Real Estate Section Meeting + CLE

Things Are Getting Real: Challenges Facing Property Owners Associations

On October 3, 2023 at Noon CST

Speaker

Noelle G. Hicks

Noelle G. Hicks is an Associate in the Property Owners Association Law Section of RMWBH. Noelle assists single-family residential, townhome, condominium, and some commercial associations with various aspects of property owners’ association law including the collection of delinquent assessments, complex deed restriction enforcement issues, developing and interpreting governing documents and drafting and reviewing contracts. In addition, she works with her association clients on various issues such as ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, attending administrative hearings, 209 hearings and board meetings on behalf of her clients.

Noelle is a passionate litigator who believes that clients should understand the scope of and have trust in their attorney’s representation. She personally strives to make sure that clients have confidence in her level of expertise in the field and finds it essential to not only provide fundamental customer service, but also develop a relationship with each client that will hopefully last for years to come.

In addition to her work with clients as their attorney, she also works with clients to ensure they are educated in the rules and statutes governing property owners’ associations. Noelle is an active participant in RMWBH’s growing POA education program. Noelle educates attorneys, community managers and board members through various webinars, board training seminars and more. She also speaks statewide through the State Bar of Texas and local Community Associations Institute Chapters (CAI) and at national CAI conferences. Noelle is also helping to expand our education program by developing seminars on diversity and inclusion training.

Noelle’s efforts in the industry have been featured by CAI including forming the basis for CAI’s Diverse and Inclusive Communities Guide. Her manuscript on “Overcoming Racism in Community Associations: Attorneys as Agents of Change” was awarded Best Manuscript at the 2021 CAI National Law Seminar. Noelle was awarded Best Manuscript in 2022 for her publication entitled, Tackling Mental Health Issues in Community Associations. The content of this manuscript was converted into a digital book entitled, Minding Mental Illness - A Guide to Handling Conflicts with Residents, published by CAI. Noelle is a member of the Texas Bar College. She received her bachelor's degree from Trinity University in 2005 and her Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in 2008.

This event qualifies for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit through DAPA.

*** For additional questions regarding this event please contact Elena Taylor at realestate@dallasparalegals.org

Litigation Section Meeting + CLE

PART 2:

Roe v. Wade & 49 Years Later

On October 6, 2023 at Noon CST

Synopsis

"Roe v. Wade” – How the Constitution gave women a right to choose,

and what happened 49 years later.

Speaker

John A. Bermingham, Jr. Esq.

John A. Bermingham, Jr. Esq. is a licensed Attorney in New Jersey who has over 17 years’ experience as in-house counsel and is currently Associate General Counsel at Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc., where he handles corporate law, transactional matters, business law matters and contract law. 

Additionally, he provides pro-bono legal services for the disadvantaged, students and the elderly.  Attorney Bermingham is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of New Jersey and all other state courts of New Jersey; and admitted to the District Court for the Federal District of New Jersey. 

Attorney Bermingham is a professor where he teaches Constitutional Law, Government Law, Business Law, and various Health Law classes, among others for Purdue University, Saint Leo University, Centenary University and Southern New Hampshire University.  Professor Bermingham received his Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies at Arizona State University, his MBA with a Concentration in Criminal Justice at Saint Leo University and his Juris Doctor at Catholic University in Washington, DC.

In 2013, Centenary University awarded Professor Bermingham with the Adjunct Excellence Award as voted on by students in the program and in 2021 he received Faculty Member of the Year as voted on by Faculty at Centenary University, he received Adjunct Professor of the Year for Purdue University in 2015, 2020 and 2022.  He has created course curriculums for the classes Health Care Legislation and Regulation, Legal Method and Process, Organization and Function of State Government at Purdue University, the course curriculum for Personnel Law and Ethics at Saint Leo University and the course curriculum for Business Law I and II and Employment Law for Felician University.

Furthermore, John Bermingham was elected by the people of Upper Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania in the November, 2015 General Election to the Board of Supervisors and has been a Supervisor since 2016.  John was reelected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 where he will serve until 2027.

John has authored four children’s books, Our Gift from God, the Firefighters of Upper Mount Bethel, the Road Crew of Upper Mount Bethel and Our Family Picture.

He lives in Upper Mount Bethel with his wife Laura, their eight-year-old son John (“JC”), and four-year-old son Michael.  He has published articles for the National Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals (NALA) and worked on their examination questions for paralegals.  John speaks to paralegal associations throughout the United States every year. 

CLE credit through DAPA is pending.

*** For additional questions regarding this event please contact the Elena Taylor at medical@dallasparalegals.org***

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & EQUITY MEETING

"The Crown Act"

October 19, 2023 @ 12:00 p.m.

YOUR SPEAKER

State Representative

Rhetta Andrews Bowers

MEETING INFO

Representative Bowers was elected to serve House District 113 in the Texas House of Representatives on November 8, 2018. She made history as the first African American elected to represent this district. Being of African American and Caribbean descent, she became the first Afro-Latina elected to the Texas House. House District 113 includes parts of Rowlett, Garland and Mesquite.

Bowers was drawn to activism at an early age, following the example of her mother, a prominent community leader, and her father, a nationally recognized surgeon. She is an alumna of Spelman College and Texas Southern University, earning her bachelor's degree in Telecommunications, with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism.

During the 86th Legislative Session, Bowers served on the House Committees for Corrections, Juvenile Justice & Family Issues, and Local and Consent Calendars. Representative Bowers champions women and children's rights, juvenile justice issues, working towards eliminating the school to prison pipeline, and uplifting marginalized communities in every level of government. She has been recognized across the state for authorizing House Bill 3455, which declares March 1st as "Texas Girls in STEM Day," a day designated to highlight women in STEM and encourage and expose young girls, with support from local school districts and organizations, to embrace and enter fields relating to science, engineering, technology, math and the arts.

During the 87th Legislative Session, Bowers continued her commitment of supporting human rights by filing the Texas CROWN Act which protects against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protections to hair texture and styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools. Bowers also multiple bills to provide additional resources to people experiencing homelessness and to aid those whose life's work is helping them.

In the 88th Legislative Session, Bowers followed through on that commitment, passing the Texas CROWN Act, House Bill 567, along with House Bill 568, which provides trainings for peace officers for interactions with people with Alzheimer's or other dementias. She proudly serves on the House Committees for Criminal Jurisprudence, Homeland Security & Public Safety, the Speaker's Select Committee on Community Safety, and as Vice Chair of Local and Consent Calendars.

Though she is a proud native Houstonian, Representative Bowers has resided in Rowlett with her husband MSG (ret.) John P. Bowers, Jr. and their 2 children for more than 20 years and proudly calls House District 113 home.   

THIS MONTH'S LOCATION

The Arts District Mansion

2101 Ross Ave.

Dallas, TX 75201

PARKING & BUFFET LUNCH

Cost of Parking = $5.00 - $10.00

Cost of buffet lunch = $15.00 - $17.00

CLE Credit

1.0 hour of General paralegal CLE credit issued through DAPA. 

Litigation Section Meeting + CLE

5th and 14th Amendments

November 10, 2023 at Noon CST

Synopsis

A detailed discussion and understanding of the 5th Amendment and the protections afforded under this Amendment. Detailed discussion and understanding of the 14th Amendment, why this Amendment was written and what the incorporation doctrine means. This presentation will review and analyze Supreme Court cases decided under the 5th and 14th Amendments.

Speaker

John A. Bermingham, Jr. Esq.

John A. Bermingham, Jr. Esq. is a licensed Attorney in New Jersey who has over 17 years’ experience as in-house counsel and is currently Associate General Counsel at Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc., where he handles corporate law, transactional matters, business law matters and contract law. 

Additionally, he provides pro-bono legal services for the disadvantaged, students and the elderly.  Attorney Bermingham is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of New Jersey and all other state courts of New Jersey; and admitted to the District Court for the Federal District of New Jersey. 

Attorney Bermingham is a professor where he teaches Constitutional Law, Government Law, Business Law, and various Health Law classes, among others for Purdue University, Saint Leo University, Centenary University and Southern New Hampshire University.  Professor Bermingham received his Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies at Arizona State University, his MBA with a Concentration in Criminal Justice at Saint Leo University and his Juris Doctor at Catholic University in Washington, DC.

In 2013, Centenary University awarded Professor Bermingham with the Adjunct Excellence Award as voted on by students in the program and in 2021 he received Faculty Member of the Year as voted on by Faculty at Centenary University, he received Adjunct Professor of the Year for Purdue University in 2015, 2020 and 2022.  He has created course curriculums for the classes Health Care Legislation and Regulation, Legal Method and Process, Organization and Function of State Government at Purdue University, the course curriculum for Personnel Law and Ethics at Saint Leo University and the course curriculum for Business Law I and II and Employment Law for Felician University.

Furthermore, John Bermingham was elected by the people of Upper Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania in the November, 2015 General Election to the Board of Supervisors and has been a Supervisor since 2016.  John was reelected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 where he will serve until 2027.

John has authored four children’s books, Our Gift from God, the Firefighters of Upper Mount Bethel, the Road Crew of Upper Mount Bethel and Our Family Picture.

He lives in Upper Mount Bethel with his wife Laura, their eight-year-old son John (“JC”), and four-year-old son Michael.  He has published articles for the National Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals (NALA) and worked on their examination questions for paralegals.  John speaks to paralegal associations throughout the United States every year. 

CLE credit through DAPA is pending.

*** For additional questions regarding this event please contact the Elena Taylor at medical@dallasparalegals.org***