New Beginnings this Spring

Whew!!! This is such a whirlwind of a time, but, boy, I am so thankful for the extra time I have

gotten to spend with my husband and two-year old. There is nothing sweeter to me than

hearing my little one’s laughter and excitement as he chases behind daddy’s “big” push mower

with his little bubble mower. We can never take for granted the special moments, and I am

learning to hold on tight to my toddler’s bear hugs just a little bit longer.

Spring always brings about a sense of new beginnings with the warm breeze and fresh smells. I hope that you have thought about the MPA’s newsletter as also being a sense of newness, welcoming change. Our goal has been to keep the members in the loop about upcoming events in one whole sweep every two weeks with little reminders on social media and our website as well. Please always invite other paralegals to come to a meeting/event to see what MPA has to offer. I challenge all of us to never stay stagnant but to always continue to learn and grow in our profession. This is especially true with more and more online tools having to become available during our world's current situation. We definitely will have to learn to grow and adapt to the new changes. MPA started 2020 strong and will finish 2020 strong. Even through all the hiccups everyone is experiencing right now, we cannot lose our faith and hope! I pray that you and your family stay strong and relentless through it all! Thank you, Jennifer Eure MPA Secretary

Happy 40th Anniversary MPA!

Hello all!

The Mississippi Paralegal Association had an exciting start to the new year, and it is my hope that 2020 will be MPA’s best year yet! Last year was a whirl-wind with Bylaw revisions, social media/website updates, and increased networking opportunities, which included the return of live-streamed CLE lunches and the Fall Vendor Fair at our annual Paralegal Day Seminar.

We had positive feedback from our Cocktails and CLE Membership Drive in Oxford in November and from our Meet the Board event last month. It is our goal to incorporate more networking and social activities into our monthly calendar, and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity this will provide to our members. We have two upcoming events that I’m hoping to see members and prospective members alike attend this month. Our social for the month will be held on February 7th at River Hills Club at 6:00 p.m. and our monthly CLE luncheon on February 27th at The Capital Club at 12 p.m.

The return of a remote CLE viewing option has been a member favorite. If a member cannot join us remotely during lunch, MPA records the CLE so our members are guaranteed the number of hours required by NALA for certification renewal.

In my opinion, the biggest accomplishment in 2019 was MPA's new Sustaining Membership. This is a vendor membership for any and all businesses who want to network with our members during CLE lunches or social events and participate in our Fall Vendor Fair.

In addition to our networking and CLE opportunities, MPA hopes to expand our charitable contributions significantly. As many of you know, we support both the Jackson Women’s Homeless Outreach Program and StewPot Community Services.

The Jackson Women’s Homeless Outreach Program is usually in need of deodorants, lip balms, hand sanitizers, lotions, toilet paper, tissues, toothpaste, kids dental, crayons, and 1 oz. bottles. They also accept donations through multiple channels including their Go Fund Me page. Please visit their Facebook page to see specific current needs and more about how we can help with this important cause.

StewPot Community Services is always grateful for any canned good donations, but you can also support them financially through their website. MPA volunteers five times a year to serve lunch at StewPot Community Services in downtown Jackson as a part of their Business Fridays program. The soup kitchen began in 1981 with the food pantry taking root the following year.

As a nonprofit ourselves, we know how hard it can be to raise funds. These organizations are doing amazing work in our community, and I know our members are ready to go above and beyond to help them.

Thank you all for the opportunity to serve as your President in 2020. I hope to see you soon!

Thank you,

Christy Roberts, ACP

MPA President

#workandplaywithmpa #mpa40in2020 #msparalegals

A STATE OF CONNECTION

I am so excited to be posting to MPA's new website!! This website was designed to make all paralegals feel more a part of MPA. We heard you...many paralegals out of the Jackson area did not feel connected with MPA and for good reason.

This website was designed to make it possible for all members to have access to current information, post to the forum, and discuss issues. MPA is here to provide CLE for certified members and to help all paralegals advance in their profession. MPA's ultimate goal is to connect ALL Paralegals ACROSS the STATE and give us a loud and clear united voice on issues that affect our profession. So please feel free to speak and be heard!

I have hope and belief that this new website and forum will be the first step in creating a truly statewide organization!

Betty Todd, CP

MPA President 2018