For many, 2020 has proved to be a year they’d much rather throw in the circular file. But this year was not without some bright moments, especially for the Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Paralegal Section’s Executive Committee (ExComm).

The highlight of the year was this year’s Paralegal Conference on Ethics and Wellness.  The event exceeded expectations and registration set a record for BASF’s first all-virtual conference. The ExComm planned and organized the conference in a short period of time and had to reimagine the entire conference as a result of the pandemic. The resulting conference speaks for itself. If you missed the live conference—not to worry—the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars are still available on BASF’s website.  Please visit the site for details.

The ExComm’s great work is a result, in large part, of the volunteer time contributed by its members: Javier Morelos, Hersh FamilyLaw Practice (Chair), Amy Jo McGuigan, Swanson & McNamara (Vice Chair), Jeff Lester, Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein (Secretary), Ana Fatima Costa, Costa Coaching & Consulting (Treasurer), Anika Hosseini, Van Voorhis & Sosna (CLE Coordinator), Erin Keller, Fink Family Law (Marketing Coordinator), Karin Buckley, Van Voorhis & Sosna (Member at Large), Alexandra Brilliant, Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein (Member at Large), Erica Crane, San Francisco City Attorney’s Office (Member at Large), and Kate Morin, Ad Astra (Member at Large).

Thanks are due to the wonderful team at BASF, especially Raquel Cabading, Peter Gillen, Jordan Banez-Ching, Kristine Tubig and Donia Abdelameed. Without their leadership, guidance, and, most of all, patience, this year’s conference and many countless other CLEs put on by our section and other sections would not be possible.

Thanks are also in order to this year’s conference sponsors. With their generous assistance, BASF’s first all-virtual conference was a tremendous success: Canada College, Divergent Language Solutions, Deposition Reporters Association of California, Fink Family Law, Hersh FamilyLaw Practice,  MacroPro, and the San Francisco Paralegal Association.

The Paralegal Section’s holiday mixer will round out the year with a Virtual Holiday Extravaganza on December 3.  Please watch your inboxes for the event invitation and registration link. The mixer will be held virtually using REMO, which was also used during the Paralegal Conference with great success. The platform enables users to mix and mingle in various rooms with multiple users. This year’s mixer will also feature a trivia section, so remember to bring your trivia knowledge along with your holiday spirit!

Is there a paralegal, legal assistant, or legal support professional at your office who deserves some recognition this year?  A nomination of your superstar support for a Paralegal Award presented at the holiday mixer is a nice way to thank section members who have gone above and beyond their daily tasks. Nominate your person today!

Do you have an idea for a CLE or conference?  Would you like to make a difference in your local legal community? You may want to consider joining the ExComm. Feel free to contact any member listed on the Paralegal Section’s page for more information on how to join this fun and hardworking group of people.

Happy holidays to you and yours! Wear a mask!

About the Author:

Javier Morelos, firm administrator, Hersh FamilyLaw Practice, is the Chair of the Paralegal Section’s Executive Committee.