Lt. j.g. Alison J. Dean, Region Legal Service Office Northwest [caption id="attachment_10581" align="alignright" width="300"] [caption id="attachment_10581" align="alignright" width="300"] Asa Rubman, Region Legal Service Office Northwest, receives the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) Paralegal of the Year Award from Theda Yandell, region director, NFPA. Mr. Asa Rubman, a civilian paralegal specialist with Region Legal Service Office Northwest (RLSO NW) in Bremerton, Wash., was selected as the 2013 Paralegal of the Year by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), Oct. 23. Rubman was honored for his outstanding paralegal skills, technical expertise, teamwork, community involvement, and dedication to creating solutions and meeting needs at RLSO NW. Asa Rubman, Region Legal Service Office Northwest, receives the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) Paralegal of the Year Award from Theda Yandell, region director, NFPA. Mr. Asa Rubman, a civilian paralegal specialist with Region Legal Service Office Northwest (RLSO NW) in Bremerton, Wash., was selected as the 2013 Paralegal of the Year by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), Oct. 23. Rubman was honored for his outstanding paralegal skills, technical expertise, teamwork, community involvement, and dedication to creating solutions and meeting needs at RLSO NW. NFPA is a civilian non-profit professional organization that provides support and resources to paralegal associations across the country, much like the American Bar Association.  It represents over 9,000 paralegals who work across all sectors of the legal community, and each year NFPA selects one member to be named Paralegal of the Year.  Rubman currently works as a paralegal specialist assigned to the Command Services department at RLSO NW.  In addition to providing general legal and administrative assistance, Rubman provides integral support on all Special Assistant to the United States Attorney matters and acts as the primary IT specialist for the entire RLSO NW command. In addition to the immense support he provides to RLSO NW, Rubman is highly involved in his local community.  He is an active volunteer at a high school for the Suquamish Native American Tribe and has volunteered his time and legal skills to helping others in his community apply for citizenship. Before joining the RLSO NW team, Rubman graduated from Lehigh University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Middle Eastern religions.  After graduating, he served in the United States Army from 2003-2009.  Rubman initially worked in the Army as an Arabic linguist, but ultimately became an Army paralegal and completed two deployments to Iraq.    Rubman left the Army in 2009 and began working as a paralegal specialist at RLSO NW.  When he started in the position he performed solely paralegal and clerk functions.  In 2011, Rubman received an IT specialist certification and his paralegal credential which gave him the CORE Registered Paralegal designation.  In 2012, he earned his certificate in paralegal studies from the University of Washington in 2012.  Also in 2012, Rubman received a second bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Excelsior College. “A paralegal is a jack of all trades that can fill in holes around an attorney to make the whole team better,” said Rubman. Rubman’s commitment to continuously educating himself to ensure that he is able to meet any needs that may arise at RLSO NW reflects his team-centered attitude and the value that the paralegal profession brings to the Navy JAG Corps.  His innovative approach to problem-solving and tireless efforts to improve his work and local communities reflect why Rubman is so deserving of the title of Paralegal of the Year.