AAPi Awards

2024-2025 Trailblazer Award
Jane McKinnon, ACP

3.10 -  Region Members of the Year Awards

The Association will present a Region Member of the Year Award (Region 1 Member of the Year, Region 2 Member of the Year, Region 3 Member of the Year, and Region 4 Member of the Year) to one member of the Association for each Region.  All membership types are eligible to be nominated for this award; provided, however, Board members are not eligible for this award. The Second Vice President-Membership will send via electronic mail a call for nominations for Region Members of the Year to the membership of the Association by May 30th of each year.  The members from each Region shall nominate candidates for the award each year. Nominations should be submitted on the nomination form provided by the Second Vice President-Membership and should be sent to the Second Vice President-Membership by June 30th of each year. The Second Vice President-Membership will appoint a committee to review all nominations and select the Region Members of the Year. The Region Members of Year Awards will be presented at the induction ceremony at the annual meeting/summer seminar, or at another designated the Association function.

3.11 - Paralegal of the Year Award

The Association will present the Paralegal of the Year Award to one paralegal each year at the summer seminar/annual meeting or at another designated Association function. Nominations for Paralegal of the Year will be made by the attorney and/or paralegal director for whom the paralegal works. The Second Vice President-Membership will send via electronic mail and/or U.S. mail a call for nominations for Paralegal of the Year to the supervising attorneys for all Active members of the Association by May 30th of each year. Only Active members are eligible to be nominated for this award. Nominations for Paralegal of the Year must be returned to the Second Vice President-Membership by June 30th of each year. The nominations must be no more than 3 pages.  The Second Vice President-Membership will appoint a committee to review all nominations and select the Paralegal of the Year. The recipient of the Paralegal of the Year award will receive a certificate good for free registration to the following year’s Association Summer Seminar/Annual Meeting. The certificate for the free registration is only redeemable for that year’s summer seminar/annual meeting, only for the named recipient, and cannot be used towards any other seminar, Association event, or Association merchandise. The certificate cannot be transferred, redeemed for cash, or used for any other purpose. The certificate only covers the registration fee for the seminar. Each recipient of the award will become eligible to receive the award again after a period of five (5) years.

3.12 - Trailblazer Award

The Association will present the Trailblazer Award to one paralegal each year at the summer seminar/annual meeting or at another designated Association function.  Any Member of the Association may nominate someone to receive this award. Each year a list of eligible candidates will be prepared and submitted to the Board and Committee members for an electronic vote to select the recipient of the award. Members can only receive one (1) award every five (5) years.  The qualifications to receive this award are:

1.     The member is no longer on the Board of Directors as an Officer or Chairperson;

2.     The member served on the Board of Directors for a minimum of 10 years; and

3.     The member is still a member of AAPi.

3.14 - Pathfinder Award

The Association will present the Pathfinder Award to one Student Member each year at the summer seminar/annual meeting or at another designated Association function.  The Professional Relations Chair will submit to the Board no later than June 30th of each year the Student Spotlight nominees for this Award. As with other awards, the students name and information will be redacted from the information so that the student will be chosen based solely on their involvement with the Association based on the judging criteria of (a) attending AAPi events; (b) helping out with events in their region; (c) promoting the Association to other students, and (d) joining AAPi Committees. The qualifications to receive this award are:

1.     Member must be a current student member of AAPi; and

2.     Must have been highlighted in the Student Spotlight.

AAPi Standing Rules
Revised April 28, 2025