Leading from the Middle:

Eleven Years Behind the Scenes with DAPA

By: Mariela Cawthon

When people think about the Dallas Area Paralegal Association, they often think of the continuing legal education seminars, networking and social events, pro bono programs, and the incredible volunteers who make it all happen. Few people see what it takes behind the scenes to keep an organization like DAPA running.

For me, I had the unique privilege of seeing DAPA from several different perspectives. I served on the Board, worked alongside dedicated volunteer leaders, and ultimately spent eleven years as the Executive Director. Each role gave me a different appreciation for the association, but together they gave me a close-up view of how one of the state’s leading paralegal associations grew and changed.

One of my colleagues often described me during my tenure as Executive Director as “the face of DAPA.” But to me, the job was never about leading from the front. Instead, I saw it as helping others succeed. Every incoming Board brought new ideas, different leadership styles, fresh enthusiasm, and ambitious goals. My responsibility was to provide continuity, preserve institutional knowledge, and help transform those ideas into reality while ensuring DAPA’s mission remained at the forefront.

One of the greatest lessons I learned is that volunteer organizations survive because of those willing to give their time and talents to something larger than themselves. DAPA has always been blessed with remarkable leaders who in addition to having full-time careers, dedicated evenings, weekends, and countless hours to advancing the paralegal profession. Watching those leaders grow, mentor one another, and leave the organization stronger than they found it was one of the most rewarding parts of my tenure.

Serving as Executive Director also gave me a unique vantage point from which to witness the profession itself evolve. During my years with DAPA, the role of the paralegal continued to become more sophisticated and more respected. Technology transformed how legal work was performed. Continuing education expanded into new specialties. Certification became increasingly valued, and paralegals assumed greater responsibility within law firms and legal departments.

Through each of these changes, DAPA remained committed to helping its members stay ahead of the profession rather than simply keeping pace with it. Whether through quality educational programming, professional development, leadership opportunities, or community service, DAPA consistently demonstrated that being a paralegal is not merely a job—it is a profession built on knowledge, ethics, and lifelong learning.

DAPA shaped my own career in ways I didn’t expect. It pushed me to lead better, communicate better, and think through problems more carefully. Perhaps the most lasting impact on my professional life, however, has been the relationships. Over the years I had the privilege of working with dozens of Board members, committee chairs, volunteers, sponsors, educators, and members. Many began as professional acquaintances and became lifelong friends. Together we celebrated successes, solved problems, weathered challenges, and continually focused on what was best for the organization.

Looking back, I am struck by how much DAPA has accomplished over the past fifty years. The association has continually adapted to meet the changing needs of the legal profession while remaining true to the principles upon which it was founded: education, professionalism, ethics, leadership, and service.

Organizations do not thrive for fifty years by accident. They endure because each generation accepts the responsibility of preserving what works while embracing thoughtful change. I was fortunate to witness that process year after year, Board after Board, and leader after leader.

Although my role has changed, my admiration for DAPA has not. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been part of its history and proud of the small role I played in helping guide the organization through more than a decade of growth and change. It was my privilege to witness how each new chapter unfolded.

Happy 50th Anniversary, DAPA. Here’s to honoring the legacy of the past while inspiring the next fifty years of excellence in the paralegal profession.

Mariela Cawthon is a TBLS Board Certified Paralegal and has been with the law firm of Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann for 25 years where she is has the dual role of Senior Paralegal and Firm Administrator. Mariela received the DAPA Paralegal of the Year award in 2010 and the NFPA Paralegal of the Year Award in 2011.