Texas Paralegal Division Blog

The Spring TPJ is online!  This edition includes recognizing the awards and certifications of our PD members.  There is also updates about upcoming Annual Meeting, TAPS, and more! https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=493058&ver=html5&p=1

The Tyler Area Association of Legal Professionals (TAALP) announces the recipient of the 2018 Legal Professional of the Year award. This award is being presented to Ann Kuhn with the firm of Wilson, Robertson & Cornelius, P.C.

Ann has worked in the legal profession for more than 35 years. Ann began her legal career in 1978 in Sugar Land, Texas with the Texas Department of Corrections Inmate Attorney’s Office. She went on to work for prominent law firms in Houston, including 10 years spent with the firm of Zukowski, Bresenhan & Sinex. At that firm, she worked for five attorneys in real estate, probate, oil and gas litigation, and also served as an administrative assistant.

In 2007, Ann married Jerry Kuhn, a former police officer in Gilmer, Texas, who later became Constable of Upshur County, Precinct 3. Ann’s marriage brought her to East Texas, where she began working for Jon Alexander at Wilson, Robertson & Cornelius, P.C., in 2008. Ann has worked in probate, estate planning, banking, and bankruptcy in the firm while also assisting several associate attorneys with their varied needs.

Ann has been very active in the Tyler Area Association of Legal Professionals. She has served in several committee positions, as recording secretary in 2013-2016, and as the president of TAALP since 2016. She has done an outstanding job in every position she has assumed and been an excellent member and officer of TAALP.

In addition to her professional activities, Ann owns horses and has long been active in rodeo sports. She has also fostered a love of rodeo sports in her family, and in December 2016 she was privileged to watch her grandson compete in the National Rodeo competition in Las Vegas. Ann has also served as a Director of the Texas Law Enforcement Rodeo Association for four years and has been a competitor. Ann is a 4H Leader where the mission is to help kids build life skills by leading hands-on projects in areas like science, health, livestock and agriculture.

Ann and her family are also active members of Sit ‘Em Down Cowboy Church in Big Sandy where her husband serves as a Lay Pastor.

Ann is married to Jerry Kuhn and they have 4 children, Charity Underwood, Mendy Underwood Munoz, Lee Cardwell and Ryan Kuhn. She is also the proud grandmother of 6 grandchildren, ranging from age 5 to 24 years old.

Congratulations to Ann Kuhn for receiving this prestigious award.

Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award nominations are being accepted through March 31, 2018.

The Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas is proud to sponsor an Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award.  Its purpose is to promote the awareness of pro bono activities and to encourage Division members to volunteer their time and specialty skills to pro bono projects within their community by recognizing a PD member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to pro bono service.  Paralegals are invited to foster the development of pro bono projects, to provide assistance to established pro bono programs, and to work closely with attorneys to provide unmet legal services to people with low incomes.

This award will go to a PD member who has performed the pro bono service(s) in the State of Texas, and has volunteered his or her time and special skills in providing uncompensated services in pro bono assistance to their community. The winner of the award will be announced at the Annual meeting, his/her expenses to attend the Annual Meeting will be incurred by the Division, and a profile of the individual will be published in the Fall issue of the Texas Paralegal Journal.

Definition of Paralegal Pro Bono Service (Adopted June 2013):  Providing legal assistance, without remuneration or compensation to the paralegal, that requires specific legal skills, knowledge or training, under the supervision of a licensed attorney or qualified organizations, whether individually, or through non-profit charitable, religious, civic, community, or governmental organizations, and serving as an advocate for those with limited means or that are unable to speak for themselves.

1. Providing legal support services for persons of limited means, either through qualified legal services/legal aid programs.
2. Providing legal support services at community legal clinics; and
3. Providing assistance for, working directly with attorneys on cases, or providing direct client advocacy, under legal services/advocacy programs that are sponsored by a bar association, court, governmental agency or non-profit agency.

To nominate a member of the Paralegal Division for this prestigious award, please complete the nomination form(PDF).  The deadline to receive nominations is March 31, 2018.

For more information, please contact Shanna Mello, Chair of the Pro Bono Ad Hoc Committee, at ProBonoChair@txpd.org.

PD Members register here using registration code KOOARJYW by April 18, 2018.

Late registration for an additional $20.00 from April 19, 2018 through April 26, 2018 using registration code PH9ELJUG.

For more information, contact District 4 Director Pam Etie at district4@txpd.org.

Trey Apffel, Executive Director of the State Bar of Texas, gave the keynote address at the TBLS Induction Ceremony on February 23, 2018.  He spoke highly of paralegals and the contributions paralegals make to the legal profession.  He praised the almost 400 TBLS Board Certified Paralegals for their commitment and willingness to step up and sit for the TBLS exam.

There were 17 newly Board Certified Paralegals attending the induction ceremony on February 23, 2018.  President Mona Tucker and President-Elect Stephanie Sterling were able to get a photo with them.  Congratulations!

President Mona Tucker and President-Elect Stephanie Sterling were out representing the Paralegal Division on February 23, 2018.  They attended the Council of Chairs meeting at the State Bar Office and then attended the TBLS Induction Ceremony where they were recognized as special quests.

Stephanie Sterling, TBLS-BCP, President

Megan Goor, TBLS-BCP, President-Elect

Javan Johnson, ACP, TBLS-BPC, Treasurer

Sherylyne Hollinger, RP, PHP, Secretary

Edna Garza, TBLS-BCP, Parliamentarian

District 3

Susy Johnson passed the TBLS Certification examination in Real Estate Law.  

Doris Jackson received the Pro-Bono Paralegal of the Year award from the Tarrant County Bar Foundation during its annual luncheon in January.  

Jessica Amyett, CP will serve as President of the Fort Worth Paralegal Association for 2018-2019

 District 14

Maria Sturdy, PD member and President of Northeast Texas Association of Paralegals was voted 2017 Paralegal of the Year for NTAP.  

District 16

Yoland Garcia passed her TBLS exam in Civil Trial Law