News Release
Students, Alumni Form Networking Association for Paralegals
Research and outreach to the legal community revealed the need for a professional development group
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent through 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Meanwhile, career experts often say networking is the key to uncovering such opportunities in the current job market.
With that in mind, Bucks County Community College students and alumni recently helped form the Bucks County Paralegal Association. The group’s aim is to bring together legal support staff to network and gain higher levels of professional development, according to Professor Tracy Timby, JD, MS, director of the college’s Paralegal Program.
“When paralegals can get together on a regular a basis, they can share information on their professional connections, where new jobs are, and continuing education opportunities,” says Timby.
The group came about when research conducted by Timby’s students, including outreach to the legal community, revealed a need for a networking resource for legal support staff in Bucks County.
Through the Alumni Mentoring program at the college, Timby was able to connect paralegal alumnus Holly Frey with current student Kara McClenahan. Frey and McClenahan presented student findings to the Bucks County Bar Association. Support was pledged by BCBA officers and members Chris Serpico, Esq., president: Timothy Duffy, Esq., vice president; Jeff Trauger, Esq.; and Deanna Mindler, executive director. Additional support came from Sandi Heintz, Regional IV Director of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.
The group recently held its first meeting at the Bucks County Bar Association in Doylestown. More than 50 professionals came to express interest in the new group. The majority of the participants had over ten years of experience in the legal support field. The event was sponsored by local law firms Mellon, Webster, and Shelly, PC and TimbyHunt, LLC, as well as legal publisher Aspen Publishers.
To learn more about the Bucks County Paralegal Association, contact interim president Kara McClenahan at 267-880-0238.
Bucks County Community College offers both a 63-credit associate degree and a 30-credit certificate in Paralegal Studies, one of the fastest-growing majors at the two-year, public college. The Paralegal Area of the Dept. of Business Studies is approved by the American Bar Association. To learn more, contact Professor Tracy Timby at
215-968-8247 or timbyt@bucks.edu.
Fall classes begin August 26 at Bucks, with campuses in Newtown, Bristol, Perkasie, and online. To apply, click here or call 215-968-8100.
| Contact: |
Assistant Director, Public Relations 215-968-8094/8093 |
