At the AAJ annual meeting Nashville, a few VTLA-ers received national award recognition. Let’s hear a round of applause for:

• Derrick Walker of Allen Allen Allen & Allen in Richmond who received an Evergreen Recognition Award;
• VTLA’s Executive Director Valerie O'Brien who received the AAJ Partnership Award;
• Mike Phelan of Phelan Petty in Richmond received an Above & Beyond Award; and
• Greg Webb of Michie Hamlett received an Above & Beyond Award.

In other AAJ News, Derrick was elected Parliamentarian of AAJ, meaning he is well on his way to becoming Virginia's first AAJ President in a few years; and Bridget Long of Allen Allen Allen & Allen was elected Chair of the AAJ Women’s Caucus for the next year.

Numerous other VTLA members are assuming leadership roles through committees and sections in the upcoming year. Thank you all for your work nationally on behalf of us all.

Last month, we were proud to sponsor a chat with one of the nation's top lawyers offering advice to new lawyers, but it was also a pep talk to lawyers who have been grinding away at it for longer. Colleagues from West Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland joined in the meeting with Joe Fried of Fried Goldberg in Atlanta, who, in his comfortable delivery style, packed a punch!

Watch it here - or even just listen to it in the background one day.

Richmond area paralegals enjoyed the food, drinks, games and each other at the social earlier this month at Bingo Beer. Thanks to our Business Partner TrustRx for sponsoring.

Are you in the Roanoke area? Come see us September 13 at Twin Creeks Brewpub at Brugh Tavern, 6:30-8. Let us know you're coming here! And to VTLA Platinum Business Partner Injured Workers Pharmacy (IWP), thank you for sponsoring this event.

It's never too early to make your plans for the annual Paralegal Seminar on November 14. We will be at an exciting new location at the updated Fredericksburg Convention Center and will kick off the festivities with a reception the night before at Park Lane Tavern for those who can make it. Watch for details coming soon, but make arrangements now to be there! 

It’s like “free baseball” with extra innings. Or soccer’s stoppage time. Beginning on September 1, new members enjoy 4 free months of membership in VTLA! When they join for 2025, they get the rest of this year for free so now is the best time for you to convince your colleagues to join.

Even better news? YOU get put in a drawing for some great thank-you prizes. This is all part of our annual Member-Get-A-Member campaign. (Not sure if someone is already a member? Check our directory online.)

Be sure to tell any new member to put your name in the "referred  by" line in the application. Joining is easy online after September 1. Know someone who wants to join now? Call our membership team at 804-343-1143 and we'll hold on to their information until the offer launches.

Just what are these great prizes? Think ... a soft cooler day pack, a WÜSTHOF classic 8" chef's knife, gift cards, and more!

An expanding membership means stronger networking opportunities and a more powerful voice in advocating for the best judicial system for all Virginians. So, why not recruit a friend or two and reap the rewards? Your chance to win begins next month!
 

It's been a gold medal summer! As the days are winding down, we hope you have made great memories whether watching athletes at the top of their game in Paris, watching your little swimmer at the top of their game on your local swim team, or just watching waves crash on the sand. VTLA's Business Partners are all refreshed and ready to serve you and your clients in the rest of 2024 and beyond. 

First, please read the “We Need Your Help” story above about technology and procedures that changed during and after the pandemic. We have a survey asking for your input on things that were helpful, and continue to be or could be helpful. Let us hear it! The deadline is Wednesday, and here is the link.

In addition to the regular VTLA programming, we have three more just for you!

August 5 Webinar
Custody/Visitation Cases - Best Practices for Paralegals
Rebecca C. Lawrence, Esq. and Marsha Smith

• Best Interests of the Child Proffers (BIC)
• Communication with the GAL
• Communication apps for parties
• Taking screenshots of texts the right way

Register here, then continue your learning journey with the Family Law Seminar in September. 

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August 7
Summer Social
Bingo Beer Co., Scott’s Addition, Richmond
Open to any paralegal or law office support staff so come see old friends and make new ones! This free event includes food, beer, and of course, bingo. Thanks to TrustRx for sponsoring.
Register here

More than a dozen study groups are finalizing reports for the annual Virginia Criminal Justice Conference held in September each year. Just last week, intense discussions were held relating to what should be appropriate charges for minors caught sexting each other. It's a gratifying experience to witness passionate advocates and judges working together to find the best outcomes from tough situations.

This is good stuff, VCJC! Thanks go out to the 21 prosecutors, 21 criminal defense attorneys, 15 judges, legislators, legal scholars, counsel to the legislative courts committees, the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, and others with special expertise and experience in criminal law and procedure. Each one holds an important piece of the puzzle. VTLA is proud to support this conference.

July 1 has passed and so have a number of new laws. VTLA’s legislative team has assembled a list of dozens of bills of interest to our members: some were passed and signed by the Governor, some were passed and vetoed by the Governor and others were never passed. View the entire list here (remember, this is just a select list from more than 3,000 bills). Each section-specific bills are uploaded to the appropriate communities on our website.

Did you miss one of our recent seminars? Too hot to go outside and mow that lawn? Good news! Both Personal Injury Liens in Virginia and Auto Cases Bumper to Bumper are now available on demand. As with all of our on-demand programs, pre-recorded credit is available, and you'll also receive the complete written materials. 

We also have a few of the more popular sessions from the Annual Convention and other popular on-demand programs available such as Sources of Coverage and Protecting Your Client’s Right to No-Cost Medical Records. Check out all of our on-demand CLEs on our catalog here.

The General Assembly created a Pandemic Response and Preparedness Joint Subcommittee to analyze Virginia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of that analysis includes looking at how the judicial system functioned during the state of emergency, and VTLA has been specifically asked to submit feedback on this issue.

Here’s where you come in. We have a very short survey (SurveyMonkey says it will only take 8 minutes to complete but you can write more if you'd like!) to gather your comments and we need to hear from you by Wednesday.

Please respond. Let us know what was good, what was not so good, and what has happened since then. The sky’s the limit!

Attorneys click here      Paralegals click here