Tucker chosen as 2016 President-Elect of Paralegal Division

On Jan. 31, the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas elected Mona Tucker, ACP, as the 2016-2017 President-Elect of the Paralegal Division. Tucker is a contract paralegal, working with attorneys in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, on civil litigation matters, including class actions and mass torts. She currently serves the Paralegal Division as Director of District 14 (northeast Texas area).

Right out of high school, Mona began working for an attorney, and, although she tried both accounting and sales, her heart was in legal work. Through the years, she has worked in real estate, oil & gas, estate-planning & probate, civil litigation, and just a bit in family law. Going to college while working and raising a family, Mona finally graduated from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall in 1993. While at ETBU, she took advantage of its ABA-approved legal assistant courses. In 2001, she sat for NALA’s certification exam, and earned the coveted CP credential. She now holds two advanced certifications, Civil Trial (2009) and Discovery (2012).

A member of the Paralegal Division since 2001, Mona is now serving her fourth 2-year term as Director of District 14 (2004-2008 and 2012-present). During her tenure, she has served two years as Secretary to the Board and one year as Treasurer. She is currently the Board Liaison to Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans (TLTV), and serves as Board Advisor to three committees. Mona has been an associate member of the State Bar College since 2007. She has also been an active member of NALA since 2002, and was selected as a member of the inaugural LEAP (Leadership Enhancement and Preparation) class for 2007- 2008. She served four terms as President of the Northeast Texas Association of Paralegals (NTAP), and in various other positions, including editing the Key Note newsletter for a number of years. She was elected as NTAP’s Paralegal of the Year in 2005, 2007, and 2011.

Mona has been a contributor to several publications in addition to the Key Note, including the Texas Paralegal Journal, the State Bar College’s Bulletin, NALA’s Facts and Findings, HMPA’s Burden of Proof, DAPA’s On the Record, and Pacific Northwest Paralegal Association’s Hearsay.

Passionate about helping veterans, Mona has organized and headed pro bono estate-planning clinics for military veterans and spouses in Longview, Gilmer, Daingerfield, and Nacogdoches. Another one is in the works for Lufkin. These “Wills for Heroes” clinics have been well-received by veterans and volunteers alike.

Mona and her husband Lonnie live in Daingerfield, where he is a member of the City Council.