With such busy lives it can be hard to imagine taking on any more responsibilities. However, there are paralegals/legal assistants out there that, in addition to all the pressures of life, go above and beyond what is expected of them. Shining Stars are Michigan paralegal/legal assistants that have been nominated and selected to be featured on our website and in our newsletter for their outstanding charitable and/or community service works. Nominees will be randomly selected each month and their story published on our website. During the next newsletter all winners' stories will be re-published. Shining Stars is a way to honor those you know that deserve to be recognized for all the good things they do!
| Past Winners |
| May 2013 |
Beth Kinnaird (awarded posthumously)
Beth died suddenly on April 5, 2013, at age 43. Beth was a hardworking and driven paralegal who devoted her time to the profession and to her family. She was a trademark paralegal at Butzel Long for more than 15 years before moving to Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP in 2010. With Beth's passing we lose a good friend, co-worker and fellow Section member. The May 2013 Shining Star Award will be presented to Beth's family in her honor. |
| April 2013 |
Jaxine Wintjen, CLA (awarded posthumously)
Former SBM Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section officer and council member Jaxine Wintjen, CLA, of Williamston, has been awarded the Shining Star Award for April 2013 for her continuous dedication to the paralegal profession. Jaxine died on May 1, 2013, at age 53, at Hospice House of Mid-Michigan. She was an active participant in the Section from its inception in 1989/1990 and served the Section in a variety of capacities—as chair, secretary, treasurer, council member, and committee chair. She was a member of NALA and LAAM. She worked in the legal profession for more than 30 years and for Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, in Lansing, as an employee benefits paralegal for 37 years. The April 2013 Shining Star Award will be presented to Jaxine's family in her honor. |
| August 2011 |
Vicki Voisin has worked as a paralegal for over 20 years and has become a nationally recognized author and speaker, widely known for her paralegal seminars, her work mentoring other paralegals, and her unique approach to ethics training for legal staff. She writes comprehensively about how paralegals can enhance and advance their careers in The Paralegal Mentor: Strategies for Paralegals Seeking Excellence. She is co-host of "The Paralegal Voice" on Legal Talk Network. And she authors a weekly online magazine called Paralegal Strategies. She has served as president of the National Association of Legal Assistants and president of the SBM Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section. |
| July 2011 |
Charlie Campbell received the award for his work helping low-income people in Kent County. He is the program coordinator at Legal Assistance Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Grand Rapids. He began working at the Center as a student intern and continued to volunteer there even after he graduated from Davenport University and was hired by an attorney in private practice. The dedication with which Campbell produced his work as a volunteer was of such a high quality that the Center offered him a position as an employee. He is a valuable asset to the Center, and very enthusiastic about his job and his profession. |
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