Whereas, The Legal Assistant/Paralegal profession has made vast contributions to legal services both in Michigan and throughout our nation; and,

Whereas, The Legal Assistants Association of Michigan, Inc. (LAAM) which was founded in 1978, provides a professional affiliation for practicing legal assistant/paralegals throughout the state of Michigan; and,

Whereas, LAAM is affiliated with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), which was founded in 1975, and offers a professional affiliation for practicing legal assistant/paralegals throughout our nation; and,

Whereas, LAAM recognized the need in 1989 for a professional liaison between Michigan lawyers and those who work for lawyers performing paralegal services, and was integral in founding the Legal Assistant Section of the State Bar of Michigan to support and carry out the programs, purposes, aims, and goals of the State Bar of Michigan; to establish good fellowship among Section members, the State Bar of Michigan, and the members of the legal community at large; and,

Whereas, The Legal Assistant Section of the State Bar of Michigan celebrates the 15^th anniversary of its founding in the 2004-2005 term; and,

Whereas, The terms paralegal and legal assistant are used interchangeably, just as the terms lawyer and attorney are interchangeable, and are defined as persons through education, training or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer; and,

Whereas, Paralegals have taken responsibility for a large portion of the substantive work previously performed by attorneys; and,

Whereas, The Bench and Bar have been able to respond to the dramatic increase in court caseload in recent years, as a result of the evolution of the paralegal profession; and,

Whereas, The citizens of Michigan are better able to afford quality legal services because of the evolution of the legal profession; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2005, as Legal Assistant/Paralegal Day in Michigan.