The Westin Copley Place, Boston

EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN BOSTON’S BACK BAY IN STYLE

The group rate is $249/night for single or double, $30 per additional guest. The group rate link will be provided in the in-person conference registration confirmation email.

Complimentary Wi-Fi is included

Reserve online or call 617-262-9600 without the group rate

Step into a AAA Four-Diamond hotel in downtown Boston’s celebrated Back Bay area — a short stroll from fine dining destinations and upscale clothing stores in the popular Copley Place shopping mall. The Westin Copley Place, Boston welcomes guests with modern hotel accommodations and signature touches. Boston Symphony Hall, Fenway Park and other downtown attractions are within easy reach of our hotel. Take time to discover our exceptional amenities, including the 24-hour Westin WORKOUT® Fitness Studio, an on-site day spa, several delicious restaurants and a welcoming lobby bar. In the evening, retreat to beautifully appointed hotel rooms and suites featuring stylish decor, the plush Westin Heavenly® Bed and spacious bathrooms. With an impressive 57,493 square feet of contemporary event space, our hotel is also a leading wedding and conference destination in downtown Boston. We look forward to providing you with an unforgettable stay at The Westin Copley Place, Boston in the Back Bay.

Full In-Person Conference

In-person all access, earn up to 13 hours of CLE, complimentary access to recording bundle after conference

• Early Rate ends May 12: $575 for members; $625 for non-members; $199 for Student members
• Standard Rate May 13 – June 23:  $645 for members; $695 for non-members; $299 for Student members
• Late Rate June 24 – July 12:  $695 for members; $725 for non-members; $399 for Student members

Virtual Conference

Virtual access, earn up to 13 hours of CLE, discounted access to recording bundle (an ADDITIONAL $50 discount is applied if bundle is purchased PRIOR to conference)

• Early Rate ends May 12:  $169 for members; $209 for non-members; $99 for Student members
• Standard Rate May 13 – June 23:  $199 for members; $249 for non-members; $149 for Student members
• Late Rate June 24 – July 12:  $249 for members; $299 for non-members; $199 for Student members

Single Day Pass (in-person only)

In-person access to all activities during any single day of the conference, earn up to 6 hours of CLE, discounted access to recording bundle (may purchase more than one Single Day Pass)

Wednesday Only

Thursday Only

Friday Only

• Early Rate ends May 12:  $225 for members per day; $250 for non-members per day
• Standard Rate May 13 – June 23:  $250 for members per day; $275 for non-members per day
• Late Rate June 24 – July 12:  $275 for members per day; $295 for non-members per day

Registration Form (PDF)

NALA has several opportunities for our sponsors and exhibitors to connect with our attendees.

2023 NALA Media Kit

2023 Conference Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Form – Online

2023 Conference Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Form – PDF

Expo Hall Map

 

SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS

Sponsors

Silver Sponsor(s)

InfoTrack integrates with popular legal software to streamline the litigation workflow. By automatically syncing client data, case documents, and billing information, InfoTrack helps law firms manage eFiling, process serving, eSignatures, and more with greater speed and accuracy. With InfoTrack, law firms have the power to improve productivity and increase profitability.

Logikcull is a cloud-based discovery platform trusted by hundreds of in-house legal teams, Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Government, Am Law 200 firms, and thousands of other organizations, to automate discovery and legal holds for disputes & investigations without increasing headcount and while dramatically reducing legal spend.

QuikData brings simplicity and affordability to eDiscovery. We believe your eDiscovery partner should provide value, enabled by the most powerful and user-friendly technology available today.

Our secure and scalable infrastructure is built with paralegal work top of mind, within a system backed by experienced and high-quality support. QuikData provides paralegals powerful processing, key insights, and the ability to quickly work-up productions in an affordable and easy manner. Simple to learn features give you quick results without the need for complex training, additional staffing, or a “degree” in eDiscovery!

We are a proud sponsor and supporter of NALA, please visit us as we are excited to make new connections and learn about your experience as a paralegal!

Bronze Sponsor

Proof is disrupting the service of process industry, creating the first technology of its kind to directly connect organizations with a national network of independent professional process servers for the delivery of legal documents. Thousands of organizations each month use Proof’s revolutionary technology to save time and money.

Happy Hour Co-Sponsor

Serving legal professionals in law firms, general counsel offices and corporate legal departments with data-driven decision-making tools. We streamline legal and regulatory research, analysis, and workflows to drive value to organizations, ensuring more transparent, just, and safe societies.

 

Exhibitors

Capitol Lien delivers accurate, reliable, and timely due diligence and risk mitigation services to professionals nationwide. Clients leverage our unparalleled customer support, user-friendly technology, and industry expertise to make decisions with confidence.

Providing services nationally from UCCs, Intellectual Property, Corporate, Financial, and Real Estate, Capitol Lien’s mastery of records research and due diligence is a Paralegal’s key resource to get the job done right the first time.

Covering every aspect of records, research, and risk mitigation, Capitol Lien is your partner in due diligence when diligence is due.

Capitol Services is a different kind of service company. For more than four decades, we have remained committed to providing personal and accommodating customer service to corporate and legal professionals nationwide. Capitol Services goes Above and Beyond to give our clients the service they deserve. It is actually our daily standard. Whether it is corporate filing or lien searching, document recording or retrieval, registered agent services or annual report management, Capitol Services handles our clients’ important tasks quickly, correctly, and with a smile. Learn about the Capitol Services difference at www.capitolservices.com/our-story

CobbleStone Software provides award-winning contract management and procurement software to automate and streamline the contract management process. CobbleStone Contract Insight® is a web-based, user-friendly solution with advanced features that benefit contract, procurement, and risk professionals in large and small organizations throughout both the public and private sector.

CSC is the trusted partner of choice for more than 90% of the Fortune 500®, more than 90% of the 100 Best Global Brands®, and more than 70% of the PEI 300. We are the world’s leading provider of global business administration and compliance solutions, specialized administration services to alternative asset managers across a range of fund strategies, transactions involving capital markets participants in both public and private markets, domain name system management, and digital brand and fraud protection, and corporate tax software solutions.

Founded in 1899 and headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, CSC prides itself on being privately held and professionally managed for more than 120 years. CSC has office locations and capabilities in more than 140 jurisdictions across Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. We are a global company capable of doing business wherever our clients are—and we accomplish that by employing experts in every business we serve.

Successful modern legal practices require an expert in Digital Forensics and eDiscovery. Let Cybertek Forensics, Inc. (CYFI) assist with common issues confronted in these domains. CYFI is a subsidiary of TDI Technologies, a DoD Cybersecurity R&D service contractor.

Delaware Corporate Services Inc. (DCS) is a Corporation Service Company. We have over 35 years in the legal service industry working to provide the highest level of personalized service to our clients, professionally and efficiently, while continually striving to exceed expectations. We are a Registered Agent in all 50 States and offer many services throughout the US and Internationally.

DCS is special because we offer:

• Personalized service provided by competent staff
• Competitive pricing
• Simple forms to complete
• Efficient same day turn around service

Any one of our talented team members can assist you. You are not just a client for us…you are a partner.

IBCF is a premier provider of international corporate services for legal and tax professionals, corporations, and corporate service companies. We offer a wide variety of services including, but not limited to, entity formations, registered agent/registered office, document retrievals and apostille/legalization services in all 50 states, US Territories, and international jurisdictions. Through our vast network of international resources, we are able to offer our clients bespoke and competitively priced corporate service solutions. With our experience over the past 20 years, we have simplified the intricacies of domestic and international corporate transactions.

After 42 years, NAEGELI Deposition & Trial has perfected the art of court reporting and litigation support by pushing the boundaries of technology and exemplary service. Our Nationwide team of professionals offers the best in Court Reporting, Remote Depositions, Videography, Transcription, Interpreting, Copying and Scanning, and Trial Presentation. NAEGELI provides the industry’s best in trial support services that are specifically designed to give you a competitive advantage in your case, whether remote or in person. Experience the NAEGELI advantage of case winning solutions by trusting us with your court reporting and litigation needs.

NAPPS is the largest trade association for process servers in the United States. With over 2,300 members worldwide we have professional servers where you need them.

Ontellus is the nation’s largest full-service procurer of records in the workers’ compensation, vehicle & bodily injury, general liability, and medical malpractice verticals. Processing nearly four million requests annually, Ontellus provides technology-enabled records retrieval, claims management solutions, and medical canvassing nationally; supporting insurance carriers, self-insureds, law firms, and TPAs.

United Corporate Services (“UCS”)provides registered agent services in all 50 states and U.S. territories as well as in select international jurisdictions. With 50 plus years of experience in the legal services industry, UCS partners you with a highly skilled staff of Client Service Representatives who can help with navigating through the complexities of forming and maintaining companies for yourself or your client.

Most of the 2023 NALA Conference sessions will be recorded. These recorded sessions will include the presenter’s video and all session handouts for a visual re-creation.

For details on this bundle please click here.

Note: If you already received credit for a session you attended during the live conference (either as an In-Person attendee or a Virtual attendee), you are not eligible to obtain duplicate CLE for the same recorded version. On-demand access to the recordings are available for 1-year.

 

COVID-19 Safety & Conference Policies

In-Person Attendees, including single day pass holders, who cancel their registration by June 23, 2023, will receive a 100% refund. Cancelations made after June 23^rd and prior to July 7^th will be charged a $100 processing fee. There will be no refunds after July 7^th.

Virtual Attendees who cancel seven or more days prior to conference (by July 5, 2023) will receive a 100% refund. There will be no virtual refunds after July 5^th.

All cancelation requests must be made in writing to nalanet@nala.org.

View conference FAQs here

Description: How do you get paid while maximizing profitability and keeping the client happy? Proper and ethical billing techniques are vital to the success of any law firm and don’t have to be as daunting as they may seem. Let’s face it – time is money! This course will teach you the ethics of legal billing, the importance of timely billing and invoicing, and best billing practices and strategies for becoming a savvy timekeeper.

Presented by: Kendal Cantrell received her B.A. in political science from Millsaps College in 1995 and achieved her CP certification through NALA in May 2006. She holds advanced certifications through NALA in Personal Injury/Auto Accidents and Family Law – Child Custody, Support, and Visitation. She has been a paralegal for more than 28 years, having worked for Major General T.K. Moffett (ret.) in his private law practice for more than 20 years. She is currently a litigation paralegal with Phelps Dunbar in Tupelo, Mississippi. Kendal has extensive litigation experience in family law/domestic relations cases, personal injury cases, and employment matters, and she handles cases at the administrative, state, and federal levels. She has also served on the Paralegal Advisory Board at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi, since 2016.

Kendal lives in Amory, Mississippi, with her husband, Andy, and her two sons, Reece (19), and Brooks (10).

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Non-substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session is designed as an advanced dive into Chapter 13 practice. An overview of Chapter 13 is provided to understand the types of debts and assets commonly dealt with in Chapter 13. Then we dig into how Chapter 13 plans are crafted, what types of provisions can be included, and how payments are calculated. Once the plan is filed, all kinds of motions and objections can be filed. Understanding how Chapter 13 winds its way through the court system helps to spot issues and draft pleadings often needed in complicated reorganization cases.

Presented by: Jen Lee is a bankruptcy attorney (or, as she likes to call it, a debt and credit strategy attorney) and is licensed in California and North Dakota. She often speaks at bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations both on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt and on law practice management.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Advanced

Description: This course will help you set yourself up for a seamless trial from the beginning, including how to prepare for trial and assist in one at the counsel table.

Presented by: Amy McGuigan, CP, CEDS, is a senior paralegal at Swanson & McNamara LLP, a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, she worked for the federal public defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years, where she assisted in several trials, including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. Amy is a certified eDiscovery specialist, holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery certifications, as well as certifications in CMFF (Cellebrite Mobile Forensic Fundamentals) and digital forensics. She has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. She is the vice president of the San Francisco Paralegal Association, chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco Paralegal Section, and director of the San Francisco Chapter of Women in eDiscovery.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Non-substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: This session will explore Eighth Amendment standards governing correctional uses of force as interpreted by the court in Whitley v. Albers (1986) and Hudson v. McMillian (1992), as well as the concept of deliberate indifference and federal statutes that prohibit unnecessary or excessive uses of force. Upon completion, attendees should have a working knowledge of differences in assessing law enforcement uses of force and correctional uses of force, the Eighth Amendment’s cruel and unusual standard, elements considered by the court in assessing a correctional use of force, the concept of deliberate indifference applied to correctional uses of force, and elements of an excessive force action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Presented by: Joseph Koenig is a retired special agent turned paralegal with four decades of experience in the criminal justice industry. As a narcotics investigator, state trooper, SWAT member, patrol supervisor, and military policeman, he was trained in use-of-force decision making and made those decisions in real-time on a daily basis. He was instructor-certified by federal, state, and military law enforcement training academies and taught use-of-force and criminal investigation classes nationally. As a use-of-force reviewer, he reviewed over 3,000 use-of-force incidents and contributed to a multidisciplinary team effort that resulted in a state agency’s compliance with 11 court-ordered, use-of-force reforms. Joseph currently serves on a team that audits performance of state government agencies, including law enforcement and corrections agencies.

Joseph holds a master’s in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University. He completed 42 additional credit hours of ABA-approved paralegal coursework. He is a recipient of the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to a Law Enforcement Initiative, the Southeast OCDETF Case of the Year Award, the OCDETF Sustained Superior Performance Award, the DEA Outstanding Service Award, and the Optimist Club International Law Enforcement Award.

Joseph’s classes are products of his training, education, and experience and do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of his current or past employers.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Advanced

Description: This session is designed for professionals who want to better understand bankruptcy and the bankruptcy process. An overview is provided of the most recent update to bankruptcy law, the types of debt handled in different kinds of bankruptcies, and the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 for individual and sole proprietor debtors. We will review the intake process and the required disclosures as a debt relief agency under the bankruptcy code. In addition, we will review the types of documents to be collected, signing and filing a bankruptcy case, and what happens after filing for both chapters of bankruptcy. A brief discussion at the end will review the discharge and automatic stay issues that come up when handling bankruptcy cases and bankruptcy litigation.

Presented by: Jen Lee is a bankruptcy attorney (or, as she likes to call it, a debt and credit strategy attorney) and is licensed in California and North Dakota. She often speaks at bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations both on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt and on law practice management.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session assists those preparing for the Certified Paralegal Exam review for the Civil Litigation portion of the Knowledge Exam. The session offers a broad and basic view of the fundamentals of Civil Litigation. It will include discussions in the following areas: (1) Jurisdiction; (2) The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; (3) Pleadings; (4) Discovery; (5) Motion Practice; (6) Trial Process; and (7) Appeal Process.

Presented by: Jill I. Francisco, ACP, is employed as a paralegal with Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, in their Huntington, West Virginia, office. She graduated with a B.A. in criminal justice with a concentration in legal studies from Marshall University. She holds advanced certifications in E-Discovery and Trial Practice. She has been working as a paralegal since 1997.

She was charter president of the Legal Assistants/Paralegals of Southern West Virginia and is currently serving as their NALA liaison. She began her NALA service as a member of the NALA Professional Development Committee. Over the years, she has served as NALA Affiliated Associations secretary and director, treasurer, secretary, second vice president, and vice president. She was the president of NALA from 2018 to 2020.

She serves on the Paralegal Program Advisory Board for Mount West Community & Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia, and is also an adjunct professor for the ABA Approved Paralegal Studies Program. She is also a host of The Paralegal Voice podcast on the Legal Talk Network. She resides in Kenova, West Virginia, with her husband and their son.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This course is designed to examine contract basics by explaining what a contract is and the various contract types. Key elements to most contracts are covered, along with an explanation of how U.S. law governs contractual activity, including enforcement and dispute resolution options and the three requirements of a contract (offer, consideration, and acceptance). The course also examines who can enter a contract, how to approach negotiation, designing a written contract, unfair and improper contracts, contract termination, breach, voiding and rescission claims, and details on special contract situations, including real estate, financing, social contracts, and Internet use.

Presented by: Mekka Crawford-Franklin is associate law professor in Kennesaw State University’s College of Professional Education’s Paralegal Program and associate professor of legal studies at Herzing University. She sits on the Academic Advisory Board at Herzing University and assists with designing the curriculum to support Herzing University students enrolled in the Legal Studies Program. She specializes in teaching Introduction to Law, Civil Litigation, Family Law, and Criminal Law. Her other scholarly and teaching interests include professional responsibility, ethics, bankruptcy law, contracts, legal research and writing, and NALA Certification preparation. She is responsible for drafting proposed legislation for parole and sentencing reform in the state of Georgia. She is a current psychology PhD candidate with a specialization in addictions. She believes an advanced degree in psychology will allow her to link the missing pieces between early childhood traumas that lead to addictions, ultimately resulting in a lifetime of perpetual criminal behaviors when left untreated. Understanding addictions will allow her to zealously and effectively represent criminal defendants who suffer from addictions.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session assists those preparing for the Certified Paralegal Exam, focusing on review for the corporate/commercial law portion of the Knowledge Exam. The session offers a broad and basic view of the fundamentals of corporate and commercial law and will include discussions in the following areas: (1) Basic concepts of various types of business entities, including formation, issues of capitalization, management, ownership, public vs. private, and tax implications; (2) Fiduciary duty, duty of care, duty of loyalty, and the business judgment rule; (3) Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, consolidation, and dissolution; and (4) Anti-trust issues.

Presented by: Kelly A. LaGrave, ACP, has been a paralegal since 1984 and currently works in the legal department at Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Michigan. She specializes in the areas of business compliance, acquisitions, healthcare, and contracts. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University, and holds ACP credentials in Intellectual Property, Real Estate, and Contracts Administration/Contracts Management. She is a frequent speaker to paralegal groups across the country on topics such as business, contracts, ethics, legal essay writing, and certification. She has served NALA in many capacities, including NALA President.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This course is an introduction to substantive and criminal law that includes criminal statutes, search and seizure, arrest, confessions, citizens’ rights, court functions, admissible evidence, and investigative techniques. Emphasis is placed on the practical uses in assisting defense attorneys, including procedural issues for arrest warrants, probable cause hearings, grand juries, and trial issues.

Presented by: Mekka Crawford-Franklin is associate law professor in Kennesaw State University’s College of Professional Education’s Paralegal Program and associate professor of legal studies at Herzing University. She sits on the Academic Advisory Board at Herzing University and assists with designing the curriculum to support Herzing University students enrolled in the Legal Studies Program. She specializes in teaching Introduction to Law, Civil Litigation, Family Law, and Criminal Law. Her other scholarly and teaching interests include professional responsibility, ethics, bankruptcy law, contracts, legal research and writing, and NALA Certification preparation. She is responsible for drafting proposed legislation for parole and sentencing reform in the state of Georgia. She is a current psychology PhD candidate with a specialization in addictions. She believes an advanced degree in psychology will allow her to link the missing pieces between early childhood traumas that lead to addictions, ultimately resulting in a lifetime of perpetual criminal behaviors when left untreated. Understanding addictions will allow her to zealously and effectively represent criminal defendants who suffer from addictions.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session is a review of a legal memorandum for the CP Skills exam, the second exam required for obtaining paralegal certification from NALA. Although a keyword list and more than 30 sample multiple-choice questions will be provided, they will not be the focus of the session. The discussion will touch on the importance of proper grammar and clear writing, as well as the need to practice writing memoranda to prepare for the Skills test. This course introduces the required format of a memorandum to pass the CP Skills exam and a step-by-step approach to writing the memorandum. The session will focus on facts, issues, discussion/analysis, and conclusions. The presentation will discuss a facts scenario, hypothetical statutes for writing the memorandum, and a sample memorandum based on the scenario. The sample memorandum will be dissected showing the different parts and format of the memorandum.

Presented by: Glenn A. Leier is the founder of and administrator for AchieveVia, a company that provides education and review courses for the Certified Paralegal Exam. He is an attorney, paralegal educator, writer, and charity board member in Portland, Oregon. His experience includes serving as managing shareholder of a law firm, teaching real estate law to paralegals for 23 years, serving as general counsel for several corporations, and acting as trustee for revocable living trusts. He served for eight years on NALA’s Certifying Board and Advanced Certifying Board, presented at NALA’s conferences, and wrote for Facts & Findings. He has a BA in journalism from the University of North Dakota and a JD from the University of Utah.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session is a review of the Estate Planning and Probate section of the CP Knowledge Test. The course will focus on keywords and an outline of this area of law. Bonus materials will include more than 30 sample multiple-choice questions and answer explanations. This course is structured and organized to provide a guide for studying for the CP Knowledge Test, including keywords, outline, and sample questions. The session will introduce the main estate planning tools such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and non-probate transfers and the basic requirements of each. Probate administration will be discussed for testate succession and intestate succession.

Presented by: Glenn A. Leier is the founder of and administrator for AchieveVia, a company that provides education and review courses for the Certified Paralegal Exam. He is an attorney, paralegal educator, writer, and charity board member in Portland, Oregon. His experience includes serving as managing shareholder of a law firm, teaching real estate law to paralegals for 23 years, serving as general counsel for several corporations, and acting as trustee for revocable living trusts. He served for eight years on NALA’s Certifying Board and Advanced Certifying Board, presented at NALA’s conferences, and wrote for Facts & Findings. He has a BA in journalism from the University of North Dakota and a JD from the University of Utah.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session will assist those preparing for the Certified Paralegal Exam, focusing on review for the ethics portion of the Knowledge Exam. The session will focus on the following: (1) Ethical responsibilities centering on performance of delegated work; (2) Paralegal professional responsibility; (3) Professional relationships; (4) Client and public contracts; and (5) Attorney code of ethics and discipline.

Presented by: Kelly A. LaGrave, ACP, has been a paralegal since 1984 and currently works in the legal department at Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Michigan. She specializes in the areas of business compliance, acquisitions, healthcare, and contracts. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University, and holds ACP credentials in Intellectual Property, Real Estate, and Contracts Administration/Contracts Management. She is a frequent speaker to paralegal groups across the country on topics such as business, contracts, ethics, legal essay writing, and certification. She has served NALA in many capacities, including NALA President.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Legal Ethics

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session is a review of the Real Estate and Property section of the CP Knowledge Test. The presentation will be an outline focusing on the keywords in this area of law. Participants will also receive more than 30 sample multiple-choice questions and answer explanations. This course introduces a structure to organize participants’ study for the CP Knowledge Test, starting with keywords, supplementing with an outline, and then studying multiple-choice questions. The review course will include a discussion of types of ownership and leases that evolved to present-day real estate interests. The discussion includes the main types of property (real property, personal property, and fixtures) and why the law distinguishes the different types of property. The course introduces offers to buy real estate, financing, surveys, legal descriptions, easements, public and private controls on real estate, deeds, residential and commercial leases, and types of lawsuits involving real estate.

Presented by: Glenn A. Leier is the founder of and administrator for AchieveVia, a company that provides education and review courses for the Certified Paralegal Exam. He is an attorney, paralegal educator, writer, and charity board member in Portland, Oregon. His experience includes serving as managing shareholder of a law firm, teaching real estate law to paralegals for 23 years, serving as general counsel for several corporations, and acting as trustee for revocable living trusts. He served for eight years on NALA’s Certifying Board and Advanced Certifying Board, presented at NALA’s conferences, and wrote for Facts & Findings. He has a BA in journalism from the University of North Dakota and a JD from the University of Utah.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session assists those preparing for the Certified Paralegal Exam review for the Torts portion of the Knowledge Exam. Learning objectives include the following: (1) Knowing the definition of a tort, including the difference between a tort and a criminal act; (2) Understanding how and where different types of cases are filed and tried; (3) Understanding intentional torts, negligence, and strict liability; (4) Studying the Federal Torts Claim Act; and (5) Understanding how common law and state statutory law define the boundaries of tort law.

Presented by: Jill I. Francisco, ACP, is employed as a paralegal with Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, in their Huntington, West Virginia, office. She graduated with a B.A. in criminal justice with a concentration in legal studies from Marshall University. She holds advanced certifications in E-Discovery and Trial Practice. She has been working as a paralegal since 1997.

She was charter president of the Legal Assistants/Paralegals of Southern West Virginia and is currently serving as their NALA liaison. She began her NALA service as a member of the NALA Professional Development Committee. Over the years, she has served as NALA Affiliated Associations secretary and director, treasurer, secretary, second vice president, and vice president. She was the president of NALA from 2018 to 2020.

She serves on the Paralegal Program Advisory Board for Mount West Community & Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia, and is also an adjunct professor for the ABA Approved Paralegal Studies Program. She is also a host of The Paralegal Voice podcast on the Legal Talk Network. She resides in Kenova, West Virginia, with her husband and their son.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: This session will provide a better understanding of the origins of the U.S. legal system and what is contained within the legal system to ensure students will pass the CP Exam.

Presented by: Mary Katherine Mayer, ACP is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trial Practice and Criminal Litigation. Mary works for the Yavapai County Public Defender’s Office in Northern Arizona. She is a member of NALA and the Arizona Paralegal Association, where she is the NALA liaison. Mary enjoys writing articles related to the paralegal field and helping paralegals obtain information to help with their professional and personal wellbeing. In her free time, Mary enjoys spending time with her husband and son, volunteering, and watching sports.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: Participants will learn how to better assist attorneys during complicated appeals of allegations in criminal law, elder law, fraud, misrepresentation, and elder abuse.

Presented by: Jean Gustafson started her legal career early, watching Perry Mason with her family in their basement den. She loved watching Perry Mason strategizing cases in and out of the courtroom, along with his assistant, Della, who would now be considered a paralegal. Jean was hooked upon watching it and followed up her interest in the law by watching LA Law in the 1980s and reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Jean graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1987 with a major in sociology and a minor in history. She attended the University of North Dakota School of Law and spent a semester studying law in Oslo, Norway, in 1990. Jean started her career as a prosecutor but later transitioned into private practice with a concentration in family law. She voluntarily sought out a position as a weekend mental health counselor at a group home for people with serious and persistent mental health problems. She fell in love with helping that population. Her interest in elder law started when she watched the case of a resident under guardianship unfold in the resident’s favor, restoring him to capacity. Jean practices all areas of family law, including seeking and contesting guardianships and conservatorships, protecting family members from adversarial claims filed by family, and retaliatory legal actions. Jean also defends clients when trustee beneficiaries attack the sibling trustee. You can find Jean in the courtroom most days, but the majority of her work is at the office. Jean enjoys researching law and will show paralegals unique ways of assisting attorneys and working with families of elderly people. Jean is a diverse attorney, having been awarded the 2017 Minnesota Lavender Bar Association Fellowship. She is married to her partner, Deborah Erickson. Jean and Deborah live in Greater Minnesota.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Advanced

Description: This session will cover best practices for avoiding ethical violations and UPL and protecting yourself (and your attorney) from violations of the protective order.

Presented by: Amy McGuigan, CP, CEDS, is a senior paralegal at Swanson & McNamara LLP, a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, she worked for the federal public defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years, where she assisted in several trials, including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. Amy is a certified eDiscovery specialist, holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery certifications, as well as certifications in CMFF (Cellebrite Mobile Forensic Fundamentals) and digital forensics. She has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. She is the vice president of the San Francisco Paralegal Association, chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco Paralegal Section, and director of the San Francisco Chapter of Women in eDiscovery.

CLE Hours: 1

CLE Credit: Legal Ethics

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: One of these things is not like the other – or is it? In-house legal operations professionals and paralegals understand that more and more data is created and maintained every day. How do you manage the ever-growing mound of data? What happens when that data contains personal and confidential information for your customers, your employees, and your business clients? What laws and regulatory bodies govern this data, and how do you protect it? In this session, Carl will help you understand the challenges around maintaining this Gordian Knot of data, creating a successful information governance program, and understanding what laws can affect that data.

Presented by:  Carl Morrison is an experienced Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) and award-winning director of legal operations and has been in the legal industry for over two decades. Carl’s highly sought-after speaking expertise has afforded him numerous opportunities to share his devotion to the legal industry. Since 2017, he has been the award-winning podcast host of Legal Talk Network and loves to share his passion and dedication to the legal industry with his listeners. He is a published author for nationally-recognized, award-winning legal professional magazines, as well as a contributing author for an educational legal textbook, Advanced Manual for the Legal Professional, 13th Edition. He is an active member of NALA, serving as a member of the Certifying Board, the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), IPMA, and the ABA, serving on the ABA Paralegal Education Approval Commission. Carl is passionate about educating and mentoring future paralegals and legal operations professionals.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: This session will explore Fourth Amendment standards governing police uses of force as interpreted by the court in Tennessee v. Garner (1985) and Graham v. Connor (1989) and federal statutes that prohibit the unnecessary or excessive use of force. Upon completion, attendees should have a working knowledge of the objective reasonableness standard in assessing police uses of force, lethal force used to prevent the escape of a fleeing suspect, elements of an excessive force action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the concept of under color of law in excessive force prosecution, and the concept of qualified immunity in excessive force defense.

Presented by: Joseph Koenig is a retired special agent turned paralegal with four decades of experience in the criminal justice industry. As a narcotics investigator, state trooper, SWAT member, patrol supervisor, and military policeman, he was trained in use-of-force decision making and made those decisions in real-time on a daily basis. He was instructor-certified by federal, state, and military law enforcement training academies and taught use-of-force and criminal investigation classes nationally. As a use-of-force reviewer, he reviewed over 3,000 use-of-force incidents and contributed to a multidisciplinary team effort that resulted in a state agency’s compliance with 11 court-ordered, use-of-force reforms. Joseph currently serves on a team that audits performance of state government agencies, including law enforcement and corrections agencies.

Joseph holds a master’s in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University. He completed 42 additional credit hours of ABA-approved paralegal coursework. He is a recipient of the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to a Law Enforcement Initiative, the Southeast OCDETF Case of the Year Award, the OCDETF Sustained Superior Performance Award, the DEA Outstanding Service Award, and the Optimist Club International Law Enforcement Award.

Joseph’s classes are products of his training, education, and experience and do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of his current or past employers.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Advanced

Description: This session will discuss the evolution of the right to privacy and how the Constitution inferred that the right to privacy is a fundamental right. Additionally, the attendees will be introduced to the Supreme Court cases that led to the Roe v. Wade decision and how the right to privacy played a key role in the Supreme Court’s ruling. Furthermore, attendees will understand how Roe. v. Wade became the groundwork for other privacy rights that were constitutionally protected. An analysis will be done on what eventually led to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case and why the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Lastly, the discussion will revolve around recognizing where the future is headed and what states are doing now that Roe v. Wade is no longer law.

Presented by: John A. Bermingham, Jr. Esq. is a New Jersey attorney with over 17 years of experience. He is of counsel for the Gray Law Group. He also provides pro bono services.

Professor Bermingham has his BS in justice studies, his MBA, and his JD. He has the Adjunct Excellence Award and was voted Faculty Member of the Year from Centenary University. He was Adjunct Professor of the Year twice at Purdue University.

John serves on the Board of Supervisors in Upper Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has written articles for NALA and spoken at conference and webinars for NALA.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: There will be a discussion about the Federal Rules of Evidence, when they started, why, and when they were updated. Another discussion will focus on hearsay, authentication, and relevance. Participants should come away with a grasp of the way in which evidence is introduced, reasons for many evidentiary limitations, and how the evidentiary rules are applied. They will be more effective in helping prepare for litigation and have a better understanding of what information can make it to the jury.

Presented by: Mary Katherine Mayer, ACP is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trial Practice and Criminal Litigation. Mary works for the Yavapai County Public Defender’s Office in Northern Arizona. She is a member of NALA and the Arizona Paralegal Association, where she is the NALA liaison. Mary enjoys writing articles related to the paralegal field and helping paralegals obtain information to help with their professional and personal wellbeing. In her free time, Mary enjoys spending time with her husband and son, volunteering, and watching sports.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic

Description: Attendees will learn the motives behind family members suing each other and how to successfully bring and defend a guardianship or trustee action for the client’s best outcome.

Presented by: Jean Gustafson started her legal career early, watching Perry Mason with her family in their basement den. She loved watching Perry Mason strategizing cases in and out of the courtroom, along with his assistant, Della, who would now be considered a paralegal. Jean was hooked upon watching it and followed up her interest in the law by watching LA Law in the 1980s and reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Jean graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1987 with a major in sociology and a minor in history. She attended the University of North Dakota School of Law and spent a semester studying law in Oslo, Norway, in 1990. Jean started her career as a prosecutor but later transitioned into private practice with a concentration in family law. She voluntarily sought out a position as a weekend mental health counselor at a group home for people with serious and persistent mental health problems. She fell in love with helping that population. Her interest in elder law started when she watched the case of a resident under guardianship unfold in the resident’s favor, restoring him to capacity. Jean practices all areas of family law, including seeking and contesting guardianships and conservatorships, protecting family members from adversarial claims filed by family, and retaliatory legal actions. Jean also defends clients when trustee beneficiaries attack the sibling trustee. You can find Jean in the courtroom most days, but the majority of her work is at the office. Jean enjoys researching law and will show paralegals unique ways of assisting attorneys and working with families of elderly people. Jean is a diverse attorney, having been awarded the 2017 Minnesota Lavender Bar Association Fellowship. She is married to her partner, Deborah Erickson. Jean and Deborah live in Greater Minnesota.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Advanced

Description: Every day, smart assistants like Siri and Alexa respond to routine requests. They call Uber, order pizza, and so on. What about this request: “Alexa, who killed John?” Is that request going too far? No, actually. That very question was the subject of a murder prosecution in Arkansas. A victim died in a home that had Alexa operational. The police suggested that, while recording its user’s voice commands, Alexa also captured other background sounds—possibly the critical moments of a crime. The police demanded the user’s Alexa data from Amazon. In another case, the FBI wanted to access a user’s iPhone, so it asked a court to force Apple to create software to break into the iPhone. Considered together, those two cases compel us to consider and answer two questions. Can the government compel disclosure of a user’s data in their smart devices? If so, under what circumstances?

Presented by: Mbilike (pronounced “Bee” “Lee” “Kay”) Mwafulirwa is an attorney with Brewster & De Angelis in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation, civil rights, constitutional law, administrative law, appeals in both state and federal courts across the country, and the emerging field of self-driving cars. As part of his focus on self-driving cars, Mbilike is part of the Oklahoma Advanced Mobility Program Advisory Council, which helps advise policymakers and the public on matters relating to autonomous vehicle education, engagement, and policy for Oklahoma. Mbilike recently received a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, which signifies that a large number of his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards. Mbilike’s peers have also recognized him as a rising star in civil litigation, and he is the 2017 recipient of the Golden Quill Award: the Oklahoma Bar Association’s highest intellectual award.

Mbilike received his LL.B. from the University of Wales (UK) in 2009 and his master of laws and juris doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2010 and 2012. While at TU College of Law, Mbilike was a member of the Constitutional Law National Appellate Moot Court Team and the Energy Law Journal. He was also inducted into the Order of Barristers in recognition of excellence in courtroom advocacy.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: You have heard a thing or two about fake news, but have you heard about deepfakes? Deepfakes are fake video and audio, mostly posted and shared online, that make any person appear to do or say something they did not. A major premise of our concept of truth depends on believing and accepting what we see or hear. So profound is that premise that our entire justice system desperately depends on it. In litigation, whether civil or criminal, audio and video evidence is now standard. Thus, the questions this course explores are what do we do as a people, as a society, and as key participants in the legal system if we can no longer believe and trust what we see or hear? What legal tools are there to deal with deepfakes?

Presented by: Mbilike (pronounced “Bee” “Lee” “Kay”) Mwafulirwa is an attorney with Brewster & De Angelis in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation, civil rights, constitutional law, administrative law, appeals in both state and federal courts across the country, and the emerging field of self-driving cars. As part of his focus on self-driving cars, Mbilike is part of the Oklahoma Advanced Mobility Program Advisory Council, which helps advise policymakers and the public on matters relating to autonomous vehicle education, engagement, and policy for Oklahoma. Mbilike recently received a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, which signifies that a large number of his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards. Mbilike’s peers have also recognized him as a rising star in civil litigation, and he is the 2017 recipient of the Golden Quill Award: the Oklahoma Bar Association’s highest intellectual award.

Mbilike received his LL.B. from the University of Wales (UK) in 2009 and his master of laws and juris doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2010 and 2012. While at TU College of Law, Mbilike was a member of the Constitutional Law National Appellate Moot Court Team and the Energy Law Journal. He was also inducted into the Order of Barristers in recognition of excellence in courtroom advocacy.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: How do legal operations leaders balance the demands of corporate finance when our background consists primarily of law firm experience? In-house legal operations leaders rely on data and efficiency when making outside counsel decisions, but that doesn’t mean the cost is becoming less important. In this session, Carl Morrison will discuss the most common hurdles to effective outside counsel management from both sides of the legal coin (in-house and law firm) and how best to determine whether to stay in-house or use external support. Now more than ever, legal operations has a crucial role in outside counsel management and empowers legal to add strategic value. Let’s explore measuring performance, outcomes, and return on investment against legal spending and matter management.

Presented by: Carl Morrison is an experienced Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) and award-winning director of legal operations and has been in the legal industry for over two decades. Carl’s highly sought-after speaking expertise has afforded him numerous opportunities to share his devotion to the legal industry. Since 2017, he has been the award-winning podcast host of Legal Talk Network and loves to share his passion and dedication to the legal industry with his listeners. He is a published author for nationally-recognized, award-winning legal professional magazines, as well as a contributing author for an educational legal textbook, Advanced Manual for the Legal Professional, 13th Edition. He is an active member of NALA, serving as a member of the Certifying Board, the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), IPMA, and the ABA, serving on the ABA Paralegal Education Approval Commission. Carl is passionate about educating and mentoring future paralegals and legal operations professionals.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Non-substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: This course will cover how to collect text messages and other information from a cell phone, when you should do it yourself, and when an expert needs to be called in.

Presented by: Amy McGuigan, CP, CEDS, is a senior paralegal at Swanson & McNamara LLP, a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, she worked for the federal public defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years, where she assisted in several trials, including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. Amy is a certified eDiscovery specialist, holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery certifications, as well as certifications in CMFF (Cellebrite Mobile Forensic Fundamentals) and digital forensics. She has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. She is the vice president of the San Francisco Paralegal Association, chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco Paralegal Section, and director of the San Francisco Chapter of Women in eDiscovery.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: Almost all litigation will involve the issuance of a subpoena at some point in time. Quite often, the need arises to issue a subpoena in another state. Understanding the ins and outs of the foreign subpoena process is critical to achieving success in getting the subpoenas issued, served, and ultimately complied with by the responding party. This course will help you become more confident in your foreign subpoena skills and set you up for becoming the go-to source in your firm for issuing out-of-state subpoenas.

Presented by: Kendal Cantrell received her B.A. in political science from Millsaps College in 1995 and achieved her CP certification through NALA in May 2006. She holds advanced certifications through NALA in Personal Injury/Auto Accidents and Family Law – Child Custody, Support, and Visitation. She has been a paralegal for more than 28 years, having worked for Major General T.K. Moffett (ret.) in his private law practice for more than 20 years. She is currently a litigation paralegal with Phelps Dunbar in Tupelo, Mississippi. Kendal has extensive litigation experience in family law/domestic relations cases, personal injury cases, and employment matters, and she handles cases at the administrative, state, and federal levels. She has also served on the Paralegal Advisory Board at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi, since 2016.

Kendal lives in Amory, Mississippi, with her husband and her two sons.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: The intermediate post-pandemic real estate paralegal will receive an in-depth explanation of some of the most standard title industry matters.

Presented by: Jeremy Holley has over 19 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has worked with property management firms in landlord/tenant matters and commercial leasing, title companies specializing in residential closings, commercial closings, foreclosures and short sales. He has worked with two of Birmingham, Alabama’s largest law firms, specializing in commercial real estate and corporate divisions. Jeremy has been with Amrock, a national title company and sister company to Rocket Mortgage (Quicken Loans), for over ten years and serves as team leader to the Legal Department’s Audit and Compliance Team. He has been a licensed residential title agent with the State of Alabama for over a decade. His secondary education includes a degree in music education and studies in social work and political science. He is an active member of the Alabama Association of Paralegals and a former board member serving as a regional director. Jeremy is also the current president elect of the Southeast Land Title Association, which represents Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. He will be installed as president in September, 2023.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Intermediate

Description: The beginner post-pandemic real estate paralegal will receive an overall explanation of many standard title industry topics and commonly used terms for billable hours.

Presented by: Jeremy Holley has over 19 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has worked with property management firms in landlord/tenant matters and commercial leasing, title companies specializing in residential closings, commercial closings, foreclosures and short sales. He has worked with two of Birmingham, Alabama’s largest law firms, specializing in commercial real estate and corporate divisions. Jeremy has been with Amrock, a national title company and sister company to Rocket Mortgage (Quicken Loans), for over ten years and serves as team leader to the Legal Department’s Audit and Compliance Team. He has been a licensed residential title agent with the State of Alabama for over a decade. His secondary education includes a degree in music education and studies in social work and political science. He is an active member of the Alabama Association of Paralegals and a former board member serving as a regional director. Jeremy is also the current president elect of the Southeast Land Title Association, which represents Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. He will be installed as president in September, 2023.

CLE Hours: 1.5

CLE Credit: Substantive

Course Level: Basic