Paralegal News Clips

■ Attorney Jim Smith has been appointed as the interim coordinator for Arizona Western College’s paralegal programs. Smith helped start the program two and a half years ago and stated, “"There are a lot of jobs in the profession that are not necessarily attorney. The paralegal program creates a path into the legal profession without having to pass the state bar exam." (Yuma Sun)

■ Texan Turea Simpson, a senior paralegal with Houston-based law firm Hughes Watters Askanase L.L.P., has formed the Houston Association of Bankruptcy Paralegals (HABP).

Simpson explained that she established the HABP because she saw a strong need and desire among Houston bankruptcy paralegals for continuing education and for face-to-face communication.

“Hughes Watters Askanase often sent me to bankruptcy seminars geared toward attorneys, but not paralegals. It came to me during one of these seminars that bankruptcy paralegals do not have our own events or workshops that help us continue our education which in turn enables us to be more successful at our jobs. Because bankruptcy paralegals work with paralegals at other firms on a daily basis, the opportunity to meet colleagues face-to-face is especially important.”

Earthtimes