Great Lakes Paralegal Association An Affiliate of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.

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1 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2016 A Message From Your GLPA President Cheryl J. Nodarse, ACP Advanced Certified The Fitbit Approach IN THIS ISSUE: I received a Fitbit for Christmas. It certainly won t, by itself, make me more active or get me in better shape, but it is a tool to help me reach my personal goals. If you go on the Fitbit website ( under the About Us section, you will find the following message: We're a passionate team dedicated to health and fitness who are building products that help transform people's lives. While health can be serious business, we feel it doesn't have to be. We believe you're more likely to reach your goals if you're encouraged to have fun, smile, and feel empowered along the way. We would like for you to think of Great Lakes in the same way. We can t single-handedly build you a successful paralegal career, but we are dedicated to helping you reach your professional goals. And we want you to have the fun of meeting other cool legal professionals along the way. When you think about GLPA, remember the Fitbit model and let us assist you in a similar manner. Featured Board Member Continuing Legal Education Opportunities Employment Opportunities Advertising Rates GLPA Membership and Committee Member Information Under the heading of Activity Tracker you will find that, just within the past week, we have offered two interesting presentations that both fall under the heading of real estate law but had different and interesting twists: One was on the Michigan condemnation procedure, where Lansing Attorney Kirby Albright explained a landowner s rights and protections, and how a bright yellow yard stick was a highly effective trial exhibit; and the other was on the work of the Detroit Land Bank, where Detroit Attorney Tammy Daniels explained what is being done to combat blight in the city that boasts some of the most glamorous and more dilapidated neighborhoods of our great state. We at GLPA find that presentation offerings are a lot like exercise routines: The key is variety. That s why our upcoming presentations focus on vastly different areas: Estate Planning in February, where East Lansing Attorney Lee Reimann will explain the critical importance of family meetings; and Tax Law in March, where Lansing Attorney Jim Mauro will explain what happens if you don t file tax returns or heaven forbid are audited. And we have so much more to come. That s the beauty of our business: There seems to be an infinite variety of legal topics and top-notch legal professionals to present on them. So, like Fitbit, we encourage you to stay active with us.

2 Featured GLPA Board Member: Amy Cumbow, CP This month, our Featured Member is myself, Amy Cumbow. In 2005 I began taking general classes at Lansing Community College and quickly decided that a career as a legal assistant would be right for me. I graduated from LCC in 2009 with an Associate s Degree in Studies. 11 years later I am sure I made the right choice. Currently I am a legal secretary at Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C. in Lansing and I work supporting two shareholders who specialize in environmental, business, and real estate law. However, my experience in the legal field has reached into the family, criminal, and probate law areas as well. In 2013 my sister-in-law sent me information about a new paralegal group, the Great Lakes, that was meeting at her place of work after hours. I decided it would be good to visit this meeting and get some information. While I had attended a handful of legal education seminars and networking events in the past, they were few and far between and I felt I needed to get out there a little more. Now, three years later, I am happy to be involved in the Great Lakes for many reasons. In 2014, after attending Kelly LaGrave s very helpful study group, I passed the CP exam and am proud to say I obtained my Certification through the National of Legal Assistants. I have enjoyed attending various educational events that GLPA has organized, all of which have contributed to the legal education hours needed to maintain my Certification. I am also excited to be involved with the GLPA Board and the publishing of the monthly newsletter. I am the mother of one teenage daughter and in addition to my involvement with GLPA, I also enjoy drawing, live music, the beach, and hiking (especially out west!). Cheryl Kirby Amy Another Successful Event!!! Our group enjoyed hosting several members and non-members at the educational lunch with attorney Kirby Albright on January 26. Besides enjoying Jimmy John s, we learned valuable information about condemnation procedures, both from a landowner and condemning agency perspective. Thanks to Kirby Albright for taking the time to speak to our group!

3 GLPA s UPCOMING EVENTS February 22 How to Conduct Successful Family Meetings Presented by Attorney Lee Reimann, East Lansing, MI FREE after hours continuing legal education opportunity for members! March 16 What Happens if You Don t File Taxes? Presented by Attorney James Mauro, Lansing, MI FREE lunch hour continuing legal education opportunity for members! May 6 Annual Day of Education Full Day of Continuing Legal Education in partnership with SBM /Legal Assistant Section, Lansing, MI Seminar information and registration details coming soon. May CP Crash Course, Eastwood Hyatt, Lansing, MI Two-day study course for NALA s Certified exam. Course and registration details coming soon. And stay tuned for even more GLPA events to be scheduled for 2016! In addition, NALA has a full schedule of continuing education offerings. Go to for more details.

4 with Lee Reimann of Willingham & Coté, P.C. Lee Reimann specializes in the areas of Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, and Corporate Law. In her vast experience, she has found that the full details of one s legacy cannot be fully implemented alone. Important conversations need to be held among family members about healthcare choices, living arrangements, boundaries, and money. Learn about how Ms. Reimann conducts family conferences to clarify the directives of her clients. This session is of particular interest to all paralegals who work in the Estate Planning area, and should be of general interest to all the rest of us as we, and/or our parents, map out future plans. DATE: Monday, February 22, 2016 TIME: 6:00 PM PLACE: Willingham & Coté, P.C. 333 Albert Ave Ste 500 East Lansing, MI COST: FREE for Members; $10 for Non-Members ONE HOUR OF CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION RSVP required by Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. RSVP TO: Terri Bolyard, Treasurer (tbolyard@fosterswift.com)

5 with James F. Mauro of Dickinson Wright PLLC As a highly skilled tax controversy attorney, James Mauro served for almost a decade as counsel for the U.S. Department of Treasury representing the IRS in audit, appeal, collection, and criminal cases. In 1996 Mr. Mauro left the government for private practice and represents individuals, small businesses, and major corporations in tax and general business matters including tax audits, appeals, litigation, and the resolution of tax liabilities. Please join us for what is sure to be a very informative and important hour of legal education! DATE: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 TIME: 12:00-1:00 PM PLACE: Dickinson Wright 215 S Washington Sq Ste 200 Lansing, MI COST: FREE for Members; $10 for Non-Members ONE HOUR OF CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION RSVP required by Monday, March 14, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. RSVP TO: Terri Bolyard, Treasurer (tbolyard@fosterswift.com)

6 AVAILABLE PARALEGAL POSITIONS Current paralegal openings: Troy: Probate and estate planning area, with special knowledge in no-fault guardianships. Southfield: Probate and estate planning area, with special knowledge in elder law, including veterans, Medicaid and social security benefits. Please forward a resume as a Word document to the following: Linda Jevahirian Legal Search & Management, Inc. linda@legalsearchonline.net (248) Does your office have an opening for a? If so, GLPA will post the position description here in the GLPA News and/or on our Facebook page, free of charge. Advertise Your Legal Business or Service in Our Monthly Newsletter! ADVERTISING RATES: Full Page - $100/issue ½ Page - $65/issue ¼ Page - $35/issue Business Card - $20/issue contact Cheryl Nodarse at cnodarse@woodworthlawpc.com

7 BECOME A GLPA MEMBER TODAY! Networking is a key element in the success of your career. The Great Lakes 's goal is to foster professional and personal growth of paralegals in Michigan. This includes paralegal students who are entering the work force and those paralegals with experience who have been working in all areas of the law. The will provide networking opportunities, mentoring, continuing education programs, and assistance with national certification. Member Benefits Up to date information on issues and trends in the paralegal profession, both locally and nationally. Continuing legal educational opportunities. Discounted rate on all GLPA programs and events. Networking opportunities to meet with legal professionals in your local community. Waiver of initiation fee to become a NALA member. NALA "Facts & Findings" subscription is available at a discounted rate of $25 per year. Visit to complete the membership application GLPA BOARD & COMMITTEE MEMBERS POSITION NAME President Cheryl Nodarse, ACP cnodarse@woodworthlawpc.com President Elect Melissa Vela melissavela78@gmail.com Secretary Telisa Ahn, ACP Telisa.Ahn@dematic.com Treasurer Terri Bolyard tbolyard@fosterswift.com NALA Liaison Kelly LaGrave, ACP klagrave@fosterswift.com Board Member David Bowker, ACP daveb0422@comcast.net Board Member Kelly Preuss, CP kelly@linguisticarete.com Vendor Committee Chair Student Liaison Lisa Branch branchl@michigan.gov Newsletter Committee Co-Chair Amy Cumbow, CP acumbow@fraserlawfirm.com Newsletter Committee Co-Chair Meredith Erickson mlperickson@comcast.net LEGAL DISCLAIMER: We at Great Lakes (GLPA) are not lawyers and we do not provide legal, business, or tax advice. Our sites, services, and publications are not intended to substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. We recommend you consult an attorney or other appropriate professional if you need legal, business, or tax advice.