NALS of West Michigan's 2008 Award of Excellence winner is Virginia Roth, PP.   Virgie is employed at Buckman, MacDonald & Bauer in Holland, Michigan.   Virgie has over 17 years of legal experience.  Virgie has been very involved in our local NALS of West Michigan chapter for several years, serving as treasurer for one year, as well as chairing several different committees, past and present.  She is very involved in her community as well.  Virgie received glowing recommendations from her employer, personal reference, and association reference.  Congratulations, Virgie!   Jeanne Grasman, 2006-2008 NALS of West Michigan Award of Excellence Chair       Every year NALS of West Michigan bestows the Award of Excellence to a deserving member of our local organization.  Nominations for this award are solicited from our membership.  Judges are chosen from one of the other  Michigan chapters.  All qualified entries are then submitted to the approved chapter and a winner is chosen.  The winner receives his/her award at the annual Awards Ceremony held in April.   Past Recipients
Candidate Criteria   Any NALS of West Michigan member in good standing with at least five years of legal experience is eligible to be a nominee, except members of the Committee and all former recipients of the award.   Nominees will be judged on the following basis:   Skills and experience in the legal field, such as legal secretary, paralegal, legal assistant, court reporter, legal support staff, etc.  (50%)   The individual shall be a current participant in the Association or one who has demonstrated a current participation in the last two years.  (40%)   Other activities, interests and volunteer work.  (10%)	Selection Process   Nomination forms and Eligibility & Judging Requirements are provided to the membership.  Click here for Memo w/ nomination form.   Any member may submit a nomination form.   Each nominee will receive an application form together with the Eligibility and Judging Requirements.  All application forms should then be submitted to the Award of Excellence Committee.    The Committee shall obtain letters of endorsement from each of the nominee’s three named references, ie, an employer, a member of the Association and a personal reference.   The Committee shall select another chapter of the multi-level association, from which judges will be chosen.  That chapter will select three of its members to act as judges.  These judges shall not be affiliated with any nominees for the Award of Excellence.     The Committee shall then submit all qualified entries to the approved chapter (all references to the nominee’s name, signature lines and letterhead text are blocked out).   All information regarding the nominees is kept confidential.   The winner of the award will be announced at the annual Awards and Appreciation dinner. Other nominees will not be acknowledged.	Eligibility for Nomination of Candidates Any NALS of West Michigan member in good standing, except members of  the Committee, may nominate an eligible NALS of West Michigan member.  Former winners are not eligible for the award.
(Information paraphrased from NALS of West Michigan Standing Rules.)   Award of Excellence nomination form Can't open the form?  Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Jeanne R. Grasman