Washington State Paralegal Association

WSPA Recurring Monthly Events 

Each month WSPA brings you at least two member events to allow you to "CONNECT" with other paralegal professionals.

WSPA Connect, a lunch time opportunity for meeting with other professionals, generally held 2nd Wednesday

of each month from 12 to 1 pm.

WSPA Member and Board Meeting -  Any active members are encouraged to come to the meeting to see what the Board does and to ask any questions of the Board.  Held the third Wednesday of each month, starting at 6:30 pm. 

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WSPA is pleased to partner with Lorman Education for CLE offers. Come back for upcoming events with

LORMAN Education Services



Please check back regularly for updates. 

Please visit http://www.lormaneducation.com/affiliate/ for a complete listing of courses applicable to your organization. You can also download these courses to list on your site, or create email templates to notify your members or subscribers.

For questions, or for more information, please contact your account manager Amanda Grambsch atagrambsch@lorman.com or 800-678-3940.

Upcoming Events & CLEs

    • 02/14/2024
    • 12/11/2024
    • 11 sessions
    • Zoom Meeting
    Register

    Connect with WSPA members and other paralegals from across the state and even the nation!

    Join our next WSPA Connect meeting every 2nd Wednesday from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm via Zoom.  

    Feel free to drop in anytime during the hour.  

    Topic: WSPA Connect

    Time: 2nd Wednesdays 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88193456997

    Meeting ID: 881 9345 6997

    Passcode: 506819

    We look forward to connecting with you!

    • 12/03/2024
    • 11:00 AM - 2:15 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99445

    Overview

    Dig Up Legal, Financial, and Physical Issues Before the Closing

    Is the client really getting what they're paying for or is the property hiding some serious issues? This due diligence guide will show you how to review reports and documents to unearth everything from title defects to environmental risks. Help your attorney spot and resolve problems before the client signs on that dotted line - register today!

    • Get a master due diligence checklist to ensure no critical avenues go overlooked.
    • Investigate title issues through a title search or by reviewing the title commitment.
    • Read and cross-read legal descriptions and surveys for conflicts and other issues.
    • Discover what you should be looking for in appraisal reports, leases, environmental reports, and other documents.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Master Due Diligence Checklist and Document Management Tips
    2. Other Due Diligence To-Dos (With Checklists)
    3. Mortgage Commitment and Appraisal Reports
    4. Title Due Diligence
    5. Reviewing Legal Descriptions and Land Surveys
    • 12/04/2024
    • 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99471

    Overview

    A Practical Guide Filled with Intake, Drafting, Negotiation, and Trial Tips

    In every auto accident case, the stakes are high for everyone involved. No matter how similar the cases look - they're never the same. As a paralegal, your responsibilities can be key in uncovering the essence of the claim. Let us save you countless hours of trial and error by helping you to become versed in the essential elements of these cases. Our start-to-finish approach will equip you with the fundamental tools you need to confidently manage an auto injury case, from client intake until the case is closed. Deliver exactly what your attorneys expect, streamline the process, and avoid missing any pertinent issues. Register today!

    • Walk through an auto injury case, from the time of the collision through trial.
    • Examine insurance coverage issues, such as subrogation, UM/UIM coverage, and stacking.
    • Learn how to effectively manage the discovery process and conduct a thorough review of responses.
    • Locate, hire, and assist in interviewing experts who will help bolster the case and support the evidence your team will be presenting.
    • Draft settlement documents that will bring the case to a successful conclusion.
    • Assist in managing and creating case-winning exhibits that are sure to grab the jury's attention.
    • Know what to look for in medical records and where to find it.
    • Gain practical tips for drafting demand letters that have an impact.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Case Intake, Coverage Interpretation, Issues and Hidden Treasures
    2. Ethics
    3. How to Best Assist During Discovery
    4. Demand Letters and Negotiating with Insurance Companies
    5. Damages and Settlement
    6. A Paralegal's Trial Checklist
    • 12/05/2024
    • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99521

    Overview

    Keeping Tabs on Documents and Finding New Habits in the Office

    Level up your game with this course on time management and organization! Learn top tips for keeping your strategy in vogue and maximizing benefits to both the client and attorney. Through document preparation, file organization, and deadline management, this course will prepare you for common paralegal hurdles in the office. Enroll today!

    • Learn how to file and store documents to maximize efficiency and satisfaction.
    • Prepare for common mistakes in document preparation and execution.
    • Manage approaching deadlines with ease and successfully navigate client-attorney needs.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Becoming a Label Maker: Efficient Filing and Case Management
    2. Save Time by Avoiding Common Document Mistakes
    3. Securing Templates for Common Litigation Documents
    4. Prioritizing Events/Deadlines to Benefit Both Client and Attorney
    5. Asking Questions First, Keeping Records Second
    • 12/06/2024
    • 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99537

    Overview

    A Fast-Paced Overview of the Transaction and Key Paralegal Tasks

    Asset purchases are a common type of M&A transaction, and much of the weight of the deal rests on paralegals' understanding of the process and ability to move things along. This practical course walks through the key steps of the transaction while outlining paralegals' tasks along the way. Learn what to expect in due diligence, understand the various types of deal structures, and review critical elements of the APA. Register today!

    • Get an overview of the asset purchase process.
    • Walk through the key elements of due diligence in the context of an asset purchase.
    • Familiarize yourself with essential APA provisions.
    • Learn how to assemble ancillary documents and prepare for closing.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Common Types of APA Transactions, Comparison to Other Deal Structures
    2. APA Timelines, Key Steps in the Process
    3. Term Sheets, Letters of Intent
    4. Due Diligence, Preparing Entities, Preparing to Draft
    5. What's in the APA? Key Provisions 
    6. Keeping the Transaction on Track
    7. Final Document Assembly and Closing
    • 12/06/2024
    • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    About the class:

    This session will explore mentoring from the perspective of the mentee and mentor. We will discuss the benefits of mentoring, consider how to create an effective mentoring relationship, and develop strategies to process and implement feedback.

    About the instructor:

    Brenda Cothary is a paralegal at Coordinated Care in Tacoma, WA, where she specialized in regulatory filings and contract management. Brenda has over 25 years’ experience as a paralegal, working in private practice, state government, and corporate legal departments. She has experience in collections, bankruptcy, personal injury, administrative law and contracts.

    Brenda has been a member of the Washington State Paralegal Association (WSPA) since 1999. She has served in the following roles with WSPA: Regulation Coordinator, Chapter Director, Vice President of Membership, President, and Primary and Secondary Representative to the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). She has served as NFPA’s Education Coordinator, Legislative Coordinator, and Region I Director, in addition to many committee appointments.

    Brenda has a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminal justice from the University of Idaho and a master’s degree in law from Champlain College. She received her certificate in paralegal studies from Highline Community College. She has served on the Tacoma Community College Paralegal Advisory Committee and the Washington State Bar Association’s Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) Board.


    • 12/10/2024
    • 12:00 PM - 3:15 PM
    • webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99446

    Overview

    Expedite Medical Records Review, Demand Letter Drafting, and More With AI

    Work smarter, not harder! Join our savvy faculty as they share effective and creative ways you can harness the power and potential of legal AI. Analyze records with greater speed and precision, automate demand letters, streamline trial prep, and more. Enhance your efficiency, accuracy, and productivity when handling personal injury cases - register today!

    • Find critical information in medical records and other documents at the snap of a finger.
    • Learn how to create detailed and customized demand letters using AI tools.
    • Let AI tools take on client and case management busywork so you can focus your time and energy elsewhere.
    • Discover how to create compelling trial exhibits with the help of AI.

    *Any mention of specific products in this program is intended as part of a general overview and does not constitute IPE's endorsement or recommendation of any specific product or provider. This program is not sponsored by any technology or electronics provider.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Medical Records and More: Accelerating Document Review With AI
    2. AI-Powered Legal Research and Case Law Analysis
    3. Drafting Tailored Demands and Other Documents With AI
    4. Client Communication and Management: Free Up Your Time
    5. Creative Ways to Use AI in Trial Prep
    • 12/11/2024
    • 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99443

    Overview

    Understand Your Role in a Divorce Case

    This comprehensive course is designed to provide you with essential knowledge and best practices for handling the key tasks and unique issues of divorce cases. Enhance your skills with sample intake questions, checklists, discovery requests, and more. Don't miss out on this opportunity to hone your skills as a family law paralegal - register today!

    • Learn tips for organizing and managing the divorce case.
    • Discuss key points for drafting effective discovery requests and responses.
    • Explore effective methods for locating electronically stored information across social media, smartphone devices, and personal email accounts.
    • Review ways to navigate through support and custody issues.
    • Take a closer look at methods for uncovering crucial financial information in divorce.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Assisting With Client Intake and Divorce Pleadings
    2. Case Management for Divorce Cases
    3. A Paralegal's Role in a Divorce Trial
    4. Drafting Discovery Requests and Responses
    5. Social Media, Smartphone, and Email Evidence: Key Guidelines for Paralegals
    6. What Paralegals Need to Know About Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs)
    7. Support and Custody Issues
    8. Uncovering Key Financial Information in Divorce
    • 12/12/2024
    • 10:00 AM - 1:15 PM
    • webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99507

    Overview

    FOIA Requests, Local Court Records, Agency Regulations, and More

    Government agencies and public records are a treasure trove of information. To get what you seek, however, you'll need all the skills and experienced sleuth advice you can get! (You can's request something if you don't know it exists.) This practical guide will give you a rundown of what types of data is available, where and how it's stored, and how to obtain it free and fast. Help your attorneys and clients with hard facts that support claims and aid in negotiations - register today!

    • Save time and improve your request's chances of success: know what type of records to request.
    • Explore what you can find out about an individual in public records: from vital records to litigation history.
    • Research public business records and industry statistics to spot trends.
    • Improve your FOIA request outcomes with guidance from the pros.
    • Get tips for tackling common roadblocks in obtaining data, including redactions, delays, and top excuses.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Locating and Accessing Federal Government Records
    2. State and Local Government Records: What You Can Find and How to Get it
    3. Navigating Court Records
    4. Tips for Communicating With Government Agencies
    5. FOIA Requests and Responses (With a Sample Request)
    6. Addressing Common Restrictions and Limitations
    • 12/17/2024
    • 11:00 AM - 2:15 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99469

    Overview

    Gift-Wrapped Guidelines for Building Strong Ethical Foundations

    Deck the halls with legal ethics! In this festive program, our accomplished faculty share paralegal best practices for preventing and handling common ethical issues. From best practices for safeguarding client confidentiality to the dos and don'ts of handling client property, get the knowledge you need to stay on the nice list - register today!

    • Discover merry methods for ensuring ethical client communication.
    • Unwrap best practices for dealing with conflicts of interest.
    • Hear Santa-approved tips for using tech and media in legal settings.
    • Don't get your tinsel in a tangle - find out how to avoid the unauthorized practice of law (UPL).

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. No Peeking: Best Practices for Preserving Client Confidentiality
    2. Season's Greetings: Paralegal Best Practices for Client Communication Practices
    3. The Holiday Spirit: Essential Guidelines for Maintaining Integrity and Diligence
    4. Make Your List, and Check It Twice: Preventing and Handling Conflicts of Interest
    5. Handling Fa-La-La-La-Fees and Client Property
    6. North Pole Netiquette: Ethical Best Practices for Using Social Media and Technology
    7. Best Practices for Staying Off the Naughty List and Avoiding UPL
    • 12/18/2024
    • 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99459

    Overview

    From Initial Pleadings to Trial Preparation

    Successfully navigating through litigation depends on the cohesiveness of the entire litigation team, with paralegals playing an integral part. Are you prepared to steer through the tasks and duties involved? This insightful course will provide you with the tools you need to effectively handle pleadings, motions, and briefs, as well as provide tips for organizing and maintaining the case. Hone your litigation skills and prove your value to your firm - register today!

    • Learn tips for getting pleadings, motions, and briefs court ready.
    • Discuss how to create and maintain discovery requests and responses.
    • Gain valuable insight on preparing accurate and reliable deposition summaries.
    • Review methods to stay on top of managing and organizing documents and case files.
    • Explore ways to proficiently plan for and assist with cases that go to trial.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Preparing Pleadings, Motions, and Briefs
    2. Discovery Requests, Responses, and Document Productions
    3. Depositions: Scheduling, Preparation, and Summaries
    4. Litigation Case Management, Organization, and Communication
    5. Trial Preparation and Assistance
    6. Ethics for Litigation Paralegals
    • 12/19/2024
    • 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99549

    Overview

    How to Help Your Attorneys to Get Through Probate Cases Quickly and Efficiently

    The year's wrapping up, office parties are in full swing, and this winter-themed legal course brings a bit of levity and holiday spirit to an admittedly dark subject. Walk through the 12 "days" of probate and come away with helpful tactics to keep the case on track at every step of the way. Our experienced faculty will help you stay cheery and thoroughly prepared this season. Register today and learn how to:

    • Locate wills and assets
    • Communicate with clients, debtors, and creditors
    • Organize case files
    • Track deadlines 
    • and More!

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Client Intake and File Creation
    2. Will Authentication
    3. Locating Assets, Deeds, Titles, and Heirs (Research Tips)
    4. Tips for Creating an Estate Inventory
    5. Probate Petition and All Accompanying Documents
    6. Keeping Track of Deadlines, Keeping the Process on Track
    7. Educating and Supporting Personal Representatives
    8. Creditor Communications
    9. Managing and Recording Assets
    10. Counseling Grieving Clients
    11. Final Accounting and Tax Forms
    12. Estate Closing Procedures
    • 12/20/2024
    • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Webcasst

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99517

    Overview

    Avoid These Often-Overlooked Vulnerabilites in Your Everyday Work

    Are your everyday practices and policies inadvertently putting client confidentiality and the law firm's integrity at risk? Don't unwittingly become the weak link or access point for cyberthreats! This guide will show you why you should rethink your document storage, email, internet browsing, and other day-to-day activities. Strengthen your awareness and approach to cybersecurity and data privacy - register today!

    • Ensure client information and electronic documents are stored and handled securely.
    • Prevent incoming and outgoing email communications from becoming the source of the problem.
    • Learn safer internet browsing habits.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Reevaluate How and Where You Store Documents
    2. Ensure Email Security: Multi-Factor Authentication and Encryption
    3. Red Flags in Your Inbox That Are Easy to Overlook
    4. File Sharing and Data Transfer Do's and Don'ts
    5. Rethink Your Internet Browsing Practices
    6. Is it Truly Deleted? A Closer Look at Data Retention and Deletion Policies
    • 12/31/2024
    • 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99483

    Overview

    Strategies for Improving Paralegal Efficiency With Tech

    What are some ways that you can automate tasks and maximize your efficiency? Are you confident in your ability to create tables and charts in Excel? Do you know the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal arena? In this program, our accomplished instructors reveal the answers to these questions and provide you with tips to harness the power of a variety of tech tools in the legal sphere. Do not miss this opportunity to enhance your skills - register today!

    • Develop strategies for enhancing communication and collaboration.
    • Obtain practical tips and tricks for manipulating Excel spreadsheets.
    • Get real-world insights for using automation tools to optimize your workflow.
    • Uncover practical guidance for managing deadlines and client appointments.
    • Discover new ways to use AI in the legal workplace.

    *Any mention of specific products in this program is intended as part of a general overview and does not constitute IPE's endorsement or recommendation of any specific product or provider. This program is not sponsored by any technology or electronics provider.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Practical Tools and Techniques for Enhancing Collaboration and Communication
    2. Spreadsheets and Data Analysis in Excel: Beyond the Basics
    3. Using Automation Tools to Enhance Efficiency and Manage Documents
    4. Tips and Tricks for Seamless Legal Calendaring and Getting Your Inbox Under Control
    5. MS Word and Word Processing Tips for Non-Techy Paralegals
    6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Other Emerging Technologies in Legal Practice
    7. Paralegal Ethics in the Digital Era
    • 01/15/2025
    • 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99565

    Overview

    How to Prevent Mistakes, Effectively Organize Content, Convey Meaning, and More

    Cogent communication is the backbone of the legal process. This program offers practical pointers for improving your legal research and writing skills to help you become more effective in laying a solid foundation for each case. Explore real-life approaches to locating hard-to-find information and take your writing skills to the next level. Register today!

    • Explore new tools, resources, and approaches for locating people and finding background information.
    • Develop efficient proofreading methods to avoid common errors.
    • Find more effective ways of organizing content.
    • Get practical tips for making certain your writing is concise and persuasive.

    *Any mention of specific products in this program is intended as part of a general overview and does not constitute IPE's endorsement or recommendation of any specific product or provider. This program is not sponsored by any technology or electronics provider.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Case Law and Statutory Law
    2. Locating People and Finding Background Information
    3. Legal Writing Fundamentals
    4. Reviewing and Summarizing Legal Opinions
    5. Addressing Common Legal Writing Problem Areas: Grammar, Citations, Organization
    6. Effectively Organizing the Results of Your Investigation
    7. Paralegal Ethics
    • 01/21/2025
    • 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99568

    Overview

    From Initial Checklists to Closing Binders

    Numerous documents need to be drafted, reviewed, organized, and recorded in real estate transactions - and much of that work falls on paralegals. This program will show you how to dot all your i's and cross all your t's when it comes to these documents. Know what to look for when combing through real estate contracts, learn how to read and write legal descriptions, review title and survey work, and much more. Ensure everything is in order for a smooth, problem-free closing - register today!

    • Stay tidy - get practical insights on organizing real estate documents.
    • Save time and avoid oversights by knowing exactly what to look for in different real estate contracts.
    • Learn how to review title commitments, legal descriptions, and surveys for issues.
    • Make sense of third-party reports, including appraisals and environmental site assessments.
    • Hear how to prepare closing documents and tie up post-closing issues.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Closing Checklists and Document Management Insights
    2. Real Estate Contracts: What You Need to Know
    3. Reading and Writing Legal Descriptions and Deeds
    4. Reviewing Title Commitments and Land Surveys
    5. Examining Other Due Diligence Materials and Reports
    6. Real Estate Financing Documentation
    7. How to Prepare Closing Documents and Binders
    8. Ethics for Paralegals

    • 01/21/2025
    • 10:00 AM - 1:15 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99629

    Overview

    Supercharge Your Ability to Decode Medical Records and Identify Key Info

    Ready to take your medical record analysis and management skills to the next level? Here's how we can help! In this advanced course, our accomplished instructors share their hard-won strategies for requesting and reviewing medical records. From tips for collecting records from numerous providers to guidelines for crafting medical chronologies, enhance your expertise and credibility as a paralegal - register today!

    • Discuss high-level techniques for obtaining medical records.
    • Gain best practices for analyzing medical records.
    • Review critical HIPAA terms and concepts.
    • Discover the latest and greatest tech for medical record management.

    *Any mention of specific products in this program is intended as part of a general overview and does not constitute IPE's endorsement or recommendation of any specific product or provider. This program is not sponsored by any technology or electronics provider.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Obtaining Medical Records: Insights From the Pros
    2. Advanced Medical Record Analysis and Organization
    3. Mastering Medical Chronologies, Memos, and Trial Prep
    4. Complex HIPAA Terms, Codes, and Concepts
    5. Top Tech and Software for Medical Record Management and Analysis
    • 01/22/2025
    • 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Webcast

    Register: https://ipe-sems.com/products/99634 

    Overview

    Become an Effective Internet Sleuth

    Enhance your internet investigation abilities! This program will show you how to preserve and collect evidence from different online sources. Whether you’re dealing with social media, emails, public records, or more, this guide will equip you with the essential tools and knowledge to secure the evidence you seek (even when it’s been deleted). Build your skills - register today!

    • Speed up your searches with the power of artificial intelligence.
    • Get tailored tips for obtaining evidence from Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and other popular social media platforms.
    • Review best practices for collecting evidence from emails and messaging apps.
    • Receive handy how-to’s and hyperlinks for public records.
    • Utilize the various tools at your disposal to recover deleted data and archived content.
    • Learn how to preserve and prove the admissibility of the evidence you collect.

    Abbreviated Agenda

    1. Tips to Speed Up Your Searches and Capture Online Content
    2. Collecting Evidence From Facebook, TikTok, and Other Social Media Platforms
    3. Obtaining Evidence of Online Presence: History, Websites, Blogs, Forums, and More
    4. Retrieving Communications From Emails and Messaging Apps
    5. Finding and Securing Public Records (With Helpful Hyperlinks)
    6. Accessing Location and Storage Data
    7. Recovering Deleted Data and Archived Content

Washington State Paralegal Association
1402 Lake Tapps Parkway SE
Ste. F104/PMB133
Auburn, WA. 98092

206.653.7259

info@wspaonline.org

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