In 1954, attorneys in Tucson did not have computers, e-mail, fax machines, or copiers to help them with filing cases, discovery, trials, and all kinds of other legal matters, but they did have "very, very competent people" helping them, says attorney David Burr Udall.

Udall gave the keynote speech at an awards and appreciation banquet for the Tucson and Southern Arizona chapter of the National Association of Legal Support (NALS) held April 17 at InnSuites Downtown.

The banquet honored members who have grown in their abilities and given back to the association and the community, as well as honored attorneys like Udall who have served Tucson for extended periods of time. New officers were also installed.

More than technology has changed since 1954, still attorneys then and now could not do what they do without the help of competent, trained, committed, and enthusiastic staff like those who are members of NALS.

"You’re the boss," he told the legal support professionals.

The local association noted the contribution of more than 700 attorneys who have served Tucson for more than 25 years. A list of those attorneys is online at www.tucsonlegalsupport.com/TucsonAttorneys25YearsOrMore.pdf .

Honoring the past makes sense to NALS, as the association started nationally in 1929 and locally in 1960, said Joani Yingling, a paralegal at Robert A. Fortuno, P.C.

At its banquet, NALS honored Tucson attorney Ricardo A. Bracamonte as "Boss of the Year" and legal support professional Nancy Anderstrom of Edythe H. Kelly & Associates with an "award of excellence."

The association’s officers for 2008-2009 are president Melissa Fuca, of Udall Law Firm, L.L.P.; president-elect Bonnie Hole, of Jeff Brei, P.C.; vice president Kateri Jordan, of the Law Offices of Ricardo A. Bracamonte; secretary Tayna Diffie, of Robert Osborne, M.D.; treasurer Judy Warren, owner of Dependable Personnel Inc.; and parliamentarian and immediate past-president Betsy Boors, of the Law Office of Carol L. Lohmann, P.C.