ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
LOUISVILLE, KY
OCTOBER 26-29, 2006
Despite the cold temperatures and the drizzling rain, Louisville was alive with legal secretaries for the Haunted Annual Meeting of Legal Secretaries International Inc. There were 62 registered from 17 states. Mary Frances Klein and the Kentucky ladies did a fantastic job!
The tour on Thursday took us to Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, where we got to actually walk down the famous tunnel through which the thoroughbreds enter on race day. After lunch at the Old Spaghetti Warehouse, we visited historic Locust Grove. We had a full house for the Dutch-treat dinner at the hotel on Thursday night.
Director of Certification, Edwina Klemm, administered 8 certification exams on Thursday.
Carolyn Arnett, an adoption attorney, was the first speaker on Friday morning. Ms. Arnett primarily represents birth parents, but she spoke on the basics of adoptions and provided some stirring and emotional stories regarding birth mothers, babies, and adopting families. Jennifer Kovalcik, an attorney with the firm of Stites & Harbison, PLLC, spoke on intellectual property law. Ms. Kovalcik's presentation covered trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. Following a wonderful lunch featuring a regional favorite, Kentucky Hot Brown, we were entertained by Judge Thomas Knopf, Retired Judges Mediation & Arbitration Services, who spoke on mediation practice. Starr Chaney, Kentucky Ghost Hunters, spoke on paranormal investigation and the techniques used in their investigations. Ms. Chaney showed a PowerPoint presentation depicting various paranormal events.
The stuffed animals for our Leave a Legacy program were presented to the Jefferson Family Court in Louisville for their dependency, neglect, and abuse dockets.
Legal Directories Publishing Company sponsored the Friday night Welcome Reception. Following the reception, members were given the opportunity to join Starr Chaney and her husband in an adjacent room for a ghost hunt.
President Sally Jarvis called the business meeting to order on Saturday. The Bylaw amendment (printed in the April issue of Briefly Speaking ) passed. Beginning in 2008, we will meet only once per year, either in September or October. The budget was adopted as presented. The following members were elected to office:
President Sally Jarvis, CL§
Vice President Jan Sullivan, CL§
Secretary Hilda Appuhn
Treasurer Robbie Sargent
Director of Certification Edwina Klemm, CL§
Director of Education Carol Wilson, CL§
Director of Marketing Teresa Koch, CL§
Director of Meetings Teresa Brown, PLS
Director of Membership Joan Belsen, CL§
Shirley Vanderbeck reported on the 2007 Midyear Meeting in Ontario, CA. The theme of the meeting is Here's Your Hat, What's Your Hurry. A tour to Temecula is being organized and members will have the choice of antique shopping, touring a local winery, or gambling at the casino. Edwina Klemm reported that she and Teresa Brown will co-chair the 2007 Annual Meeting at the Embassy Suites at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. Legal Professionals of Connecticut will host the 2008 Annual Meeting in Hartford, CT. Legal Secretaries of Texas will host the 20th anniversary meeting of Legal Secretaries in 2015, somewhere - but not in Houston.
Members were asked to dress in costume for the Saturday night banquet. There were witches, pirates, wenches, a clown, a French maid, a bride, a couple of nuns (and a devil), a sorceress, Renaissance maidens, a diva, and many, many others. Maxine was even there! After dinner, Joe Ann Wylie (comedienne extraordinaire) played auctioneer for our live auction. The auction brought in over $1,000! Way to go, ladies!
We look forward to seeing everyone in sunny Ontario, California, in April 2007. Members of our Russian affiliate will be there, so let's have a great turnout! And remember - bring your hat!
Teresa Brown, PLS
Director of Meetings
