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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
To sit for the exam, you must have completed one of the following:
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.
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
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.
Join us for Lunch N Learn Please RSVP to nalsofamarillotexas@gmail.com by Friday, July 22, 2022 at 11 am!