President's Message
The Central Illinois Paralegal Association (CIPA) originated in 1987 as a result of a vision by a small group of women. The first meeting was held in a classroom at ISU and the primary focus of the association was legal education, partnered with networking and professional growth. As you will soon see, our focus has not changed over the years, but expanded and grown to include paralegal/legal assistants, legal studies students, attorneys, legal educators and individuals interested in the paralegal/legal assistant profession. I am extremely excited about the upcoming year and I would like to welcome everyone to 2008!
Our mission for the upcoming year is focused on the sharing and exchanging of ideas among our peers. You will experience, if you have not already, a slightly different approach to our monthly meetings in an effort to share more and get to know each other better. Since our goal, as a paralegal organization, is to encompass and facilitate the growth of all paralegals, we feel we can better offer that opportunity by expanding our meeting locations to include not only Bloomington, but also Peoria and Champaign. I would like to encourage everyone to be in attendance at our monthly meetings. I believe the diversity of locations will offer a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with our peers who are involved in the paralegal profession in the surrounding communities.
We are also planning some “fun” events in which we hope everyone will want to participate. Day trips, bowling, a family picnic—the sky’s the limit!
It is important to remember that we are more than a group of men and women meeting monthly. We are individuals who are powerful, responsible, and successful within our professional world. The upcoming 2008 CIPA agenda and social interactions will enable all of us to share thoughts, ideas, and experiences. By combining our individual powers through the use of our organization we can create a powerhouse of resources for professional growth and energy.
Please explore what CIPA has to offer to you! Contact us today.
Gale Grant
Paralegal
President,
Central Illinois Paralegal Association
