Hello Everyone! In case we haven’t met, my name is Amber Haney and I am excited to serve as CAPA’s President for the 2020-2021 term. I’m the Senior Paralegal at The Haney Law Firm, where I work alongside my mother, sister, and fellow CAPA member Celeste Rodriguez. During my time in CAPA, I’ve been the Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair, Mentor/Internship Co-Chair and the official jokester/heckler at the monthly meetings. I’m also a new mother to a 5-month-old precious baby Olivia. (So, in essence, my term comes with a mascot.) When I ran for president-elect last May, I never could have imagined that my presidency would start in the middle of a global pandemic. During these chaotic times, I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. As our world continues evolving I want to assure you that CAPA leadership is working hard to provide you with support and opportunities as much as possible. Given the rapidly changing times, the theme of my presidential term will be resiliency. Paralegals are uniquely qualified to deal with the unexpected, which will be essential as we continue to support our clients and attorneys. One of the most essential paralegal skills is the ability to quickly find solutions to problems, and that skill will help us thrive in this new, and hopefully temporary, world. For example, we are coordinating online CLE course offerings for membership, the Pro Bono Committee regularly meets via Zoom, and we are updating the job bank as new opportunities come in. We hope that in the coming months our monthly meetings will resume at Chez Zee and the other yearly events everyone enjoys will still take place. For the time being, it will be important for us to remain open to new ideas and ways of serving the paralegal community. The Pro Bono and Community Service Committee is keeping an eye out for opportunities that members can participate in remotely, and other committees continue to work on projects. If you have an idea for connecting in the social distancing world, please let me or one of the other officers know and we will do our best to bring the idea to fruition. I’m thankful for the wonderful group of ladies who have agreed to serve on my Board and go through this journey with me: Ariane Walton, Laura Kliman, Brittney Melancon, Jennifer Rogers and Brittany Posadas. Several CAPA members have stepped up to be first time Committee Chairs and several experienced chairs are taking on new committees. I’m proud of our membership for volunteering and answering the call for committee help. I encourage all of our members to participate in some way during these social distanced times, even if that means attending a virtual board or committee meeting. Brittany is going to be a tough act to follow as she did a phenomenal job as President last term, and we are lucky enough to have her playing an active role again in the leadership this term. Please give your new board members and committee chairs a little patience and understanding while we settle into our new roles with different assignments. If nothing else, this term will be full of tips and information to help us navigate a more remote and virtual existence. I’m always available to everyone with thoughts, concerns, and questions at [email protected]. Signing off for now, Amber Haney CAPA President, 2020-2021 IN THIS ISSUE Board Spotlight: Brittney Melancon, Parliamentarian July Event Calendar Volunteer of the Year Award & President’s Award Pro Bono Article: Pro Bono vs Community Service By Erma Herrera Happy Retirement, Birdie White! PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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Transcript
Hello Everyone! In case we haven’t met, my name is Amber Haney and I am excited to serve as CAPA’s
President for the 2020-2021 term. I’m the Senior Paralegal at The Haney Law Firm, where I work alongside
my mother, sister, and fellow CAPA member Celeste Rodriguez. During my time in CAPA, I’ve been the Pro
Bono Committee Co-Chair, Mentor/Internship Co-Chair and the official jokester/heckler at the monthly
meetings. I’m also a new mother to a 5-month-old precious baby Olivia. (So, in essence, my term comes
with a mascot.)
When I ran for president-elect last May, I never could have imagined that my presidency would start in the middle of a global
pandemic. During these chaotic times, I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. As our world continues evolving I want to
assure you that CAPA leadership is working hard to provide you with support and opportunities as much as possible.
Given the rapidly changing times, the theme of my presidential term will be resiliency. Paralegals are uniquely qualified to
deal with the unexpected, which will be essential as we continue to support our clients and attorneys. One of the most
essential paralegal skills is the ability to quickly find solutions to problems, and that skill will help us thrive in this new, and
hopefully temporary, world.
For example, we are coordinating online CLE course offerings for membership, the Pro Bono Committee regularly meets via
Zoom, and we are updating the job bank as new opportunities come in. We hope that in the coming months our monthly
meetings will resume at Chez Zee and the other yearly events everyone enjoys will still take place.
For the time being, it will be important for us to remain open to new ideas and ways of serving the paralegal community. The
Pro Bono and Community Service Committee is keeping an eye out for opportunities that members can participate in
remotely, and other committees continue to work on projects. If you have an idea for connecting in the social distancing
world, please let me or one of the other officers know and we will do our best to bring the idea to fruition.
I’m thankful for the wonderful group of ladies who have agreed to serve on my Board and go through this journey with me:
Ariane Walton, Laura Kliman, Brittney Melancon, Jennifer Rogers and Brittany Posadas. Several CAPA members have stepped
up to be first time Committee Chairs and several experienced chairs are taking on new committees. I’m proud of our
membership for volunteering and answering the call for committee help. I encourage all of our members to participate in
some way during these social distanced times, even if that means attending a virtual
board or committee meeting. Brittany is going to be a tough act to follow as she did a
phenomenal job as President last term, and we are lucky enough to have her playing an
active role again in the leadership this term.
Please give your new board members and committee chairs a little patience and
understanding while we settle into our new roles with different assignments. If nothing else,
this term will be full of tips and information to help us navigate a more remote and virtual
existence. I’m always available to everyone with thoughts, concerns, and questions at