May - Greater Los Angeles Chapter

Transcription

The Resource for Legal Administrators
A View From
The Top
Aligning Yourself With
Your Managing Partner’s
Partner’s
Strategic Goals
MAY 2005
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 6
ALA
National
Convention
Highlights
13-16
Leadership Exchange
The monthly magazine of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter
of the Association of Legal Administrators
Copyright © 2005 - All Rights Reserved
www.glaala.org
Steven Jones, Managing Editor
Lister Martin & Thompson
T: 818-551-6444 • F: 818-242-3816
[email protected]
Wendy Sweet, CLM, Contributing Editor
Andrews Kurth LLP
T: 213-896-3107 • F: 213-538-1030
[email protected]
On The Cover - Page 6
Michael Steiner, CLM, Vendor Liaison
Frandzel Robins Bloom & Csato, L.C.
T: 323-658-9758 • F: 323-658-9658
[email protected]
Additional Contributers
Concord Document Service ...............40
Davidson Legal Staffing .....................39
A View From
MAY 2005
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 6
The Top
Aligning Yourself With
Your Managing Partner’s
Strategic Goals
ESP...The IT Candidate People ...........18
HIRECounsel ......................................45
ALA
National
Convention
Highlights
13-16
Humanscale........................................37
Hutchings Court Reporters, LLC .......41
Hutchinson & Bloodgood LLP ...........41
Innovative Computing Systems .........47
Legal Option Group ............................43
Legal Plus Agency ...............................22
WHERE’S NEVETS?
Find Nevets hiding in one of
our Vendor ads
Win a $50.00 American Express
Gift Cheque if you are the first
to contact Steven Jones at
[email protected]
Matura Farrington Staffing Services....17
Merrill Corp. .......................................21
Narver Associates ...............................41
Overnite Express ................................35
Praxis ..................................................27
Providus ................................................9
Robert Half Legal ...............................38
Janis Smith
[email protected]
Robert Millard, Photographer ...........46
Cynthia Thomas
[email protected]
Tra-Co Graphics .................................35
Typecraft Wood & Jones .....................35
Naomi Haver
[email protected]
WAMS ..................................................22
Tracy Dragoo, Graphic Designer
Tra-Co Graphics
T: 626-487-0784
Typecraft Wood & Jones, Printing
T: 626-795-8093
AFLAC .................................................18
City National Bank .............. Back Cover
The Resource for Legal Administrators
Janet Shaw, CLM, Publication Team
Wickwire Gavin LLP
T: 213-688-9500 • F: 213-627-6342
[email protected]
Mike Morales, Publication Team
Silver & Freedman, PLC
T: 310-282-9439 • F: 310-556-0832
[email protected]
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Williams Records Management .........21
WE WANT TO KNOW!
The GREATER LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE is
published monthly to provide information for the education
and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers,
managing partners of law firms and of corporate law
departments, and others interested in law firm management.
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Legal
Administrators is not engaged in rendering legal, financial or
tax counseling through this publication. No statement in this
monthly magazine should be interpreted as legal, financial or
tax advice.
It is important to our team that we provide valuable articles and
features for you, our readers. Please take a minute to let us know
your thoughts.
Any article, letter or advertisement published in The
GREATER LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE should
not be considered an endorsement by the Greater Los
Angeles Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators of
the opinions expressed therein or any product(s) advertised.
Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose
financial and/or professional interests and affiliations which
may influence their writing position. All advertising is subject
to approval by the Editor. Advertisers assume liability for all
content of advertisements printed and assume responsibility
for any claims based upon subject matter.
To show our gratitude for your time, the first 3 people to respond to the above questions will receive a $10
Starbucks card. Send responses to Steven Jones at [email protected]
2
May 2005
• What would you like to see in future
issues?
• Which article you found most valuable in
this issue.
• Which feature you enjoyed most.
Top Row: Tracy Dragoo, Mike Morales, Naomi Haver and Steven Jones
Bottom Row: Janet Shaw, Wendy Sweet & Janis Smith
• Which vendor ad caught your attention.
• Which article/ad/piece needed the most
improvement?
Tanya Russell and Elizabeth Moura both received a $10 Starbucks card for sending us positive, constructive
comments in response to our “We Want to Know” questions. Thank you Tanya and Elizabeth for your
feedback!
Also, we appreciate all the positive feedback we’ve received in response to the new magazine format.
Comments were sent by not only our own chapter members, but also members of other ALA chapters, and our
vendor partners.
Thank you for taking the time to send your comments and thank you for reading!!
Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org
Articles
Every Month
HUMAN RESOURCES
LAW OFFICE NAVIGATION - Learning The Ropes
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A View From The Top
by Janet L. Hannaway................................................................... 7
I am guessing if you ask any legal
administrators you know how they arrived
at the position they now hold, most will
tell you they did not decide as a young
child the wanted to be an administrator
when they grew up.
by Brian Robbins ........................................................................... 4
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Strategic Self-Assessment
by Ward Bower ............................................................................ 10
This month the Magazine Team is tackling,
from various perspectives, issues of what our
organizations expect from us in our roles as
functional specialists and administrators.
Maintaining The Partners’ Vision
by Steven Jones .............................................................................. 5
In the past, lawyer reputations, contacts,
connections and quality legal work would
fairly assure the economic success of a
law firm.
As administrators, we must use all of our
resources if we are to be successful in
fulfilling the strategic visions of our firm’s
management and managing partners.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
ON THE COVER
by Shelly Papadopoulos .............................................................. 13
by Steven Jones .............................................................................. 6
A personal note from Shelly Papadopoulos
- The 34th Annual Association of Legal
Administrators, San Francisco, California.
Classes, seminars and networking with
administrators across the country
Do you have a clear understanding of what decisions
your partners would make in every aspect managing
your firm?
National Conference Scholarship
A View From The Top
Calendar of Events ............................................................... 8
OFFICE OPERATIONS
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ADMINISTRATOR:
A Managing Partner’s Perspective
Wellness Zone............................................................... 18 & 42
Member Information ....................................................... 19
Continuing Community Challenge ........................... 20
by Maureen Varnes ...................................................................... 26
An interview by Maureen Varnes, Chief of
Operations, with John D. Pettker, Esq. who
was the Managing Principal of Rodi, Pollock,
Pettker, Galbraith & Cahill, Los Angeles for over
20 years. Mr. Pettker recently stepped down as
managing partner and has assumed the role of
Chairman at the firm.
LEGAL INDUSTRY
OVERHEAD OVERRUNS?
10 Steps to Reducing Occupancy Costs for Law Firms
by Greg Tuszynski ........................................................................ 34
Faced with rising payroll expenses and
increasing investments in technology,
law firms should consider revisiting,
rethinking and retooling their approach
to real estate.
OFFICE LEASING
Will I Pay More For Rent If I Use A Broker?
by Scot McBeath .......................................................................... 23
Using a broker will cost the landlord a relatively
small extra charge, but will very likely result in you
getting the best space for your organization at the
lowest possible rent.
Chapter Leaders .......................................................... 24 & 25
Chapter News ........................................................................ 28
Membership Benefits ............................................... 30 & 31
Member Extra ............................................................... 12 & 32
Vendor Spotlight ................................................................. 36
Technology Tip .................................................................... 40
Brain Teaser.......................................................................... 44
May 2005
3
Brian Robbins, CLM
626-440-5200
[email protected]
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
This month the Magazine Team is tackling, from various
perspectives, issues of what our Firms / Organizations expect
from us in our roles as functional specialists and administrators.
That is going to vary somewhat based on our positions within
our organization as we have a diverse membership. I suspect
that some of you have a clear understanding of your roles and
others may not depending upon who it is “at the top.” Some
of you may not even have a person that you report to but may
instead report to a Committee (and when was the last time a
Committee agreed on everything !).
— don’t pass the buck up the line. In a world of Blackberrys,
decision-makers appreciate a message crafted in a manner
which allows them the quick option to say “yes,” “no,” “agree”
or “disagree.”
Here are a few items to consider. (I think my managing
partner would agree with these):
KEEP THEM INFORMED
You want to anticipate what your boss(es) would want or
need to know. Let them know what is going on before they
hear it from somewhere else.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Your managing partner’s life is likely very busy. He or she
will be looking to you to pre-digest issues and bring some
sense of order out of the chaos. Boil the issues down and
present them in a clear and straightforward way. Granted, this
is not always easy to do but this is where you can really add
some value.
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROVIDE
ALTERNATIVES
It may not always be accepted, but make a recommendation
TAKE A CALCULATED RISK
As the adage goes, “It is better to ask forgiveness than
permission.” Too many times I have waited a LONG time to
get permission, and then never did hear back. Sometimes you
just need to “do it” and trust yourself.
REMAIN OBJECTIVE
What may seem obvious to you may sometimes come as a
great insight to an attorney. You are trained to see the world
from a different perspective and that is very valuable to your
organization.
I hope you enjoy the articles in the pages ahead — your
fellow Chapter members work hard every month to bring this
important and useful information to you. g
OTHER CHAPTER NEWS...
Your new Board of Directors for the April 2005 – March 2006 year are busy at work planning a variety of
educational, technical, social and community outreach activities. Here are just a few of the upcoming events
and activities:
• At the time this was written we were approaching ALA’s 34th Annual Educational Conference and Exposition in San
Francisco. Over 60 members of the GLA Chapter attended and participated in the events, classes and seminars.
• The Chapter has again organized a series of classes for those interested in studying for the Certified Legal Manager
(CLMSM) exam. These classes are open to all Chapter members and are not limited to only those who plan to take the exam.
Check the website for details.
• On May 19 (Thursday) we plan to hold the second “Member / Vendor” mixer of the year; this time on the Westside.
Watch for details.
• On May 21 (Saturday) consider participating in a day trip to the Temecula Wine Country. Bring along friends and family.
Watch for details on this one as well.
Get involved and get the most that you can out of your ALA.
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May 2005
“We must not cease from exploration. And the end of all
our exploring will be to arrive where we began and know
the place for the first time.”
T.S. Eliot
Steven Jones
818-551-6444
[email protected]
MAINTAINING THE PARTNERS’ VISION
As administrators, we must use all of our resources if we
are to be successful in fulfilling the strategic visions of our
firms’ management and managing partners. Philosophies and
strategic visions generally change with the advent of a new
managing partner or a shift in the management committee.
One year the firm’s strategy can involve heavy cash outlays
for technology upgrades; the next year the strategic vision
can involve a big marketing push to build the firm’s client
base. This might involve seminars, speaking engagements,
new brochures, newsletters, a revamped web site, travel and
entertainment expenses, consulting fees and, of course, the
hiring of additional personnel to accommodate the new
clients. These changes and implementation of strategic
visions inevitably come with variables, and we, ultimately,
are responsible to adapt to those changes and successfully
implement our partners’ visions.
A successful manager knows how to adapt to a continually
changing environment and maintain the structural integrity of
the firm’s operations. Our bottom line goal, in this structured
chaos, is to continually provide our clients with excellent
service and, on the inside, give the partners and associates
what they need to get their jobs done.
My seven-year tour of duty in the United States Marine
Corps taught me well how to adapt to a continually changing
environment and adhere to the strategic vision set by my
partners. If they happened to change one of the components
within the strategy, I adjusted accordingly and continued
to manage all the variables until the strategic objective was
met. The same holds true at my firm today. Nothing instills
confidence in an administrator better than the quick and
sincere response of “no problem, consider it done” to last
minute requests and changes. Yes, there are times when you
may have to come back with some variation to the request,
but as long as you demonstrate that you have explored every
option possible, their trust in you to manage the firm will
increase tenfold. This sounds a little like the military, but I
assure that there are many managers and administrators that
have a difficult time adjusting to their partners’ changes and
maintaining a structured environment. At the very least, most
find this frustrating.
Here’s my advice — always remember that it is your
partner who is at the helm and it is him or her who provides
the course. It’s your job to maintain the ship, the supplies and
the staff. If he or she tells you that the wind has changed or
the current has taken you off course, adjust your sails. If you
find yourself in a storm, batten down the hatches, motivate
the staff and weather the storm.
I find it both challenging and rewarding when the firm’s
strategic vision and the partners’ directives are a success.
Don’t believe that all my roads were easy. Quite the contrary,
I’ve had to figure most things out on my own and I owe a big
thanks to my peer network within the Association and the
resources from ALA National.
ALA’s networking opportunities, CLMSM courses, luncheons
and other events have exposed me to a wealth of information.
Managing a law firm ranks very high as one of the most
difficult positions in the field of management. I knew without
question that my participation in the local chapter would
be key to my success. Implementing the directives of my
partners required much more than a generic understanding
of a business environment. That saying, ALA National and
the local seasoned administrators have provided me with the
resources to manage the firm and effectively carry out the
strategic visions set by my partners.
The association provides you with information about
every aspect of legal management — Facilities & Operations,
Finance, General Management, Human Resources, Marketing,
Technology & Information, and Training & Development. Use
the resources in the association, both locally and nationally, to
help you facilitate your partners’ strategic visions and become
a success, not only to yourself, but to those who depend on
you most. g
‘ We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, therefore, is not an act
but a habit. ’
Aristotle
May 2005
5
Steven Jones
818-551-6444
[email protected]
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
Do you have a clear understanding of what decisions your
environment as a productive member of the team may be
partners would make in every aspect of managing your firm?
minimized and they can move on up the ladder rather quickly
Your answer to this question should be “yes, and if I’m not sure
to offset the investment of our time and money. We believe
I ask.” The key to effectively managing a law firm is having a
these principles to be highly important because we are well
clear understanding and description of the expectations of
aware that administrators have more vital subjects to address
your partners with regard to the administration of the firm.
than issues of underachievement and poor attitude. We expect
Over time it is imperative that your decisions mirror those of
the administrator to ensure the contribution of each employee
your managing partners. I find it helpful to communicate with
is in line with the overall philosophy and the strategic objectives
my partners as often as I can. If I am unsure about something,
of the firm.
I never hesitate to ask for their advice. This keeps me in sync
In reference to handling employee related matters we expect
with their philosophy and reduces the “oh boy, did I make a big
an administrator to be unafraid to confront problems with a
mistake” syndrome.
judicious temperament. The less we know of the immediate
It is far easier to ask for advice than it is to have to explain to
day-to-day issues with which the administrator is dealing, the
one or all of your partners why
happier we are. After all, we
you made an unwise decision.
carefully selected an individual
‘ ...partners depend on administrators to fill that post who we trust to
Fortunately, my partners
see mistakes as learning
act in a careful and balanced
to implement the firm’s vision. ’
experiences and continually
fashion. If a problem of real
provide me with support and
significance arises, however,
advice as to how not to make the same mistake twice. They are
we are always available to and, indeed, want our administrator
never too busy to allow me to discuss with them an issue I find
to consult with us. We desire more communication rather than
difficult. They are aware that ten minutes of their time can save
more involvement and expect the administrator to err on the
the firm costly mistakes or future headaches.
side of telling us more than we might want to hear. We like to
Attorneys become attorneys to practice law, not to become
hear of problems with solutions — either proposed or already
business managers or human resources directors. As I stated in
implemented.
my Editor’s Note, they provide the direction or strategic vision
and depend heavily upon us to implement that vision. Below
Money, Finance and Profits
are few thoughts my partners have expressed on issues found
In general, the process starts with a meeting of the partners
in most every firm:
to set financial goals, either budgetary or income related. After
a consensus is reached, we then discuss the feasibility and
Recruiting, ROI And Other Employee-Related Matters
implementation of the financial issues with the administrator.
Generally, we expect our administrator to hire employees
We expect the administrator to provide us with pertinent
with high skill levels to maintain a superior level of service to
information, i.e., what obstructions we may encounter, our
our clients. We also expect those employees to be professional,
current and projected financial positions, and if the firm is
congenial, and possess exceptional work ethics. We realize
meeting its existing forecasted financial goals. On an ongoing
the value of the investment is to have higher quality people
basis we expect the administrator to continually monitor those
in the firm. We do, however, understand the need for the
aspects of the finances that are essential to achieving the
hiring of entry-level employees and, in those circumstances,
particular plans and provide feedback — Do we need to rethink
what we are looking for is potential and, aptitude. We expect
certain issues? Are we on target? Is more cash available? Is
the administrator to look carefully at candidates during the
more cash required? Ultimately we need the administrator to
screening process for those qualities we are seeking so that
accurately depict the overall financial position of the firm so
the time needed to provide the employee with the necessary
that we all can make decisions that will ensure the profitability
information and skills to integrate them into the work
and longevity of the enterprise.
continued on page 38
6
May 2005
Janet L. Hannaway
[email protected]
888-686-2825
LAW OFFICE NAVIGATION - Learning the Ropes
I am guessing if you ask any legal administrators you know
how they arrived at the position they now hold, most will tell
you they did not decide as a young child the wanted to be an
administrator when they grew up. In fact, depending on the
day, some might tell you they occasionally ask themselves
why they do what they do. There are few occupations where
you can mentor, theorize, plan, mediate, hire, repair and
reprogram, comfort, take blame, audit, fire, and buy furniture
all before lunchtime. A combination of common sense and a
wonderful sense of humor are obviously paramount for survival in this profession.
The legal administration profession has evolved over time
based on the simple need to free up attorneys to practice
law rather than manage their practices. Law firms can no
longer survive solely as a service provider, but must be managed as true business entities to compete in today’s market.
Some experts have suggested that the legal industry appears
far behind other service provider industries in coming to
this realization. Having an administrator in your firm might
facilitate that occurring in your firm sooner rather than
later. Administrative employees, whether they are known as
administrators, office managers, human resource directors,
librarians, facilities managers, or one of the many other titles
acknowledged in the field, are an integral gear in the mechanism of today’s law firm. By having legal administrators take
on the varied responsibilities of firm management in areas
such as human resources, technology, facilities, and finance,
lawyers are better able to devote their efforts and talents to
their chosen passion in life – that of practicing law.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, an “administrator” is
one who administers, especially business or public affairs; an
executive. While that definition might seem straightforward,
the actual definition when combined with the legal profession
seems far more complex.
Various articles and job descriptions postulate that an
administrator should have basic knowledge in the areas of
finance, communication, and organizational skills, as well as
the ability to delegate and acknowledge appropriate decisionmaking levels. In addition, administrators are instrumental in
shaping and developing the culture of a firm. Unfortunately,
those same articles never tell you how to get that experience or
where to find employees who have it. Perhaps the best answer
might be if this is an area that really intrigues you, jump in and
start learning. Experience is a wonderful teacher as long as you
have good support from your firm and strong fortitude.
To be successful, managing partners or executive committees must clearly communicate their goals and expectations
and empower administrators to achieve desired results. It is
imperative that administrators be given proper respect and
support within their firm structure to succeed, including open
and frequent communication, which is crucial to success.
Never be afraid to ask questions. The difference between success and failure might just be asking that last question that hits
the target. It has been said that lawyers are not always the best
communicators. Ask their spouses. Fiona Travis, Ph.D. has coauthored an interesting book about that very subject called,
Living with Lawyers. A rather insightful read. Also, realize that
leadership and work styles may differ between genders and
generations. Inflexibility can often hinder the desired results.
While in law school, attorneys are taught to question and
control every aspect of their cases, and that controlling nature
and inability to delegate leadership roles can sometimes
interfere with the dynamics of a legal organization. Attorneys
should develop strategic plans, but be willing to then turn
them over to administration for development and implementation. Administrators with creativity and resourcefulness
should have no problem carrying the ideas through to completion and implementation.
The role an administrator plays can vary considerably
from small firms to large firms and within areas of practice.
Nonetheless, their responsibilities continue to evolve based on
innovations in technology and the continually changing interpretations of how law firms are managed. I have worked for my
current firm for more than 21 years. During that time I have
held many different positions. Through structural changes and
firm growth, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity
and support to evolve and create the administrative position
I currently hold. I am constantly challenged and required to
“think outside of the box” and come up with ideas and solutions for opportunities or problems that arise. My day never
ends at 5:00 p.m. and I am constantly planning or looking for
new ideas to make our firm more effective.
To keep on top of current changes and trends, administrators
must have access to information on the latest innovations and
resources. In the last ten years, the Internet has provided a
wealth of information available to assist us in making decisions
May 2005
7
DATE
EVENT
TIME
LOCATION
CONTACT
E-MAIL
4
GLA ALA Board Meeting
5:00 p.m.
Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort,
Rubalcava & MacCuish
Brian Robbins, CLM
[email protected]
5
Small Firm Section Meeting
5:00 p.m.
Carroll, Burdick &
McDonough LLP
Mary McDonnell
[email protected]
5
CLM Study Session Legal Industry
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Jeffers, Mangels, Butler &
Marmaro
Susan Seales
213-633-6810
[email protected]
11:45 - 1:30 p.m.
Beverly Hills Country Club
Viviane Abraham
[email protected]
Chapter Luncheon
10
Speaker: Larry R. Richard, J.D., Ph.D
Topic: Why Leaders in Law Firms Need to
Be Emotionally Intelligent
12
Technology Section Meeting
11:45 - 1:00 p.m.
Omni Hotel - Downtown
Robert Santos
[email protected]
19
GLA ALA
Member/Vendor Mixer
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Lunaria Restaurant
Norma Ayala
[email protected]
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort,
Rubalcava & MacCuish
Wayne Mitchell
[email protected]
[email protected]
18
Finance Section Meeting
Budgeting as a Management Tool
Roundtable discussion
21
Wine Tasting Tour
Temecula
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Meet @ West Los Angeles College
Janis Smith
24
ALA Teleseimnar - Dealing With
Substance Abuse in Your Firm
11:00 a.m. PDT
alanet.org
800-651-7916
24
Human Resources
Section Meeting
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen
Kelly McGehee
[email protected]
25
Multi-Office Section Meeting
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP
Susan Seales
213-633-6810
[email protected]
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND FUTURE EVENTS SEE WWW.GLAALA.ORG AND WWW.ALANET.ORG
8
May 2005
!!SAVE THE DATE!!
May 19, 2005
GLA ALA
Member/Vendor Mixer
Lunaria Restaurant
SAVE THE DATE
FOR
SATURDAY
GLAALA’S FIRST ANNUAL
MAY 21, 2005
DESTINATION — TEMECULA
��
��
��
THE MORE THE MERRIER!!
Your Hosts:
STEVEN JONES
JANIS SMITH
DETAILS TO
FOLLOW
May 21, 2005
Wine Tasting Tour • Temecula, California
Sponsored by
Certif ication
Program
Information and Application
Packet
2005
August 5, 2005
CLM Application Deadline
September 15, 2005
CLM Exam Date
September 15-17, 2005
Region 5/6 Conference
Bally’s - Las Vegas, Nevada
October 10, 2005
1st Annual GLA ALA Golf Tounament
California Country Club
Whittier, California
May 2005
9
Ward Bower
Altman Weil, Inc.
610-886-2000 • [email protected]
STRATEGIC SELF-ASSESSMENT
In the past, lawyer reputations, contacts, connections and
quality legal work would fairly assure the economic success
of a law firm. But in today’s hyper-competitive marketplace,
strategy has become the key to successful law practice — not
that the other items don’t count. They’re just not enough now
that we compete globally.
Law firms seem to recognize that. Almost every firm claims
to have a strategy and a plan. It’s only when probed to show
it or describe it, or when specific questions are asked, that the
truth emerges. That truth is that a very small proportion of
mainstream US law firms truly have a firm-wide institutional
plan. That deficiency has proven fatal in too many instances.
Since many law firms without a strategy and a plan think
they have both, and it is not until they are challenged that
they find out they have neither, rarely is there opportunity
for a challenge without outside intervention, which naturally
‘ …a self-assessment tool can be
critically important in evaluating,
as painlessly as possible, a law firm’s
strategy and plan. ’
is resisted. Altman Weil® strategy consultants often must
expose strategic deficiencies to a resistant clientele. There are
many reasons for this resistance — management insecurity,
partner indifference, lack of self-awareness, lack of business
training and experience, embarrassment and even ignorance.
The process of evaluation is a painful one, necessarily more
so when it involves outside intervention. Therefore, a selfassessment tool can be critically important in evaluating, as
painlessly as possible, a law firm’s strategy and plan.
On the following page is a 20 question “yes or no”
instrument which can be used to assess the adequacy of your
firm’s strategy. It won’t take long to complete and score, it can
be done by one or a number of partners in a law firm, and it
can provide a quick indication of where strategic effort might
be focused to become more competitive.
The instrument should be scored two points for each “yes”
answer, minus one for each “no” and for each blank that is
not completed or not answered concisely (in ten words or
less). The maximum possible score is therefore 40, and the
minimum — 32. Score your firm as follows:
10
May 2005
• 30 or above — keep up the good work and concentrate on
the “no” answers and the blanks.
• 20 to 29 — on your way but your plan needs to be
revisited or formalized.
• 10 to 19 — you need to engage in an institutional
planning process.
• 32 to +9 — you are seriously at risk and planning is an
urgent priority.
Take a few minutes and complete the instrument, score
yourself and see where your firm stands. Even better yet, feel
free to copy the instrument (for use within your firm), distribute
it to a number of partners and tabulate the results. This exercise
should either reinforce your sense that your firm is on the right
track, or indicate what needs to be done. Good luck! g
Reprinted with permission from Report to Legal Management,
August 2001. Copyright Altman Weil, Inc., Newtown Square, PA.
All rights reserved.
About the Author: Ward Bower is a principal of Altman Weil,
Inc. He heads consulting assignments in law firm organization,
strategic and partnership planning, mergers and compensationrelated issues. He is co-author of a law office management
treatise published by Matthew Bender & Co. and has authored
articles for numerous publications, including The American
Lawyer, The National Law Journal, ABA Journal, International
Financial Law Review and Legal Business. Mr. Bower is a
frequent speaker on law office management-related topics, and
has made presentations for the ABA, international, state and
local bar associations, law schools, law office administrators
and other legal groups throughout the world.
Your law firm
is a business.
YOUR LAWYERS SHOULD THINK LIKE BUSINESSPEOPLE.
� Be creative.
� Embrace software programs.
� Develop business plans and networks.
� Offer supportive and critical feedback.
� Understand your firm’s competition.
� Know basic accounting/finance.
The Association of Legal Administrators
(ALA) offers a tool to train your lawyers —
and staff — the ways of business: A Business
Skills Curriculum for Law Firm Associates.
Law schools generally do not prepare their
graduates to understand these types of
responsibilities, even though the practice of law
is both a profession and a business. Managing
partners and firm administrators understand that
effective business, management and supervisory
skills for all employees are essential to the
success and survival of every law firm.
A Business Skills Curriculum for Law Firm
Associates assists you in developing a training
program that will help your associates best meet
the needs and expectations of your firm and clients.
This guidebook is available for $595 from ALA.
Call (847) 267-1252 to order — or log on to
www.alanet.org/bsc to learn more about this
exciting and unique product.
ALA members receive a $100 discount.
May 2005
11
11
Mike Morales
WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOUR FIRM AND MANAGING PARTNER?
This month’s issue is all about what your law firm’s partners
want from their staff, in particular, their administrator or office
manager. And while it’s all well and good to read a bunch of
articles to find out what the experts believe is important, all
of us work for different types of people in different types of
firms with different types of practices and cultures. What’s
important to one managing partner might be something that
another doesn’t give much thought about and vice versa.
Following are 21 skills that LEGAL MANAGEMENT ranked
as important to managing partners. Instead of just guessing at
what your boss might want, why not go over these with him
or her? See where they rank a particular skill and what you
rate it based on your knowledge. It’s a nice little “cheat sheet”
to see what you might need to brush up on to become your
firm’s most valuable and irreplaceable asset. That way you
have something to fall back on besides those incriminating
pictures from the holiday party. So go ahead and pull it out
and see if your strongest skills jive with your partner’s needs.
An important tip: Have your managing
partner
fill it out first
Rank from
1 - 21 the
importance of each of the
- no need to poke the bear! g
following qualities:
Rank from 1 - 21 the importance of each of the following qualities:
Partner
Self
Knowledge of time management strategies (e g., setting priorities, delegating)
Skill in using computer systems (e.g., word processing, accessing informational databases)
Written communication skills (e.g., writing memos, policy manuals, proposals, job descriptions)
Interpersonal relations skills (e.g., performance counseling, client contacts)
Oral communication skills (e.g., presentations to staff and attorneys, interactions with clients
and vendors)
Knowledge of general accounting procedures, including familiarity with general ledger,
general journal entries, cost accounting, fixed asset accounting, A/R and A/P
Knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, cash flow analysis, and variance analysis
Knowledge of compensation, employee benefits, and reward systems
Knowledge of procedures and tools for recruiting, selecting, and retaining employees
Knowledge of the features and capabilities of the Internet, web-based technology, and
hardware and software systems, including security and confidentiality
Knowledge and skill in conflict management techniques
Knowledge of changes/trends in the legal industry
Knowledge of stress management techniques
Knowledge of methods of financial analysis, including reading and interpreting financial
statements, calculating and interpreting various financial ratios, and analyzing comparative
financial information across fiscal years
Knowledge of employee motivational techniques
Knowledge of performance management systems (e.g., appraisal procedures, disciplinary
procedures)
Knowledge of planning techniques (e.g., strategic, disaster, and business planning)
Knowledge and expertise in personnel training methods
Knowledge of special issues in accounting for law firm operations, including time and billing
systems, alternative billing methods, collection procedures, and cost recovery guidelines
Knowledge of team development and management principles (e.g., self-directed teams)
Knowledge of federal and state employee benefit laws (e.g. COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA, Civil Rights
Act of 1991)
12
May 2005
Shelly Papadopoulos
310-979-7711
[email protected]
NATIONAL CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP
On March 31, 2005, I received a telephone call from Brian
Robbins, President of GLA ALA congratulating me (Hunt
Ortmann, Blasco Palffy & Rossell, Inc.) with the good news that I
was going to the 34th Annual ALA Conference in San Francisco! I
had won a scholarship, courtesy of a contest sponsored by GLA.
Not only was I thrilled that I had won, I was excited as this would
be my very first ALA conference!
A hundred thoughts went through my head – would my
bosses (3three partners) allow me to go? Would I be able to stay
away from the office that long? Would my work pile up while I
was gone? Would…whatwould…howwould???
Thankfully, the three partners were excited for me and
wholeheartedly gave their okay. They knew that I’d bring back
valuable information and great ideas for our firm. I’m sure they
were even happiery that our local chapter sponsored the tripit
did not cost them anything!
I have to confess, from the moment I found out thatlearned
I’d would be attending the conference, it brought back memories
of my attendances at multiplemany PTA conferences. As a
PTA volunteer while my daughters were in school, I attended
conferences and learned, among other things, leadership skills,
teamwork and, the benefits of networking., etc. Many of the
skills I learned through PTA have helped me in my job as an
administrator. My attendance at the conference would give me
those same experiences but on a different level.
Back to the ALA Conference. When I chose my classes, I
had the cultural and professional dynamics in mind. Thinking
about the mechanics of my office, and I chose the topics that I
thought would best help me with managing my office, I chose the
following classes::
• Employee Wellness: Diagnosing Employee Issues
– Coaching vs. Counseling
I learned the difference between being a “coach” and being
a “counselor.” This class provided me with ideas and advice
on performance and development strategies, as well as ways
directing to help employees get to professional counseling,
should they need it.
• Less Talk and More Results: What Really Works in Law
Firm Marketing
I learned real-world examples of law firm marketing that
haves proven to be among the most successful in producing new
client business. There’s is a two-fold plusbenefit to this: Helping
my firm increase their bottom line and increasing my value as an
employee.
• Strategic Planning: Mapping a Path to Organizational
Improvement
I learned approaches and experiences for developing effective
strategic plans for organizational improvement. As stated above,
helping my partners with this process will increase my value as
an employee.
• Electronic Billing
I learned that this is the wave of the future. It’s not a matter
of “if” clients will utilize electronic billing but “when.” With
electronic billing already required by one of our the clients in
my firm,, this class taught me how to take control of the process,
implementcoordinate all facets of the process in our office and
accelerate the process to receive for prompt payments.
• Trust Accounts and Retainers
As a long-time legal secretary before becoming an
administrator, I thought I knew everything about Trust Accounts
and Retainers. But this class updated my knowledge of rules
and regulations applicablewhich are especially strict here in
California.
• Small Firm Administrators Idea Exchange
I loved this class! I had a chance to exchange ideas and
information with about 60 other small firm administrators.
We discussed technology updates and software conversions;
accounting systems; case/practice management software;
recruiting, retaining and motivating associates and staff; nonmonetary rewards (this was great!); creating a healthy firm
environment; the administrator’s role; keeping my career and life
healthy and vibrant and conquering burnout.
• Stressed? Get Serious…About Laughter
What an uplifting experience! I learned that laughter and
humor have a direct influence on me and those around me. I
already knew how to laugh AT myself – that comes from silly
things, like not being able to find my glasses because I’m wearing
them!! I realized that sense of humor and laughter can ease an
office situation and improve my ability to cope and communicate.
May 2005
13
I can now laugh at dumb things I do and say the following phrase
to myself: I + D10 +T !
• Networking the Small Office
We recently installed a new networking system in my office.
This class provided me with some tips on up-to-date technology
and how to keep it all manageable, especially since I can be
technologyically challenged at times!
• Organize Your Office and Your Life
A lifesaver!! I now know how to organize my office so that I
can be efficient and productive. With the information I learned,
I finally willcan bring some order to my life and keep my “In Box”
empty!
From my very first event, which was a GLA reception
sponsored by Merrill Corporation (I finally met Brian in person),
until the last class, I enjoyed meeting new people, learning new
ideas and feeling a real part of the ALA family. I have come back
from the Conference with a wealth of new ideas and a renewed
energy and enthusiasm for my job.
And yes, my desk and “In Box” look like they’ve been hit by a
tornado! It’ll take me several hours to get through all the work
that has piled up. Okay, so I’m kidding … it’ll take several days.
But the tips I learned in “Organize Your Office and Your Life” will
help me get through it smoothly.…and I will remember to laugh
and not get stressed!
The recipients of the information I learned at the conference
will benefitare the attorneys and support staff in my office. But,
best of all, I have new friends who can help me problem solve or
just be there for me. I truly treasure this!
I thank everyone at GLA for the opportunity to attend ALA’s
34th Annual Conference. The experience has enriched me in so
many ways. I hope one day soon to be able to give back to GLA
— that’s the least I can do.
Every legal administrator should have the opportunity
to attend an ALA Conference. They will find the experience
educational, resourceful and fun. Above all, they will find it a
rewarding experience. I did and. I’m looking forward to next
year! g
Merrill Reception
14
May 2005
Feeling Groovy Welcome Reception
May 2005
15
Awards
Around The Convention
16
May 2005
* He may not have argued the closing
statement that won the million dollar
judgment…
*
... But, boy did he ever type and
spell every word of It properly.
A great law firm needs more than
great lawyers.
Employee absences, whether planned or
not, can wreak havoc. How can you keep
pace when the hive is missing so many
worker-bees? The answer is simple: Matura
Farrington Staffing Services. We’ve been
placing legal staff for nearly a decade, and
unlike other firms, that’s all we do. We’re
not in the business of selling; we’re in the
business of helping. So we know what you
need—and what you don’t—and have the
resources to keep your office going, smoothly, quickly, and unobtrusively. Best of all,
we’ve simply got the full range of people—
secretaries, paralegals, receptionists,
records clerks, billing clerks, word processors, both temp and full-time—that any
great firm, like yours, needs to keep ticking.
So maybe you need someone who knows
litigation... acquisitions... and lots of other
four-syllable words. Face it: every great
office needs a great supporting cast, and
Matura Farrington Staffing Services can put
the people in place for you.
Call Matura Farrington Staffing Services
today at (213) 553-8451, and get the
job done.
S t a f f i n g
MATURA
FARRINGTON
S e r v i c e s
660 South Figueroa Street, #1420
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 553-8451 Fax (213) 533-8878
www.maturafarrington.com
May 2005
17
SOS (Succeed Over Stress)
“Don’t let your fears stand in the way of your dreams.”
----Unknown
Centering Exercise: Circle Breathing
Whenever you feel stressed, remember that you have a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace. Then take 5 or 10 circle breaths. Soon your
body and mind will shift into circle breathing automatically when you’re
scattered, anxious, or off center. Make it your goal to try this centering exercise 10 times a day this week, if you can. That will help your body and mind
form a strong, positive habit.
1.
Inhale, and stretch your arms over your head, giving a sigh of relief
and lowering your arms as you exhale.
2.
Now imagine that you’re inhaling a stream of peaceful energy into
a spot a few inches below your navel.
3.
Inhale the warm stream into the base of your spine, then imagine it
traveling up your back to the top of your head.
4.
Exhale, and mentally follow your out breath back down the front of
your body to the point below the navel where you’ll begin the next in breath.
Your breath has now made a full circle up the back of your body, down the
front, and back to the starting place just below your navel.
5.
Continue this breathing pattern for 5 to 10 breaths. You can also use circle breathing for a longer period as a relaxing
form of meditation.
So, remember, slow down, find gratitude in what you have, take time to take care of yourself ........and BREATHE.
About the Author: Gloria Albert, Director of WellnessWorks, has been a health consultant for over 20 years. Her approach to
reducing stress and adding wellness to one’s life is practical, hands-on, proactive and fun. To find out more information, request
a brochure or schedule a class please contact Gloria at 310-393-6078, [email protected], or visit our website at
http://www.WellnessWorksUSA.com.
Christine Fisher
CA Insurance License #OE14571
An Independent Agent Representing Aflac
Don’t let an accident or illness compromise your standard
of living. Aflac insurance policies may help you with those
expenses not covered by your major medical plan.
That’s why businesses everywhere flock to Aflac as they
seek to expand benefits without adding costs!
10736 Jefferson Blvd., #262 • Culver City, CA 90230
Tel. 310-281-7474 • Fax 310-281-7483
christine_fi[email protected]flac.com
18
May 2005
New Member Bio
Roselinda Bazán
Director of Administration
Bonne, Bridges, Mueller, O’Keefe & Nichols
3699 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2719
When asked why Rose was motivated to
work with the same firm for twenty-three
years, Rose had several great reasons. She
stated, “I really love the integrity of this firm and the fine trial
lawyers, including the partners, because they are really nice people,
who really care about their employees.” In addition, Rose stated,
“Decisions on the firm’s policies and practices are often made
together with our employees.” As the Director of Administration,
and as a long-term employee herself, Rose is aware that much of the
firm’s success is due to satisfied and happy employees and many of
them are long term employees.
As the Director of Administration of an insurance defense and
medical malpractice corporation, Rose has many responsibilities
and works closely with the facilities manager, regional office manager, chief financial officer and their Board of Directors.
Rose was introduced to GLAALA by former member, Ann Harvey
who worked with her firm until last year. The firm was very happy
they had a chance to promote Rose from Human Resource Director to Director of Administration. She is happy she had a chance to
participate in ALA’s most recent Region 6 Conference.
Rose has three grown children, two of whom are attorneys and
her youngest will enter law school this year. Welcome Aboard!
Where Are You Now?
Has your contact information changed?
Call or e-mail Maureen Varnes
213-895-4900 • [email protected] or
Rosela Marin, 213-972-0119 • [email protected]
and remember to notify National at www.alanet.or
Retired? Retiring Soon?
Contact Maureen Varnes or Rosela Marin…there
are some continuing ALA benefits of which
you may not be aware.
In Between Jobs?
You may want to join in on the
networking group Carol Leemon
has put together to assist out
of work members.
Feel free to contact Carol at
[email protected] or
213-617-5248
2005 ALA National Convention Awards Program
Congratulations to our Chapter for taking home
8 awards from this year’s conference.
• Activating Volunteers (H)
• Bar Relations (3rd)
• Community Service (3rd)
• Educational Excellence - Office Operations (1st)
• Best Feature Article (H)
• Newsletter (2nd)
• Vendor Partnering (H)
• President’s Award (Platinum level)
•
(H- Honorable mention)
In addition, our own Mike Palmer received a distinguished service
award from the ALA International Board.
Well done!
May 2005
19
19
L.A. SHARES
�� L.A. SHARES is a non-profit materials reuse program, which takes donations from the local
business community of reusable goods and materials (both new and used) and redistributes these items FREEOF-CHARGE to non-profits and schools throughout Los Angeles County.
�� Through their interactive website, interested schools and non-profits create an online profile of
their organization, including a "wish list" of needed items. This profile is then entered into our unique, relational
database, which proactively identifies each organization's needs and continuously seeks to match those needs
with the donated items on record. When a need is matched, the recipient is notified, via e-mail, to come to one of
their two area warehouses to retrieve their items or instructed to go directly to the donor for pick-up.
�� Created in 1991, L.A. SHARES was formerly a pilot program for the City of Los Angeles Cultural
Affairs Department known as Materials For The Arts. In 1994, in an effort to expand beyond the Los Angeles city
limits and service even more non-profit groups and schools, L.A. SHARES became an independent, non-profit
organization. Since 1991, L.A. SHARES has worked with 1,000+ local companies to give away more than $40
million worth of goods and materials to over 2,500 organizations throughout Los Angeles County.
�� In addition to L.A. SHARES obvious benefit to recipients, donors receive tax deductions for
items contributed and save on the disposal cost of unwanted items. They immediately arrange for a school or nonprofit to directly pick up any matched donation, or an L.A. SHARES truck will pick up a donation, FREE-OFCHARGE, if its value is $3,000 or greater. Additionally, donors can also drop off their donation to one of L.A.
Shares’ two, local warehouses.
Plus, by utilizing L.A. SHARES, California businesses adhere to Assembly Bill 939, which requires them to reduce
their landfill-bound waste. Last year, L.A. SHARES helped companies divert more than 1,000 tons of useful goods
and materials from needlessly entering local landfills.
20
��
��
Donating to L.A. SHARES is easy. To begin the
donation process, go to http://lashares.com/. There,
you will find information about what items you can
donate, what items they cannot accept, tax deductions,
and donation forms.
You can call L.A. SHARES directly at (213) 485-1097,
9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or e-mail them
at [email protected]. Either way, an L.A. SHARES
representative will manage the whole process for you!
May 2005
New Directions
Merrill helps you find a way
in Southern California.
M
E
Discovery Technology Services
• Electronic Data Discovery
• Data Repository
• Production
Document Service Centers
• Copying
• Scanning
• Collating
On-Site Solution Centers
• Discovery Technology Services
• Document Services
• Office Services
Translations
For more information, contact
Tim Sheehan, Account Executive
949-622-0650 or visit
merrillcorp.com/law
www.merrillcorp.com/law
R
R
I
L
L
C
O
R
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O
R
A
T
I
O
May 2005
N
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22
May 2005
Scot McBeath
213-949-4824
[email protected]
WILL I PAY MORE RENT IF I USE A BROKER?
The situation
• You are subleasing or leasing office space and your
expiration date is coming up; or
• You are opening up a new office location.
Landlords typically pay a commercial real estate broker’s
commission. So, you ask yourself an excellent question — If I
use a broker, will the landlord increase my rent to cover the cost
of the broker’s commission?
The answer is
Using a broker will cost the landlord a relatively small extra
charge, but will very likely result in you getting the best space
for your organization at the lowest possible rent.
Why is this so? When you start working with a broker, they
should discuss your future office space needs in light of your
plans for the future. Many items may be considered, such as:
1. The best location:
a. Do you want to be close to clients, courts, restaurants,
shopping, or freeway entrances and exits?
2. How nice (expensive) of a building:
a. Fancy space to impress clients; or
b. Nice, but economical space.
3. What is going on with the current and/or alternative
building landlords?
a. Some landlords are just planning on quickly reselling
the building or are financially struggling — they may not care
about maintenance and servicing tenants.
b. Other landlords may be improving their building’s
appearance and/or tenant service in order to increase their
building’s value.
4. The size and layout of your space:
a. You could perhaps operate with less space, if it is
more efficiently planned out; or
b. You may need more space, so you can hire more
revenue-producing workers.
perform in the future and costs more than is necessary? If not,
get an experienced broker to help you.
Perhaps you absolutely know that you want to continue to
stay where you are currently leasing. How can a broker save
you money? A landlord will attempt to charge you the most
they possibly can. You can give a landlord a lot of incentive to
minimize your rent, by making them aware that you are using
a broker to compare their building with alternative locations.
Using a broker will cost the landlord a relatively small extra
charge, but will very likely result in you getting the best space
for your organization at the lowest possible rent. g
When it’s time to renew or relocate, do you want free help
doing the above and all the other tasks that need to be done?
Do you want more information? Do you want to receive a
monthly e-mail newsletter regarding the latest that is going on
in the Downtown Los Angeles office market? If so, call me at
cell phone 213-949-4824.
About the Author: Scot McBeath is a commercial real estate
broker. He specializes in being an office tenant representative
in Downtown Los Angeles and surrounding areas. He has
22 years of negotiation and project management experience,
plus a BS and an MBA.
If a smart, but inexperienced, person took over your job,
they probably would not perform tasks as well as you until they
have done them several, possibly many, times. Do you want to
take the chance of living with a poorly negotiated office lease
transaction — one that may harm your organization’s ability to
May 2005
23
President
Brian Robbins, CLM
Hunt, Ortmann, Blasco,
Palffy & Rossell, Inc.
626-440-5200
[email protected]
Past-President
Luci Hamilton
310-629-0206
[email protected]
Vice-President &
Technology Section
Co-Chair
Stephen Green
Andrews Kurth LLP
213-896-3107
[email protected]
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
213-612-7377
[email protected]
Secretary
Kelly Shultz
Treasurer &
Publication Team
Janet Shaw, CLM
Parker, Milliken, Clark,
O’Hara & Samuelian
213-683-6532
[email protected]
Wickwire Gavin LLP
213-688-9500
[email protected]
Membership Co-Chair
Robin D. Thomas Miles
Membership Co-Chair
Maureen Varnes, CLM
Kamine Ungerer LLP
213-972-0119
[email protected]
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter &
Hampton LLP
310-228-3712
[email protected]
Rodi, Pollock, Pettker,
Galbraith & Cahill ALC
213-895-4900
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Steven Jones
Publication Team
Mike Morales
Webmaster
Debbie Mogren
Lister Martin & Thompson
818-551-6444
[email protected]
310-282-9439
[email protected]
Ervin, Cohen & Jessup LLP
310-281-6358, ext 261
[email protected]
Seminars Co-Chair
Teresa Cherman
Seminars Co-Chair
Janet I. Krause, CLM
Seminars Co-Chair
Tanya M. Russell
Weinstock, Manion, Reisman,
Shore & Neumann, ALC
310-553-8844
[email protected]
Tyre Kamins Katz Granof
& Menes
310-553-6822
[email protected]
Membership Co-Chair
Rosela Marin
Luce, Forward, Hamilton &
Scripps LLP
213-892-4967
[email protected]
Job Referral Services
Ilona Reddick
Programs Co-Chair
Viviane A. Abraham
310-556-2356
[email protected]
Herzfeld & Rubin LLP
310-553-0451
[email protected]
Hospitality
Debbie Klaeger
CLM Program Co-Chair
Multi-Office Section Chair
Susan Seales
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart
Oliver & Hedges, LLP
213-443-3651
[email protected]
24
President-Elect &
Contributing Editor
Wendy Sweet, CLM
May 2005
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
213-633-6800
[email protected]
Programs Co-Chair
Mary Holland
Jeffer, Mangels, Butler &
Marmaro LLP
310-785-5354
[email protected]
CLM Program Co-Chair
Martha Bernard
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble
& Mallory LLP
213-955-5554
[email protected]
SECTION LEADERS
Vendor Liaison Co-Chair
Michael Steiner, CLM
Frandzel Robins Bloom
& Csato, L.C.
323-658-9758
[email protected]
Norma Ayala
Gipson Hoffman & Pancione
310-557-8855
[email protected]
Chapter Historian
Jim Van Dusen, CLM
Human Resources
Section Co-Chair
Kim Robinson
Pond North LLP
213-236-2776
[email protected]
Morrison & Foerster LLP
213-892-5661
[email protected]
Finance Networking
Group Chair
G. Wayne Mitchell
Technology Section
Co-Chair
Robert F. Santos
Weston Benshoof Rochefort
Rubalcava & MacCuish LLP
213-576-1159
[email protected]
Manning & Marder, Kass,
Ellrod, Ramirez LLP
213-624-6900
[email protected]
Corporate/Government
Section Co-Chair
Iris Stein
Corporate/Government
Section Co-Chair
Bella D. Serrano
City Attorney’s Office
310-458-8309
[email protected]
Ventura County
Section Chair
June I. Hilton
Ferguson Case Orr Paterson &
Cunningham LLP
805-659-6800
[email protected]
Department of Justice
213-620-6431
[email protected]
Brown & Riding
213-593-3414
[email protected]
Human Resources
Section Co-Chair
Kelly C. McGehee
Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen
310-500-4254
[email protected]
Small Firm Section Chair
Mary McDonnell
Clark & Trevithcik
213-629-5700
[email protected]
San Fernando Valley
Section &
Publication Team
Janis Smith
Steinbrecher & Associates
818-528-7600
[email protected]
GLA 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.
Region 6 Director
Erica Tamblyn
Region 6
Officers
Michelle Liffman, PHR
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley
& McCloy
213-892-4435
[email protected]
Region 6
Education Officer
Deborah Piker Sanders
Rehon & Roberts, APC
408-494-0900
[email protected]
Region 6
Communications Officer
Joyce Patrick-Bai
Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP
480-655-0073
[email protected]
Region 6
Communications Officer
Mark Verbecken
Jeffer, Mangels, Butler
& Marmaro LLP
310-201-3565
Email: [email protected]
May 2005
25
Maureen Varnes, CLM
Rodi, Pollock, Pettker, Galbraith & Cahill ALC
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ADMINISTRATOR:
A Managing Partner’s Perspective
An interview by Maureen Varnes, Chief of Operations, with
John D. Pettker, who was the Managing Principal of Rodi,
Pollock, Pettker, Galbraith & Cahill, Los Angeles for over 20
years. Jack recently stepped down as MP and has assumed the
role of Chairman at the firm.
Ms. Varnes: “With regard to finance, what do you view as
being important for the administrator to know and do?”
Mr. Pettker: “There is no management area more
important to the perpetuation of a law firm than effectively
managing its finances. I rely on my administrator to keep
me informed on a daily basis of the firm’s financial status so
that I may make appropriate and sometimes crucial financial
decisions for the firm, both for the short term and the long
term.
The principal financial management qualities I look
for and seek to cultivate in an administrator are these:
‘ Every day life feels mightier, and
what we have the power to be, more
stupendous! ’ Emily Dickinson
“First and foremost, I expect the administrator to have
a high financial IQ and to be completely trustworthy and
forthright in managing the financial affairs of the firm. In
one way or another, all of the firm’s money and financial
transactions pass through our administrator. I cannot have
any reservations with regard to the administrator’s honesty or
intellectual ability to deal with complex financial matters.
“Second, I expect my administrator to have a thorough
understanding of all of the firm’s financial systems. The
administrator needs to understand the design, components
and objectives of each of the firm’s financial reports, particularly
the firm’s financial statements, the firm’s budgeting process,
and the systems for tracking both the firm’s and individual
attorney’s financially-related performance. The administrator
should know at any given time how much money the firm has
in the bank, how much it has borrowed, what the financial
“nut” is each day and each month in order to pay all of its
expenses, including attorney compensation, and what is
required of each attorney in billable hours each day, each
month and for the year for the firm to be profitable.
26
May 2005
“Third, I rely on the administrator to make sure that all
attorneys and staff efficiently execute their financially-related
tasks. The administrator is responsible for making sure that
all attorneys fulfill their time reporting, billing and collection
responsibilities on a timely basis. Also, the administrator
must be effective in supervising the staff within the financial
control room of the firm, including the controller, AP staff,
and billing and collection staff.
“Finally, I want the administrator to be effective in
dealing with the firm’s bankers and to monitor and handle all
insurance coverage matters for the firm.”
Ms. Varnes: “What do you think is the role of an
administrator in managing the firm’s human resources?”
Mr. Pettker: “The administrator is an important leader
of the firm. Attorneys and staff need to recognize the
administrator as such and respect their judgment, fairness and
decision-making skills. It is the administrator who speaks for
the firm management. To maintain this position in the eyes
of attorneys and staff, the administrator needs to separate
their professional position from developing close personal
relationships with attorneys or staff that could be perceived
as interfering with the discharge of their responsibilities with
an even hand. I expect the administrator to be understanding
and respectful in all matters involving others, but refrain from
trying to be the “buddy” of anyone within the firm. It is also
of paramount importance that everyone in the firm perceives
the administrator as being fair in the way that personnel
problems are being addressed.
“An administrator is expected to manage all staff decisions
within the firm. This includes hiring and discharge of
staff, supervising annual reviews of staff personnel, handling
staff discipline issues, and taking the lead in making staff
compensation decisions.
“Finally, I view the administrator as the spirit leader in
the firm. They must lead in cultivating a culture within the
firm that provides a good work environment and instill in the
staff that we all must work together and support each other
as a team.”
Ms. Varnes: “With regard to office operations, how do you
view your administrator’s role?”
Mr. Pettker: “The administrator must have a good
understanding of what the firm’s current capabilities are
and what exists in the market place in terms of technology
to support our operations. They should take the lead in making
recommendations with regard to changing technology and
related attorney/staff support systems. They also need to make
sure that the staff is adequately trained to keep up with the
current technology.
“I look to an administrator to know what is going on within
other law firms in our community, particularly those of a
similar size and with a law practice similar to ours. I view the
administrator as our survey source. They should know what
other firms pay their attorneys and staff, the billing rates of
attorneys in other firms, attorney and staff support ratios,
chargeable hour requirements, and profitability per partner.
They should also be aware of trends within the legal industry
with regard to using new technologies and be knowledgeable
about methods for marketing the firm’s services.
“Finally, it is important to me that the administrator endeavor
to make sure that each employee of the firm, whether an attorney
or staff member, treats every other employee with respect and
courtesy.
Ms. Varnes: “As far as general office management, what do
you expect from your administrator?”
Mr. Pettker: “I look for: the administrator to act like a leader,
to be proactive and creative in problem-solving, not be afraid
to make mistakes, be an effective ambassador for the firm, and
have a good sense of humor.”
Ms. Varnes: “What importance would you place on the
involvement of your administrator in the Association of Legal
Administrators?”
Mr. Pettker: “I would consider it our door to understanding
the rest of the legal world. It affords our administrator the
opportunity to understand what other firms are doing in all
areas. It provides a resource for problem-solving as a forum in
which issues may be discussed with ALA peers. And it offers
continuing education so that they may continue to grow as a
professional.”
Ms. Varnes: “Jack do you have a favorite quote?”
Mr. Pettker: “There is one by Emily Dickinson that I like:
Every day life feels mightier, and what we have the power to be,
more stupendous!” g
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May 2005
27
Monica Ballard, Speaker
Parallax Education
310-452-8228 • www.paralaxed.com
HELPING COMPANIES AVOID LIABILITY TO EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION
Monica Ballard of Parallax Education opened attendees’
eyes with the reality of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Sexual harassment can range from off-the-cuff comments
about a person’s race, gender or sexual preference to direct
harassment by supervisors and co-workers towards their
employees and peers. Monica pointed out that most employers
fail to take this issue seriously until it happens to them. The
reality — even the slightest hint of any type of harassment —
can cause a costly investigation and quite possibly a lawsuit.
Monica began her presentation by providing us with a
summary of the requirements of Government Code 12950.1.
The code strongly recommends that employers with over 50
employees:
• Provide a minimum of two hours of training in sexual
harassment for their supervisors;
• Train supervisors at least every other year;
• Train new supervisors within six months of hire date;
• Ensure that training is conducted by “persons
knowledgeable in the prevention of harassment,
discrimination and retaliation.”
Monica clarified that the definition of a supervisor did not
exclude non-exempt employees. Under the Fair Employment
and Housing Act, a supervisor is any individual having “the
authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote,
discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or
the responsibility to direct them, or to adjust their grievances,
or effectively to recommend that action, if, in connection
with the foregoing, the exercise of that authority is not of
a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of
independent judgment.” California courts have interpreted
this language liberally and have held that a “supervisor”
includes any individual who simply directs an employee’s daily
duties, even if that individual is not accountable or responsible
for the employee’s performance and work product.
For example, if a receptionist (male or female) provides
instructions to a file clerk and their working relationship
requires the receptionist to provide the clerk with some of his
or her daily tasks, that relationship can be interpreted by law
as a supervisory role. Therefore, the “supervisory” relationship
does not necessarily have to fall under the traditional role
of supervisor over employee. With that in mind, Monica
28
May 2005
cautioned us to be attentive to the working relationships
within our firms and appropriately train all concerned.
Monica went on to state that supervisors are supervisors
even during non-working hours. Monica suggested that
“drinks” after work have the potential to develop into what
may be misconstrued as a “questionable relationship.” She
recommended that any fraternization be discouraged between
non-peers in order to avoid what could quickly develop into a
“she said, he said” issue. Even a seemingly civil relationship
already established in the workplace has the potential of
developing into a claim of sexual harassment. For example,
a couple had been dating for a year while working at the
same company until one of the participants decided to end
the relationship and follow it up with a sexual harassment
claim. Unfortunately, the party at fault was the person in the
supervisory role.
Monica pointed out that effective training and a well-defined
policy manual will minimize the possibility of harassment
issues. Any investigation must result in a conclusion that is
communicated to both parties, and the remedy must be well
documented.
You may want to include policies in your manual
addressing:
• Dress codes;
• Non-fraternization among non-peers;
• The firm’s right to access computer files;
• Electronic jokes and inappropriate comments; and
• Computer usage for specific inappropriate web-based
content.
Monica is nationally recognized as an expert in “Helping
Companies Avoid Liability to Employment Litigation.” She
has appeared on “CBS Morning News” and the Fox News
Channel, has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the New
York Times, the Boston Globe, the Miami Herald, the Chicago
Tribune, Time Magazine, and U.S. News and World Report.
She has appeared at jury trials as an expert witness, and has
been designated as an expert witness in over 150 cases. She
has been featured as a speaker for the Los Angeles County Bar
Association, national conventions for the National Human
Resources Association, and several annual conventions for the
Professionals in Human Resources Association. g
Luci Hamilton and Monica Ballad of
Parallax Education
Brian Robbins & Luci Hamilton
Joan Fraser and Viviane Abraham
Viviane Abraham and Jodie Taylor of
Robert Half Legal
Felice Levine Receiving Appreciation
Jim Van Dusen Receiving Appreciation
Joan Fraser Receiving Appreciation
Kim Robinson Receiving Appreciation
Michael Steiner Receiving Appreciation
Rosela Marin Receiving Appreciation
Stephen Green Receiving Appreciation
Rosela Marin in Fashion
Rosela Marin, Joan Fraser
and Viviane Abraham
Monica Ballad of Parallax
Education
Jodie Taylor of
Robert Half Legal
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter would
like to thank our Speaker Monica Ballard
and 0ur Sponsor for the April Luncheon,
Robert Half Legal
May 2005
29
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May 2005
Intellectual Property Retreat
November 3-4, 2005, Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas,
Nevada.
For more information contact Madeline Parisi at ALA Headquarters
Regional Conferences
Seminars, Conferences & Events
Teleseminars
Dealing With Substance Abuse in Your Firm
May 24, 2005
Francine Ward, JD
Compliance, Inc.
Marketing Topic (TBD)
June 22, 2005
Co-presented by ALA and the Legal Marketing Association
Specialized Programs & Retreats
Law Firm Management: Essential Competencies for
Legal Administrators
November 14 - 16, 2005, Westin Buckhead, Atlanta, GA.
February 6-8, 2006, Carefree Resort, Carefree, Arizona.
Regions 1 & 2 Educational Conference
JW Marriott
Washington, DC
Region 3 Educational Conference
October 7-8, 2005
Minneapolis Marriott City Center
Minneapolis, MN
Region 4 Educational Conference
October 21-22, 2005
Hilton Americas
Houston, TX
Regions 5 & 6 Educational Conference
Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel
Las Vegas, Nevada
For more information contact Jan Marshall at ALA Headquarters.
Law Firm Profitability Enhancement Program
June 21, 2005 (Webcast)
Law Firm Financial Management Conference & Exposition
September 29 - October 1, 2005, InterContinental Dallas,
Addison, Texas.
For more information contact Pam Stong at ALA Headquarters.
Large Firm Principal Administrators Retreat,
September 29-October 1, 2005, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale
at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Check out the ALA’s
Legal Management Resource Center
for the following articles relating to
“Growing Quality Employees”
Defnining the Role and Development
of a New Managing Partner
Does Your Firm Have a CEO?
Managing Partners Coming of Age
as Chief Executive Officers
For more information contact Lisa Mikita at ALA Headquarters.
Corporate/Government Fall Forum
November 2-4, 2005, Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas,
Nevada.
For more information contact Pam Stong at ALA Headquarters.
The Role of Legal Administrators
in Strategic Planning
You can find these articles and more online at the Legal
Management Resource Center at www.alanet.org.
May 2005
31
32
May 2005
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Greg Tuszynski
Associate Vice President Colliers Seeley International, Inc.
OVERHEAD OVERRUNS?
10 Steps to Reducing Occupancy Costs for Law Firms
Faced with rising payroll expenses and increasing investments in technology, law firms should consider revisiting,
rethinking and retooling their approach to real estate. Since
occupancy costs remain one of the largest expense items for
most firms — second only to payroll — the implementation
of a strategic real estate plan can yield significant cost savings
and potentially turn an expense into a competitive cost advantage. The following 10 steps are designed not only to reduce
long-term occupancy costs, but also the amount of management time involved in the decision-making process.
1. Prepare early. Law firms should review their options as
far as three to five years in advance of lease expiration.
With office space at a premium in many markets, early
preparation can provide leverage in lease negotiations in landlord-favorable markets. The extra time will allow for a review
of creative alternatives such as a broadened geographic search,
and consideration of non-traditional opportunities like building rehabs and build-to-suits. In addition, in those markets
with rapidly rising rents, it may be advantageous to renegotiate
lease terms at the earliest possible date to lock in a lower rate.
2. Designate a team. Create a real estate advisory team
consisting of the firm’s business manager and real estate professionals.
The ideal real estate team has both internal and external
members who understand the long-term business goals of the
firm. External members should include brokerage, design,
project/construction management, and facilities management professionals. Having experts on board who share the
firm’s long-term perspective, rather than hiring advisors for a
single transaction, leads to optimized real estate transactions.
In-place relationships also reduce delivery time for new or ongoing real estate requirements.
3. Organize documentation. Maintain current and complete copies of your leases with all amendments and annual
records of rent and pass-through statements.
Organizing your lease documentation is the first step towards developing a lease administration system. For a firm
with multiple offices, it allows for better oversight of the entire
portfolio and a method to ensure that expenses are appropriately calculated and attributed. A lease administration system
assures that payments are made regularly and that important
option dates and expansion opportunities are not missed. As
many firms have found from painful experience, the costs of
missed option dates can be significant.
4. Develop standards. Develop prototypical office specifications with universal planning modules based upon standardized dimensions.
Creating a firm-wide standard design for office layout and
furnishings not only solidifies a company’s image, but it reduces design costs and expansion delays. Agreed-upon standards
eliminate internal negotiation and politics as to office size and
space allocation, and provide a basis for making accurate cost
projections for new satellite offices.
5. Know your costs. Complete cost segregation studies to
isolate the true depreciation life of individual facility components.
After-tax cash flows can dramatically increase with accelerated depreciation of assets. Many firms are writing off categories of improvements on much longer schedules than necessary, missing opportunities for improving the firm’s cash flow.
6. Know the market. Maintain updated market information for all firm locations. Compare your costs to those of local, regional, and national competitors.
Keeping on top of developments in all markets where a
firm is located can highlight short-term changes and longterm trends that may affect rental rates. This practice may also
present opportunities to capitalize on short-term market imbalances that can be advantageous in achieving a more competitive cost structure than competing firms.
7. Keep maintenance records. Maintain an updated list
of facility repairs, maintenance costs and capabilities. Identify problem locations and document frequency and repair
costs.
This practice provides a valuable archival record of a firm’s
true occupancy costs, as well as highlights capacity or deficiencies in the firm’s facilities (e.g., mechanical, electrical, voice/
data wiring). These records also create valuable negotiating leverage for maximizing future space improvements and rental
rate terms with landlords.
34
May 2005
FINDING THE RIGHT HIRE FOR
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May 2005
35
Up Close & Personal with
solutions. Harvey has specialized in working with law firms
for the past seven years and has a solid understanding of the
particular needs a firm may have. He actively participates in
the various ALA events. His knowledge of ergonomic principals
through performing ergonomic workstation evaluations and
ergonomic presentations over the years has allowed him to
assist customers in their identification of ergonomic goals, and
in developing strategies for achieving them.
CONTACT INFO
Humanscale
Harvey Thompson
801 S. Grand Ave, Ste. 750
LA, CA 90017
Phone: 213-439-9050 ext:1005
Fax: 213-439-9047
Cell: 310-486-6119
BIO
Harvey Thompson graduated from
California State University of San
Bernardino in 1995 with a Bachelor
of Arts Degree in Marketing, with an
emphasis on advertising. While in
college, Harvey was very involved
in networking with various outside
professional organizations which lead
him to his first job in sales.
Following the completion of his degree, Harvey pursued
a sales position with TCI Cable Advertising which focused
on providing companies in the Inland Empire with cable
advertising solutions to increase their business. While at TCI,
Harvey had to find ways to market to his customer base to
get their attention to see what value cable advertising can
provide.
With just over 2 years of sales experience with TCI, Harvey
had an opportunity to move to Los Angeles to work for
Softview Computer Safety Products. He began working for
Softview in April 1997. The company changed its name to
Humanscale in 2001. Its focus was to provide businesses
throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and Ventura
County ergonomic solutions that help improve employee
morale while making them more comfortable and productive.
The goal was to reduce the amount of potential injuries from
occurring.
With over 8 years in the office ergonomics industry, Harvey
has given numerous corporate presentations on the principals
of ergonomics, injury prevention and how to evaluate a
workstation for potential occupational risks.
In his current role as Corporate Account Executive with
Humanscale in Los Angeles, Harvey is responsible for providing
the law firms in the area with the latest and best office ergonomic
36
May 2005
COMPANY PROFILE
Founded in 1982, Humanscale designs and manufactures
office-based, ergonomic work tools that dramatically improve
computer users’ health and comfort on the job. As a design
leader in the industry, Humanscale’s focus on ease of use and
superior functionality results in honest and enduring forms.
Humanscale’s award-winning product line includes task
seating, articulating keyboard supports, adjustable monitor
arms, anti-glare filters, CPU holders, laptop holders, in-line
document holders, foot rests, ergonomic mice and task lighting.
While typical furniture companies are experts at producing
fixed, structural products such as wall systems and desks,
Humanscale’s approach has always been to design products
that interact with the user in a simple and intuitive way. In
fact, Humanscale prides itself on making functionality so easy
to use in all of its products that people are able to regularly use
the functionality — whether they know it or not!
Beginning with its first offering, an anti-glare filter that
improved the visibility of monochrome monitors in the early
1980’s, Humanscale has built a reputation for designing
ground-breaking products. In 1997, Humanscale introduced
the Freedom Arm, an articulating keyboard support that
literally revolutionized that product category. In fact, while
Humanscale remains the leading supplier in this market,
nearly all high-end articulating keyboard supports sold today
mimic the Freedom Arm’s original design to one degree or
another.
Because the heart of any ergonomic workstation is a highperformance task chair that is used more like a work tool
than a piece of furniture, and because Humanscale’s core
strength is producing highly functional work tools, Robert
King, Humanscale’s founder, decided in early 1998 to pursue
this extremely competitive market. In searching for a chair
designer who shared his vision for intuitive and functional
task seating, he met with Niels Diffrient, the renowned product
designer whose distinctive products had always emphasized
the “human factors” of industrial design. In addition to
pioneering several advancements in seating that are now
standard on nearly all task chairs, Diffrient authored the threevolume Humanscale (a name which King’s company acquired
in 1999), an influential standard sourcebook for designers
worldwide that measures the movements and dimensions of the
human body.
Two years after their initial meeting, Humanscale entered the
task seating market with the Freedom chair, a product Diffrient
had been working on independently since the early 1990s. The
Freedom Chair broke new ground by combining ease of use and
high performance. Instead of relying on cumbersome adjustment
knobs and levers, the Freedom chair’s weight-sensitive mechanism
adjusts automatically, providing the right amount of support to
the user.
Since its introduction in 1999, Freedom has won 10 international
design awards and has been written up in virtually every major
design publication. In fact, Freedom received the prestigious
Design Distinction Award in ID Magazine’s Design Review 2000
because “the jurors were awed by the mechanics, wowed by the
comfort and overcome with excitement about the possibility of
changing the contract-seating market forever.” Only three years
after its debut, the New York Times named the Freedom chair the
“gold standard in office seating.”
Humanscale introduced its M7 Flat Panel Monitor Arm series
in 2003, and won the prestigious Gold award in that year’s
Best of NeoCon competition. Flat panel monitors are already
transforming the modern workstation, and Humanscale’s M7
allows users to take full advantage of the ergonomic and spacesaving benefits of this new technology. Elegant and versatile,
the M7 can be configured for virtually any application, ideal
for computer workstations as well as health care and financial
environments.
Such product innovation has resulted in substantial revenue
growth. Humanscale’s worldwide sales in 2003 reached $85
million and will top $100 million in 2004, a substantial increase
from $44 million just four years prior. To support this growth,
Humanscale recently opened a 125,000 square foot, state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility in Piscataway, New Jersey. Other
factories are located in Fresno, CA and Dublin, Ireland. In
addition, Humanscale maintains 14 sales offices in the United
States, as well as international locations in London, Prague,
Barcelona and Shanghai.
Continuing the company’s history as a leader in innovative
design, Humanscale is set to roll out several revolutionary new
products this year, including the Niels Diffrient-designed Liberty
chair, the Diffrient Light, the L2 Notebook Manager, additions to
the company’s line of flat panel monitor arms, and a breakthrough
mouse design.
What do you believe is the most important component of
the vendor-client relationship?
TRUST
What characteristic do you possess that helps you to be
successful?
INTEGRITY
What makes Humanscale awesome?
The company’s products are so good that they in most cases
sell themselves. g
Let me help you to make your work environment safer.
We can achieve this through sound ergonomic
products and solutions.
Harvey Thompson
Office: 213 439-9050 ext:1005
Cell: 310 486-6119
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.humanscale.com
May 2005
37
ON THE COVER
continued from page 6
We expect the administrator to be on the lookout for the
beginning of any negative trends that may affect the financial
position of the firm — clients failing to remit their payments
in a timely manner; attorneys or staff underperforming; or any
other performance related issues affecting cash flow — and act
accordingly. In addition, we require investigation of any rumors,
both internal and external, which may affect the financial position
of the firm. Immediate communication with the partners is
critical even if immediate attention is not required.
We also, of course, appreciate communication of positive
factors such as where economic savings may be realized that do
not negatively impact the billing capabilities or overall billing
units. We expect the administrator to facilitate any processes that
create efficiencies and make suggestions to enhance profitability
of the firm. This includes keeping up on technological advances
that hold out the promise of increased productivity.
A General View of the Macro and Micro of the Industry
We expect our administrator to have thorough knowledge
of our business component with respect to the industry as
a whole. It is always advantageous to know how other firms
are performing and how they are addressing similar problems
inherent in most law firms our size. Within the bounds of
ethics and professionalism, we appreciate any information the
administrator can gather during contacts with other firms and
their administrators that will allow us to gauge our internal and
external performance measurements.
Our administrator’s responsibility includes keeping up with
current developments in federal or state laws applicable to
the management of the firm. We expect the administrator to
inform and protect the employees as required by the numerous
government agencies and protect the firm from exposure to
potential liabilities. Granted, in our practice area, we do give
advice to clients concerning governmental regulation and
potential liabilities, but compliance with regulatory requirements
by the firm is definitely left to our administrator. We believe that
there is no point for an attorney to spend hours of uncompensated
time each week to keep abreast of all of the ever-changing laws
affecting the practice when that time can be spent producing
revenues exploring such changes on behalf of our clients.
The Administrator
What do we expect? Our firm stresses a code of ethics
and integrity that cannot be stressed enough. Those guiding
principles govern the actions of the people in our firm and
their work product from the senior partners down to the most
recent hire at the lowest level in the firm. We expect the
administrator to enforce that level of quality and to report any
and all deviation from that code. Whether the information is
good, bad or seemingly insignificant we want to know even if
we don’t necessarily respond. We also expect loyalty from our
38
May 2005
administrator and we expect that our administrator is acting in
our best interest at all times. We also believe that it is essential
that our administrator, at the end of the day, have a sense of
proportion and humor!
Bringing It All Together
The whole theme is quality – whatever produces the highest
quality product is what needs to be done and this doesn’t
just depend upon highly skilled attorneys but also on skilled
secretaries and an efficient support staff. Work product always
requires improvement and the quality of the product is the
responsibility and mandate of the entire firm. A law firm is
an entity with of all sorts of people delivering different things
at different paces with different strengths and weakness. It is
the job of the firm administrator to take this jumbled mass of
differences and put it through a filter so that it goes out to the
client in a uniform, high quality and professional form. That, in
itself, is an organic process and never stops changing or needing
oversight. This is, in summary, the essence of the administrator’s
job. g
David Lister, Esq.
‘ The highest reward for a person’s toil
is not what they get for it, but what
they become by it. ’
John Ruskin
John Martin, Esq.
‘ Do not let your fire go out, spark by
irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless
swamps of the not quite, the not yet,
and the not at all, do not let the hero in
your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never
have been able to reach. The world you
desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it
is possible, it is yours ’
Ayn Rand
May 2005
39
Dodie Edelstein
Legal Information Systems Training • 707-776-4695
[email protected] • www.aboutlist.com
NEED TO E-MAIL MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS IN A HURRY?
(Document Management Software)
FIND AND MAIL DOCUMENTS FROM YOUR DMS
(DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)
Have you ever needed to e-mail more than one document
to someone but found that it was cumbersome because
the documents were not all together on your document
management list?
There is a way to do this and it doesn’t mean you have to
open and save each one.
What we’re going to do is this: Search for the documents all
together and then select them and mail them together.
Before you try this, you’ll need one thing: The document
numbers! (That part should be easy.)
Now, whether you have PC DOCS Open, iManage or
Worldox, this method should work with all of them:
1. Click the “Search” button in your DMS
2. From the Search screen, click in the Document Number
field and type the document numbers you need to mail.
(Example: 203165, 201497, 198622)
40
May 2005
Note: The commas between the numbers just mean ‘or’ and
they tell your DMS to find this one, that one, or that other one!)
3. Click the “Find” button (or press Enter). Now all the
documents you searched for appear together!
4. To select all the files, click the first one and press Shift +
Click on the last one. (Or you can press Ctrl + Click on each file
if you don’t need them all.)
5. Right-click in the highlighted area and choose Send or
Mail (depending on your DMS), then you’ll see your e-mail
with the docs attached and you can compose the message. g
About the Author: Dodie Edelstein is the owner of
Legal Information Systems Training (LIST), which
specializes in helping you get the most from the
software you have. She provides customized legalspecific training and support services for document processing,
e-mail and document management software.
I n s urance Services for the Legal Profession
I n s urance Services for the Legal Profession
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ssion
Servicesfor
for the
the Legal
Legal Profe
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Court Reporters - Conference Rooms
Video - Interpreters - Videoconferencing
Email Transcript Delivery
Online Scheduling & Calendar Review
Realtime & Remote Access Services
Imaging & Online Depositories
Case & Document Management
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Scheduling
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www.hutchings.com
fax 323.888.6333
email:
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(626)
943-2200 (626)
299-1010 E-MAIL
[email protected]
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FAX
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E-MAIL
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TUNAS DRIVE (626)
/ P.O. B OX
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CA 91776-1509
(626)
943-2200
299-1010
[email protected]
(626) 943-2200 (626) 299-1010 [email protected]
641 W. LAS TUNAS DRIVE / P.O. B OX 1509 / SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776-1509
641 W. LAS TUNAS DRIVE / P.O. B OX 1509 / SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776-1509
May 2005
41
MIDLIFE EMOTION AND WEIGHT GAIN
Stress Management Techniques
Consider these strategies for decreasing
stress during midlife years.
g Practice Mind-Body Techniques.
Yoga, Pilates, tai chi, meditation breathing techniques, biofeedback, relaxation
tapes, guided imagery, journal writing
and other forms of self-expression are
effective stress busters.
g Exercise Regularly. Exercise is a
powerful tamer of emotional stress and
menopausal symptoms. A fitness program that includes cardio-respiratory
activity and strength training can help
you lose body fat, build confidence,
alleviate anxiety and depression, and
boost self-esteem. (Work with a personal trainer if you need help developing a program.)
g Eat Healthfully. Eating healthy
meals and snacks at regular intervals
will keep your blood sugar levels in
check and prevent hunger. However,
occasionally indulging in your favorite
treats is okay – and may actually prevent binge eating.
g Monitor Your Eating. Self-monitoring is an effective way to manage and
lose weight. Try keeping an “emotional
eating” diary, where you record what
you eat and when you eat it each day,
along with any feelings you experience
a that time. You will become aware of
how and when your emotions affect
your eating patterns and food choices.
g Get Support From Professionals.
A counselor or registered dietician may
be able to help you handle any emotional or eating issues that surface.
42
May 2005
Are you a woman in your 40s or 50s?
The physical and psychological changes that
occur during these midlife years can cause
emotional stress, which may lead to unwanted weight gain. What’s going on, and how
can you navigate more easily through your
middle years? Get insights below from Cathy
Cohen, MA, a nutrition counselor at a hospital-affiliated wellness center and a certified
personal trainer and fitness instructor at a
rehabilitation hospital adult fitness facility,
both of which are in Westchester County, New
York.
(1) A TIME OF CHANGE
The midlife years can be particularly challenging for women. You face perhaps the
most emotionally charged and quite possibly most frustrating time of your life in terms
of trying to maintain an ideal body weight.
Emotional issues that may have been suppressed for years can surface during midlife.
Divorce, financial burdens, retirement,
empty nesting, a parent’s illness or death,
career moves and residential changes often
occur, along with unpleasant menopausal
symptoms, such as hot flashes, memory loss,
slowed metabolism, mood swings, redistribution of body weight and sexual difficulties.
These issues are only made worse by the
constant barrage of unhealthy, unrealistically thin images foisted on women by the
media. Failure to meet society’s ideal female
body image can be another major source of
emotional stress.
(2) HOW YOUR BODY RESPONDS
These physical and psychological changes
can cause stress. And during situations perceived as stressful, your sympathetic nervous
system sets in motion a series of psychological responses, according to Hans Selye, MD,
who pioneered the concept of emotional
stress. Hormones produced by the adrenal
cortex, including cortisol and epinephrine,
prepare the body for an instant state of
readiness in classic “fight or flight” response.
Selye theorized that once the stress-invoking
threat passed, the body returned to a state
of homeostasis, or normalcy and balance.
However, recent research shows that chronic
outpouring of stress hormones may result
in undesirable body changes. For example,
some researchers believe that chronically
elevated cortisol levels can lead to weight
gain, especially in the belly.
(3) CAUSES OF WEIGHT GAIN
You may also be gaining weight if you are
reaching for food as comfort. While there
is definitely a psychological basis for emotional eating, psychological issues also play
a role. A groundbreaking study showed that
foods high in fat and carbohydrate may actually fight stress be reducing cortisol levels in
the body (Dallman, et al. 2003). Deeper
emotional issues can be the underlying reason for weight gain, as well. You may harbor unresolved issues well into midlife and
beyond, perhaps striving to remain “protected” by your fat and thereby rendering future
weight loss efforts futile. g
Courtesy of Judy Hissong, CLM and ACE
certified personal trainer. Reprinted with
permission of IDEA Health and Fitness.
May 2005
43
Winner of the April Brain Teaser: Rick Friedman
Rick wins $15 in In-N-Out gift certificates.
A list of possible answers are posted in the Newsletter section of www.glaala.org.
Thanks for all the responses to the April puzzler...we appreciate you reading!
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Ability
Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to
unlocking our potential. – Liane Cardes
44
conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue,
a person to love, a goal to achieve. - John Maxwell
Aim
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full
potential….these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal
excellence. - Eddie Robinson
Appreciation
Appreciate everything your associates do for the business.
Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen,
well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and
worth a fortune. - Sam Walton
Achievement Motivation
A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the
Puzzle submitted by Moe Sanda
May 2005
HIRE
The Nation’s Best Attorneys And Paralegals Are For
HIRECounsel finds the highest qualified temporary attorneys, staff
attorneys and temporary and permanent paralegals. That is because
HIRECounsel’s recruiters have first hand experience as attorneys and
paralegals themselves. We understand your specific staffing needs.
All of our attorney and paralegal candidates have stellar credentials
and are loyal to us because we provide the highest quality of benefits
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May 2005
45
OVERHEAD OVERRUNS?
LAW OFFICE NAVIGATION
8. Perform annual audits. Audit lease payments, operating
expenses and real estate tax payments on an annual basis.
By reconciling statements on an on-going basis, a firm is
more likely to identify inaccurate calculations or payments. The
allocation of office building expenses is an art and not a science.
Therefore, it is in a firm’s best interest to negotiate aggressive audit
rights. Further, law firms should consider negotiating up front for
the right to appeal real estate tax assessments independent of
the landlord. A firm’s assessment of the basis for appeal and the
likelihood of success may be quite different from a landlord’s.
that steer our firms toward efficiency and effectiveness in today’s
challenging market. Which brings me to my favorite resource,
my affiliation with the Association of Legal Administrators
(ALA), particularly with our local Columbus chapter. I strongly
encourage all firms to make this resource available to anyone in
a management position no matter the size. The purpose of ALA is
to promote the awareness of the legal administration profession
by providing resources and opportunities for growth through
educational events, management resources, and networking.
I have been an ALA member for many years and the benefits
have paid for the membership fees many times over. No matter
what the subject, someone has been-thereand- done-that and is
willing to share their expertise, their successes or their failures.
Occasionally, just knowing someone else deals with the same
issues has a wonderful grounding effect when you are having one
of those days. By being involved in our local chapter as a Board
member, I have also had wonderful opportunities to get to know
many vendors while working with them on sponsorship events
or activities. Through social and informal gatherings, I have
discovered what they have to offer and can consider how that
could benefit our firm now or in the future without having to sit
though yet another formal sales pitch.
There is a wonderful group of administrators in the Central
Ohio area who are very active within their firms and professional
affiliations. The benefits of ALA membership will spread
throughout the firm and help your administrative management
run your firm more effectively – even if they really wanted to grow
up and be an astronaut, a fireman, the President. g
Reprinted with permission from the Columbus Chapter
News, the newsletter published by the Columbus Chapter of the
Association of Legal Administrators, July, 2003.
9. Track commuting patterns. Map employee and client
locations at least every two years to highlight shifts in
demographics.
By regularly reviewing community and residence locations
of employees and significant clients, opportunities to relocate
to more convenient and potentially lower cost submarkets
will become apparent at an earlier date. A regular program of
monitoring client locations will also identify the need and/or
potential for opening or relocating branch or satellite offices in
strategic client locations.
10. Target flexibility. Make flexibility the critical goal in all
lease negotiations by including liberal subleasing provisions,
early terminations, renewal, and extension options.
Since even the best laid plans can change, incorporating as
much flexibility as possible into leases will give a firm the ability
to expand and contract its inventory of space under lease to
correspond to the ebbs and flows of its personnel. In addition,
termination options can provide an opportunity to renegotiate
lease terms when more favorable market conditions exist. g
About the Author: Greg Tuszynski is an Associate Vice President
with Colliers Seeley International, Inc. specializes in representing
law firms during their lease negotiations in the greater Los Angeles
area. He is the Los Angeles representative of the Colliers Law Firm
Service Group.
46
May 2005
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ALA LA Ad_puzzle
4/15/05
1:53 PM
Page 1
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financial requirements often take a back seat to your
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Steven Jones • Lister Martin & Thompson • 700 N Brand Blvd, Suite 630 • Glendale, CA 91203-1238
GREATER LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE •
WWW.GLAALA.ORG

May - Greater Los Angeles Chapter

Transcription

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