Briefly Noted

When I started posting on this blog back in February I had set a personal goal to try to post something once a week.  Lately my free time has been taken up with other responsibilities and I haven’t been checking the blog very often.  I am disappointed that no one else seems to be making use of this valuable communication tool.  The purpose of this blog is for our members to ask questions, give suggestions, set goals, gripe, vent, inspire, send encouragement, etc.  What do you need from Legal Secretaries International Inc?  Are we meeting your needs?  Any suggestions?   Is there a topic of interest you’d like to see started on this blog?  This blog is open to all our members - don’t be shy!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day.  The election primaries are almost over, but we are in store for plenty more campaigning.  This brings my thoughts once again to our organization.  Nominations for officers and directors are being processed.  If you are nominated please consider accepting the nomination.  You were nominated because someone in LSI International thinks you will be an asset to the leadership of LSI International.  Don’t be shy, give it a try.  The current Board is very willing to lend their expertise and advice.  You won’t be expected to do it alone!  Our organization is only as strong as our membership. 

Ok, my 21 year old is always trying to help me reach the younger legal secretaries.  Here’s our latest scheme - I’ve joined Twitter - actually started a Twitter account under the user name legalsecretary.  So, if you are a Twitterer, Twit, Twitterite or Twitterling just click on the blue highlighted link and follow me or lead and I’ll follow, whatever works or sparks your interest.          

I encourage all of our members to heed the call of our President, Jan Sullivan, and share the reason you joined Legal Secretaries International Inc. I’m still a fairly new member as I joined in August 2005. I joined for the educational and networking opportunities for legal secretaries. I have gained not only new knowledge and new sources for information, but also new friends and acquintances. I enjoy the seminars especially when the topic is not one of the practice areas I generally work in. I joined to broaden my education and LSI International fills my needs.

 If you haven’t had a chance to look over the proposed revisions to the Bylaws and Standing Rules take some time to do that before the meeting in Connecticut. If you have some thoughts or questions on the proposed revisions let someone on the Board know so it can be researched and addressed in a timely manner.  Many individuals have put a lot of time and effort into generally cleaning up the language and intent of these documents.  As members it is our responsibility to review, ask questions ahead of time, and be ready to proceed with this task.  If you will not be able to attend the meeting in Connecticut you are still able to make your voice heard.  Send in your proxy - discuss with your proxy holder your questions and concerns and let a board member also know those items.  I believe each and every member is just as important as the next one.  Our collective voices, thoughts, complaints, and ideas are what make this a good organization to belong to.  Don’t leave it up to someone else - you are that someone. 

Any thoughts on the post card? I’m always on the search for new marketing ideas to get our members interested in our Association. Hopefully the little teaser on the postcard about the purple cow and the blog made you curious and your checking it our for the first time. If so, I’m begging you to please make a comment. Otherwise, I won’t know if anyone was curious.

I hope all our members received a postcard in the mail from me reminding you of the annual meeting in Hartford, CT in six months. Hotel reservations can be made now so please book your room. The reservation may be cancelled prior to the arrival date if you can’t make the meeting, but the room block may fill up and you not be able to get a room if you don’t book in advance. If you do need to cancel a reservation, please check with Cindy Hahn our Meetings Director before cancelling, someone else may need the room. If you are not ready to commit yet, the postcard can be clipped to your June calendar (or sooner or later) to remind you again. Our Association is only as strong as we the members make it. Decide now to spend a few days in Connecticut in October. I hear its just beautiful that time of year. I am looking forward to checking it out.

I attended the joint meeting of Legal Secretaries of Kentucky and Legal Secretaries of Indiana in Lexington, Kentucky over the last weekend in March. I really enjoy the state meetings because it gives me a chance to visit with my friends from around the state that I otherwise only communicate with through email. One complaint we have in common on the State and International levels is that we tend to stick with our own group and not mix too well with others. Well, Joe Ann Wylie and her Kentucky gals really took care of the mixing it up part over the weekend! We were divided into six different tribes and were required to eat our meals with our tribe and sit together for the seminars. There was no cheating on the tribe assignments either because your color was safely hidden from sight in a bag - not even Joe Ann knew what color each person would draw. Granted, there was a bit of grumbling, but it was a fun way to challenge everyone to get to know a whole new group. The Kentucky gals did a wonderful job of educating us, feeding us, keeping us busy and definitely entertained. We were serenaded by very talented singers during our meals, the educational speakers were good, and the meals tasty. Granted, I was a bit apprehensive (scared!!!) of the challenges and being away from the comfort of my Indiana group didn’t ease my anxiety. I was terrified of falling on my face or everyone laughing at me. Well, someone did fall on her face and everyone showed concern and comraderie - a bit of embarrassment and then it was forgotten (almost). Two of my team members during a balloon challenge had many individuals laughing until tears were rolling down, but the laughing wasn’t “at” them, but “with” them. Carolyn and Mary Frances also won that challenge and kept the laughter going for the rest of the night!!!

Everytime I attend a State or International meeting I leave with new friends and contacts and a greater appreciation for legal secretaries everywhere! The mixing of our members was skillfully handled and we all learned about someone new. I was very pleased that Kathy from Pennsylvania, Lee from Texas, Mary Ann from California, and Ann from New York were able to join the Kentucky and Indiana groups for the meeting. I’d like to know if you have any ideas for mixing up our membership at our next few meetings? Please share your ideas.

Today is the first day of spring all over the United States. I hope each and every one of you will enjoy this beautiful season. As my thoughts turn to spring I think of new beginnings. A new beginning could start with a new friend. If you are not a member of Legal Secretaries International Inc. now is the time to join - a spring beginning. Our members receive the publications In Brief and Briefly Speaking which are currently available only by mail. Give us a try for a year. It is a wise investment in your career. Our Director of Membership is Kathy Nevins. Contact information and the member application is available on our website.

I promise its not a purple cow - I’m not even sharing if it is purple or not. I’m awful at keeping secrets but I’m going to hold onto this one. Legal Secretaries International Inc. has a very special one of a kind gift to be given to any first time attendee of a Legal Secretaries International Inc. meeting. So, watch the website and your mailbox for the registration forms for Hartford. You can already reserve your hotel the information is on our website. Here’s a secret I will share - I have a confirmed reservation. I’ll be there with an exclusive gift in hand waiting just for you!