Don t Pick a Job with Great Vacation Time. Pick One That Doesn t Need Escaping From. Volume XLIII No. 17 Spring Delaware Paralegal Association

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1 Volume XLIII No. 17 Spring 2013 Delaware Paralegal Association The First Stop for Paralegals in the First State Visit In This Issue: President s Message 2 Letter from the Editor 4 New Members 5 New DCP s 6 Pro Bono Corner 7 10 Deadly Phrases Guaranteed to Bust Your Career 9 National Affairs News 11 Trust Merger 12 Making the Most of Your Membership 15 Member Spotlight 16 Delaware Certified Paralegal Program 17 DPA Walk of Fame 18 Don t Pick a Job with Great Vacation Time. Pick One That Doesn t Need Escaping From. Courtesy of Laws of Modern Woman

2 Spring 2013, Page 2 When One Door Closes Another One Opens By Alyson D. Poppiti, DCP President, The beginning of summer not only brings with it better weather and more chances to spend outside, but it is also the time for people to cross milestones with graduation from either high school or college. On a personal note, I attended my nephew s graduation from Rochester Institute of Technology ( RIT ) with a B.A. in Computer Science in May. I also just returned from attending my twin nephews graduation from Quakertown High School. This is the time in life in which one door closes and another one opens. Graduates are most likely both happy and sad to leave the learning institution but also anxious to explore the new world of opportunities before them. Although the economy is still slowly recovering from the downturn of 2008, new jobs are being created. Finding a job after graduation is not as easy as it used to be ten years ago, depending on your field of study. However, the job market for the paralegal field is getting better by the day. Many times, I ve been asked what an individual needs to do to find a job as a paralegal in this tough market. My recommendation would be to attend an ABA approved paralegal program while working in the legal field. I have also been asked about whether it would be better to attend an online paralegal program or a traditional paralegal program. I would highly recommend attending a traditional paralegal program. Yes, there are now many online accredited paralegal programs, but, personally, I don t believe that the student receives the full college experience with an online program. Yes, it is correct that online programs may be tougher but they don t provide the necessary, important personal interaction between the student, the professor and other students. Yes, many online programs may provide chat rooms to discuss questions with the professor and other students, but this is not the same as actually sitting in a classroom and asking the question in the middle of the discussion. I admit that I might be a little biased since I am the daughter of a college professor.

3 Spring 2013, Page 3 Cont. from page 2 As a college professor, my father drilled into me how important the classroom experience is for grasping and understanding the subject material. Employers in the paralegal field are looking for paralegals not only with a paralegal degree but also with experience. Often, I receive the question, I have a paralegal certificate, but I don t have the experience required to obtain a paralegal job. For this dilemma, I would suggest possibly looking into volunteering your time at organizations such as CLASI (Community Legal Aide Society), DVLS (Delaware Volunteer Legal Services), the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) or another legal based non-profit organization. These organizations are always looking for volunteers to answer the phone, make copies and greet possible clients. While I was in college at Shepherd College, I would volunteer a few afternoons a week at the local West Virginia Community Legal Aide Society. Although I would often just answer the phone, make copies or greet clients, it was a valuable experience which only increased my love of the legal field. Volunteering your time will show that you are seriously interested in the legal field and can actually perform paralegal duties. Unfortunately, as of right now, most law firms do not offer volunteer or internship opportunities but be sure to keep your eyes open for any openings in the legal field. Your paralegal certificate can open many doors to you that you may not have had before. It is hard for me to believe this will be the last article I write as President of the Delaware Paralegal Association. It has been a great honor to serve you as the President. When I was elected as Programs Director of this great organization eight years ago, I never anticipated that I would one day become President. Although I may no longer be President after June 30, 2013, I will still be the Board Advisor. I cannot stress enough how thankful I am to not only the members of the but to my fellow board members throughout the years.

4 Spring 2013, Page 4 Short and Sweet!!! By Susan Mayer Smith, DCP My message is short and sweet. Have a wonderful, enjoyable, and safe summer! If you have any suggestion on how to make The Reporter even better, please feel free to contact me at or sms@maronmarvel.com.

5 June 2013, Page 5 Welcome New Members by Denise M. Chigges Membership Director The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the below individuals have been newly admitted to the Association. Please join the Board in welcoming our newest members at the next luncheon, CLE program or event! If you have a friend or colleague who is interested in joining the Association or you received this newsletter from one of our members and would like more information about membership, please visit You may also contact me at dmchigges@mail.widener.edu or (302) Full Members April 2013 Tabitha Davis - Swartz Campbell, LLC KiAn J. Harris - Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC May 2013 Corey Green Doyle - Tunnell & Raysor, P.A. Sherry A. Jordon - The Norman Law Firm LeeAnn Scavina - McCarter & English LLP Student Members Associate Members April 2013 Lisa M. Huttman Linda Tickle May 2013 Danielle Fuerst Steven Reinoehl June2013 Meredith Moffett Charnise Oleson Elizabeth T. Ghione Michael Kirylik Christine M. Molino April 2013 Michelle McGee-Solomon - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP Melissa Toomey May 2013 Janna L. Kirby - Eric G. Mooney, P.A. June 2013 Heather Ann McFarlan

6 Spring 2013, Page 6 We are also pleased to announce our newest Delaware Certified Paralegals! Donna M. DiFranceso (03/27/2013) Aracelly Torres (03/27/2013) Michele K. Mowbray (04/11/2013) Barbara A. Forjan (05/20/2013) Ashley Ann Zimmerman (06/21/2013) CONGRATULATIONS! Membership Totals Charter Full Associate Student Sustaining Total Membership Just a reminder: Each member is responsible to retain their own CLE certificates, they can not be replaced. The does not retain copies. Helpful hint: Make a notebook or folder and store your CLE s there as soon as you receive them. OUR MISSION To promote and maintain high standards and ethics in the profession, to provide a forum for the exchange of information about the profession, to enhance the role of paralegals in the legal community and to encourage the continuing legal education of paralegals.

7 Spring 2013, Page 7 Pro-Bono Corner By Steve Bridgett, DCP Pro Bono Director On Saturday, May 11, 2013, DPA members and friends were honored to have the opportunity to cook Breakfast for Dinner for the guests at the Ronald McDonald House in Wilmington, Delaware. The menu included fresh cut fruit, Danishes, scrambled eggs (the real kind no egg beaters for OUR guests), sausage, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, orange juice, and passion mango (YES, PASSION mango.and it was FABULOUS). Mary Quinn and I spent a good portion of the morning shopping for food and then landed at the House around 1:00 PM to start setting up. At 2:30, members began arriving and fun began in earnest. Eleven DPA members and friends assisted in the whole event. Just after finishing all of the prep work and prior to the actual cooking, we were all treated to a tour of the facility. The House includes event and play rooms for children of all ages as well as a movie room for families to view first run and favorite movies. While my personal favorite is the large screened porch with the plush furniture and view of the grounds, I have to admit to a tear or two at the sight of the Treasure Chest. Many parents staying at the house are often accompanied by all of their children. A child staying at the house is allowed to pick out a new toy to keep from the Treasure Chest. As you all know, each year DPA holds a toy drive to benefit the Treasure Chest every December. A particular need each year are toys for older children staying at the House (something to keep in mind when you are shopping for the December luncheon). This was our third year preparing a meal for the residents at the Ronald McDonald House and we hope to be able to do so again in the next year. Thank you to everyone that helped.

8 Spring 2013, Page 8

9 Spring 2013, Page 9 10 Deadly Phrases Guaranteed to Bust Your Career By Chere B. Estrin As someone who teaches and gives seminars, I have met literally thousands of paralegals in all phases of their careers. Those just entering the field, some in it for a few years, a strong component that are lifers, others who are wannabees and those that are banging at the doors in a desperate attempt to get out. Whenever someone wants to discuss their career, it s generally because they have reached a stumbling block. Whether it s a job move, lack of promotion, more sophisticated work, higher level assignment, more interesting and stimulating atmosphere or just indiscriminate complaints, the block is generally coming from within the person and not as a result from the surrounding environment. How you communicate gives others the key to your thoughts. Communication governs how you behave, are perceived, and how you think. Convincing yourself of certain beliefs and conveying those beliefs to others can dictate how you take the journey from average-garden-variety-paralegal to SuperStar. Here are the 10 biggest career blockers: 1. I don t know. Deadly, deadly, deadly. The last thing an employer wants to hear is that you don t know. Law firms hire paralegals for knowledge. This phrase is particularly annoying to supervisors in high-pressure positions who look to you as their number one assistant. You may not, in fact, know the answer. A better response might be, I will find out or That s not my area of expertise, however, I will research it and get back to you or I m not familiar with that, however, I will find someone who is and get back to you by These answers 1) admit you don t have a ready answer and 2) shows you will take an extra step to find out. It won t leave your supervisor hanging. 2. I m not saying anything bad about them but. Whenever you preface a statement about what you re not doing and then proceed to do it, you re in for trouble. First of all, you make a liar out of yourself. Second of all, you re setting yourself up for the gossip circuit. How can anyone trust you if you re known as someone who gossips? You may not think you re participating in the rumor mill but believe me, you re already there. Never rock the trust boat. It will kill your career in about two seconds. 3. Paralegals don t do this kind of assignment. You might sometimes hear this remark perhaps after a paralegal takes a workshop that causes them to reach beyond their comfort level. My comment to that is: AREYOUSERIOUS????? Unless it is practicing law, giving advice or negotiating fees, paralegals can tackle just about any assignment. 4. My firm doesn t pay for seminars, so I can t go. In certain states, such as California, there mandatory continuing legal education is required of paralegals. Either you ignore Business & Professions Code 6450 and end up in violation of the Code or, in the case of firms not paying for continuing legal education, you wind up paying for it yourself. The number of paralegals who ignore continuing education altogether because their firm or organization does not reimburse them is, unfortunately, very high.

10 Spring 2013, Page 10 Cont. from page 9 5. I m really not into technology. Uh, huh. I suppose that you are still indexing documents on 3 x 5 cards, too. Everyone is into technology. True, some more than others and some, quite frankly, better at it than the next person. This phrase is a guaranteed career buster. Even if history shows us that lawyers were the last to get on the bandwagon in terms of advanced, modern technology, the fact is that law firms now use technology to compete with other firms. You cannot exist in this world without knowing about technology on some level. This phrase only tells people you are not planning on joining us in the 21 st century. 6. I m too old. I don t know what this means. You re too old to learn something new? Too old to move to a new job? Too old to get a degree? Have you heard that the new 60 is the old 40? People are not as old at 60 as their parents were. It s a new age. You re not too old to go back to school, to seek a better job, to learn a new specialty, to move up the ladder. The average age of paralegal student is years of age. The average age of paralegals responding to the NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations) surveys is somewhere in their forties. This is a second and third career choice for most paralegals. The only thing you re too old for may be a mini-skirt. For that matter, I was too old for that when I was I m looking for a balance of lifestyle and career. I should hope so! I never used to have that balance. I was all about careers. Ninety-hour work weeks were the norm. I would go to a movie and not hear half of it because my mind was racing about all the work I had to do. Now that I have put balance into my life, I feel so much better about myself, my work and well, life in general. I do guarantee you, however, that few employers, particularly in law firms mired in crisis management, want to actually hear that you are looking for balance. Try telling that to a haggard senior associate who just worked 425 hours, can t remember what her kids look like or exactly the last time he saw his house and it s only the 15 th of the month. This is one phrase that may be better left unsaid. 8. I want a raise like Susie s. Raises are not based on your colleague s increase. Justifying an increase in salary because your neighbor in the next cubical is earning more than you will not cause employers to pony up. True, market rates play an important part in what you earn. However, employers pay for performance and do not feel competitive about people in their own firm. Go back to your performance, kudos, billable hours, knowledge, surveys, and gung-ho attitude to justify an increase. You ll do much better. 9. It s somewhere on my desk. Oh, dear. I can t even tackle this one, it s so deadly. 10. I want to move to a corporation so I can work fewer hours, move up the corporate ladder and have less stress. Better check out that corporation first! In some companies, the pressure is on to keep as much work in-house as they can rather than send it to outside counsel I hear these phrases all the time and can only tell you that if you are telling yourself any of the above, you might want to scrutinize your messages to the world and to yourself. You may find out why you re not feeling the love. Careers are fluid and attitude goes a long way in what happens on that journey. Take the time to change your attitude and you ll find that you ve changed the way you think and the way the world looks at you. Not a bad way to have a career! Chere Estrin Looking to advance your career? Litigation Support is one of the hottest areas in the legal field. In many major cities, salaries can run from $85,000 to $200,000 for the right person. Learn how to manage projects and teams and demonstrate greater skills to your firm or in-house legal department. Learn more now about PKI's Litigation Support Project Management Program.

11 Spring 2013, Page 11 Director of National Affairs By: Stephanie McConaghy, DCP On April 18, 2013, the President of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Robert Hrouda, RP, was the guest speaker at the DPA National Affairs Luncheon held at the Wilmington Sheraton Suites. Mr. Hrouda provided the DPA members with a brief history of the formation of the Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) Rule in the state of Washington. The LLLT Rule was first proposed in 2008 by the Practice of Law Board (POLB) and was finally adopted on June 15, 2012 by the Washington Supreme Court. The LLLT Rule authorizes non-attorneys who meet certain educational requirements to advise clients on specific areas of law. While the sticking point in getting this rule adopted in additional states boils down to who will remain responsible for monitoring the paralegals, the LLLT Rule is pushing on. The state of New York has asked a partnership of the ABA and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association to investigate the possibility of bringing the LLLT Rule to their state. Mr. Hrouda stated that New York has proposed to first utilize the LLLT Rule in the pro bono field. In closing, Mr. Hrouda stressed the importance of getting involved in the local legal community and networking to enhance the profession. Earlier this month it was published in the California Bar Journal that the state of California has been studying the idea of limited-practice licensing. Following a bar retreat in January, the California State Bar s Board of Trustees have begun looking for ways to increase consumer protection and expand legal services to poor Californians. The California Bar studied the idea of licensing in the late 1980s and early 1990s while ABA did so in the mid-1990s. While nothing came to fruition in the state of California, all studies supported the concept. If Washington State s experience and California s history is any indication, it could be a long and contentious road ahead It s clear that change and expansion are happening in our field. Our profession is evolving and education should be encouraged on a local level. We had over 40 members attend the DPA National Affairs Luncheon. Thank you to all who attended! I will continue to monitor local, regional, and national paralegal regulation and practice guidelines and I look forward to working diligently to provide current and relevant information to the DPA. If you have any questions, or know of any regulatory activity that is of importance, please feel free to contact me at sam@maronmarvel.com.

12 Spring 2013, Page 12 TRUST MERGER: WHAT S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER The ability to merge trusts can be a very attractive strategy for migrating a trust from another state to Delaware. Of course, in many circumstances it will be possible to simply remove a trustee and appoint a successor in Delaware, and many trust instruments provide flexible provisions that allow for the change of situs and governing law. However, in some instances, when a trust is migrated to Delaware, it may be necessary to modify the choice of law or situs provisions of the trust instrument or make other modifications to the trust, such as converting the trust to a directed trust. It is important to note that under the laws of many states, these modifications can be accomplished before, or contemporaneous with, the migration of the trust. These options include court orders, non-judicial modification and decanting. Those options are available under the laws of many states. For example, twenty-four States plus the District of Columbia have enacted the Uniform Trust Code which includes provisions for the judicial and non-judicial modification of trusts. As of the date of this piece, those States are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. In addition, the Uniform Trust Code was introduced in 2013 in Montana and New Jersey. As of the date of this piece, eighteen states have enacted decanting legislation and at least two other states have proposed statutes. The States that currently have decanting statutes are: New York, Alaska, Delaware, Tennessee, Florida, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Michigan. The two states where decanting statutes have been proposed are: South Carolina and Colorado. Merger A Well-Established Concept The concept of trust merger is a well-established legal principal. Using merger to transfer an entity from one state to another is also firmly embedded in the corporate and alternative entities laws as well as the tax laws. Non-Delaware corporations routinely re-domesticate in Delaware by merging with and into a newlycreated Delaware corporation under Delaware General Corporation Laws Section 252. Indeed this has been such a long-standing and well-settled process, that the Internal Revenue Service provided guidance on the issue 40 years ago, determining that the surviving corporation is treated as the same corporation as the transferor corporation for Federal income tax purposes. See Rev. Rul , C.B Sections 263 and 264 of the Delaware General Corporation Laws allow a partnership or limited liability company to merge with an into a Delaware corporation. There are similar statutes under the alternative entity laws. See Delaware Revised Limited Partnership Act Section and Delaware Limited Liability Company Act Section Those sections actually include common law trusts among the entities that can merge with and into a Delaware limited partnership or limited liability company. These transactions are commonplace in the commercial setting.

13 Spring 2013, Page 13 Cont. from page 13 Delaware s Trust Merger Law Under Section 3325(29) of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, a trustee of a Delaware trust has the power to: Merge any 2 or more trusts, whether or not created by the same trustor, to be held and administered as a single trust if such a merger would not result in a material change in the beneficial interests of the trust beneficiaries, or any of them, in the trust. This can be a very useful tool for combining substantially similar trusts to achieve economies of scale. It can also be an effective strategy for migrating an existing non-delaware trust into Delaware, by merging the existing trust with and into a new Delaware trust. The surviving Delaware trust could be administered under Delaware law and could include some administrative differences from the original trust, such as including a directed trustee provision. This should be possible, even if the original trust is exempt from generation skipping transfer tax because there is a safe harbor in the Treasury Regulations for a trust merger. See Teas. Reg (b)(4)(E) Example 6. Other States Statutes Section 417 of the Uniform Trust Code provides trustees with the power to merge and combine trusts. It states: After notice to the qualified beneficiaries, a trustee may combine two or more trusts into a single trust or divide a trust into two or more separate trusts, if the result does not impair rights of any beneficiary or adversely affect achievement of the purposes of the trust. Including Delaware, there are 36 states plus the District of Columbia that authorize trust mergers by statute without court approval. Those states are: AlabamaArizona Arkansas Delaware District of Columbia Florida Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming Additionally, there are 6 other states that allow mergers with some level of court intervention. Those states are California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, Rhode Island.

14 Spring 2013, Page 14 Cont. from page 14 Generally, the statutes allow a merger with another trust so long as there is no material change in the beneficial interests of the trust beneficiaries. Many trust instruments include express merger provisions and this is also generally true of such provisions. Consequently, it should be possible to merge an existing trust into a new Delaware trust, the administration of which is governed by Delaware law and which includes changes to various administrative provisions, to take advantage of beneficial Delaware laws. Three states (Connecticut, New York, New Jersey) allow a trustee to hold two or more trusts as a single trust (essentially to merge) in the case of trusts created under the same governing instrument. Those statutes are not helpful with respect to migrating trusts to Delaware. The remaining states (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin) appear to have no statutory merger power available to trustees. The Process The process for a trust merger involves several steps. First, one must ensure that the existing trust instrument or current governing law of the original trust enable the trustee to merge the trust. If this can be accomplished, then the trustee of the original trust will need to perform a risk assessment and determine whether it can become comfortable with exercising the discretion to merge the original trust with and into the new Delaware trust. The exercise of discretion will likely be analyzed under an abuse of discretion standard. The trustee of the original trust will also need to consider whether it will require releases from the beneficiaries and how virtual representation may bind the minor and unborn beneficiaries. All of this will generally be analyzed under the laws governing the original trust and will pertain to the non-delaware trustee. There will also need to be a new valid and existing Delaware trust, governed by Delaware law, which will be the survivor of the merger. The parties will need to consider whether the trust instrument for this new trust will be a declaration of trust or a trust agreement, and who (if anyone) will be the nominal grantor of the new trust). The parties should also consider all income and transfer tax issues. Once each of these steps has been accomplished, the trustee of the original trust will need to merge that trust with and into the new Delaware trust pursuant to some written instrument memorializing the exercise of discretion to merge. The new Delaware trust could be a Delaware directed trust, the administration of which is governed by Delaware law or could take advantage of any of the other advantages of Delaware trust law and the Delaware jurisdiction.

15 Spring 2013, Page 15 Making the Most of Your Membership by Denise M. Chigges, DCP Membership Director We wish you the very best of summer and look forward to your participation in DPA events throughout the coming year. If you are interested in participating on the Continuing Legal Education, Kent County, National Affairs, Pro Bono, Programs (Luncheons), Special Events (i.e., Paralegal-Attorney events in all counties, Annual Meeting, Law Day, etc.), Sussex County, Newsletter and Mentoring Committee or have any questions regarding upcoming events and opportunities to volunteer, feel free to reach out to let the Board of Directors know of your interest. Their contact information may be found at While we continue to provide information on upcoming events through regular mailings and/or notice, you can also log onto DPA's website at for up-tothe-minute information. You will also find valuable information on the Member's Only page of the website including the DPA Bylaws, the Job Bank with current vacancies, process for joining the Blood Bank, current and past newsletters and a membership directory. Check out our DPA Sponsors on our website at the advertising page Should you misplace your user name and password, or if you encounter any difficulties accessing the Member s Only page, please contact Sandra Rothermel, IT Director, at sarothermel@yahoo.com. Did you know that your membership in the is portable? If you move out of town, out of state or just down the street, simply provide updated contact information to your Membership Director, Denise Chigges, at dchigges@elzufon.com or (302) to ensure continued receipt of newsletters and updates. Thank you for your membership, support and participation in the DPA during the membership year. Our current fiscal year ended on June 30 th and our season is here. Congratulations to Jacqueline Brown, DCP of Cooch & Taylor, P.A. who won FREE membership for one year at the Annual Meeting on June 20. A BIG thanks to all members who have already renewed. You will be receiving your confirmation of renewed membership shortly! We look forward to everyone s continued participation. So if you missed the renewal deadline, if your status has changed or you have any questions regarding your eligibility for renewal or any other questions/concerns, please contact me at dchigges@elzufon.com or (302) Lastly, thank you for re-electing me to serve as your Membership Director. I enjoyed meeting you at our Annual Meeting and look forward to meeting each of you in person. I am always available should you have any questions regarding your membership.

16 Spring 2013, Page 16 The will be featuring individuals in our profession who have been nominated as the Spotlight Member of the month. The Spotlight Member is an individual who is devoted to the paralegal profession, has continued to strive for excellence in our field and one who is dedicated to their specific area of the law. Congratulations!!! Insert Member Here Terry Sack How did you get started in your legal career? I knew since I was in 7th grade that I wanted to be a legal secretary-at the time I wasn't sure I could be an attorney!! I attended Wesley College when it was still a two year college and graduated with my legal secretary degree and paralegal certificate. What is your current specialty and how did you get started in that field? I work for Hudson, Jones, Jaywork & Fisher. I started when the firm was relatively small and was the receptionist, runner, secretary, did the franchise tax reports and many other duties. I m now a real estate paralegal and persona secretary and I handle settlements for the firm. I have worked in this office since September of 1979, which will be 34 years!! What are some of the responsibilities that give you the most satisfaction? Least satisfaction? The firms practice has changed over the years from criminal work and then estates, wills and estate planning, representing the Lake Forest School District, etc. As secretaries came and went from the firm my role changed from a personal secretary to handling real estate closings. This type of work doesn t allow for me to explore other kinds of area s of law. I concentrate on closings. The days go by very fast and everything is time sensitive. Sometimes this pace gets to be a lot but I work with really nice people. What could you tell a prospective DPA member about the benefits of joining this organization? I really enjoy attending our DPA meetings here in Kent County to experience different areas of the law and to be able to put faces with those we deal with over the phone and via I hope the profession continues to grow and I can see the invaluable asset paralegals are to their bosses. Being a member of the organization is very rewarding, helps keep you up to date and to be introduced to the changing times of profession. If you would like to nominate a fellow colleague who has an interesting story, feel free to send the individual s name and contact information to Susan Mayer Smith at sms@maronmarvel.com. The nominee must be a member of DPA.

17 Spring 2013, Page 17 use the designation Delaware Certified Paralegal or DCP. On May 12, 2005, the Board of Directors approved the Delaware Certified Paralegal (DCP) Program in an effort to continue to promote a high level of education and professionalism, and to encourage continuing legal education for Delaware paralegals. Paralegals seeking the DCP certification must be Full members of DPA, and meet certain education and work experience requirements to submit an application. This is a voluntary certification program. The DCP Committee will examine the qualifications of each applicant for certification and determine whether the applicant meets the necessary requirements. Approved applicants will be issued a certificate indicating certification by the DPA. The paralegal can then use the designation Delaware Certified Paralegal or DCP. Paralegals who are approved for DCP certification must follow DPA s Code of Ethics and renew their certification status every two years. The renewal process consists of completing at least eight hours of continuing legal education with at least one of the eight hours covering ethics. DCP CLE credits will be offered at various monthly DPA lecture luncheons, lunch & learns and other CLE events throughout the year. In addition, there are many other avenues for DCPs to pursue to obtain applicable CLE credit. Please see for more information and for an application. C Board Directory Website: info@deparalegals.org OFFICERS Alyson D. Poppiti, DCP President apoppiti@mnat.com Shannon J. Hamlin, DCP Vice President shamlin@potteranderson.com Kristine Neuhauser, DCP Secretary Kristine.neuhauser@ubs.com Adam Kuhn, DCP Treasurer akuhn@morganlewis.com DIRECTORS Denise Chigges, DCP Membership dmchigges@mail.widener.edu Amanda Willey Programs ajw@maronmarvel.com Mahassein Johnson CLE Mahassein.Johnson@dbr.com Sharyn Hallman, DCP Job Bank shallman@coochtaylor.com Susan Mayer Smith, DCP Newsletter sms@maronmarvel.com Steve Bridgett, DCP Pro Bono sbridgett@coochtaylor.com Patricia Finn Magee, DCP Public Relations patricia.magee@state.de.us Sandra A. Rothermel, DCP Information Technology sarothermel@yahoo.com Tiffany Matthews, DCP Special Projects tmatthews@bayardlaw.com Stephanie A. McConaghy, DCP National Affairs sam@maronmarvel.com Susanne Whitney, DCP Kent County Susanne@johnrgarey.com Dawn M. Carey, DCP Sussex County dawnc_law@verizon.net Available Director-at-Large Anthony Iannini, AACP, DCP, Board Advisor ANT1@aol.com PaCP, NJCP

18 Spring 2013, Page 18 The DPA Wall of...fame

19 Spring 2013, Page 19 Cont. from Page 20 Wall of Fun

20 Spring 2013, Page 20 Advertise in The Reporter Per Issue Full Year 1/4 page $80 $280 1/2 page $100 $360 Full page $120 $400 The Reporter is published four times per year. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute DPA endorsement. Those interested in advertising should contact SUSAN MAYER SMITH, DCP, Newsletter Editor. The Reporter is the official publication of the. The subscription rate is included in the membership dues. Non-members may also subscribe for $50 per year. Articles published in The Reporter reflect the views and opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of DPA, its editors or officers. The information published is based solely on submitted written material, and DPA assumes no responsibility for verification of the information submitted. Articles may not be reprinted without the consent of DPA and the author. DPA does not endorse the opinions, services or products appearing in published articles or advertisements. Letters to the Editor are encouraged, but they must be signed in order to be published. The Editor reserves the right to edit material for clarity and space.