NALS of Amarillo
About NALS
For NALS Events Listings, please click on the following link:
https://www.nals.org/events/event_list.asp
NALS CODE OF ETHICS
NALS CODE OF ETHICS
Members of NALS --- the association for legal professionals, are bound by the objectives of this association and the standards of conduct required of the legal profession.
Every member shall:
• Encourage respect for the law and the administration of justice;
• Observe rules governing privileged communications and confidential information;
• Promote and exemplify high standards of loyalty, cooperation, and courtesy;
• Perform all duties of the profession with integrity and competence; and
• Pursue a high order of professional attainment.
NALS of amarillo OFFICERS
Reba Cochran
President
Reba Cochran is a Paralegal at the law firm of Simmons & Odle, PC. Reba is currently working under Cody Simmons dealing with estate planning, business corporations, and real estate. Reba has previous law firm experience with the Underwood Law firm and Burdett Morgan Williamson & Boykin, LLP under Todd W. Boykin spending the last 5 years working primarily in a complex real estate practice. Reba is married to Heath Cochran, and they are parents to Cloey and Quinn. In her spare time you can find Reba watching her kids play sports or traveling!
Lucy Henderson
Vice President
Lucy Henderson is a Legal Assistant at the law firm of Burdett Morgan & Williamson, LLP. She works in the estate planning and wealth management department under Gerald Morgan, Jr. and Mason Harlan. She has previous law office experience working with Billy Britt Jarvis in Spearman, Texas. Lucy is married to Daniel Henderson. She has two boys, Kaden and Baker, a lab, Jameson and a pug, Rocky.
Shelly Amason
Treasurer
Shelly Amason is a Legal Assistant at the law firm of Burdett Morgan & Williamson, LLP. Shelly has spent the last 25 years working for Wyatt L. Brooks, dealing primarily in insurance defense and construction litigation. Shelly is married to Rodney Amason, and they have four children, Matthew, Chandler, Cora, and Sallie. In her spare time, you can find Shelly in her sewing room in the middle of several quilting projects at a time.
Sharon Hopkins
Director
Sharon Hopkins joined Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC in July 2019. She is the Legal Assistant to Blair Oscarsson, Christine Vizcaino, Saige Lee and Emily Fouts; which includes civil litigation, family law, personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation, and labor and employment law. Prior to joining Sprouse, Sharon spent 18 years as the Office Manager/Paralegal for a law firm in Dallas, Texas, primarily handling civil litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, and commercial litigation. She has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren, and married to Marshall Hopkins. When she’s not planning a trip to see her girls and grandkids, she can be found hanging out with her German Shepherd and horse or cooking/baking.
Connor Clark
Secretary
Connor Clark is a Legal Assistant at Burdett Morgan & Williamson, LLP. Connor started at the law firm in August of 2021 working under Samuel S. Karr and Bailey Hartman dealing primarily with Real Estate Law. She is attending Amarillo College to achieve her Associates Degree in Legal Studies and plans to graduate in May of 2023. Connor will then take the certification exam to become a certified paralegal. In her spare time, you can find Connor camping in the mountains and riding the RZR with her boyfriend Austin and her dogs, Woodrow and Dally.
Sheila Roach
Parlementarian
Sheila Roach has been the Court Administrator for the City of Canyon since 2012. She worked in the Amarillo Municipal Court as a clerk supervisor. Sheila has been working in the Courts for almost 13 years. As an administrator she has to keep the operations of the court in budget and staffed to allow for efficiency and effective operations in compliance with Local and State laws. She also served on the TMCA board as Region I director and also currently teaches for the TMCEC clerks’ seminars. While serving on the board and working for Canyon Municipal, she acquired her Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science degree thru West Texas A&M University and Associates degree in Paralegal Studies. Sheila is an active member in the TCCA(Texas Court Clerks Association) and NALS (National Association of Legal Support Professionals) organizations.
2023 RED BOOK LEGAL DIRECTORY
NALS of Amarillo does not charge to list the information of attorneys, law firms, city, county or state office in this directory. This is a great way to make your information readily available to those that work in the legal field. From years past many say, “this is a must have” at anyone’s desk who works in the legal community.
If you are an attorney, clerk, judicial member or staff and want to be included in the 2023 Red Book Edition, or if you wish to make changes to your listing that was published in the last edition, please click on the link below to update your listing:
https://forms.gle/RX7HK9gPMfqaDiEE8
Please note that this is to UPDATE your information only.
As time is progressing under the mandatory e-filing rules, we are also asking any Court that has a separate email address for proposed orders to provide that information as we will include this in the 2023 Edition.
If this is your first time to be included in the Red Book, Welcome! We ask that you send your information (name, address, city, zip, phone number, fax number, email address) using the form above and we are happy to include you this publication!
Additionally, if you are a process server, court reporter, or any other business that would like to advertise in our 2023 publication, please email us at the email address below for more information.
Order forms can be found here:
2023 Red Book Order Form.pdf
Email all order to nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com.
If you have any questions, please email us directly at nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com.
NALS OF AMARILLO BYLAWS
The Bylaws have been revised and adopted by the Board and are available here for your convenience. If you have any questions or comments, please forward those to the Board at nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com.
Calendar
Director's Page
Interested in Certification:
One way to demonstrate your preparedness for the demanding field of law is by becoming an Accredited Legal Professional (ALP). This certification is awarded after passing a three-part examination. Attaining this goal demonstrates your commitment and aptitude for succeeding in the ever-changing legal environment. The ALP exam:
- demonstrates ability to perform business communication tasks;
- gauges ability to maintain office records and calendars;
- measures understanding of office equipment, computer terminology, and related procedures;
- denotes aptitude for understanding legal terminology, legal complexities, and supporting documents;
- appraises knowledge of law office protocol as prescribed by ethical codes.
ALP Examination Eligibility
To sit for the exam, you must have completed one of the following:
- Completion of an accredited business/legal course,
- Completion of a NALS Legal Training Course, or
- One year of general office experience.
Membership in NALS is not a requirement.
Each exam candidate is required to provide documentation demonstrating the successful completion of one of the criteria listed above. The exam candidate may submit academic transcripts, certificates of completion, and/or letters from their employer, on official letterhead, detailing (1) the length of their employment, (2) the duties assigned, and (3) the title held within the company. Exam candidate may submit their transcripts and employment verification letters to NALS National Certification and Education Manager prior to completing the online exam application and remitting payment for same.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your exam eligibility, please contact NALS National Certification and Education Manager.
2021 ALP Online Certification Exam
1/1/2021 to 12/31/2021
| When: | Online Exam Session Each Month in 2021 |
| Where: | Online From the Comfort of Your Home or Office |
For more information or to register, please go to: https://www.nals.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1426960
Articles
Membership
Membership
When you join this tri-level association, NALS . . . the association for legal professionals, Texas ALP, and Amarillo’s local chapter - NALS of Amarillo- , you will have the opportunity to attend local chapter meetings where quality legal education is offered nearly every month. You also have the opportunity to attend state association meetings and educational conferences. At the NALS conferences, speakers from across the country address issues of national importance, enlightening NALS members with a national perspective. As a Texas ALP member, you will receive the publication, The Texas Docket. As a NALS member, you receive valuable legal education every month via the online publication, NALS Docket. NALS members also receive a quarterly publication, @Law, packed with legal articles, as well as weekly NALS News & Industry Views via email. For membership information, please contact Lucy Henderson at nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com
Or, to get started today, you may click the following links to join NALS of Amarillo or join NALS of Amarillo as a Secondary Member:
https://www.nals.org/page/membertypesandfees
For a more in-depth look, click Member Benefits Excerpt.
A travel reimbursement form is available here for members to utilize in requesting reimbursement of travel expenses.
Job Bank
Full time/ Part time Legal Assistant and Secretary
Responsibilities
The Wood Law Firm- Personal Injury Paralegal/ Legal Assistant
Job Responsibilities may include:
This role offers a diverse set of responsibilities, including drafting legal motions, following up on medical record requests, preparing demands, maintaining calendars, engaging with clients, managing the discovery process, and providing unparalleled customer service that centers on meeting clients' needs. The successful candidate will also be a reliable team player, providing backup support to other team members within the firm when required.
Requirements
We are looking for a qualified candidate who has at least two years of work experience as a personal injury paralegal/legal assistant (plaintiff or defense). Our ideal candidate should have a proven track record of success in their previous roles and be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of the legal principles and procedures involved in personal injury cases.
We will consider candidates who do not technically have paralegal/legal assistant experience but have had significant involvement in/or is familiar with insurance, Worker’s Compensation, and/or medical summarization.
If you meet these qualifications and are interested in this position, we encourage you to apply. We look forward to hearing from you and potentially welcoming you to our team.
Necessary Skills
Time Management
Organization to keep track of assigned tasks
The ability to follow instructions.
The ability to work in a fast paced environment.
A strong sense of urgency to complete tasks under pressure.
The ability to learn new programs used within the office environment.
People skills in regards to interacting with clients in a calm, professional manner.
This Company Describes Its Culture as:
Detail-oriented -- quality and precision-focused
People-oriented -- supportive and fairness-focused
Team-oriented -- cooperative and collaborative
Paralegal - Warner Law Firm
The Warner Law Firm is looking for a full-time paralegal.
Type: Full time, hourly
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday with 1 hour for lunch, overtime as needed.
Salary: starting pay depending on experience and paid vacation after period of time.
A paralegal coordinates office activities for the attorney, performing a variety of paralegal duties, such as scheduling hearings, preparing legal documents and correspondence, assisting with billing each month, and providing information and direction to others. The work requires knowledge of legal, secretarial, and office practices. A paralegal should be a self-starter with the ability to assist the attorney.
Accountability:
The Paralegal is accountable to the Attorney.
Relationships:
- Work under the supervision of the Attorney
- Be professional to all current and potential clients, attorneys, court staff, and vendors.
Requirements
- Familiar with Civil and Family Law.
- Familiar with court and clerk procedures of various counties in Texas.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel and Outlook.
- Proficient in case management software like Pro Doc and Clio.
- Experienced with Adobe Professional is a plus.
- Detail oriented – Ability to read documents submitted by clients; and take appropriate action based on the information they contain.
- Possesses the ability to prioritize files based on deadlines and amount of time required by each task.
- Experienced in both written (e-mail) and verbal customer service – providing accurate and professional information to appropriate parties, but provide NO legal advice.
- Proficient in typing accurately – excellent spelling and grammar is a MUST.
- Able to take detailed, accurate notes and records.
- Promptly respond to all e-mails and voicemails.
- Excellent proofreading skills.
- No facial piercings; other than ears.
- No visible tattoos
- Business attire required, including clothing and appearance.
- Must be on time for work; mornings and lunch.
- Understands and practices client/attorney/firm confidentiality.
- MOS Certification in Word preferred – or working towards obtaining.
- Associate’s Degree or Paralegal Certificate required – or working towards obtaining.
Responsibilities
- Greet clients and guests in person or on the telephone – answering, screening and/or directing inquiries
- Represents attorney by communicating and obtaining information, following up on delegated assignments, and knowing when to act and when to refer the matter to attorney
- Complete clerical work
- Perform all data and client management
- Perform accounting, billing of revenue and expenses for client monthly and take payments and give receipt for same
- Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, and maintain personal networks
- E-filing documents
- Maintain and organize files
- Go through e-mails, move to relevant files and answer per direction of attorney
- Draft-with help of managing attorney, e-mails, letter, pleadings, orders, pretrial motions and orders, subpoenas etc.
- Proofread all documents before they go out to the client, other attorneys, or the Court
- Deal directly with the Court Coordinators
- Additional tasks as needed
Legal Assistant/Paralegal -Law offices of Jamie S. Vandivere
Eligible candidates mush have excellent communication skills, able to multi-task, ability to work independently, detail-oriented and self-motivated. Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality with client information.
Working hours M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Position Summary: Answer phones, draft documents, e-file with courts, contact with clients, appearance in court with attorney, set appointments, assist in trial preparation.
Job Type: Full-time position.
Benefits: Paid holidays, health insurance provided if needed, over-time pay for any hours over 40, paid vacation after one year, (terms negotiable), and matching IRA contributions as allowed by law.
If you are interested in applying, you must provide a resume and references to: jsvlaw@live.com
Christmas 2020 Nursing home gift baskets
Events
July Lunch N Learn
Join us for Lunch N Learn Please RSVP to nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com by Friday, July 22, 2022 at 11 am!
- Date: 7/26/2022 12:00 PM - 7/26/2022 01:00 PM
- Location: 112 Southwest 8th Avenue, Amarillo, TX, USA (Map)
- More Info: Basement Conference Room
