The President’s Message: Time to Jump In – Q4 2024 Facts & Findings
In February 2024, I attended an out-of-town work conference. It was late at night and a hospitality suite event was winding down when I found myself speaking with a high-powered woman who serves as a state lobbyist. Her whole job is to sway legislators to vote for her clients’ initiatives. As we were catching up, I mentioned that it was likely that I would be elected NALA’s next President. She asked how I was feeling about that. Had it been earlier in the evening, I might have put on a more polished facade but, in that moment, I admitted I felt nervous and unprepared for the responsibility. I explained that the organization was in great shape, and I did not want to screw it up. She said, “Oh, you are going to jump in the lake after dark.” Trying to interpret this, I said, “Do you mean that I can jump in knowing the risks are managed, there will not be any real predators (no gators here in Michigan), and I can control where I jump in and…” She stopped me rather abruptly and forcefully said, “No, you have to jump in the lake after dark. They would not elect you if you did not already have the ability to do the job. You have had years of training. Now, trust your instincts and jump.”
By nature, I am not a risk taker. I do the hikes that are for beginners and hate climbing ladders. However, in this case, that lobbyist was right. Besides, when it comes down to it, I actually “jumped” years ago when I first ran for a NALA officer position.
This was not the first time that I had taken a leap of faith with regard to my paralegal career. Let me tell you about 1985 Cheryl. I was enrolled in my sophomore year at a state university under a general business degree curriculum when it came time to select my area of concentration. While my roommates were drawn to accounting and marketing, I could not find a good fit. I had toyed with the idea of becoming an attorney, but the financial and temporal commitment seemed to put it out of reach. I went in for academic counseling and explained my interest in the law. It was then proposed that I had two paths if I did not wish to go to law school: legal secretary or legal assistant. Neither of those were offered at my university or anywhere in Michigan as a four-year degree program. I had never heard of the legal assistant (now known as paralegal) career, but the focus on research and writing greatly appealed to me. I dropped out of that university, had a very difficult conversation with my parents, and enrolled in a community college offering the curriculum. This was truly jumping in the lake after dark because, while I suspected I would do well enough in the classes to graduate, I was very concerned that I would not be able to obtain a job after graduation that would pay enough to support me or allow me to create a successful legal career. Obviously, I have no regrets about that decision!
I jumped in then, and I jump in now. Come on in with me. The water is fine!
I would love to hear your jump-in-the-paralegal-lake story. If you would like to share, comment on the Featured post on NALA – The Paralegal Association’s Facebook page.
Cheryl Nodarse, ACP, is NALA’s President. Cheryl is a paralegal with Vlahakis Cole in Michigan, a firm specializing in municipal and real estate law. She graduated with a BS in sociology from Central Michigan University and has been a paralegal for over 35 years, earning her CP® in 1990. Cheryl served two terms as Chair of the State Bar of Michigan Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section. She is also a licensed realtor with Vlahakis Homes in Michigan. Cheryl’s service to NALA has spanned many years and several positions. She is also a frequent contributing author to Facts & Findings.
president@nala.org
Categories