Montana Lawyer October/November 2025

PARALEGAL SECTION

was held. There were numerous people who ran for offices this year and it was exciting to see the interest. We hope it continues and would encourage you to throw your name in for a position in the future. Thank you to our outgoing council members for your dedication and service over the past year. We’re excited to welcome the new council and look forward to the year ahead! Your officers for the 2025/2026 year beginning on September 12, 2025 are as follows: Chair: Sabrina Hallsten – BCBSMT / Jackson, Murdo & Grant, PC Vice-Chair: Jenna Moseman – Tarlow, Stonecipher, Weamer & Kelly, PLLC Secretary/Treasurer: Amanda Lewis – The Law Office of Carl B. Jensen, Jr. State Bar Liaison: Alex Miller – Tarlow, Stonecipher, Weamer & Kelly, PLLC Prof. Development Officer: Cassie Zimms – Northwestern Energy MALA Liaison: Christie Pierce – DPHHS Office of Legal Affairs Member-at-Large: Michelle Netzer – Rossbach Law, PC CLE Documentation and Dues Reminders Please take a moment to make sure you have uploaded your annual CLE certification through your State Bar Dashboard. If you experience issues, please reach out to us at the email below. Please also make sure your dues are current for this year. Free CLE s The Section Council has decided to continue to offer free CLEs throughout the State this year. Please watch your emails for dates and locations. There is no cost for the CLEs and they include a casual lunch/meet-and greet. Please plan on attending one or more of these CLEs. Should you have a friend or know somebody interested in the paralegal profession, we welcome and encourage their attendance as well. Become a Member Membership in the Paralegal Section is open to both at torneys and non-attorneys who meet eligibility requirements as outlined in the Section’s Bylaws. Section Officers are elected annually by members and serve on the Council which over sees the Section’s operations in accordance with the State Bar’s Constitution and Bylaws. This is a collaborative group and all are welcome! Let’s Stay Connected You may have seen emails in your inbox from “My Community”. If you have not done so, we encourage you to check it out on your Dashboard through the State Bar’s website. It’s a great place to share information and keep up to date on Council activities. Do you need to reach us? Our email parale galsection@gmail.com is routinely monitored and we are happy to help. Feel free to reach out. Thank you for being a valued and integral part of the legal profession! Watch for a CLE in your area. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sidebar with the Paralegal Section Being a member of the Paralegal Section of the Montana State Bar isn’t just about CLEs and a certificate of membership. It’s an opportunity to meet new people and collaborate and net work with your peers, all while maintaining excellence in your profession. More importantly, our collective voices can make a difference. Rule 9 Revisions to the Rules of Continuing Education The Paralegal Section had a busy and very productive year. Our struggles regarding CLEs continued into the 2024/2025 year. As you may remember, we were in the process of writ ing letters to the Supreme Court regarding the rule change on how attorneys get credit for presenting CLEs to paralegals and who had the authority to approve paralegal CLEs. Beginning a few years ago, attorneys would not receive CLE credit unless the presentation was geared toward and given to attorneys. We were also experiencing a roadblock when it came to getting our CLEs approved, purportedly for a similar reason. We reached out to our members to encourage the Supreme Court to assist by revising the Rules and you all came through!! Your letters and emails were successful!! On August 26, 2025, the Montana Supreme Court issued an Order In Re the Rules of Continuing Education . This Order revised Rule 9 of the Rules of Continuing Legal Education – Types of Activities that Qualify for Credit. It now includes the following: e. Teaching and preparing written materials for an approved activity or continuing education programs for judges, including limited jurisdiction judges who are not licensed attorneys, paralegals under the supervision of an attorney, or legal paraprofessionals practicing in association with a qualified provider of legal services in Montana as defined in Article I, Section 3(g)(5), of the State Bar of Montana Bylaws. This was an arduous task, but we are certain the collec tive voices of Montana’s paralegals were heard. Thank you for ensuring that Montana’s paralegals continue to receive excel lent continuing education from Montana’s best attorneys and presenters! Our roles in the legal profession are different in so many ways from attorneys – it’s significant that the need for oc casional CLEs tailored toward the paralegal profession has been recognized and will be rewarded. Bylaws Revision The Section proposed a revision to our Bylaws to clean up some older language and encompass the new CLE Rule. The Board of Trustees of the State Bar approved that revision in July 2025. The Paralegal Section Council is now tasked with approving CLEs submitted for compliance by its membership along with yearly audits! So please, remember to turn in those affidavits of continuing legal education. Annual Meeting/New Officers We are fresh from our Annual Meeting on September 12, 2025, in Helena, which was held in conjunction with the State Bar’s annual meeting. In addition to great CLEs with amazing speakers, our Budget was approved, and an election of officers

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