In 1929, Eula Mae Jett, and accompanied by a few other fellow secretaries, began the Long Beach Legal Secretaries Association after a frustrated court clerk suggested they form an association so secretaries know the court rules and requirements. They issued an “Order to Show Cause Why You Should Not Join Long Beach Legal Secretaries Association” to all the local secretaries. It was the first association in the United States dedicated to the education of legal secretaries (maybe anywhere).
Since then, the idea has grown into several large associations for paralegals, legal secretaries, and other professionals working in the legal field all over the United States. Legal Professionals Association (formerly known as Legal Secretaries Association “LSI”), Educating California’s Legal Professionals (“LPI”) was formed in 1934, of which Long Beach Legal Secretaries Association is one of the founding chapters.
In 2009, the members of Long Beach Legal Secretaries Association made the decision to change the association’s name to Long Beach Legal Professionals Association (“LBLPA”). The association has always offered education to not only legal secretaries, but attorneys and paralegals. As a result, we felt that the name should reflect that fact.
LBLPA conducts educational meetings every month, except July and December. Most meetings offer MCLE and CCLS continuing education credits. LBLPA also hosts several social events to enable networking and camaraderie.