TBPA 2023 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - May 15, 2023

Dear Members,

At this time, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue our membership with the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).  While we have valued our association with NFPA, we feel that, at the present time with the effects of the Pandemic, our time and finances are better spent focusing on our local members and strengthening our associations with our local bar associations.

Rest assured, if you have NFPA credentials, they will still be valid and TBPA will continue to offer CLE opportunities which will meet NFPA (as well as NALA's) criteria for the required continuing legal education necessary to maintain your credentials.

We may re-evaluate our affiliation with NFPA in the future; however, right now, we remain committed to providing the best services possible to our paralegals at the local level.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via President@tbpa.org.

Thank you!

Melissa J. Cook, FRP

TBPA President

Email: President@tbpa.org

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Special "Active" Membership Drive -TBPA is holding a special membership drive for the category of Active Membership for those individuals who are first time applicants or who have not been a TBPA Member since 12/31/2021. This special drive will be offered from 5/16/2023 to 7/31/2023 at the special rate of $75 for the remaining 2023 term. Apply online or submit the completed special membership application (download here). The 1/1/2024 Annual Renewal Dues will be invoiced at the regular Active Membership fees.  Any questions may be directed to our 2nd Vice President/Membership Chair via membership@tbpa.org.
  
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• CLE Monthly Luncheons - These CLE Events are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the University Club. See upcoming Luncheons listed in the Upcoming Events Section below.
  
  
• Wills for Heroes - These Pro Bono (Community Service) Events are held quarterly on Saturday mornings at the Hillsborough County Bar Association office on N. Tampa Street. The next scheduled events are July 15th and October 21st.  We need notaries and witnesses to help with estate planning and medical directive documents for our Tampa First Responders. Events will be announced for registration for volunteers to join us early in the month of the event.

2023 TBPA Seminar

"Spring Training – Sharpen Your Skills at the
2023 TBPA Annual Conference. Game On!"

was held on Friday, April 21, 2023

at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.

Thank you all who attended and

made this event a success!

The Florida Bar News recently posted a very interesting article on March 21, 2019 titled Survey Looks at Paralegal Salaries that discusses paralegal's salaries.  "Sixty-two percent of Florida law firms use paralegals and 51 percent of those say their paralegals averaged more than 1,000 billable hours last year"  Do you know what average salaries for paralegals are where you live?  Take a look at the full article here.