San Diego Legal Secretaries Association

In Memory of Kay J. Thornburg

Dear Members,

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Kay J. Thornburg. Kay was a dedicated member of the San Diego Legal Secretaries Association (SDLSA) and served as our President from 1984-1985. She later became the President of Legal Secretaries, Inc. (LSI) from 2002-2004, leaving a lasting impact on our legal community.

Kay joined SDLSA in 1980 and held numerous positions on the board, always leading with dedication and grace. She was affectionately known as the “darling” of our association, a testament to her warmth, kindness, and unwavering commitment to the profession.

Born in Walla Walla, Washington, Kay’s journey led her to Dallas, Texas, where she married Paul Thornburg, a United States Marshal. Together, they raised their son, Mike, and two daughters, Caryn and Julie, both of whom served in Desert Storm and later retired from the Army. In 1973, Paul’s job transfer brought the family to San Diego, where Kay began her legal career at Gray Cary Ames & Frye in 1974. She spent most of her career working alongside Terry O’Malley, a professional relationship that spanned over 30 years. Kay often said, “All in all, my life as a legal secretary was a great experience, and one I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Throughout her career, Kay was recognized for her dedication and excellence. She received the LSI President’s Award in 1984-1985 from then LSI President Linda Duarte and was honored with San Diego LSA’s Service Award and Secretary Cum Laude recognition in 1986.

Kay’s kindness, leadership, and unwavering dedication to our association will be deeply missed. We lost our dear Kay in July 2024, but her legacy and impact on SDLSA will remain in our hearts forever.

With heartfelt condolences,

Yolanda Gollaz

SDLSA President 2024-2025

OUR PARTNERS

MESSAGE

FROM
THE
PRESIDENT

Thank you for your interest in the San Diego Legal Secretaries Association, better known as SDLSA®! This year the SDLSA® will be celebrating its 93rd year supporting San Diego’s finest legal secretaries and legal professionals.

SDLSA ® was formed in 1931 and is a member association of Legal Professionals, Incorporated. We work with the local courts, attorneys, local and statewide legal associations, and other leaders in the legal community to provide quality educational programs and mentorship for our members.

In addition to our monthly membership programs, we offer Lunch & Learn seminars/webinars, and Sunset Seminars. Continuing Legal Education credit is offered for most of our programs. In addition, we offer a beginning Legal Secretary Training course and will personally assist those who are interested in preparing to take the California Certified Legal Secretary exam.

Our goal, through these programs, is to help our members keep up with the demands of working in the legal profession and prepare them to face the technological advances and workforce adaptations that are changing the face of the legal industry.

Looking for a job? As a member, we offer free job listings to law firms looking for local talent. We post this information on our Jobs Listings Page, check it out!

Please visit our Events calendar to see what SDLSA has planned for the near future. If you have any questions about SDLSA or any ideas for educational programs, please feel free to reach out to me or one of our board members.

We also provide many volunteer positions within our association. If you are looking for an opportunity to network, share your skills, or learn new skills, then SDLSA would love to have you join the team.

I’m currently looking for tech-savvy members to help us with our hybrid events. Do you want to learn how to run a webinar? For more information, please visit our Committees page for current openings or contact me directly at president@sdlsa.org.

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming meeting or event!

Yolanda Gollaz | 2023-2025 President
San Diego Legal Secretaries Association

Email: president@sdlsa.org