was mid-size, local
and very friendly. However, two weeks after starting,
the firm lost its biggest client. Layoffs were
announced just before the holiday party, 2004.
Fortunately, one of the firms I had previously
interviewed with was still looking. I was amazed how
quickly I was hired. The match was perfect! I was
working in a small branch office of a New York
based international law firm. Within days I had settled
in and made a few friends.
I was ready to start marking the calendar until
retirement. I had found the perfect firm. I was ready
to spend the next 20 years working for these guys…
except, the New York office decided to focus on
European expansion and closed the Los Angeles office.
Now people are starting to wonder if I am causing the
demise of every firm I go to. I was concerned that
the Daily Journal would get word of my run of bad
luck and advise firms of “the jinx.” I went back to
LAPA 2006 SPRING CAREER CONFERENCE SUMMARY
- continued from page 5
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
9
LAPA 2006 SPRING CAREER CONFERENCE SUMMARY
- continued from page 8
my headhunter.
If there is a lesson to be learned it is that you need
the right headhunter. You need someone that will
match your skill-set to the employer’s needs. You
should have someone who considers that you are a
person and not just a commission. You should have
the feeling that your headhunter is working for you.
It is important to select a headhunter that is
concerned with sending the right applicant for the
right position, rather than trying to impress or
patronize applicants by sending them to firms that
would never be interested in hiring them. This person
should also recognize the value of the employer’s
time by not sending anything but qualified applicants
for interviews.
Although I ultimately found my current position
through a co-worker, I can’t overstate the importance
of a good headhunter. I was fortunate to have found
Karyn Schlinkert of Providus. Karyn did not send
me on every job she had listed. She was careful in
presenting me to employers that knew what they
wanted and were ready to make a decision. This
gave me the confidence to be more selective in
responding to offers.
I am now at home at Tucker Ellis & West LLP.
Tucker is a growing firm with an innovative
approach to law. I have been with the firm for nine
months. I enjoy the people that I work with, as well
as the projects that I am assigned to.
I hope that anyone who is looking for paralegal
placement is fortunate enough to find the perfect
position. If you need assistance, make sure you find
the right headhunter for you. Good luck.
10
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
212, 218 (S.D.N.Y. 2003).
The court found that despite counsel’s directives to
preserve information, backup tapes were destroyed
and that at least a half dozen UBS employees had
failed to retain e-mails relevant to the claim. Other
e-mails were not produced because, according to
the opinion, counsel for UBS had been insufficiently
diligent in obtaining them.
Judge Scheindlin concluded that UBS acted willfully
in destroying potentially relevant information and
that an adverse inference instruction was warranted
-- a potential death knell to UBS. Although the
judge denied the plaintiff’s motion for sanctions
against counsel, she stated that counsel had not
fully complied with the standards set forth in her
opinion, and suggested that sanctions would have
been appropriate had counsel been given prior
notice of those standards.
What did the judge have to say about the conduct
of UBS’ counsel? The court recognized as true that
“counsel need not supervise every step of the
document production process and may rely on their
clients in some respects.” The court also noted that
“[a] lawyer cannot be obliged to monitor her client
like a parent watching a child” and that “[a]t the
end of the day ... the duty to preserve and produce
documents rests on the party.”
Nonetheless, the court concluded that counsel was
“not entirely blameless” in UBS’ production errors
as it “failed” to communicate the litigation hold
order to all key players -- even though the hold order
had been communicated to more than a dozen
employees -- and also “failed” to ascertain each of
the key players' document-management habits.
The court then specified certain steps it believed
counsel “must” take once litigation is pending or
reasonably anticipated. These include:
• Placing a litigation hold on potentially relevant
documents and notifying employees of that hold.
• Overseeing compliance with the litigation hold.
• Periodically reiterating that hold to ensure that all
employees are aware of, and remember, the hold.
• Monitoring the party’s efforts to retain and produce
the relevant documents.
• Communicating with “key players” who are likely
to be relevant to the issues in the litigation in order
to communicate clearly the duty to preserve and to
enable counsel to understand how each individual
stores electronic information. (“Unless counsel
interviews each employee, it is impossible to determine
whether all potential sources of information have
been inspected.”)
• “Becoming fully familiar with [the] client’s document
retention policies, as well as the client’s data retention
architecture.” (“This requires that counsel speak
with technology personnel capable of explaining
both the client’s system backup procedures and the
actual compliance with and implementation of any
document retention policies.”)
No doubt, lawyers have a role in protecting against
the intentional and even negligent destruction of
relevant evidence by a client. But a laundry list of
“must-dos” for counsel raises the stakes in an area
where counsel may not succeed even when
proceeding with the best of intentions.
First, the vast majority of lawyers are not experts in
computers or electronic-storage media. Even if they
were, they do not have the familiarity with the client's
systems necessary to fully understand at an early
stage of the case, if ever, the myriad ways in which
electronic records are stored across the company.
Indeed, given the various formats and platforms in
which electronic records are stored, merely locating
potentially relevant material can itself sometimes
be a real challenge.
Second, counsel will be faced with balancing the
risk of judicial second-guessing of the scope of their
preservation instruction against client resistance to
broad preservation orders. See Wiginton v. CB
Richard Ellis Inc., 2003 WL 22439865, at *5
(N.D. Ill. 2003) (Defendant was faulted for being
too narrow when preservation communication to
employees only instructed employees to save
documents that “pertain to” the named plaintiff in a
putative class action although various other employees
and officers were identified in the complaint.)
Client resistance to overbroad preservation instructions
is not unwarranted. Preservation can become
extraordinarily complex and expensive, as it is typically
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
- continued from page 4
continued on page 11
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
11
impossible to suspend destruction of only the infor-
mation covered by the preservation order. The
issues are particularly challenging for clients with a
substantial number of pending cases being handled
by different outside counsel.
Third, in the author’s experience, Information
Technology departments in even the largest, most
sophisticated businesses are not equipped to store
and search electronic data -- particularly data stored
on backup tapes -- in the manner suggested by the
Zubulake decision. Thus, where such backup tapes
must be restored and searched, clients will be forced
to engage costly outside consultants and vendors to
host the saved data and to run the searches necessary
to find the potentially relevant records.
Counsel will then have the further responsibility of
supervising these outside consultants. These costs
will be borne largely, if not exclusively, by the
producing party. See Zubulake vs. UBS Warburg,
216 F.R.D. 280, 290-91 (Plaintiff ordered to pay
25 percent of the cost of restoring backup tapes,
but refusing to shift any of the cost of review and
production of the restored documents.)
Finally, in cases where the burdens of compliance
on the parties are disproportionate, there is a real risk
that the discovery process will be misused to unduly
burden one side. The disparity in discovery burdens
is heightened when electronic records are involved.
That is because, unlike paper records, electronic
records are not consolidated in a handful of boxes
but can reside in numerous and dispersed locations
(such as on laptops, individual desk-tops, hand-
held devices, servers and storage tapes), including
locations that may well be unknown to the client.
Moreover, electronic records contain massive amounts
of information not remotely relevant to the issues in
the case. The problems are particularly acute with
backup tapes, which typically capture an entire
month's e-mail held by an entire server, not merely
a single user. Electronic records also differ from paper
records in that they are dynamic -- they have
changeable content and even contain data about data,
known as “meta data,” which can reveal when a file
was created, how often it was altered, who has reviewed
it and other information. Indeed, even deleted
computer files, unlike papers discarded in the trash,
are discoverable. Antioch Co. v. Scrapbook Borders
Inc., 210 F.R.D. 645, 652 (D. Minn. 2002).
Despite these practical realities, courts apparently
have now reached the point where clients and counsel
will no longer be given a pass on the inadvertent
destruction of electronic records -- the notion,
presumably, being that in this day and age a claim of
failure to understand the technology sounds like an
excuse along the lines of “the dog ate my homework.”
Courts today expect inside and outside counsel to be
fully versed in their clients' policies and practices
for retaining electronic records and to understand
how to preserve and produce relevant electronic
records in litigation. The bottom line: Counsel and
clients can expect that their conduct in preserving
and producing electronic records will more
frequently become subject to judicial scrutiny and,
inevitably, second guessing.
Do not be disheartened, though. There is some recent
good news. The Standing Committee on Rules of
Practice and Procedure of the U.S. Judicial Conference
has published for comment several amendments to
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that would, if
adopted, alleviate some of the burden e-discovery
imposes on clients and counsel. Report of the Civil
Rules Advisory Committee, May 17, 2004, revised
Aug. 3, 2004, “Proposed Amendments to the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Rule 26, at p. 6
(available at http:// www.kenwithers.com/rulemak-
ing/civilrules/report051704.pdf).
Revised Rule 26(b)(2) would allow a party to withhold
from production “electronically stored information
that the party identifies as not reasonably accessible”
absent agreement or court order. The proposed note
provides the example of data that “may be stored
solely for disaster-recovery purposes,” which is
“expensive and difficult to use for other purposes,”
as data that would not be “reasonably accessible”
(and therefore not required to be produced). The new
rule would provide that a court may order discovery
for good cause, which, according to the note, would
be based on a balance of need and burden using
the factors in Rule 26(b)(2).
A revised Rule 26(b)(5) would allow for the post-
production assertion of attorney-client privilege where
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
- continued from page 10
continued on page 14
12
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
Advance your career at Lapa.org’s online Career Center
I’m looking for qualified legal
professionals to add to my staff.
I’m looking for a new position.
Search jobs (3,000+)
Post your resume
Post Jobs
Search resumes (13,000+)
Powered by the:
Legal Career Center Network
Get connected at:
www.lapa.org
have to offer, and your career goals, you will exude
self-confidence in an interview or a meeting with
your key personnel to consider growth opportunities.
I encourage you to expand your skills and knowledge
by taking elective courses through the National
Association of Legal Assistants and local paralegal
programs as well as other business related courses
which will give you an edge in the competition for the
best positions. Consider taking courses or seminars
in public speaking and leadership skills. Join your
national, state and local paralegal associations and
more importantly become involved by volunteering
for committees, running for office and networking.
Find a local Toastmasters organization which offers free
opportunities to expand your confidence in speaking
at meetings in small groups as well as training.
According to Alan Gelb and Karen Levine in “A
Survival Guide for Paralegals” the seven guiding
principles for achieving success are:
• Become an active listener
• Think outside of the box
• Take time to figure out what you find most
satisfying
• Create time for the things you care about
• Learn to enjoy what is in front of you
• Learn to be flexible
• Prioritize what is important to you
Conclusion: One of the most important words to
remember is PREPARE:
P= Pursue your dreams.
R= Realize where you are and where you want to be.
E= Evaluate yourself and your situation often.
P= Plan your actions.
A= Act on your intentions.
R= Reassess the achievement of your goals.
E= Envision becoming the best at whatever you do.
When you think about where you are in the middle
of your career life. Consider your support BEAMS:
B= Build trust in yourself and your potential by
believing in yourself.
E= Exchange information about your goals and
ideas with others.
A= Agree that there is a need not being met and a
need for change involving new choices and you are
ready to take the next step.
M= Making a decision to take the next step.
S= Support your commitment by gathering support
from others.
Whatever you do, do what you love!
Tari J. Grigsby, is a Career Consultant and gives seminars in Career/Life
Planning, Exploring Your Potential, Job Search Techniques, Motivating
Yourself and Others and Team Building. She has taught at many colleges and
universities. She has a BA and MA from Michigan State University in
Psychology. She was recently Director of the Legal Assistant Program at
Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL, and was an administrator in
Lifelong Learning/Professional Development there. She has worked with many
law firms and has been active in the Boca Raton Paralegal Association. She
can be reached at [email protected], or 561-213-1274.
Reprinted with permission of the National Association of Legal Assistants and
Tari J. Grigsby. The article originally appeared in the 2005 Career Chronicle
issue of FACTS & FINDINGS, the quarterly journal for legal assistants. For further
information, contact NALA at www.nala.org or phone 918-587-6828.
FEATURE ARTICLE
- continued from page 7
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
13
LAPA – CLA REVIEW COURSE
2006 CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
06/01 7-9 p.m. Introduction/Ethics
06/03 9-11 a.m. Legal Terminology
11-1 p.m. Human Relations/Interviewing
WEEK 2
06/08 7-9 p.m. General Legal
06/10 9-11 a.m. Communications
11-1 p.m. Legal Research
WEEK 3
06/15 7-9 p.m. Litigation
06/17 9-11 a.m. Judgment & Analytical Ability I
11-1 p.m. Judgment & Analytical Ability II
WEEK 4
06/22 7-9 p.m. Contracts
06/24 No Class CAPA Conference
WEEK 5
06/29 7-9 p.m. Optional Specialty Class
07/01 No Class July 4th Holiday
WEEK 6
07/06 7-9 p.m.
Test Taking Skills/Mock Exam
CLASSES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
WITHOUT NOTICE
WHERE:
National University
5245 Pacific Concourse Drive, Room 335
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: (310) 662-2000
Parking is $5 on Saturdays only.
REQUIRED TEXT:
CLA Review Manual 2d Ed.
Virginia Koerselman, West Publishing, 1998
AVAILABLE FROM:
www.nala.org www.bn.com
amazon.com westlegalstudies.com
RECOMMENDED TEXT:
CLA Study Guide and Mock Examination 2d Ed.
National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.,
West Publishing, 1998
QUESTIONS:
Contact Catherine R. Durgin, CLAS at 323-655-0940
Study Course Designed to Prepare
Paralegals for the July 21-22, 2006
CLA Exam
WHEN: Thursdays and Saturdays
June 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29
July 6
COST: $100.00 Members
$125.00 Non-Members
• $15.00 Per Individual Class
REGISTRATION FORM
Name: _______________________________________________
Street Address: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ________________________________________
Business Phone: ______________________________________
Home Phone: _________________________________________
E-mail: _______________________________________________
LAPA Member: $100.00 Non-Member: $125.00
Check Visa* Mastercard* Am Ex*
*(
A $2.00 surcharge will be added for credit card users)
Credit Card #: _________________________________________
Expiration Date: _______________________________________
Card Holder Name: ____________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________________
Please indicate the four areas of the law you have selected for
the Substantive Law Section of the exam:
Litigation Administrative Law
Bankruptcy Business Organizations
Real Estate Probate & Estate Planning
Family Law Contracts
Criminal
Return a completed Registration Form and payment, which
can be made by check or money order payable to “LAPA” or
by credit card. Mail to:
LAPA, CLA Review
P.O. Box 71708
Los Angeles, CA 90071
IMPORTANT: You must also register for the CLA exam through NALA. The
deadline for registering with NALA for the July 21 & 22, 2006 CLA exam is May
15, 2006, and late applications can be sent up to May 30, 2006 with a $25.
late fee. Applications may be obtained by contacting NALA at: NALA, 1516 S.
Boston, #200, Tulsa, OK 74119 (918-587-6828; fax 918-582-6772).
14
LAPA NOVEMBER 2005 / VOLUME 33 / ISSUE 11
such material was inadvertently produced. A revised
Rule 37 would provide a safe harbor protecting a
party from sanctions for a failure to produce
electronically stored information where the party
took reasonable steps to preserve the information
that was lost because of the routine operation of a
party's computer system that automatically over-
writes or alters electronically stored information.
Whether or not the Rules are amended, there are other
steps counsel can take to operate more effectively
in the new world of e-discovery. These include:
1. Pay early attention to key players in the case and
issue a written litigation hold with clear descriptions of
the types of electronic data that must be preserved.
Provide regular written reminders of the hold.
Consider designating a client employee to work with
counsel to oversee distribution of and compliance
with the litigation hold. See Keir v. Union Provident
Corp., 2003 WL 21997747, at 9 (S.D.N.Y. 2003)
(vague direction and lack of coordination led to loss
of data subject to a preservation order).
2. Communicate with the client’s IT department early
in the case. Document these discussions so that they
may be recreated if necessary to defend your conduct
before the court. Initially, seek to preserve electronic
records broadly, then promptly negotiate with your
adversary a more reasonable scope of production.
3. Develop at the outset of the case a plan for storing
and searching the potentially relevant electronic
information in consultation with the client's internal
IT managers, internal counsel and, potentially, an
outside electronic data expert. The plan should
cover such topics as the systems that will be used,
whether custom software is needed, what searches
can and should be run, who will be responsible for
storing the data, how the data will be accessed and
who will have access to the data. The plan should
also educate the client on its e-discovery obligations
and the likely costs of complying with those obligations
in the case at hand.
4. Address the scope of electronic discovery with
opposing counsel early in the case. (The proposed
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
- continued from page 11
continued on page 15
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
15
amended Federal Rules would require that parties
address electronic discovery issues at a Rule 26(f)
conference, and deal with the issue in the Rule 16
conference and the resulting scheduling order.) The
parties may be best served by agreeing at the outset
not to require the preservation of certain electronic
records, or to limit preservation to those personnel
who are most likely to have relevant records.
5. Review the electronic records to identify gaps or
potential problems (for example, an e-mail referencing
a prior e-mail that is not part of the retained
records) before making production so unfounded
suspicions about the failure to preserve and produce
electronic records do not arise when your adversary
reviews the production.
6. Document the electronic record-collection
process to enable you to support the propriety and
diligence of your handling of electronic records.
7. When discovery disputes arise, direct client resources
to enable the presentation of proof (with an affidavit
or otherwise) that makes the complex technical
issues raised by the discovery requests comprehensible
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
- continued from page 14
to the court and articulates with specifics the burdens
involved in complying with those requests.
Remember, courts are instinctively skeptical of
claims by corporate enterprises that production of
internal records will be unduly burdensome.
8. Advise clients to adopt policies in advance of
litigation that provide rational and defensible guide-
lines on the treatment of electronic documents. On
reasonable anticipation of litigation, suspend all
document destruction mandated by existing policies
where the records may be relevant to the potential
litigation.
9. Encourage the lawyers on your staff or at your
firm to become familiar with the issues raised by
electronic discovery and to develop at least a basic
understanding of existing technologies.
A good starting point would be to review The Sedona
Principles: Best Practices Recommendations &
Principles for Addressing Electronic Document
Production (January 2004), available at
http://www.thesedonaconference.org/miscFiles/Sed
onaPrinciples200401. Although some of these
continued on page 17
16
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
17
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
- continued from page 1
load is at capacity and another assignment will be
the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, is
as important as juggling the existing case load.
Third, it’s not always what you know, it’s who you know.
A good number of us went through paralegal programs
and obtained certificates. All of us participate in
Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. We attend
LAPA seminars, and CAPA conferences and even
in-house training courses. Having the entire LAPA
membership and their combined knowledge and
resources at your fingertips gives you an edge that some
of your colleagues and non-members, simply do not have.
Then again, sometimes it is what you know. There
are those who go that extra mile and sit for the CLA
CAPA’S 18TH ANNUAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE
June 24, 2006
Embassy Suites
San Luis Obispo, California
Hosted by The Central Coast Paralegal
Association (CCPA)
The California Alliance of Paralegal Associations is a
State Bar of California approved MCLE provider.
CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE OF PARALEGAL ASSOCIATIONS (CAPA)
PRESENTS...
exam. The Certified Legal Assistant exam is a 2-day
national exam offered by NALA (National
Association of Legal Assistants). As of February,
2006, there were 738 CLAs (or CPs-Certified
Paralegals) in the state of California. Considering
there are more than 6,000 paralegals in the greater
Los Angeles Area, CLAs or CPs are an elite group.
The CLA or CP designation indicates one who is
capable of providing superior services. There is also
the CAS designation for those who, after achieving
their CLA or CP status study for and complete the
California Advanced Specialty exam.
LAPA offers review courses for the CLA exam. The
next CLA review class will start on June 2, 2006.
The location has yet to be confirmed, but check the
Reporter for a flier of information. Become one of
the elite, consider sitting for the CLA exam in July.
(For further information on the CLA and CAS exams,
visit the NALA website www.nala.org).
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
- continued from page 15
principles may conflict with judicial decisions or local
rules adopted since they were promulgated, they provide
a comprehensive analysis of the issues and practical
recommendations from the lawyer's viewpoint.
Reprinted from Business Law Today, Vol. 14, No. 4, March/April 2005, a
publication of the American Bar Association Section of BusinessLaw.
18
LAPA APRIL 2006 / VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04
The following is a listing of legal professionals and paralegal students who joined or
renewed their membership in the 1,000 member Los Angeles Paralegal Association within
the last 30 days. The employer and work telephone number also are included when available.
If any information is incorrect, please fax corrections to 866-460-0506, call LAPA at
866-626-LAPA or e-mail updates to [email protected].
VOTING
Kevin M. Anthoney Meyers & McConnell (310) 312-0772
James F. Bartlett BMC Group (310) 321-5687
Robin Bennett Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP (310) 284-2219
Teresa M. Castelli McDermott Will & Emery LLP (310) 551-9348
Debra L. Chaney Law Offices of Andrea G. Van Leesten (310) 242-6561
Norberto R. Chavez Christie Parker & Hale, LLP (626) 817-5008
Joyce Chin Alperstein, Simon, Farkas, Gillin (818) 501-3100
and Scott, LLP
Janice L. Corona U.S. Attorneys Office (213) 894-5901
Sharon Duncan Cislo & Thomas, LLP (310) 451-0647
Julie Fryer Jackson Lewis LLP (213) 689-0404
Mary Gray Law Offices of Anthony M. Vienna (213) 485-1555
Gail Heitman Mendes & Mount, LLP (213) 955-7748
Carol Hybertsen Independent (415) 771-3053
Irene Hymanson Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (213) 229-7303
Terrence Kiel Sunkist Growers, Inc. (818) 379-7247
Laura M. Kingsbury Giovanniello & Michels, LLP (909) 861-0561
Shirley McClure Litt & Associates (213) 386-3114
Russell Melching (626) 353-1907
Beverley Newlin Natrol, Inc. (818) 407-7283
Patricia A. Powell Law Offices of Peter A. Schwartz (310) 277-2535
Mary Ann Prospero Barnes Morris Klein Mark Yorn (310) 319-3969
Barnes & Levine
Donna Reznick-Goodich Weston Benshoof (213) 576-1000
Alison M. Schuit
Karen L. Sloane Manatt, Phelps (310) 203-8080
Elena E. Smith Silver & Freedman, APLC (310) 282-9419
Debra I. Thomas Loeb & Loeb (310) 282-2137
Robert Torosian Balakian Law Offices (559) 495-1558
Sheryl Uchima-Hayashi Dale Y. Nakashima (213) 680-4030
Anita Wallace Hennigan Bennett & Dorman LLP (213) 694-1037
Vivien B. Weinman Amgen (310) 689-1609
Jacqueline White Jackson Lewis LLP (213) 689-0404
Mark Willis Ford, Walker, Haggerty & Behar (562) 590-3551
ASSOCIATE
Doris R.Childs
Irina Kurganov Morrison & Foerster LLP (213) 892-5783
Brenda D. Oster Fremont General Corporation (310) 315-3903
Bethany J. Pino KPMG (714) 934-5424
STUDENT
Michael S. Baumohl
Amanda Best
Cynthia Castaneda First Reprographics (877) 591-9979
Jennifer Chatien O'Neil & Matusek, LLP
Adolfo Contreras (323) 972-4039
Sheng Q. Cui (323) 343-4967
Marie Flores
Carlene A. Kirkland Law Office of Janet Dockstader
Judy Lawton Gilbert & Sackman (323) 663-9929
Sarah Linn Ritts (818) 885-1880
Pamela Olivia-Reynolds Comedy Central (310) 407-4778
Meiling Pope
Bertha Ruiz Writers Guild of America (323) 782-4502
Sarah Thrift Lewitt, Hackman, Shapiro, Marshall (818) 990-2120
and Harlan
BENEFACTOR
Beth Palmer Special Counsel (310) 649-6389
WELCOME NEW & RENEWING LAPA MEMBERS
These source identifiers in turn, let the consumer know
who produced the goods or services being provided.
Infringement occurs when someone with a like or
similar mark, slogan or symbol, also provides like or
similar goods and services, which in turn leads to
confusing like or similar consumers such as you and I.
The term knock off is befitting when you stop to think
about how many people every year waste millions of
dollars purchasing a product they perceive to be made
by one such knocked off manufacturer, only to discover
they've purchased something of far less quality,
labeled with a logo or brand name whose good quality
reputation they relied on as being the same.
Rights of a trademark arise from its use, while main-
taining those rights derives from the importance of
being noticed and recognized as a good quality product
or service. When poor quality becomes associated
with someone's product renowned for its good qualities,
trademark lawyers go to bat for the legitimate owners;
typically initiating the enforcement process with a
cease and desist letter first, followed by penalty fees
and punitive damages should the trademark
infringement continue.
Caveat emptor my friends, for as P.T. Barum
allegedly once said (but didn't) "there's a sucker
born every minute." With that in mind, the next time
you purchase a brand new pair of 501 blue jeans at
your local swap meet, you may think your getting one
heck of a good deal and they may look great on the
outside, but check the stitching veeery carefully... they
may not be made by Levis Straus and Co.!!!
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
- cont. from pg. 3
The panel was moderated by LAPA Treasurer Donna
Reznick-Goodich, CLA.
LAPA would like to thank conference organizers
Mary Theroux, CP and LAPA Board Advisor, and
Donna Reznick-Goodich.
Thank you to the exhibitors at our Spring Career
Conference: Davidson Legal Staffing. Deadlines on
Demand, Five Star Legal and Compliance, Inc.,
IQWest Information Technology, Parasec, Providus,
Special Counsel and Robert Half Legal.
CAREER CONF. SUM.
- continued from page 5
VOLUME 34 / ISSUE 04 / APRIL 2006 LAPA
19
LOS ANGELES PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION- 2006 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Name Title Employer Office # Fax # Eddress
A.E. Maersch (Heide) VP Membership & Policy Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan, LLP 310.255.9032 310.907.2032 [email protected]
DIRECTORS AT LARGE
Name Employer Office # Fax # Eddress
Ann Ellias
Administrative Manager Tracey Booth 866.626.LAPA
Advertising Tracey Booth 866.626.LAPA
Bankruptcy Section 866.626.LAPA
Budget & Finance Committee Donna Reznick-Goodich, CLA 213.576.1000
MCLE Review Committee Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
Compliance Committee A.E. Maersch (Heide) 310.277.4222
CAPA Primary Representative A.E. Maersch (Heide) 310.255.9032
CAPA Secondary Kai Ellis, CLA 310.282.8088
CAPA Website www.caparalegal.org
CLA/CLAS/CAS Committee Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.5145
Corporate/Real Estate Section Lois Broussard 626.535.2341
Corporate Sponsors Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
Downtown Section Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
Entertainment Section Dianne Holloway 323.575.2714
General Information 866.626.LAPA
Graphic Designer Harold Maurer 323.465.1815
Intellectual Property Section Grace Kim 310.586.6564
Litigation Section Todd Frankel 213.457.6450
Membership Committee Denise Sierra 310.707.8673
NALA Liaison Donna Reznick-Goodich, CLA 213.576.1000
Newsletter Committee 866.626.LAPA
Nominations & Elections Committee Lani Suzuki 310.205.7884
Probate/Estate Planning Section Mary Koske 310.734.5258
Pro Bono Maria Teresa Bravo 310.278.7555
San Fernando Valley Section 866.626.LAPA
South Bay Section Denise Sierra 310.707.8673
Student Advisory Committee Chair 866.626.LAPA
Spring Career Conference Donna Reznick-Goodich, CLA 213.576.1000
Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
Speakers Bureau/Schools 866.626.LAPA
School Liaison Todd Frankel 213.457.6450
October Conference Committee Jane Gately 213.244.0625
Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
Holiday Benefit Gala Committee Mary Theroux, CP 213.229.9500
SECTIONS, COMMITTEES & OTHER LAPA INFO
graphics
that make
you look
good!
harold maurer
art direction / graphic design
323.465.1815
advertising
business cards
letterheads
brochures
newsletters
flyers
corporate id
logos
presentations
Don’t forget to use your
LAPA
member benefits
Log on and browse the Career Center on LAPA’s
website at www.lapa.org; utilize your access to the
LA Financial Federal Credit Union and, of course, the
LAPA Membership Directory, and CAPA membership
benefits.
(For CAPA benefits check our website:
www.lapa.org.)
WRITERS WANTED!!!
To submit an article, please contact the LAPA
Editor at (866) 626-LAPA or send it via email to
the [email protected]. We compliment those who
have submitted so many excellent articles and
invite you to join the “published.”
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Pasadena, CA
Permit # 740
P.O. Box 71708, Los Angeles, CA 90071
•
Telephone (310)921-3094
•
Fax (310)921-3095
