October/November 2011 - Palm Beach County ALA

The Palm Beacher
October/November
2011
A Message from Our President
Volume 1, Issue 2
Inside this issue:
PBCALA/Big Brothers, 2-3
Big Sisters Event
PBCALA Events
4
Meet New Members
5
A Word From Our
Sponsor
6
Other News
7
Calendar Of Events
8
If you have
news you’d like
to see included
in the newsletter, please email
Erin Fisher at
efisher@gunster.
com.
November brings with it
the start of the holiday season. PBCALA is once
again working with the Salvation Army by adopting
angels and providing gifts
to needy children. If you
are participating in the program, you should bring
your unwrapped gifts to
our holiday social which
will be held at the Croquet
Club on Thursday, December 8 from 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. This event is so
much fun as it allows us to
unwind after a long day and
everyone is in a festive
mood with the holidays
approaching. Please mark
your calendars to attend.
ployment related topics you
would like addressed at this
session, please email me.
Our regular monthly luncheon will immediately follow.
This time of year provides
an opportunity to reflect on
what a group with common
goals can accomplish in a
relatively short amount of
time. We were able to
award three $1,000.00
scholarships to worthy students thanks to our Education Committee. Our
Community Challenge
Committee allowed us to
make a sizeable donation to
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of
Palm Beach and Martin
A little further down the
counties. Our chapter asline we have our 3rd Emsisted in raising over
ployment Law Seminar on $20,000 in the fight against
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 leukemia and lymphoma
beginning at 9:00 a.m.
through donations and variAlex Delrusso, a Shareous fundraising events. It
holder with Carlton Fields, is through the hard work
will be the speaker at this
and dedication of our memevent. If there are any em- bers that we are able to give
Dawn Tasca, President
back and hopefully make a
difference in the lives of
others. A quote by Flora
Edwards says it best: “In
helping others, we shall
help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes
back to us.”
Wishing you and your
family a happy holiday
season!
Page 2
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Strikes Abound on Community Challenge Weekend!
The Community Challenge
weekend for the Palm Beach
County ALA was October
14, 2011. Our charity this
year was Big Brothers/Big
Sisters of Palm Beach and
Martin Counties. The event
was very well attended as we
filled half of the Greenacres
Bowling Center!
Bowlers
and observers had a delicious
dinner and drinks while they
bowled with friends, family
and coworkers. There were
fantastic silent auction items
on which to bid, and firms
were encouraged to purchase
lanes as fundraisers. All together, over $12,000 was
raised for this very worthy
charity!
William Bell, CEO of the
BB/BS said “Spectacular recognition is due on the part of
the Palm Beach County
ALA. Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties change young
lives. Your support is monumental in our expansion
process in developing roots
in the community. Thank
you!”
Aleisha Garcia was on hand
from Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Sue Recchia
Debbie Giordano and her
daughter Nicki
Audrey Yeager and the Karp Commandos
A great big THANK YOU to
our Barefoot Mailman business partner, Integrated Data
Technologies for sponsoring
this terrific event! We appreciate all the support Bob Bell
and his company have given
Mary Aguiar, Leslie Nagle and Leslie’s son, Spencer
our chapter over the years.
To view additional pictures go the www.pbcala.org/members-
Sue Recchia and Lisa Tierney
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 3
Community Challenge Bowling Party and Silent Auction
Team from Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Eileen Michelbrink and Lisa Tierney
Jim Johnson and Marilyn Fong
Bob Bell, President of IDT, the
sponsor for the event.
Karen Luther, Lorie Lindsey, Jim Menendez, Dawn
Tasca, & Lisa Tierney
Bowlers from Christine D. Hanley & Associates.
Christina D’Elosua and Team Gordon & Doner
Page 4
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Shooting the Bull at the PBCALA Member Social
Jan Weimar, Jim Menendez, Dina Lotz, Karen
Lindgren, and Larry Strauss
Audrey Yeager, Jim Johnson , Sue Recchia, and Maryellen Castellano
On September 22, 2011, we had a chapter social at the John
Bull English Pub in Village Commons Shopping Center. Members
challenged each other with Trivial Pursuits while enjoying sumptuous fare and
hearty libations at the Pub!
Michele Parcells and Sue Recchia
Maryellen Castellano and her husband,
Bob.
It’s Membership Renewal Time! Both National and Palm Beach County Chapter dues are to be
paid by the end of the year. If you do not receive your renewal information in the mail, Michele
Parcells can assist.
Regional ALA Conference in Charlotte
The Region 2 Conference this year was
held in Charlotte, North
Carolina, November 3-5.
Several members braved
chilly temperatures to
partake in the educational sessions!
Left: Debbie
Giordano socializing
Right: Debbie, Jim
Menendez and
David True
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 5
Member News
Welcome New Members
Susan Gavsie, Senior Administrative Asst.- Holland & Knight
After growing up in the
northeast and attending
college at the University
of Vermont, Susan decided that she preferred
a warmer climate and
moved to South Florida
to attend the University
of Miami. After graduating from UM, her first
job was working as a
flight attendant for Delta
Airlines. Susan lived in
Miami for 27 years and
moved to Palm Beach
County in 2004 to begin
working at Holland &
Knight. Her daughter,
Lauren, received her
doctorate in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University in
June, is living in Maryland and has a postdoctoral fellowship at
Johns Hopkins University. Lauren will be married next spring in Boca
Raton. Susan's husband,
Herschel, is an attorney
in Fort Lauderdale and
they have a beautiful
granddaughter, Maya,
who lives in Montreal.
In her spare time, Susan
enjoys the gorgeous
South Florida beaches,
spending time with her
wonderful family and
traveling.
Susan Gavsie
Senior Admin Asst.
Holland & Knight
Susan Williams, Firm Administrator– Cherry, Edgar & Smith,
A native of Palm Beach
County, Susan Williams
has worked in the real
estate title industry for
18 years, with 11 of
those years in law offices. She currently
serves as the Firm Administrator and a parale-
gal for Cherry, Edgar &
Smith, P.A. Susan is the
mother of three children
including a son who is a
high school senior, a
daughter who is a high
school junior, and a
fourth grade son. She
stays very busy with their
extra-curricular activities and working fulltime. Susan believes in
doing your best and
learning something new
every day.
Lisa Bosworth, Firm Administrator– Shavitz Law Group
Lisa has been working in
law firms on and off since
her college years at Florida State University. A
mid-westerner at heart,
she has lived in South
Florida for 20 years. After taking time off to
spend raising her children
and run a small business,
Lisa began her career as a
law firm administrator in
2007 when she managed a
family law firm in Boca
Raton. In 2008, she
joined the Shavitz Law
Group where she believes
she continues to learn and
grow each day with each
new experience in her
position as Firm Administrator. A cancer survivor
and mom of three, Lisa
values time with her family, attending her children’s sporting events,
visiting her daughter at
college, yoga, and reading.
We are happy
to have you
join us!
Lisa
Jennifer
Bosworth
Lamb
Legal
FirmAdminisLisa
Administrator
trator
Shavitz
MurphyLaw
ReidGroup
LLP
Page 6
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Speech-to-Content Solutions Offer Mobility, Flexibility and Productivity for Legal Professionals
By Florian Schwiecker
Long a staple of the legal profession, dictation has entered the digital age and now is offering attorneys new mobility and efficiency. For many firms, the days of struggling to physically deliver cassette tapes to transcriptionists—without damaging or erasing valuable information—are gone forever. Digital recorders, tablet computers and smart phone applications are giving attorneys
the power to dictate and download on-the-go.
The trend toward digital technology in the legal profession closely parallels the rise in technology elsewhere in modern life. Digital
technology offers a broader degree of mobility, flexibility, and security than older analog technology offers. It starts with the wider
array of hardware choices available. Some attorneys elect to use small, ergonomic digital recorders that are similar to analog recorders—only without the need to carry blank tapes. Others, however, completely eliminate the need to carry a separate piece of
equipment by dictating on their iPhones®, iPads®, BlackBerry® devices, and more.
The Philips Recorder for iPhone and iPad, for instance, is an application that turns the Smartphone or tablet computer into a wireless digital dictation recorder. It works with the SpeechExec Enterprise suite to allow users to record, edit and send dictation files
directly from the mobile device.
Another option is SpeechExec for BlackBerry. The latest version of the software allows users to send files via e-mail or through
secure websites, attach files – such as images taken with the BlackBerry’s camera – to a dictation record, and receive a copy of
the text document once transcription is complete. All of these features help to encourage continuous workflow, even if a lawyer is
out of the office.
Enhancing workflow
In addition to offering mobile dictation in any environment, digital technology also enables swift and secure file downloads—at any
time, from anywhere. Encryption allows users to restrict file access, so dictation is secure no matter where it is recorded or transmitted. As a result, files can be sent directly to the appropriate assistant whether an attorney is in the office, visiting a client, in
the courthouse, or on the move.
The reason why is simple: rather than storing dictation on a cassette tape, Philips digital recorders and mobile apps store dictation
in digital format on a small SD (or media) card. That makes downloads possible from the recorder, tablet computer or smart
phone to a desktop computer, to the firm’s network, or to the Internet.
The Philips SpeechExec software also introduces workflow management options not possible with tapes. With this technology dictation can be uploaded directly onto transcriptionists’ computers, who can be notified automatically that a new job has arrived.
Files can be prioritized, and the status of all pending jobs reviewed. Because files can be identified by author name, date, client
name, or other data, transcriptionists easily can locate and track them without needing to rewind or fast-forward tapes.
Furthermore, SpeechExec allows transcriptionists to use their PC as a transcription tool. Rather than alternate between analog
equipment and their workstations, an on-screen ―player‖ lets them move between tasks with fewer workflow interruptions. Clearer
sound quality also improves productivity and turnaround time, while increasing accuracy.
Improving productivity
The flexibility afforded by digital and mobile solutions allows connectivity to a degree undreamed of only a short while ago. Many
manufacturers, in fact, are beginning to discontinue analog dictation recorders and tapes. Because digital technology takes advantage of mobile apps, is intuitive, and requires very little training, it is becoming the clear choice for a growing number of law firms.
Philips’ enhancements in sound quality and accuracy gained through digital dictation are only the tip of the iceberg; these benefits
quickly are supplemented by improvements in personal productivity and overall business operations. Mobile technology, for instance, is becoming increasingly important for attorneys who work outside the office but still require dictation efficiency. Together,
digital and mobile technologies promise to bring new efficiencies to legal firms for years to come.
About the Author:
Florian Schwiecker was an attorney and founding partner with a German law firm, then became CEO and shareholder of a successful European dictation solution provider that equipped over 5,000 law firms. Since October 2008, Florian has been Director of Philips Speech Processing North America.
Page 7
Page 7
Newsletter Title
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 2
Apples to Oranges– iOS5
“Be a yardstick of quality.
Some people aren't used
to an environment where
excellence is expected””
"Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
by - Jay B. Montgomery
as follows:
Since the launch of Apple’s
new iOS 5 operating system,
there has been a lot of chatter
regarding what the new system can do, how they like or
dislike it, how well is works,
and is it worth it to load on
your previous version of the
iPhone or iPad,
Benefits:
Well, here is my take on this
subject…
Unless you are a very hard
core Apple follower I only see
a few benefits/disadvantages
to upgrading your current
phone versus purchasing the
new iPhone 4S and they are
jailbreak/hack your phone
(not recommended).
Email, text, and phone notifications, iCloud storage and
syncing, direct access to the
camera from lock screen and
new camera buttons (volume
controls), free iMessage (from
iPhone to iPhone), Reminders, Twitter, Newsstand, and a
nicely updated Safari.
Disadvantages:
Long download time, slightly
sluggish performance and no
Siri or mirroring unless you
I am not a hard core Apple
follower, but I do like their
products, in fact I am looking
into migrating from Windows
to MAC if my research provides more positives than
negatives (you all know law
firms and change). If you
would like more information
there are a ton of blogs and
sites on the web for you to
view as I only covered a few
topics out of the 200 improvements that Apple claims.
All in all, Apple to Orange,
your choice….
Great Tip: “I let my staff take them (empty toner cartridges) to their kids schools as they get credit, one actually put in a new P.A.
System - You should offer that up first or donate them from the firm to a local school - Just a thought!” Thanks, Susan Jennings!
A Time For Giving
Once again the Palm Beach
County Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators will
participate in the Salvation
Army’s Angel Tree Program this
coming holiday season.
Last Year’s Angel Tree
If you or anyone in your office is
interested in sponsoring an Angel, please send an email with the
number of Angels you and/or
your office would like to sponsor
to Mary Aguiar and she will forward a list of Angels for you to
choose from once it is available. Keep in mind that once we
commit to a certain number, we
cannot give back an Angel unfilled.
You would return your
Angel gifts, unwrapped, to our December 8th Holiday Social/
Business Partner Appreciation
Event or you may have them
dropped off at our office anytime
before then or I can collect them
from your office, the choice is
yours. Representatives from the
Salvation Army will attend the
holiday social and collect/
distribute the items for us.
Please let Mary know if you’d
like to participate!
Last year our chapter, it’s members and member firms sponsored
over 77 angels. Let’s make this
year the BIGGEST ever!
Page 8
The Palm Beacher
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dawn Tasca, President
Gloria Hernandez, Vice-President
Sue Recchia, Secretary
Debbie Giordano, Treasurer
Jim Menendez, Immediate Past President
Mary Aguiar, Past Past President
Volume 1, Issue 2
The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) was formed in 1971
to provide support to professionals involved in the management of law
firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. ALA
provides educational opportunities and services to more than 10,000
members representing more than 5,300 employers in 21 countries. ALA
is structured into six regions with more than 100 chapters in the United
States, Puerto Rico, Canada and New Zealand.
ALA’s mission is to improve the quality of management in legal services
organizations; promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of
For membership information please contact: legal administrators and all members of the management team. The AsMichele Parcells, Membership Chair
sociation’s members are law office administrators who manage such areas
(561) 686-3307 or
as finance, human resources, systems and technology, facilities, marketing
and practice development.
Calendar of Events
December 8 , 2011
PBCALA Chapter Holiday Cocktail Social
and Salvation Army Angel Collection
National Croquet Center, 700 Florida Mango Rd.
6:00 - 8:00 pm
RSVP To Mary Aguiar at
[email protected] or 561-659-5646
January 10, 2012
January Meeting
11:30 PBC Convention Center
February 14, 2012
3rd Annual Employment Law Seminar
Speaker: Alex DelRusso, Carlton Fields
Contact Dawn Tasca if you have specific questions!
February 14, 2012
February Meeting
11:30 PBC Convention Center
March 13, 2012
Visit our website! April 22-26, 2012
www.pbcala.org
PBCALA Legal Expo
3:00 p.m. PBC Convention Center
National ALA Conference
Hawaii Convention Center,
Hilton Hawaiian Village
Early Bird Registration
is open! Visit
www.alanet.org!