Committees
Audit
Committee Chair: VACANT (email sdpa.info@sdparalegals.org to join)
The Audit Committee audits the CFO’s books at the end of each month and at the end of the fiscal year and presents a written report to the board. The Audit Committee also conducts any special audits as requested by the Board; findings from special audits are presented to the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Bar Liaison
Committee Chair: Valerie Ramirez
The Bar Liaison Committee represents SDPA at San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) meetings to strengthen SDPA’s relationship with the Bar, and to notify SDPA’s membership of the pro bono, educational and networking opportunities available through the SDCBA. The committee is also tasked with promoting the paralegal profession by emphasizing the cost effectiveness paralegals have on legal services.
Bylaws & Policies
Committee Chair: Merrill R. Cannon, ACP Bylaws@sdparalegals.org
The Bylaws & Policies Committee reviews the current SDPA Bylaws and working policies to ensure compliance with state and local laws, and to ensure that SDPA is acting in accordance with its internal Bylaws and Policies. If the Bylaws & Policies Committee identifies an area of non-compliance, the Committee will recommend either modifying the Bylaws and/or Policies or changing the action.
CAPA
Primary: Sara M. Minas CAPA@sdparalegals.org
The CAPA Primary and Secondary represent SDPA’s interests and provide SDPA’s collective support to the California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (“CAPA”). The CAPA Committee is responsible for: coordinating the distribution of information between SDPA and CAPA on issues of state-wide importance; attending CAPA Board meetings on SDPA’s behalf; prepare reports to SDPA’s Board regarding CAPA’s activities and post information on SDPA’s bulletin boards for SDPA member review; disseminating information from CAPA to SDPA members which may include publicizing CAPA’s educational conferences, State Bar activities and the distribution of RECAP (CAPA’s publication).
Court Liaison (Ad Hoc)
Committee Chair: Amy Shillingburg
The Court Liaison Committee is the conduit between SDPA and the San Diego Superior Court. The Committee provides valuable updates regarding updates to court rules, court closures, and provides information regarding volunteer and internship opportunities with the San Diego Superior Court.
Elections & Nominations
Committee Chair: Luciana Case
The elections and nominations committee is designed to assist with and carry out the nominations and voting procedures as written in SDPA’s bylaws. These tasks are to by carried out annually.
Employment
Committee Chair: Treva A. Cutts employment@sdparalegals.org
The Employment Committee identifies and alerts SDPA members to San Diego-area legal support staff positions. The Employment Committee not only receives requests from potential employers, but also proactively communicates with legal recruiters, agencies and employers, to seek out additional opportunities. Once identified, these positions are posted to SDPA’s Job Bank (found in the Members Area of the website), and members are emailed weekly with then-current positions.
Marketing
Committee Chair: Cheryl Garvin marketing@sdparalegals.org
SDPA’s Marketing Committee is responsible for developing short- and long-term campaigns aimed increasing membership and entrenching SDPA in the events and organizations shaping the paralegal world today. This includes developing and publicizing incentive programs. The Committees goal is to continually look the future, recognize trends, and position SDPA as a leader in those markets.
Membership
Committee Chair: Julie Schwartz membership@sdparalegals.org
SDPA’s Membership Committee assists members by getting as much as possible out of their SDPA membership. SDPA membership can present opportunities for paralegals that you would never have expected. One of SDPA’s primary goals is to provide services and opportunities to continue members’ professional growth.
Newsletter Committee
Committee Chair: Sara M. Minas (Precedent§ Editor) newsletter@sdparalegals.org
The Newsletter Committee oversees the content, advertising, and editing of the newsletter. The newsletter is one of SDPA’s most tangible member benefits. As part of SDPA’s overarching goal to increase membership, a critical aspect is continuing efforts to improve the quality of the newsletter. The Newsletter Committee is responsible for contacting and following up with prominent paralegal writers and commentators, legal publications for reprint rights, SDPA officers and directors, local attorneys, etc. for articles relevant to paralegals and the legal community. SDPA’s newsletter is sent to all current members and a limited number of other associations and paralegal programs. Improving the quality goes hand-in-hand with increasing SDPAs circulation. As our circulation numbers grow, so does SDPAs value to all paralegals working in San Diego’s legal community.
NALA
Committee Chair: Kristine Custodio, ACP nala@sdparalegals.org
The NALA Committee provides a liaison between the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and SDPA. Members of the NALA Committee provide SDPA members with updates regarding NALAs annual conference, MCLE and other educational programs, certification exams, and other NALA events and programs.
North County Committee
North County Committee
Committee Chair: Jennie Frost northcounty@sdparalegals.org
The North County Committee fills a growing need to keep SDPA apprised of events, issues and nuances facing North County paralegals. The North County Committee isalso responsible for contributing to the planning and execution of SDPA’s North County programs.
Pro Bono
Committee Chair: Valerie Ramirez probono@sdparalegals.org
The Pro Bono Committee identifies and communicates with the organizations providing low- or no-cost legal services to the indigent and low income members of the San Diego community. The Committee works closely with the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program and San Diego County Bar Association to determine the types of activities in which paralegals can make a difference and, in turn, promote those activities within SDPA.
Programs & Education
Committee Chair: Julie Schwartz programs@sdparalegals.org
The Programs and Education Committee finds speakers for the monthly MCLE presentations, striving to find presenters on meaningful topics and areas of interest to all Association members. The Committee also plans larger seminars and fun, networking events, encouraging all members of the legal committee to meet and work together.
Litigation Section
Committee Co-Chairs: Jodi Nearing &; Nick Clayton litsection@sdparalegals.org
Public Relations
Committee Chair: Cheryl Garvin pr@sdparalegals.org
The Public Relations Committee ensures effective and timely communications between SDPA and the public. Primarily, this involves promoting SDPA’s events through press releases and bulletins, responding to general inquires, and forging relationships with the various media outlets that can help disseminate SDPA’s message.
School Liaison Committee
Committee Chair: Kelli Moro school-liaison@sdparalegals.org
The School Liaison Committee addresses the needs of the students, faculty and directors participating in San Diego’s many paralegal programs. The Committee’s contributions include fostering SDPA’s Mentorship Program and developing student-oriented Seminars and Programs in an effort to ensure that San Diego is producing the most well-rounded and educated graduates in the country. The Committee is also responsible for fundraising and scholarship development on an as-needed basis.
Social Network Committee
Committee Chair: VACANT (email sdpa.info@sdparalegals.org to join)
The Social Network Committee is responsible for creating and maintaining all of SDPAs social networking accounts. The committee manages SDPAs FaceBook group and page, and tweets using SDPAs Twitter accounts (SDPA_Employment and SDPA_Info).
Sustaining Members Committee
Committee Chair: Valerie Ramirez sustaining@sdparalegals.org
This committee oversees our sustaining members and solicits companies to become sustaining members. We are looking for someone to help our sustaining members get the most out of their membership and be the point person to provide our sustaining members with the tools they need to get their message out to SDPAs members. Every one of SDPAs sustaining members is looking for just the right touch when it comes to marketing their upcoming events, advertising in the newsletter and/or website, or just touching base to see what SDPA can do for them, as well as what they can do for SDPA.
Website Committee
Committee Chair: VACANT (email website@sdparalegals.org to join)
The Website Committee is responsible for maintaining the overall design and content of the SDPA website, located at www.sdparalegals.org. Members of the committee perform regular content inspections, facilitate new postings for the Board, and moderate SDPA’s website discussion boards. The Committee was also responsible for coordinating the 2012 Website Redesign.