November 2010 - ALA Capital Chapter

Transcription

NOVEMBER 2010
Capital
Connection
Capital Chapter
Association of Legal Administrators®
Capital
Chapter
www.alacapchap.org
Brought to you by
growth
President’s All
depends
Message
upon activity.
There is no
development
physically
Stephen G. Dempsey, CLM
or intellectuSidley Austin, LLP
ally without
202-736-8866
effort, and
[email protected]
effort means
work.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)
A
Extending an Olive “Branch”
With Videoconferenced
Programs
By Ross Guberman
President Legal Writing Pro
I
Training &
Development in
Branch Offices
a trainer who has conducted hundreds of such
programs in all sizes and shapes, I’ve seen what
works and what doesn’t, so let me offer a few
practical tips:
1.Tell the IT department that the program
starts 30 minutes before it really does. In half
the programs I do, the beleaguered IT folks show
up exactly two minutes before the program is set
to begin. When the attorneys enter the room, the
mood is panicky, setting exactly the wrong tone.
To top things off, the program starts late.
s
n a world filled with kids chatting on IPhones
and adults buying tickets to Mars, videoconferenced training programs can seem like a throwback to the Dark Ages.
You’ve no doubt winced at scenes like this
yourself: the branch office attorneys are squinting at screens they can’t see while mouthing “We
can’t hear you” to a speaker who can’t read lips.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the “live” attorneys are tapping their feet, irritated that what
was touted as a firm-wide training program has
descended into an obstacle course for the IT
department.
We can and must do better. From my perch as
Training is important for us as administrators
as well as for our staff. We need to make sure
that we keep our skills up to date and ready to
take on new challenges as they arise. Once we
are equipped, we can begin to train our staffs.
But we need to seek out the training, look for
opportunities to strengthen our skills and challenge ourselves. The ALA offers many chances
for training.
One example is the Region 2 Conference in Miami last month. The conference is always an excellent educational event and a great opportunity
to network with administrators from all over the
region. We have reports in this newsletter from
some of the Chapter members who attended
s
s I get ready to write this column each
month I figure out what the topic will be
and then search for an appropriate quote. This
month is a little quote heavy. I have a lot to
cover and found great quotes for all three topics.
Humor me.
All training involves effort –either physical or
mental. I have spent the past five months training for the Marine Corp Marathon, which took
place on October 31st. It was my 8th time running the marathon, but I realize that each time
requires the same effort and training. One can
never rest on ones laurels. As I was running I was
passed by many runners, passed a few myself,
but admired everyone out there who had put in
the effort to train and were reaping the rewards.
To be thrown upon one’s own resources, is to be
cast into the very lap of fortune; for our faculties
then undergo a development and display an energy
of which they were previously unsusceptible.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
Contents
Special Section:
Training & Development
in Branch Offices
Extending an Olive Branch .
With Videoconferenced
Programs..................... 1
Making The Most of
Your Resources........... 5
Bracewell & Giuliani
University.................. 11
Partner Spotlight
Next Day Toner........... 4
Go Green:—
Renew Online.............. 6
Partner Spotlight
Peris Construction...... 7
Annual Golf Outing........ 8
Community
Connection................ 12
2011 Sponsor Program
Kick-Off...................... 13
Thanks to the 2010
Business Partners &
Associates.................. 14
Educational Section
Event.......................... 15
Coaches Connection.... 16
Slate of Officers............ 19
Quarterly Network
Lunch......................... 21
Steve Dempsey
Honored.................... 22
Partner Spotlight
Washington Express 23
Regional Conference.... 24
VIP Program................. 25
DC Bar Joint Event....... 26
Partner Spotlight
USI Affinity................ 27
Calendar........................ 28
Job & Résumé Bank...... 29
Salary & Benefits Survey .
Order Form............... 30
Committee & Section
Updates..................... 31
LT Listing....................... 34
s
Capital
Connection
Capital Chapter
Association of
Legal Administrators®
Editor-in-Chief
Mary McEwan
Associate Editor
Tara Givens
Contributing Editors
LaVerne Anenia Marilyn Mickelson, CLM
Cindy Conover Mary Sackleh, CLM
Editorial Policy
ALA Mission Statement
The Association of Legal Administrators’ mission is to improve the quality of management
in legal services organizations; promote and
enhance the competence and professionalism
of legal administrators and all members of the
management team; and represent professional
legal management and managers to the legal
community and to the community at large.
Copyright ©2010
Association of Legal Administrators Capital Chapter
2
ALA Capital Chapter Capital
Connection
Just a reminder to everyone about
the amazing job that the Chapter does,
via all our member firms, in adopting
“Angels” from the Salvation Army. For
many years running the ALA has been
the largest adopter of “Angels” and we
retain that title again this year. Look for
detailed results in Decembers newsletter.
As if that were not enough, the Chapter
is also organizing a drive for N Street
Village’s Holiday program providing toys
for the children of women in recovery.
The Chapter members are the living
definition of generosity and I applaud
and thank you for your support of these
charities.
2.In introducing the program or
speaker, don’t apologize for “making”
people attend by video, and avoid wellintentioned comments like “I know it’s
going to be really hard to stare at a screen
for four hours.” People already know
that videoconferencing is tough, and
reminding them only saps their energy.
It’s best to avoid stating the obvious and
strike a happy, upbeat tone instead.
s
Capital Connection is published monthly for
members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide
information for the education and benefit
of legal administrators, law office managers,
managing partners of law firms, and other law
related associations. Capital Connection is not
engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax
counseling or advice through this publication.
The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection
should not be considered endorsements by the
Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any product(s) advertised.
Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial and/or professional
interests and affiliations that may influence
their writing position. Articles and materials
accepted for publication are subject to editing
by the editorial team and become property of
the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal
Administrators.
Letters to the Editor and member survey
responses are accepted for publication but are
subject to condensation due to space limitations.
Address all correspondence to Editor-in-Chief,
Capital Connection, ALA Capital Chapter,
1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700,
Washington, DC 20036.
Digital advertisements are to be submitted to Kate Hoesch (khoesch@alacapchap.
org) at Chapter headquarters by the deadline
provided. All advertising space is sold on an
annual basis as a part of the Capital Chapter’s
Partner Program. All articles, advertisements,
and other materials published in Capital
Connection may not be reprinted without the
express written permission of the Editor-inChief of Capital Connection.
the conference describing what they
learned. Another example of training
took place at the Fall Forum, where trust
as a key element to creating an effective
workplace was discussed.
And here it is, the 3rd quote.
Generosity is giving more than you can,
and pride is taking less than you need.
Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)
3. If you provide food or snacks for
the attorneys in the live office, do the
same in the branch office, even if that
office has just one or two attendees. This
small gesture will go a long way.
4. Share the presenter’s e-mail address
and contact information with the branchoffice attendees before the program. Even
if the attendees are reluctant to speak up
during the course, they can often relay
their questions or concerns that way.
5. Discourage or ban the use of PDAs,
which make focusing even harder than it
would otherwise be. If you need a cover
story, mention that such PDAs hinder the
firm’s technology and create interference
noise—both of which happen to be true.
6. Keep introductions as short as possible and avoid reading anything word
November 2010
for word. The only logistical item worth
mentioning is that as much as everyone
loves to hear firm gossip and personal
revelations, the attorneys in the branch
offices should always mute themselves.
7. If the number of attendees in a
branch office is close to the number
expected in the “main” office, consider
hosting the program in the branch office.
This switch-a-roo is great for branchoffice morale; the home-base attorneys,
for their part, should get a chance to see
what it’s like to watch presentations by
video.
8. Think of ways for the videoconferenced attorneys to ask questions and
contribute. Online chat functions help,
as does having a “spokesperson” in each
branch office collect and relay colleagues’
questions.
9. At the same time, don’t go overboard in expecting or demanding interaction with branch offices. It’s awkward,
if not downright ridiculous, to be forced
as a trainer to say things like “So Chicago, what’s your position on this comma?”
“And Denver, do you agree?” “Now
maybe we should check in with the New
York office as well: comma or no?”
10. Set the camera so the speaker’s
head fills up most of the branch-office attendees’ screen. They don’t need or want
to see the walls—or, for that matter, the
speaker’s torso.
11. And here’s one I’ve had to learn
myself: when the inevitable technical
glitches arise, call a break in the program.
With these eleven tips, the videoconferenced program may still not win an
Oscar, but at least you’ll see more smiles
on your screens.
Ross Guberman,
the President of
Legal Writing
Pro, has conducted more than
1,000 training
programs for
major law firms,
agencies, and bar
associations. He
can be reached at
[email protected].
ALA Capital Chapter
Platinum Partner
Next Day Toner
N
Our Shiny New Website
This month, Next Day Toner is excited
to introduce our brand new website at
nextdaytoner.com. This website boasts
cutting edge technology and many new
enhancements designed specifically with
the user in mind. Ordering what you
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Day Toner, you will never enter the
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Our experience tells us that the
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it when the supply closet shelf is
empty or when there’s a problem. Our
integrity rests in the success of the
customers we serve. That DNA that we
mentioned earlier tells us to anticipate
the needs of our customers and help
eliminate downtime for them. We love
to hear our customers receive accolades
and hearty pats on the back from the
boss for partnering with a vendor
that saves the day. Next Day Toner
takes pride in the reputation we’ve
built within the law community and,
especially, the ALA.
Connection
November 2010
Our website, and our company for
that matter, is built to meet the needs
of all firms whether big or small. The
office manager who has to wear all the
hats, like HR, IT, purchasing, payables
and everything in between, will love
the ease of one-click ordering and
service placement. Larger firms, like
those with several locations, will appreciate the levels of controlled access
with security restrictions and the ability
to single out users. For example, a user
needs access for service call placement but not product purchasing. The
options are virtually limitless. You can
even set up dollar limits that require
higher level approval via email notification. It’s truly your website and we
want you to personalize it the way that
serves you best.
(continued on page 6)
s
ext Day Toner is pleased to be
an ALACC Platinum Partner for
2010. We have had a great year getting
to know the members and build relationships. Here at Next Day Toner (or
NDT), we talk a lot about the “DNA”
of a company or firm. This “DNA” is
what drives a company, causing it to
be a force or leader in its industry. In
short, our DNA is to deliver high quality toner products and printer service
with efficiency, exceptional personal
service and without error. We have
watched as the law community here
in DC has embraced our DNA. There
really wasn’t a question of why we
worked so well together... we know
what you value and we value the same.
NDT now works with over 95 ALA
firms! If you don’t believe it, contact
us for a reference list and see for yourself.
4
s
Partner Spotlight
Making The Most of Your
Available Resources
By Jernee Bramble
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
L
5
Connection
cally through the main office.
Here are a few tips that can make working in a branch office a little easier:
(1) Take advantage of the resources
your main office has to offer. Before you
consider bringing in an outside presenter
to your office, possibly due to the smaller
number of attorneys in your branch
office or for budget reasons, offering
a single presentation firm wide often
provides the greatest benefit. See if your
main office is offering, or willing to offer,
the same program and participate via
video conference. You may not be able to
offer all training through this format, but
when you can, take the opportunity to
take the lead or jump on board.
(2) Use the main office as a guide for
your programming. It is likely that your
main office has a great schedule of an-
November 2010
(3) Work with the main office to do
joint programming. Consider crossoffice programming, which highlights
the talent of attorneys in both offices
and shows that the offices can, and do,
work together. Highlight the specialties
of attorneys in the branch office, which
may be unknown outside of their office,
by encouraging participation in panel
presentations.
(4) Make sure your Professional Development Committees are on the same
page. Whatever you may call the committee that oversees the training and development of your attorneys, try to make sure
that the main and branch offices are “on
the same page.” Considering having
s
ong gone are the days when attorneys were expected to join a firm and
chart their own career path without any
guidance. Now, firms have entire departments devoted to just that - ensuring that
attorneys are successfully trained and
guided the moment they enter the firm’s
doors. For those responsible for the
training and development of attorneys,
we know that this is one of the most, if
not THE most, important area of their
career advancement and development.
However, we also know that even when
such an investment of resources has
been made by the firm to ensure their
attorneys are getting the best training,
there are still challenges to overcome if
you are in a branch office. For example,
branch offices often have fewer resources
or top level guidance, and generating appropriate participation can be one of the
biggest hurdles. But one shouldn’t look
at being in the branch office as a sign
that they’re “all alone.” Instead, make the
most of what’s available to you, specifi-
Training &
Development in
Branch Offices
nual programming. Again, since video
conferencing may not be the best solution for every program that you have,
see what programs you can offer in your
office with the talent that you have - seek
partners or senior attorneys in your office who are willing to lead the same, or
a similar, program. Your branch office
associates will appreciate the opportunity
to learn from their “own,” more familiar,
colleagues.
programming as the main office, you can
definitely find ways to make sure your attorneys get the most out of the resources
that are available to you.
Jernee Bramble is the Professional
Development Coordinator at Willkie Farr
& Gallagher LLP. She can be reached at
[email protected].
(5) Keep the lines of communication
open. Build a good working relationship with your counterparts in the main
office. Make sure you are in constant
communication with your PD Director,
who is more than likely located in your
main office, to let him/her know what
your attorneys need. Often, the main office is several times larger than a branch
office and your Director may not be
familiar with the needs of branch offices,
in particular, if practices are specific to
the branches. The main office Director
can serve as your sounding board and/or
champion where it relates to the needs of
your office.
Go Green—
Renew Online
2011 online membership
renewal will open in late
November. Online renewal is an
environmentally friendly
renewal option and reduces the
Chapter’s printing and postage
expenses. Be sure to visit the
member portal to update your
profile.
Call Katie Hoesch at 202-4191539 if you have questions.
While the branch office may not always have, or be able to offer, the same
s
s
someone from the branch office
committee serve as a liaison to the main
office committee - this person can address issues as they come up and ensure
that training opportunities are offered at
the same time, avoiding a lot of overlap,
which can be costly and frustrating.
Suggest joining each other’s meetings via
teleconference or video.
(continued from page 4)
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6
Connection
November 2010
202-319-1500 n Washington, D.C.
703-319-8887 n Northern VA
Partner Spotlight
ALA Capital Chapter
Platinum Partner
Peris Construction
Holiday Discount For
Construction Services
Peris Continuing Care
Group
Steve Schlosser,
Director Construction
services
What year end discounts are you
offering?
For work scheduled before the end of the
year we are offering 15% off our labor
rates for time and material proposals and
20% off our lump sum proposals. We
will accommodate what ever method our
clients are comfortable with.
Year end projects to be
completed?
The year is coming to a fast
conclusion with
thoughts of
holiday functions and year
end sprucing up projects on many of
your minds. Peris’ Continuing Care
Group can be there to assist firms to
get those lists completed.
What services are provided for the
holidays?
Many firms have internal holiday decorations that need assistance installing
and /or assembling. No project is too
small; we have talented service carpenters available to assist with our client’s
decorations.
What other services are you providing?
Year end office budgets and general
office sprucing are on many of the
office administrator lists. Peris Continuing Care Group services include
office point up and painting, hanging pictures, hanging TV’s, hanging
whiteboards, clean storage areas, and
perform miscellaneous construction.
Scheduling work?
The Continuing Care Group will work
after hours, weekends or any shift
required accommodating our client
needs.
7
Connection
November 2010
How can we contact you?
My direct line is 703-533-4734
or e-mail at [email protected]
Happy Holidays!
“FOUR” AND MORE
I
t was a dark and rainy night – oh wait,
wrong story. It was a glorious sunny
day, birds were chirping, the smell of
fresh cut grass was in the air and the
sounds of “four” could be heard all
around. Yes, it was the annual ALA Golf
Outing on Monday, October 18, 2010 at
the Westwood Country Club in Vienna,
Virginia. Over 125 players, both Business
Partners and ALA Members, enjoyed a
day of golf and fun. Laughter and smiles
were everywhere except when a stray
ball, or two, found targets other than
the hole (thankfully Joy Newton-Grubb
and Cindy Belcastro were not seriously
hurt), and when the beverage cart had a
blow out on the final hill to the clubhouse. We are Business Professionals
and Administrators so how seriously
can we take golf? Apparently very
seriously by the looks we received
at the putting tournament when I
would yell out “oooh, a swing and
a miss” (golf is not my sport) after a
less than impressive putt. Of course,
it didn’t help that President Steve
Dempsey kept promising the winner a custom 1996 Honda Civic with
pinstripes. Now that’s incentive! In all
seriousness the event was a tremendous
success thanks to the hard work of the
planning committee (Jeanette Derby, Joy
Newton-Grubb, Laura Rogers, Barbara
Kernus, Steve Dempsey, Dot Mooney,
Paula Serratore and Katie Hoesch) and
host of volunteers who did everything
from plan and shop to photograph the
event. A big thanks to SAGE Solutions
which sponsored the hole-in-one contest;
Legal eStaffing sponsored a beverage cart
and Iron Mountain sponsored golf balls
and a beverage cart; Office Movers sponsored the photographs and Office Depot
provided the photo frames; Spacesaver
Infolinx also provided golf balls; Canon
and William Lea provided tees…Royal
Cup Coffee put snacks in the carts and
rand* construction also had special items
in the cart.
After a day of golf, players enjoyed a
cocktail hour and fabulous dinner followed by an award ceremony and raffle
prizes. Thanks to the generosity of our
Business Partners and guests we raised
over $3,000 for the ALA Capital Chapter Foundation. Thank you to everyone
who participated and made this event so
successful.
8
Connection
Annual
Golf Outing
October 18
November 2010
The Putting Contest
sponsored by SunTrust Bank
Legal Specialty Group
T
he popular putting contest was held
again this year and as the golfers
came to the turn at 18 they each participated in a one stroke putting contest. We
had two golfers come within a foot of the
cup sending the contest into a “PUTT
OFF”
A new hole was set up and each golfer
had two opportunities to hole their
putt….no one did ….
The two golfers were: Jim Durfee, Office Movers and George Nicholson, Sage
Solutions Group.
The golfer that came the closest was
Jim Durfee with a putt only inches from
the hole.
Jim won a Sony Home Theater system
with Blu-ray DVD sponsored by SunTrust
Bank Legal Specialty Group
Congratulations Jim!
Winning teams and
raffle winners
Golf Volunteers
Stephen Dempsey, CLM
Ed Ross
Dot Mooney
Stacy Fischbach
Sage Solutions Group
Reid Palmieri
Iron Mountain
Joy Newton-Grubb
Office Movers
Thank you to everyone
who contributed to
the success of the
Annual golf event…
Through your
generosity we raised
$3,180 for the
ALACC Foundation’s
Tonie K Allen
scholarship program…
Well done!!
9
Connection
Monica Kenny
Office Shredding
November 2010
Women’s Longest Drive
Longest Drive Prize is a $100 Gift
Certificate to Golf Galaxy
Sponsored by ADC/Hospitaliti
Diane Prokop
ALA Capital Chapter
Annual Golf Outing
Putting Contest
Sony Home Theater System Sponsored by
SunTrust Bank Legal Specialty Group
Jim Durfee
Hole-In-One Contest: No winners
Hole #15—$25,000 Cash Sponsored by
Sage Solutions Group
Hole #17—Premium Golf Equipment
Sponsored by Sage Solutions Group
Hole #5—Premium Electronics Package
Sponsored by Sage Solutions Group
Hole #7—Choice of Airline Tickets
or Cruise for Two Sponsored by Sage
Solutions Group
Team Prizes
$600 First Prize—$150 Gift Certificate*
Sponsored by Next Day Toner
Todd Routzahn, Jason Valudes,
Jeff Pacy, Brian Diemar
$400 Second Prize—$100 Gift Certificate*
Allan Collick, Kevin Ward,
Mark Pirone, Matt Galvin
$200 Third Prize—$50 Gift Certificate*
Ray Pascarella, Rick Jones,
Dan Lindner, Jeff Cole
$100 Booby Prize—$25 Gift Certificate
to Top Golf* Sponsored by ALA Capital
Chapter
Lisa Dady, Katherine Harris, Renea
Miller, David Zimbrick
*Gift Certificates are for Westwood
Country Club Pro Shop
Men’s Closest to the Pin
Men’s Closest to the Pin Prize is a $100
Gift Certificate to Golf Galaxy
Ron Allen
Men’s Straightest Drive
Men’s Straightest Drive Prize is a $100
Sponsored by Miller’s Office Products
Rick Jones
Women’s Straightest Drive
Women’s Straightest Drive Prize is a $100
Sponsored by Miller’s Office Products
Katherine Harris
Men’s Longest Putt
Men’s Longest Putt Prize is a $100 Gift
Sponsored by United Business
Technologies
Jeff Haas
Women’s Longest Putt
Women’s Longest Putt Prize is a $100 Gift
Sponsored by United Business
Technologies
Katherine Harris
Men’s Longest Drive
Longest Drive Prize is a $100 Gift
Jim Nirich
More happy
raffle winners
10
Connection
November 2010
Bracewell & Giuliani
University
Constance Burke
Administrator
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
W
on the initial week of training, each assistant and paralegal is given a Learning
Plan.
During a calendar year, assistants
and paralegals are expected to earn 12
new credits to complete their Learning
Plan for that year. The instructor-lead
courses are conducted in our training
room and last between 1.5 and 2 hours
and are worth a corresponding number
of credits. Each month, 12 classes are
offered and the trainer also holds “open
labs” for those who feel they can test
out of a class. eLearning modules are
available for self learning, to assist with
“brush ups” and for quick reference.
Most are five minutes long and are completed independently. While there is no
credit value given to these modules, the
staff enjoy taking them in preparation for
the tests and for a quick refresher.
Bracewell Giuliani University or BGU
was instituted as a way to develop and
(continued on page 20)
inspire
advise
build
sustain
partners with
law firms
and their
administrators
for over
twenty years.
construction corporation
11
Connection
November 2010
s
hen an assistant or a paralegal
is hired to work at Bracewell &
Giuliani LLP, they go through one week
of computer-based technology training before ever getting to their desk/
office. During this week they learn the
“Bracewell Way” of creating a document
in Word with all of the formatting and
styles, storing and retrieving documents
in our document management system,
all of the different functions of Outlook
and how to integrate those functions
with our document management system.
In addition, they learn how to navigate
the internal Bracewell Portal, including
numerous administrative programs such
as our web-based overtime management
system, paid time off (PTO) system,
meeting room manager, self-evaluation
program, just to name a few. The legal
assistants also learn our accounting
procedures including our time entry
program, proforma generation, new matter generation and clearing conflicts. But
the training doesn’t stop there. Based
Training &
Development in
Branch Offices
track all of these courses and modules.
We have developed 85 instructor–lead
and 347 eLearning modules on a variety
of topics primarily related to technology although there are administrative
and soft skills courses and modules as
well. Initially we used generic training
materials prepared by Traveling Coaches
and our in-house trainers modified them
for use by Bracewell. As our training
program has grown additional courses
were developed internally. University
Site, a web-based learning management
system, hosts all of the Firm’s training
activities and manages all aspects of
training events, calendaring, registration,
attendance and tracking. For learners,
BGU provides an easy way to register
for training, wish list courses, cancel
registration, track attendance and meet
the requirements of their Learning Plan.
For managers, BGU provides a quick way
to assess an individual staff member’s
progress, ascertain the training needs of
the entire staff and provide the staff with
stimulating opportunities for personal
and professional growth.
Most successful law firms operate
under a recurring cycle of continuous
performance improvement, frequently
Community
Connection
The 2010 N Street Village Gifts
for Moms Program has begun!
If you or your firm are interested in participating
this year, please advise Helen Woideck,
[email protected]
CLICK HERE to view the 2010 Wish List
NO GIFTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE ALA
ANNUAL MEETING/HOLIDAY LUNCHEON!
ALL GIFTS must be delivered by Wednesday,
December 8 to N Street Village, 1399 N Street, NW
M
any Thanks
to Greg
Tomasso and Brian
Connolly from
Akridge for donating their Suite at
the Verizon Center
to Mentoring Today. The Eighteen
mentors and mentees enjoyed the
first home game
A bird’s eye view of the game...
of the season…
unfortunately the
Wizards lost to
Cleveland.
Call ahead to arrange delivery time—
call Anne at 202-939-2075
Please do not wrap any gifts
The food was
good too!
Specialized Wealth Management for Law Firms and Attorneys
Law firms are built on the ability to think one step ahead. At SunTrust, we
can help you stay on point with financial services that manage everything
from cash flow to fraud protection. To schedule a conversation, contact
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Investment Services, Inc. at 202.879.6239 or [email protected].
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SunTrust Private Wealth Management Legal Specialty Group is a marketing name used by SunTrust Banks, Inc., and the
following affiliates: Banking and trust products and services are provided by SunTrust Bank. Securities, insurance (including
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Services, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker/dealer and a member of FINRA and SIPC. Other insurance
products and services are offered by SunTrust Insurance Services, Inc., a licensed insurance agency.
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12
Connection
November 2010
2011 Sponsor Program Kick-Off Breakfast
Partnering for the Future and Beyond
Dot Mooney
Vice President Partner Advisory
T
he 2011 Capital Chapter Sponsorship
Program kicked off at a breakfast
meeting at Sidley Austin LLP on November 3, 2010. Over 30 partners were in
attendance and eager to discuss new and
exciting changes to the program.
The 2011 Program continues to
leverage a true partnering of Chapter
Members and Business Partners. More
than ever before, our Members turn to
Partners for industry knowledge and
expertise, and they have provided that
through Lunch and Learns, educational
forums, networking events and community service.
As Legal Administrators we face new
challenges and constantly changing
environments, and we rely on a number
of resources when we need to quickly
gather information and seek guidance.
ALA continues to provide those resources, and the Business Partner Sponsorship
Program is yet another valuable tool to
which you have access as a Member.
Thank you to all of our 2010 Sponsors
and we look forward to a Prosperous
2011.
Dot Mooney, VP, Partner
Advisory
Our business partners review the 2011 Sponsorship Program
ABOUT OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS
WHO
WHY
Additional Information
Capital Chapter sponsors are vendors
who offer products and services to the
legal community and have committed
to support the Chapter’s mission. Our
Business Partners provide a significant
amount of funding to support both the
Chapter’s educational and networking
events.
Capital Chapter sponsors are sophisticated business professionals who
understand the importance of building
long-term relationships and understand
the industry that they serve. In addition
to offering products and services, business partners are an excellent resource
for learning more about legal trends, best
practices and general information.
If your firm does business with vendors
who do not participate in the Chapter
sponsorship program, encourage them
to look at sponsorship opportunities
and refer them to the Chapter’s Headquarters.
WHAT
Capital Chapter sponsors do not expect
anyone to do business with them simply because they support the Chapter,
but they do expect to have an opportunity to fairly compete for your Firm’s
business.
13
Connection
For further information, please contact
Dot Mooney, VP, Partner Advisory
202-342-0800
[email protected]
Capital
Chapter
November 2010
ALA Capital Chapter Thanks
the 2010 Business Partners & Associates
Diamond
HITT Contracting, Inc.
Platinum
Iron Mountain
Legal eStaffing, Inc.
Next Day Toner Supplies, Inc.
Peris Construction
rand* construction corporation
SunTrust Bank Legal Specialty Group
Gold
Document Technologies, Inc.
MOI, Inc.
Office Depot
Robert Half Legal
Royal Cup Coffee
SAGE Solutions Group, Inc.
Washington Express, LLC
West, a Thomson Reuters Business
Silver
American Detail Cleaning/Hospitaliti
Baker Tilly
CBIZ Insurance Services, Inc.
Legal Placements, Inc.
Merrill Corporation
Miller’s Office Products
mindShift Technologies, Inc.
Océ Business Services Inc.
Office Movers, Inc.
Spacesaver Infolinx
Total Document Solutions, Inc.
USI Affinity
14
Connection
November 2010
Bronze
ALL-STATE LEGAL
Ames & Gough
Buch Construction, Inc.
Canon Business Solutions, Inc.
Cash Management Solutions
CB Richard Ellis
FOX Architects, LLC
Herbert L. Jamison & Co. LLC
IKON
Impact Office Products
LAN Associates
National Office Systems
Palmer Legal Staffing
Pitney Bowes Legal Solutions
RENTACRATE, LLC
Retrievex
Swiss Post Solutions
United Business Technologies
Vendor Direct Solutions, LLC
Williams Lea, Inc.
Associates
Adaptive Solutions
CliCKS Document Management
Davis, Carter, Scott Ltd
Dembo, Jones, Healy, Pennington & Marshall,
P.C.
Fahrenheit LLC
The Ford Agency, Inc.
GLC Business Services
Glenn Rieder
Harper Engraving
MilliCare by EBC Carpet Services
Quintessential Hospitality Services
Seamless Web
TABS Business Products
TRAK Legal Services
Educational Section Event
Looks like members and sponsors
alike enjoyed
Happy Hour at Panache Restaurant
on October 27
The appetizers were a big hit!
15
Connection
November 2010
Coaches Connection
Is Branch Office Training
Getting “Lost in Translation”?
Vanessa Andris, MSOD
I
END
END
to deliver it in China - in Chinese. Messages get lost in translation. They don’t resonate, and worse, they are counter-productive because they alienate branch office staff.
Extreme as the China example might sound, not reaching
your audience effectively is not reaching your audience effectively. The Washington mind-set is different from the Los
Angeles (oops, they call that L.A. don’t they. See how quickly
we sound like clueless foreigners?) mind-set.
What trainers often fail to take into account is that the culture of a branch office is never exactly the same as the culture
of headquarters - or any other branch office. While branch
offices may be facing similar issues as a headquarters office,
or need similar skills and knowledge, the context is different.
Here are five tips for ensuring that your training in branch offices yields a favorable ROI.
Identify the Local Business Case: A sure-fire way to build
resistance is to start off by telling branch office staff why headquarters thinks they need this training. The reflex response to
this approach will be defensiveness; i.e. a brick or bamboo wall
going up that is one more obstacle that a trainer will have to
dismantle.
Take time to find out what local problem or opportunity
this training should help the branch office to address. When
you can talk to branch staff in terms of a problem that is real to
them, you are “speaking their language.” This is the first and
most critical step in getting buy-in and designing a training
s
t’s often said that “The road to that
bad place is paved with good intentions.” Many of us who have tried
to design training and development
for branch offices while sitting in the
headquarters office know how true this
is. We mean well, we have a very good
idea of what is needed, and yet, upon
delivery, the branch training ends up
falling flat. Results? A lot of frustration,
embarrassment, and talk about wasted
resources all around.
On the day after a dismal training session, many training
designers and facilitators spend a lot of time feeling badly,
wondering what they did wrong and how to avoid failure
in the future. In debriefing them, a frequently heard refrain
goes something like this - “I really don’t know where we went
wrong. It’s like everything got.... lost in translation.”
Lost in translation. At some level, these trainers do understand where they went wrong. When we design training from
headquarters and deliver it ourselves in branch offices or
export it to be delivered by someone else, we run the same risk
as we would if we designed a program in English and then tried
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16
Connection
November 2010
Washington Business Journal’s 2010 Book of Lists
Knoll’s #1Dealership Globally
s
Partner with a Cultural Guide and Local Champion:
s
Just as any seasoned professional would not go to a different
country assuming that they can quickly figure out how to be effective and establish hi-trust relationships overnight, no trainer
should attempt to design or deliver training without a partner
from the local branch.
The cultural differences that are most apparent, like different work hours and different clients, are not the ones that are
most critical when designing training. It’s what you can’t see
about the culture, the hidden nuances beneath the surface that
you really need to understand. A partner from the local staff
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17
Connection
November 2010
C4.233.0110
program that will really make a positive difference in the
performance of the branch office.
Create Urgency: Once you have established a relevant
business reason for doing this training, the “why,” you need to
answer the “why now?” question. Training is always an investment of resources — time and money. And in many organizations it inherently creates stress simply because while people
are in training, emails go unanswered, client calls are postponed…and deadlines don’t change. So unless the organization
is enlightened enough to make training part of a work program
instead of an add-on, most people in training programs are
actually doing double duty. They take the training by day, and
do their regular job far into the night.
Be prepared to give people a good reason to stress themselves in this way — now. That can be a pressing problem
they can get rid of soon or an opportunity they will be able to
leverage as a result of the training. But it needs to be something
that really appeals to them and will result in a positive change
quickly.
s
is priceless in helping you understand these cultural underpinnings. If this is also a person that the local staff trust, your
credibility will be significantly enhanced. And your capacity
to build trust, the essential in your ability to facilitate the next
step in delivering training effectively, will also increase exponentially.
Map the Local Comfort, Learning and Panic Zones
Accurately: Whenever we initiate a learning event, we are
asking people to move beyond their comfort zone and into the
learning zone. The learning zone is risky territory. To cross into
it requires that we admit that we don’t know everything. This
is something that doesn’t come readily to most professionals.
It’s difficult in certain cultures, and in multi-cultural environments, especially when we ask people to do it in front of each
other. The learning zone is a place where we try to master new
things, which means going out on a limb, trying new skills and
behaviors, and risking failure. No one will take these risks unless the trainer has somehow won their trust and knows how to
maintain it. If we push people too hard, too fast in the learning
zone, they become overwhelmed and panic. Once they are in
the panic zone, learning is impossible and a lot of energy gets
wasted in trying to get people to relax again.
Understanding the zones concept is one thing. Knowing
where the boundaries are in a given culture, in a branch office
versus headquarters, or in one branch office versus another,
requires doing some research. Here again your local partner
can be invaluable in helping you to ascertain how much people
already know about a given topic, what creates a comfortable
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18
Connection
November 2010
learning environment in which they will be willing to take
risks, what approaches work and which may backfire.
Keep an Open Mind and Adapt as Needed: When the day
for delivering training finally arrives, nothing is more important than the trainer approaching the day with an open mind
and ready to make changes in the moment if needed. Preparation is critical, and rigidity is usually fatal.
Have a well-developed plan that is tailored to the specific
needs and preferences of the office. Turn your radar on high
and be aware of signs that you may be losing or out of step
with the participants. Check-in with them frequently throughout the day, asking them how it’s going, and make it safe for
them to explain things that you may not understand. While
your first reaction to challenges may be feeling like you are
losing control, the truth is that the more the participants own
the training, the more they will get out of it, and more effective
they will see the training and you as the trainer.
Vanessa Andris, MSOD, is about Talent, Teams, and Transitions.
As a seasoned consultant for communications and leadership training, design and facilitation of meetings, and change management,
she works with individuals, teams, local and global organizations
to help them improve effectiveness and increase employee engagement. Her clients include the Legal and Human Resources departments of the World Bank Group. You can reach her at [email protected] and 202-550-2668.
The 2011–2012 Slate of ALACC Officers
T
he 2011-2012 Nominating Committee of the
Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators has met and is pleased to
submit the following nominees for the 2011-2012 slate
of officers:
President-Elect: Paul Sicari
Treasurer-Elect: Joseph Berger
Secretary-Elect:Karen Blitz
Vice President Partner Advi
sory-Elect:Dorothy Mooney
Vice President Community
Services-Elect:
Helen Woideck, CLM
All nominees are eligible to
hold office according to the
Chapter Bylaws and have
accepted their nominations.
This concludes the business
of the 2011-2012 Nominating
Committee.
Respectfully Submitted,
The 2011-2012
Nominating Committee
d f
Register
now
Annual Meeting
Holiday Luncheon
Wednesday,
December 8, 2010
St. Regis Washington
Noon: Registration
12:45 Lunch
e
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register
19
Connection
November 2010
port to Administration. In the
years since, Paul has been an
active member of the Capital Chapter including roles
as Co-Chair and Chair of
the former Vendor Relations
Committee/Partner Advisory
Committee, planning committee member for Capital
Chapter educational forums,
and conference speaker at the
2009 Annual Conference, the
2009 Capital Chapter Fall
Forum and most recently, and
the Fifth Annual Educational
Symposium held by the New
York City Chapter.
Joe Berger
entered the
legal industry after
completing
a rewarding
career in
the Federal
government,
which included two tours at
the Pentagon and two years at
the White House. He was the
Director of Administration at
Norris, McLaughlin and Marcus, in New Jersey prior to re-
turning to Washington DC to
become the Business Manager
at Holland and Knight LLP,
where he currently works. Joe
joined the Capital Chapter in
2002, and is an active member of the Branch Administrators section.
Karen Blitz
is Office Administrator
for Polsinelli Shughart’s
Washington, DC
branch
office.
Karen has been a member of
ALA and the Capital Chapter
since 2005, and was Chair of
the Branch Administrator’s
Section for 2009-2010. Prior
to its merger with Polsinelli
Shughart, Karen was Director of Legislative Resources
for Davidson & Company,
which is now the law firm’s
Public Policy Division. Karen
develops and manages the
DC office’s Human Resources,
administrative and legislative operations. She also is
s
Elizabeth Germain,
Committee Chair and 20102011 President-Elect
Connie Burke, Kenia Garner,
Elaine Gregg, John Quinn
Paul Sicari
has spent
nearly his
entire professional
career at
AmLaw
100 international
law firms including Steptoe &
Johnson, Latham & Watkins, and McDermott Will &
Emery. In his current role as
Office Administrator/Business
Unit Director for McDermott,
Paul splits his time between
the operational needs of the
Firm’s 220 attorney Washington Office and the strategic
and business management of
the Firm’s Controversies business unit. In his career, Paul
has led project teams tasked
with coordinating merger activities between U.S. and EU
law firms, opening new offices
in U.S. cities, and both small
and large scale office moves
domestically and internationally.
Paul joined the ALA in 2002
when he officially made the
move from law firm IT sup-
Dorothy
“Dot”
Mooney is
the Firm
Administrator at
Brickfield,
Burchette,
Ritts &
Stone, P.C. She has been in
the legal industry for over
twenty years and in legal
administration for eight
years. Dot has been an active
member of the ALA Capital
Chapter since 2002. Dot has
served as the Chair/Co-Chair
of the Small Firm Educational Committee for three
years and as a member of the
HelenWoideck
has been in
the legal field
since graduating from
college, first
as a legal
secretary, and
secretarial coordinator for
Sidley & Austin in Chicago
and later as an administrator
in Washington, D.C. She has
been a legal administrator
and a member of the Capital
Chapter since 1981. Her first
For over 30 years, you’ve known us as
Beers + Cutler, one of the Washington
region’s leading accounting and consulting
firms. We have now joined forces with Baker
Tilly. And while our name has changed, our
level of commitment and dedication to our
law firm clients remains the same.
including technology-driven
initiatives centered on
improving client service, productivity, and developing new
skills. Bracewell developed
BGU to provide a platform for
the administrative staff to implement the changes required
for continued performance
improvement.
LET US
Know
Comments or corrections? Have you
recently relocated?
Were you named
to receive a special
honor or appointment? Send your information and press
releases to Kate
Hoesch at lhoesch@
alacapchap.org
Legal
Specialty
Together with Baker Tilly, our strengthened
industry expertise will provide you with
greater resources and services to meet your
tax, assurance and business advisory needs
into the future.
Accountants and Advisors
Connect with us: bakertilly.com
© 2010 Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Baker Tilly refers to Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, an
independently owned and managed member of Baker Tilly International.
20
(continued from page 11)
We’ve changed (sort of).
Today is a great day.
And tomorrow will be even better.
BT_BEERS_ALACC_bw .indd 1
Committee membership was
with the predecessor of the
MODS Committee. When the
Community Services Committee was formed, they asked
for a volunteer from each
committee to be the liaison
with Community Services.
Helen became the MODS
liaison and a member of the
first Community Services
Committee. She has chaired
the Community Services
Committee and been both a
Chair and Co-Chair of the
MODS Committee as well as
a member of the HR Committee. In 2002/2003 she became
secretary-elect of the Capital
Chapter, becoming secretary
in 2003/2004. Helen became a
CLM in 2004 and is currently
the Assistant Administrator - Benefits and Operations
for White & Case LLP, an
international law firm with
offices in 25 countries and 36
cities around the world. She
is the current Vice President
Community Services.
Connection
November 2010
3/1/2010 3:27:58 PM
Group
© Copyright 2010. CBIZ, Inc. NYSE Listed: CBZ. All rights reserved.
!
Capital Chapter Fall Forum
Educational Planning Committee. Dot lives in Columbia,
MD with her husband Mike,
five children and two dogs.
She is the Past President and
currently the Vice President
of Bodkin Yacht Club Auxiliary, is involved in Labrador
Retriever Rescue and enjoys
traveling and boating. She
is the current Vice President
Partner Advisory.
s
s
responsible for managing
the Polsinelli Shughart Political Action Committee.Karen
holds a Bachelor’s degree in
Journalism and Communication, with a minor in Political
Science, from the University
of Florida.
Legal Malpractice
Todd Routzahn
443.259.3215
[email protected]
Employee Benefits
Brian Diemar
443.259.3249
[email protected]
Quarterly Network Lunch
D
espite the wind and rain, the quarterly networking lunch held on Thursday, November 5 at the W Hotel was well
attended by both members and partners.
Although no program was “officially”
planned, as a surprise to our President,
Steve Dempsey, the Chapter shared with
the attendees the news of Steve’s recent
induction as a Fellow into the College
of Law Practice Management (CLPM).
For those not familiar with CLPM, their
purpose “shall be to recognize, inspire,
and promote excellence in law practice
management by identifying and honoring
extraordinary achievement, supporting
activities that enhance the development
of knowledge, facilitating information
exchange among the Fellows, and acting
as a catalyst for positive change within
the legal profession.”
Steve has been involved in legal administration for more than 15 years. He
has demonstrated his commitment to the
legal industry and profession through
the relationships he has cultivated, his
involvement in the community, and his
continued dedicated engagement in ALA.
The CLPM could not have chosen a more
well deserving individual! Steve joins the
ranks of law professors, administrators,
lawyers, judges, consultants and others.
Congratulations, Steve!
Everyone enjoyed a Harvest themed
buffet along with a pineapple specialty
drink. Hope to see you in 2011.
(
“Love the
format
of these
luncheons”
“It was great to see everyone again.
I reconnected with members/vendors
I have not seen in years.”
21
Connection
November 2010
Steve Dempsey Recognized
by the College of
Law Practice Management
S
teve Dempsey was inducted as a Fellow into
the
College of Law Practice Management (CLPM).
The CLPM is an honorary organization
that “recognizes distinguished law practice
management professionals who have made
extraordinary contributions to the field.” The
group is comprised of lawyers, MPs, judges, law
school professors, legal administrators, law firm
consultants and some business partners who
provide services to law firms. Steve was honored
at a reception on Friday evening October 22.
The Chapter congratulates Steve on this honor.
Capital
Chapter
22
Connection
November 2010
Partner Spotlight
ALA Capital Chapter
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Ralph Embree
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23
Connection
November 2010
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oval scaled up
Regional
Conference
Elizabeth Germain
President - elect
A
October 22-23, 2010
The Eden Roc, A Renaissance Beach Resort
Miami Beach, FL
s
lthough I have been a member of
ALA since 1998, and have attended
several of the National conferences, the
Region 2 conference recently held in Miami was my first “regional” and boy was
it worth it! The educational sessions were
very beneficial and just as substantial as
those offered at the national conference.
The opportunity to spend time with other
chapter members and to meet others in
our region was very easy. And, the vendor
exhibit hall was large yet manageable
which allowed for good connections with
vendors and displays of their products
and services.
As mentioned above, the educational
sessions were beneficial. They covered a
range of administrative disciplines - HR,
Finance, Marketing, Facilities, IT - as
well as industry and leadership topics.
Two of the sessions that I particularly enjoyed were “Wild and Wacky Times: Labor and Employment Law Annual Re-
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Connection
November 2010
s
view” and “Law Office of the Future:
Space”. Both were chalk-full of information……did you know the National
Defense Authorization Act is new FMLA
leave, and that many firms are moving to
a single size office for all attorneys (some
even in our own backyard!)? In addition,
a by-product of the educational sessions
is great networking with speakers and
members from other chapters.
Although the educational sessions
were beneficial, spending time with
members from our chapter was invaluable and one of the highlights of the trip!
It is so important to build relationships
and a network of people who “get what
you do”, who you can call on whether
they’re down the street or 500 miles
away.
In conclusion, there are many changes
and exciting things going on in the legal
industry. We are all pressed for time all the time. My take away, for what it’s
worth, is that regardless of how efficient
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November 2010
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O
R
P
O
R
A
T
I
O
N
ALA Capital Chapter and
DC Bar Law Practice Management (LPM) Section Joint Event
O
n October 13, the ALA Capital
Chapter and DC Bar Law Practice
Management (LPM) Section presented
“Help Me, Help You,” a program on
dealing with substance abuse among
attorneys. Speakers Jeffrey Berger,
management-side employment lawyer
and LPM Section Chair, and Denise
Perme, Manager of the DC Bar Lawyer
Assistance Program (LAP), advised
law firm managers on techniques,
warning signs, and legal issues related
to attorney substance abuse. Mr.
Berger discussed legal pit falls under
the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Family and Medical Leave Act, and
the Rules of Professional Liability, and
offered suggestions on how to manage these issues. Ms. Perme advised
law firm managers on how to identify employees with substance issues
and work with the LAP, which offers
confidential services free of charge.
The speakers discussed their success
in working with laws firms on sub-
stance issues and emphasized the legal
and operational importance for law firms
of having personnel policies prohibiting
drug and alcohol use. They also provided an outline for “last chance agreements,” which provide a detailed road
map to use for taking an attorney from
being a substance abuser to a substancefree and productive member of the law
firm, while reducing potential liability.
For a program outline or information,
contact Mr. Berger, [email protected],
or Ms. Perme [email protected].
Laurie Kirby (L) Jeffrey Berger,Esq., Denise Perme, Elizabeth Germain at the DC bar
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November 2010
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Partner Spotlight
ALA Capital Chapter
Silver Partner
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Solutions for Lawyers
Elizabeth K. Sutter
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USI is a growing and diversified
insurance and financial services
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integrated distribution of general
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insurance and financial services such
as employee benefits and wealth
management. Our associates are
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and client advisors who concentrate
on specialty property and casualty
insurance and insurance-related
financial services. As the 8th largest
insurance brokerage firm in the
U.S., we are capable of delivering
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products nationwide.
The USI strategy is to be the preeminent distributor of financial services
and property and casualty (P&C)
insurance to middle market U.S. businesses. We execute our strategy by:
provide access to top-rated professional
liability, health, and life insurance to
clients under the sponsorship of their
affinity organizations, as well as many
other insurance and financial service
opportunities.
Professional Insurance Solutions
For Lawyers & Legal Professionals
USI Affinity has had a notable track
record of success in developing a wide
array of insurance programs for our Bar
Association clients and customers. A
number of our programs are endorsed
by prestigious associations including
the New York State Bar Association,
the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the
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our key strengths:
• More than 75 years of experience
insuring and defending lawyers
• Underwriting strength and dependability
• Ability to negotiate the best rates,
benefit levels, and
policy details
• Consistently
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scores for claimspaying ability
• Providing exceptional products and
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• Offering linked solutions to protect
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management, employee benefits, and
asset management programs
• Balancing our national distribution
strength with specialized products
• Maximizing the value of the total
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• Developing and maintaining strong
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• And securing preferential treatment
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27
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for you, your
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Connection
• Business Office
Package
November 2010
• Employment Practices Liability
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Calendar
For details and locations go to alacapchap.org
NOVEMBER
16 IP Administrators Section Meeting.......... 12:00–1:30 pm
17 New Member Luncheon.......................... 12:00–1:30 pm
17 Executive Committee Meeting................... 5:00–6:00 pm
18 Branch Office Administrators Section Meeting
DECEMBER
8 Annual Meeting Holiday Luncheon........ 12:00–2:00 pm
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Connection
November 2010
hen it comes to associations, ALA has a relationship with its members that goes beyond
the norm. For many, ALA is more than an organization to which members belong. Rather, it’s a place
to excel, network, learn, create and share. It’s not
just a community, it’s family.
ALA has launched “ALA Alumni,” an independent
program to allow former members to retain ties to
the Association and the profession. Those eligible
to participate are former members who want and
chose to stay connected.
For a nominal “program fee” or “club fee” they
will be able to enjoy a variety of tailored benefits.
If you know a former member who has relocated
or retired and who might be interested, direct
them to alanet.org.
Two Special Capital
Chapter Services:
Specializing in Lawyers
Professional Liability Insurance
Ala Capital Chapter
Our expertise p Your success
Electronic Job Bank
The Chapter provides this service to its members and all firms seeking to hire qualified
individuals in the legal industry.
• Ads for all positions in law firms and corporate/government law offices will be accepted.
• The fee for this service is $150 per posting.
• Ads will be posted within 48 hours.
• Ads will be posted for 60 days.
More information at www.alacapchap.org.
Ala Capital Chapter
Résumé Bank
Ames & Gough
8300 Greensboro Drive, Suite 980
McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 827-2277
Contact: Eileen Garczynski, JD
www.amesgough.com
The Resume Bank is designed to connect prospective employers with administrators and
other legal administration professionals.
Legal employers seeking all levels of professional managers may contact Kate Hoesch at (202)
419-1539 to request copies of the resumes in
Atlanta | Boston | Philadelphia | St. Louis | Washington, D.C.
its care. The fee for this service is $200 per
request.
Chapter members who are looking for new
career opportunities and
who would like to be
included in this service
LOOK A S
may forward twenty hard
copies of their resumes to
Kate Hoesch at Chapter
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HQ.
There is no evaluation or
You could say we’ve met our burden of proof
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More information at
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29
Connection
November 2010
|
w w w . a s l e g a l . c o m
Capital
Chapter
order ForM
2010 Capital Chapter
Salary & Benefits Survey
This survey is the most comprehensive staff salary and
benefits survey available for Washington, D.C.
Complete this form to receive access to the survey results and reports.
Survey results will be available after Labor Day, 2010.
Capital Chapter MeMbers:
❏ I am a Chapter member and want to purchase the Survey results ......................... $650
NoN-Chapter purChasers:
❏ I am an eligible purchaser (member of ALA International).....................................$750
Name _________________________________________ Position____________________________
Firm Name _______________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________
City __________________________________________ State ______ Zip ____________________
Phone _________________________________________ Fax _______________________________
E-mail ____________________________________________________________________________
Method of payment:
❏ CHECK ENCLOSED (Payable to ALA Capital Chapter)
❏ CREDIT CARD: ❏ American Express ❏ Visa ❏ MasterCard
Credit Card number__________________________________________________ Exp. Date________
Cardholder (print)___________________________________________________________________
Signature__________________________________________________________ Date____________
Send your completed form with payment to:
ALA Capital Chapter, Attn: Kate Hoesch
1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700,
Washington, DC 20036
30
Connection
November 2010
Telephone: 202-419-1539
E-mail: [email protected]
Committee & Section Updates
Administrative Committees
Helping to make your workday feel
more like a vacation day.
Communications and Media Relations
As members of the Newsletter and Media Relations Committee,
Chapter members participate in producing the award-winning
Capital Connection. Members gather to brainstorm new ideas
for editorial themes for upcoming editions.
The Newsletter reports Chapter business activities such as
Section and Committee news and provides information about
upcoming educational and other events. It also includes articles
of interest to members and other legal management personnel,
collected, authored and/or edited by members of the committee.
This committee also works with other legal associations and
the media to ensure that ALA and the Capital Chapter are represented in the legal industry.
The Newsletter Committee welcomes new members. Contact:
Mary McEwan (Chair) [email protected]
Tara Givens (Co-Chair) [email protected]
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All that said, there’s a reason why we are the trusted document workflow
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more about Canon Business Solutions and our premier program for ALA
members call 1.800.815.4000 or visit www.solutions.canon.com today.
Salary Survey
s
The Salary Survey Committee is responsible for maintaining,
updating and running the local survey each year. They review
the positions listed, the job descriptions, and the benefits
questions to ensure that the survey remains relevant to the end
users. The members of the committee also promote the survey
within the Chapter to stimulate participation. In addition,
the committee is tasked with selling the license to the survey
software to other chapters within ALA for use in their locales.
They also provide technical support and logistical guidance
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Connection
November 2010
4/14/10 2:36 PM
to those chapters who purchase and utilize our survey software.
Contact:
• Catherine S. Barron (Chair) [email protected]
Educational Sections
Branch Office Administrators
The Branch Office Administrators Section focuses on a broad
range of topics of interest to local administrators who must coordinate with other offices of their firms. The Section’s monthly
luncheon meetings provide a venue for members to discuss
issues of common interest, share ideas, and network. Members
are encouraged to raise topics and to recommend speakers.
Contact:
• Constance Burke (Chair) [email protected]
• Laurie Kirby (Co-Chair) [email protected]
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Section focuses on all aspects of
legal management as it pertains to the IP Administrator. Specifically, the group discusses the complexity of the ever changing IP environment and how to effectively create and apply
IP specific non-legal procedures in both boutique and general
practice firms. The Section’s monthly meetings, held the third
Tuesday, are primarily lunch meetings and every third month is
a dinner meeting. The IP Section also has an active listserv for
sharing non-confidential information and questions that can’t
wait until the monthly meetings. Contact:
• LaVerne Anenia (Chair) [email protected]
• Art Brooks (Co-Chair) [email protected]
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32
Connection
November 2010
Financial Management
The Financial Management Section covers a broad range of
financial topics, including financial reporting, tax matters, accounting practices, partnership issues, and general round table
discussions of timely Accounting and Finance issues.
Contact:
• Kerri Lyn Lawrence (Chair) [email protected]
Human Resources
The Human Resources Section operates as a venue to educational information on global human resources topics and
issues. While the section is comprised of mostly HR professionals, any member is invited to participate. The Section meets the
last Thursday of the month and often has industry speakers
discuss such topics as recruiting, benefits, strategic planning,
performance management, career pathing, retention and more!
Contact:
• Aryn Blanton (Chair) [email protected]
• Kenia Garner (Co-Chair) [email protected]
Office Operations Management
The Office Operations Management (OOMS) Section meets on
the third Wednesday of every month to discuss operation-related
hot topics. Currently, the members of the OOMS represent a cross
section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch
office managers. We welcome all members to join the section
especially if you are an administrator in a small law office and you
have to wear multiple hats. We can provide you with many best
practices to run your operation smoothly.
Contact:
• Michelle Leonard (Chair) [email protected]
Small Firm Management Section
The Small Firm Management Section meets the 4th Tuesday
of the month at host law firms. The purpose of the Small Firm
Management Section is to provide Administrators of law firms
with 35 or under attorneys educational opportunities through
vendor presentations, idea sharing and open forums specifically
designed for those who work in smaller firms. Contact:
• Karen Laumoli (Chair)
[email protected]
• Laura Sandifer (Co-Chair
[email protected]
ALA Capital Chapter is now a Group
on LinkedIn & Facebook
Become a member today!
33
Connection
November 2010
Capital 2010–2011 Executive Committee
Chapter
& Leadership Team
All members of ALA Capital Chapter are welcome and encouraged to participate in any committee or section activities that interest them.
Executive Committee
President
Stephen G. Dempsey, CLM
Sidley Austin, LLP
202 736-8866
[email protected]
Vice PresidentCommunity Services
Helen B. Woideck, CLM
White & Case
202 626- 6471
[email protected]
Vice President- Partner
Advisory
Dot Mooney
Brickfield Burchette
Ritts & Stone PC
202 342-0800
[email protected]
Treasurer
Deidre C. Moore
Morrison & Foerster LLP
202 887-8732
[email protected]
Secretary
Karen D. Lee
202 508-6011
[email protected]
President-Elect
Elizabeth Germain
Alston & Bird LLP
202 756-3327
[email protected]
?
34
Treasurer-Elect
Catherine S. Barron
Townsend and Townsend
and Crew LLP
202 481-9999
[email protected]
Administrative
Committees—
Chairs & Co-Chairs
Communications &
Media Relations
Mary McEwan (Chair)
202 237-2727
[email protected]
Intellectual Property
Administrators
LaVerne Anenia (Chair)
703 243-6333
[email protected]
Art Brooks (Co-Chair)
202 822-1100
[email protected]
Secretary-Elect
Mary Randolph
Levine Sullivan Koch
& Schulz LLP
202 508 1129
[email protected]
Tara Givens (Co-Chair)
202 383-6532
[email protected]
Immediate Past President
Edward P. Ross
Deloitte Services LP
202 879-5616
[email protected]
Salary Survey
Catherine S. Barron (Chair)
202 481-9999
[email protected]
Aryn Blanton (Chair)
202 828-7634
[email protected]
Educational Sections—
Chairs & Co-Chairs
Kenia Garner (Co-Chair)
202 663-8397
[email protected]
Executive Director
Paula Serratore
202 419-1538
[email protected]
Meeting Planner &
Membership coordinator
Kate Hoesch
202 419-1539
[email protected]
ALA International
Membership
Debbie Curtis
847 267-1388
[email protected]
President
ALA Capital Chapter
Foundation
Jill D. Hirsch
202 797-8700
[email protected]
Branch Office
Administrators
Constance Burke (Chair)
202 828-5867
[email protected]
Laurie Kirby (Co-Chair)
202 303-1333
[email protected]
Financial Management
Kerri Lyn Lawrence (Chair)
202 822-3634
[email protected]
Human Resources
Office Operations
Managemen
Michelle Leonard (Chair)
202 247-2233
michelle.leonard@
wilmerhale.com
Small Firm Management
Karen Laumoli (Chair)
202 457-7815
[email protected]
Laura Sandifer (Co-Chair)
202 310 5557
[email protected]
Have a question for the newsletter staff?
Email your question to [email protected],
and we will answer it in the next newsletter.
Connection
November 2010
?

November 2010 - ALA Capital Chapter

Transcription

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