PERSONNEL FILE: LAPSWV elects officers, awards scholarships

CHARLESTON -- Legal Assistants/Paralegals of Southern West Virginia (LAPSWV) held its Fourth Annual Seminar and Meeting on June 6 at the Cabell County Public Library in Huntington.

During the regular course of its business meeting, LAPSWV elected and installed its 2008-2009 Executive Committee officers, effective July 1, 2008:

* President - Cynthia Lowther, ACP (Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Charleston)

* First Vice President - Lorena Shingleton, ACP (Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Charleston)

* Second Vice President - Loretta Stevens, CP (Kay Casto & Chaney PLLC, Charleston)

* Secretary - Brandy Hayton (Huddleston Bolen, LLP, Huntington)

* Treasurer - Karen Nichols, CP (Jackson Kelly PLLC, Charleston)

* NALA Liaison - Donna Losey, CLA (Lamp, O'Dell, Bartram, Levy & Trautwein, PLLC, Huntington)

* Historian/Parliamentarian - Tammy Welch, CP (Jackson Kelly PLLC, Charleston)

In addition, LAPSWV awarded a $500 educational scholarship to Beverly O'Dell, a student in the Legal Assistant program at Marshall Community and Technical College (Marshall University).

Other awards included: a $250 scholarship to Brandy Hayton for the certification examination offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA); and a $250 scholarship to Karen Nichols, CP, for the advanced paralegal certification program offered by NALA. LAPSWV also presented Cynthia Lowther, ACP with the 2008 Paralegal of the Year award.

Additionally, Ms. Lowther was nominated by LAPSWV to receive an Affiliated Associations Award at NALA's 33rd Annual Convention in Oklahoma City, Okla., in late July.

LAPSWV is a non-profit organization established in 2004 to promote high standards and to further education among members of the legal assistant/paralegal profession. Its members are employed by law firms, governmental agencies and corporations in Southern West Virginia. For more information on LAPSWV, visit www.lapswv.org.