Benefits of PANO’s Affiliation with the National Association of Legal Assistants

            NALA’s Affiliated Association’s Director has direct responsibility to each NALA affiliated association.  This position serves as a liaison and provides a means of communication between NALA and its 79 state and local affiliates.  The Affiliated Associations Director represents the affiliate’s voice in the management decisions of NALA.  The Director serves a one-year term and is elected at the annual meeting by representatives of NALA Affiliated Associations across the country. 

             In addition to day-to-day correspondence and phone calls with NALA Board members, NALA Headquarters, affiliate representatives, and associations interested in affiliation, the Affiliated Associations Director’s duties also include: 

•  Work with associations towards affiliation with NALA, including the review and approval of applications for affiliation.   

• Preparation of The Affiliates Brief.   

• Review quarterly reports and newsletters from all NALA affiliated associations.  

• Review and approve amendments to affiliate by-laws.   

•  Review and select the Affiliate Exchange presenters with the Affiliated Associations Secretary.

• Preparation of the agenda for and preside over the Annual Affiliates Meeting.   

• Chair the Affiliate Awards Committee. The most important single product or service that NALA offers to PANO is information.   Affiliate membership offers: 

-                      Representation at the annual Affiliates Meeting in July, and a vote as to the affiliates’ representative on the Board of Directors. 

-                      PANO may also take part in the Affiliates Exchange during the annual Affiliates meeting.  The Affiliates Exchange is an opportunity for associations to share their successes with other affiliates and the paralegal profession.  We select the presentations based on ideas that can be implemented by other associations and material that will advance the growth of other associations.   

-                      The Affiliates Brief, which contains information about NALA, the activities of affiliates, developments in the profession and other newsworthy information.  The newsletter is posted on the affiliates page on the NALA web site for everyone to download and read.  

-                      Access to other affiliates for help and assistance as well as the Board and leaders of NALA. 

-                      Referrals of individuals to PANO for membership and other services.

 -                      Free access by PANO’s NALA Liaison to NALA Net and NALA publications, such as Facts & Findings.  Each issue of Facts & Findings includes an Affiliates Column specifically for members of affiliated associations. 

-                      Cooperation and assistance through NALA in connection with continuing education programs.  NALA will pre-approve CLE hours to qualifying PANO seminars at no charge. NALA will also advertise PANO’s CLE events on our new on-line CLE Directory available for all visitors to the NALA web site at no charge.  

            -            A special “Affiliates Expo” – this half day event at the NALA Convention provides a place for affiliated associations to display information about their programs and events and an opportunity for the organizations to tell others about their associations.   

-            Beginning in Fall 2004, NALA will begin offering NALA Campus Live to leaders of NALA affiliates.  The tentative schedule includes seminars and meetings through the use of web casts. Plans include affiliates sharing information on various programs, best  practices and NALA Liaison training.  

            Affiliation with NALA does not jeopardize the individuality of PANO and its membership.  NALA believes the decision to become an individual member of an association is a personal choice and, with the exception of the NALA Liaison, individual members of PANO are not required to become NALA members.  However, members of PANO who are not NALA members receive a waiver of the initiation fee should they decide to become NALA members. 

NALA’s Affiliated Association’s program continues to grow and develop, due to the mutual benefit derived by the affiliates and NALA.  For more information on NALA’s programs and individual membership, please visit NALA web site at www.nala.org.  

©Paralegal Association of Northwest Ohio