If you’ve been wondering what MALS is and what you can get out of it, you’ll be glad to know that your chance has come to find out…
We hope you’ll drop by for some free lunch and door prizes, and see what MALS has to offer. Make your reservation today!
It is with great excitement that MALS…The Association for Legal Professionals joins the world wide web! We are thrilled to be here and establish a web presence! I am Kristi Skipper, PLS, the 2008-2009 President of MALS, and I will be writing the posts. Right now I’ll give you some insight as to what MALS is all about.
MALS is an association for individuals in the legal services profession. Legal secretaries, paralegals, court reporters, court clerks, attorneys, and even students can join MALS. Some of the benefits of being a member include CLE, professional certification, nationwide networking, and of course, friendship! MALS is a tri-level association, meaning that when you join, you become a member of the national, state, and local levels.
MALS offers 30 minutes of CLE at each monthly meeting, and 1 hour Lunch N’ Learns several times a year. AALS, the state association, offers three seminars a year, in the spring, fall, and winter, and regional meetings are held one weekend during the summer. An average of 6-8 hours of CLE is offered at each of these seminars. NALS hosts two meetings a year – Professional Development Conference in Tulsa every March, and an Educational Conference every fall. Stay up-to-date in our ever-changing profession by attending CLE regularly.
NALS offers professional certification. ALS…the basic certification for legal professionals is geared toward entry level legal professionals to help them get a foot hold in the industry. PLS…the advanced certification for legal professionals is dedicated to helping established professionals advance their careers. The Professional Paralegal certification is focused on experienced paralegals looking for a way to solidify their career and advance further. Study groups and Legal Training Courses are available throughout the state to assist members preparing to take these exams, and NALS offers Online Study Groups at no charge.
As you can imagine, a member can make friends all over the United States, which translates into some awesome networking opportunities. Need to know how to issue non-party subpoenas in another state? No problem! Call NALS and get the name of a fellow member in that state, who should be able to get you going in the right direction.
As you can see, MALS has a lot to offer. If you’re not already a member, we’d love to have you come and visit us! We meet the third Monday of every month (except state holidays) at 12 noon at the Farmer’s Market Cafe downtown, 315 N. McDonough Street. Hope to see you soon!
Questions? Email me at mals@email.com. I’d love to hear from you!
