It gives me great pleasure to serve as your 2019-2020 Paralegal Division Chair. First, I want to say thank you for being a member of the Paralegal Division. I hope our exciting new member benefits will encourage you to get involved while having fun networking with your fellow members across the state. Over the next year, there are several goals I would like to accomplish. Your membership provides you the opportunity for education through one of our CLE/CPE programs, networking at one of our social events, volunteering with one of our many pro bono programs , and that your experience encourages others to join our Division. Second, I hope our Division continues to see expansive growth and success, and that it will be an exciting year of opportunities and events for our members.
Today in North Carolina, 16 and 17-year-olds are automatically prosecuted as an adult for criminal offenses. The Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, which is effective on December 1, 2019, will change the adult prosecution age to 18 years old to align with the current policies of all other States in the United States. This means that 16 and 17-year-olds will start being prosecuted in juvenile court instead of in adult court and a youth’s split-second decision will not automatically lead to adult punishment.
Who is Not Included?
“Raise the Age” will not apply to motor vehicle offenses defined by the Motor Vehicle Act. Defense attorneys should be aware that offenses such as unauthorized use of a motor vehicle or breaking and entering a motor vehicle may trigger this exclusion. Also, some juveniles will be excluded from this Act, such as: (1) married or emancipated juveniles; (2) those that have been transferred and convicted in superior court; and (3) those that have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including motor vehicle offenses, in district or superior court.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2019-08-15 12:44:252019-08-23 16:23:02Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act Changes the Adult Prosecution Age to 18
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of 2009 was a natural outgrowth of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA was designed to protect personal information while facilitating the transfer of information between the “covered entities” to improve the continuity of care across the spectrum of providers.
An unfortunate consequence of ratcheting up protections under HIPAA for personal health information was to make it more difficult for patients to access their own records. With unauthorized disclosures so broadly defined, additional consequences of non-compliance included the threat of civil penalties levied by the courts and limits being placed on reimbursements and payments by the Federal government.
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Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. As my time as Paralegal Division Chair comes to an end, I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the success of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division.
I’m grateful to have been surrounded by so many amazing volunteers, leaders, mentors and friends. I am simply in awe of how our members share their time, talents and passions to the betterment of the community, profession, Division and Association. Our members are volunteers serving in various capacities including (but not limited to) Council Members, Committee Chairs, Section Liaisons, CPE planners, notaries/witnesses for Wills for Heroes, mentors, listserv participants and more. For each person who takes time to serve, thank you.
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Recently, I overheard a discussion regarding whether attorneys understand the content of paralegal programs and the meaning of the post-nominal certification credentials you increasingly see behind paralegals’ names. One person responded that many fledgling paralegals don’t understand the difference between being certified and having a certificate, so how can attorneys be expected to understand these distinctions. While these issues may not seem pressing, they are important.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2019-06-18 15:01:282023-01-13 13:44:51Demystifying Paralegal Credentials for Lawyers and Paralegals
Before I started working at Beer Law Center I had no idea about the mountain of paperwork that selling alcohol entailed. I was not even aware about the particular process that businesses had to go through in order to sell alcohol. I tell people that I work with alcohol rules and regulations, because sprouting out a list of acronyms such as ABC, TTB, COLA, etc. does not make much sense to people who are not familiar with this type of work. Very few law firms are solely devoted to alcohol laws and regulations. In addition to the application process, I did not know that alcohol law can overlap and influence other areas of law.
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Congratulations to Lakisha Chichester who was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Paralegal Award on May 2, 2019 at the Paralegal Division Annual Meeting in Winston-Salem.
The Distinguished Paralegal Award is given to a Paralegal Division regular member who has actively participated in paralegal activities such as civic/community volunteering, paralegal leadership, paralegal education, and promotion of the paralegal profession. The award includes a membership to the NCBA Paralegal Division which now includes one section membership and 12 hours of On Demand CLE for the following year. Lakisha was recognized and presented with a plaque commemorating her receipt of the 2019 Distinguished Paralegal Award and will be recognized at the 2019 NCBA Annual Meeting Awards Dinner, Thursday, June 20 at the Biltmore House in Asheville.
Chichester is heavily involved in the paralegal professional community. She is a graduate of the Meredith College Paralegal Program, where she recently addressed the 2019 paralegal graduating class during its commencement ceremonies on May 14th. She is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal and earned her Advanced Certified Paralegal from NALA.
A. Rachel Royal, paralegal for the attorney who represents the Wilmington City Police and Fire Departments and the attorney who handles all litigation and employment claims for the city. Royal also performs research and prepares presentations for proposals to city council for amendments to city ordinances.
Q: Firm or corporation/location:
A: Wilmington, N.C. City Attorney’s Office.
Q: Brief background of education, certification, etc.?
A: Royal was homeschooled and graduated with a high school diploma in 2006. She attended Carteret Community College 2015-2017 and graduated with honors with an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Paralegal Technology. She also received the Paralegal Graduate of the Year Award upon graduation. During her time at Carteret Community College, she was the president of the National Society of Leadership and Success for one year and the fundraising co-chair for one year.
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Imagine having your dream job, where your management and team are amazing, you feel valued as an employee, and the perks and compensation are in line with what you think you are worth. Life is good … then, POP, your bubble bursts. You are suddenly informed that your firm is going to be restructured or your attorney decides to leave and join another firm. Now what?
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By Tina Dadio 
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The Distinguished Paralegal Award is given to a Paralegal Division regular member who has actively participated in paralegal activities such as civic/community volunteering, paralegal leadership, paralegal education, and promotion of the paralegal profession. The award includes a membership to the NCBA Paralegal Division which now includes one section membership and 12 hours of On Demand CLE for the following year. Lakisha was recognized and presented with a plaque commemorating her receipt of the 2019 Distinguished Paralegal Award and will be recognized at the 2019 NCBA Annual Meeting Awards Dinner, Thursday, June 20 at the Biltmore House in Asheville.
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