February/March 2012

The Palm Beacher
February/March 2012
Inside this issue:
PBCALA Member
Social
2-3
Why Join PBCALA?/ 4
Birthdays/Save The
Date
New Member/
MemberSpotlight
5
Employment Seminar/
Legal Expo
6
Meeting Recap/Local
News/Scholarship Info
7
ALA Article
8-9
Calendar of Events
10
If you have
news you’d like
to see included
in the newsletter, please email
Erin Fisher at
efisher@gunster.
com.
A Message from Our President
March is an exciting month
for our Chapter as our Legal
Expo is held each year in this
month. The committee,
chaired by Lynne Duckett,
decided to hold this event on
a Friday afternoon rather
than the standard Tuesday
afternoon with the hopes
that more members would be
able to attend and unwind
after a grueling work week.
The committee has done a
great job with securing new
vendors and it appears that
we will sell out for the fifth
straight year! If you haven’t
yet rsvp’d, you can email me
at [email protected].
Let’s make this our biggest
turnout to date!
Our Chapter was recently
notified from National that
we were awarded the President’s Award of Excellence
in the Gold category. This
distinction is achieved by
meeting certain criteria
throughout the year in areas
such as effective chapter
management, communication, recruitment, retention
and the like. The Chapter
will be presented with a
plaque highlighting this
award at ALA’s National
Convention in Hawaii. It is
proof once again that our
Chapter continues to excel in
all areas. I want to personally thank the Board and
Committee Chairs for assisting in meeting many of the
deadlines imposed to achieve
this honor.
April is a bittersweet month
for me as my term as President comes to an end. I can
honestly say that I’ve really
had a rewarding and fun time
planning events, meeting new
members and business partners and most importantly,
entertaining you (I hope!) at
the monthly luncheons.
For any of you who are apprehensive about public
speaking, being President is a
surefire way to cure that! I
wish the new Board members: Gloria Hernandez,
President; Vice President,
Debbie Giordano; Treasurer,
Marilyn Fong and Secretary,
Sue Recchia the best in 20122013 and am confident they will
continue to excel
in their new roles.
Our Chapter is
fortunate to have
such a dedicated
group. I will remain on the
Dawn Tasca, President
Board as Immediate Past
President and Jim Menendez
will be Past President. Mary
Aguiar’s term on the Board
will come to an end, and I
would like to personally
thank her for all the advice
and support she has given me
this past year as well as the
amount of time she devotes
to ensuring the Chapter’s
continued success.
Looking forward to seeing
you all at the Legal Expo!!
Page 2
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1 Issue 4
Palm Beach County ALA Member Social
The Palm Beach County
Chapter of the ALA held a
member social on February 23, 2012 at Ruth’s
Chris Steak House in City
Place, West Palm Beach.
Members and vendors
alike enjoyed cold drinks
and tasty hors d’oeuvres as
they chatted and played
card games.
Sherri Kuylen of IKON, Jim Menendez, and Dawn Tasca
Awilda Carozza and Patrick Shanahan of Artcraft
Deb Moore, Debbie Giordano, Lisa
Tierney, and Joyce Johnston
To view additional pictures go the www.pbcala.org/members-
Volume 1 Issue 4
The Palm Beacher
Page 3
More Socializing...
Rick Gallo of
Integrated Data
Technologies and
Michele Parcells
Amber Marzo, Ilene
Bennett, of All-ways
and Sherri
Zabriskie, Legal
Search Solutions
Awilda Carroza, Richard Jankus of AFLAC, Brenda
Danaei and Patti Leonaggeo of AFLAC
Richard Jankus of AFLAC and Shannon
Phelps of PNC Bank
Deb Moore and Joyce Johnston
David Hemingway from Lexis Nexis And
Patrick Shanahan of Artcraft
Sue Recchia
A good time was had by all!
Wendy Silverstein and MaryEllen Castellano
Steve Laskowitz, LAN Infotech, Marilyn
Fong, & Trisha Moore of Esquire Deposition Solutions
Debbie Giordano, Mary Aguiar, and
Michele Parcells
Page 4
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1 Issue 4
Why join PBCALA?
As a member of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, (PBCALA), you will have the
opportunity to attend regular monthly Seminar Luncheons, which provide a great opportunity to keep informed as to the
latest trends in the legal profession, attend Chapter Socials held periodically, which are a great way to get to know your fellow
administrators in a more relaxed atmosphere, and to take advantage of the many resources offered to provide management
support. As a new Chapter Member, a Mentor will be available to assist in introducing you to our Members and to help familiarize you with the many benefits and activities offered.
As a member of PBCALA you will receive our Palm Beach County Chapter ALA member directory containing member contact information. A Job Board has been established to post job vacancies for the firms of Chapter members, and also contains posts of available Administrator positions. With the assistance of an area accounting firm, PBCALA offers an annual
Salary and Benefits Survey and awards Educational Scholarships to promote career growth.
And, of course, as a PBCALA Chapter Member, you may also take advantage of the educational conferences, specialty retreats and many other educational opportunities, resource material and publications offered by the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).
One of the President’s goals for this year is to grow our chapter. To do this, we need your help. Bring a new guest to a
meeting and have your name entered into a drawing for a gift card. Prospective members can attend one meeting for free to
try us out. Share this newsletter with fellow administrators who are not currently members of the ALA. Together we can
make our chapter even better!
Quote of the Month:
"Patience and perseverance have a magical
effect before which difficulties disappear and
obstacles vanish." ~John Quincy Adams
Gloria
Maryellen
Jim
Susan
Devika
Brenda
Jennifer
Eileen
Jamie
Hernandez
Castellano
Johnson
Gavsie
Peters
Danaei, CLM
Tracy, CLM
Michelbrink
Stanton
February 1
February 2
February 6
February 11
February 12
February 14
February 14
February 22
February 23
Florence
Kathleen
Cheryl
Paula
Kimberly
Mary
Meryl
Karen
Sherman
Goodrich
Freel
Johnson
Ayers
Aguiar
Frid
Lindgren
February 28
March 4
March 6
March 9
March 14
March 27
March 27
March 27
Member Birthdays
SAVE THE DATE!
June 1, 2012 is the date for
the Community Connection
PBCALA Golf Tournament
PGA National Resort & Spa
Benefiting Vinceremos
Therapeutic Riding
Center
www.vinceremos.com
Volume 1 Issue 4
The Palm Beacher
Page 5
New Member News
Dolly Castro, Office Manager– Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy & Ford, P.A.
Ms. Castro has worked in the legal field for twenty five (25)
years. She currently serves as the
West Palm Beach Office Manager for Wicker, Smith, O'Hara,
McCoy & Ford, P.A. Ms. Castro
is a single mother of two girls
(21 and 18) which keeps her
very busy. In her spare time,
Dolly loves to read and enjoys
shopping.
Dolly Castro
Office Manager Novak Druce & Quigg
Member Spotlight
Sandra Bolin, Office Manager– Caldwell Pacetti Edwards Schoech & Viator
I am from the Chicago area originally and have been in WPB for
34 years. I am single, have 3 children all living in the area and 4
grandchildren. I have been with
Caldwell Pacetti since graduating
from college in 1984. As if that
is not enough, I am an E.A. and
work part-time for a large tax
business each spring.
Paddling (kayaking/canoeing) is
my passion and my way to escape
from the busy schedule. Day
paddles or a moonlight paddle
after work are a wonderful break
from the demands of being a le-
gal administrator.
Even better are the
longer trips paddling
across the lakes or
down the river and
camping on the banks
as we go. Family and/
or friends are my usual paddle
partners although on occasion I
have gone alone. After nearly 30
years I am comfortable either way.
A week or more in the Boundary
Waters (northern MN), on the
Green River (UT), the Dead
River (ME), the Okefenokee
Swamp or even our own Everglades with the only concern being sustenance and shelter is
peaceful and helps center oneself
again. I love getting back to basics. I plan to keep doing this as
long as I am able. One of my
paddle friends is 83 and is still going strong. She definitely contributes and is an inspiration. My
hope is one day when I need assis-
tance there will be someone to
paddle with me. In the meantime, I will keep doing what I
do, work hard and play hard,
paddle to remote areas to experience some of the most
beautiful and serene areas of
our country and clear the cobwebs. Some special moments
so far include paddling with
dolphins, manatees, sunsets
with loons providing their
mournful tunes or an otter sitting back along the bank eating his just caught fish like a
kid with a candy bar. Give it a
shot; you may be surprised to
find out just how enjoyable
paddling can be.
Page 6
The Palm Beacher
Volume 1, Issue 4
Employment Seminar
On February 14, 2012, we were lucky enough to have Alexander del Russo, Esq. and Kristy
Johnson, Esq. of Carlton
Fields spoke to the group on
“The Disruptive Attorney—
Challenges from a Human
Resources Perspective.” This
entertaining and informative
seminar explained the hazards and pitfalls in dealing
with those on whom we
depend.
Legal Expo
It’s that time of the year again!
You are invited to attend the 2012 Legal Expo to be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Friday, March 23, 2011. We have a Hawaiian theme this year to tie in with our
Annual Convention, which is being held in Hawaii in April. No charge to attend this event!
We encourage everyone to dress in their best Hawaiian outfits! There will also be a Hawaiian
shirt contest!!
Lots of door prizes such as $100 gift cards, Spa gift certificates, Pod Coffee Brewer, and much
more!
Spread the word to your administrator
friends, attorneys, and those whom
you believe will benefit from attending
the show!
Thank you for your participation in
this event! RSVP To Dawn Tasca!
P
g el u
7me
Vao
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The Palm Beacher
Page 7
Meeting Recap
Following the Employment
Seminar, our February
speaker,
Charles
Schwartz of Your IT
Group spoke to us on
Emergency Preparedness, which is a great
topic considering Florida’s
sometimes unpredictable
weather.
The meeting
was sponsored by the
Solomon Mansure Group,
who are our Sunshine City
sponsor.
Sandra Bolin, Susan Jennings, Dina Lotz,
and Mark Wragg, Director of IT for the
LaBovick Law Group.
MaryEllen Castellano, Beth Anderson,
Jamie Stanton, Terry Imai, and Sam
Householder
Charles Schwartz of Your IT Group
Sheri Yudell of Soloman Mansure,
Karen Lindgren, Brenda Danaei, Nicole
Cutsinger and Lori DeMayo
Local News
Marion Diamond is now the Director of Administration at The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld and Associates,
P.A.
“The Art of Active Listening” is a webinar that will take place on March 21, 2012 at 2:00 p,m. and will last for
one hour. If you would like to listen in, please contact Gloria Hernandez at [email protected]
Deadline approaching for Scholarship Applications!
The deadline for the Tisha J. McNamara Memorial Scholarship application is quickly approaching!
All applications, complete and with all attachments, including most recent transcripts and ACT or
SAT scores, must be received by April 6, 2012. Applications must be sent to:
Lisa Tierney, C/O Stuart R. Manoff & Associates, P.A.
515 N. Flagler Drive, Suite 2125
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
If you would like further information on the scholarship, please contact a member of the Education
Committee: Debra Giordano, Lisa Tierney, or Deb Moore.
Page 8
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Volume 1, Issue 4
Q&A on QR Codes
By Bob Heiss, All-State Legal
Reprinted with permission from “To The Point,” the newsletter published by the
Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, July / August / September 2011
What is a QR code?
Mobile tagging is the process of using a printed code to deliver data to a mobile device. A Quick
Response - or QR code - is currently the most popular and widely used mobile tagging code, as it is
the easiest to create, produce and read. A QR code is,basically, a two-dimensional barcode that
can be read by a smart phone equipped with a camera.
What can it do for my firm?
Though originally created for inventory tracking, QR codes are gaining popularity for their ability to
make printed materials interactive with dynamic online content. With one scan, your clients and potential clients can download your contact information, research more about your firm online, and
connect and interact with your brand whenever and wherever they choose.
QR codes can be used to do any one of the following things:
Launch the phone's web browser to a specific URL
Push out a calendar event that can be saved to the phone's calendar
Push out contact information that can be saved to the phone
Push out an email address that can kick-start communication
A QR Code
Launch an SMS (text) message that can be sent to Twitter, Facebook or contacts
How are law firms using QR codes?
QR codes allow you to connect.They can be personalized. They are viral. They can turn passive
readers into interacting potential clients. And perhaps the most significant benefit of QR codes is
that most can be tracked.
Below are the top ten ways law firms incorporate QR codes in their marketing:
Business Cards - Use the QR code to link the reader to your contact information, to your online bio
page or to your blog.
Stationery/ Marketing Materials/Firm Brochures - Create a QR code that links to the "News & Events"
Volume 1, Issue 4
T h e P a l m B eT haecPha lemr B e a c h e r
Page 9
Continued from previous page...
section of your website to allow clients, potential clients and colleagues to
keep up on your firm's recent wins. Or, link to your website's About Us, Attorney Listing or Practice Areas page to cross-sell all your services.
Announcements - Add a QR code to link these to your online announcement for additional information regarding the announcement (e.g., a new
partner, a new practice area, a recent win, your firm move or whatever
you are heralding!)
Invitations - Make invitations to seminars, parties, meetings, networking
events and more interactive by creating an event code that can be
saved right to the phone's calendar.
Invoices - Reinforce the firm's commitment to the environment by linking invoice QR codes to web
pages that provide information on how to set up electronic billing or payment.
Website/Attorney Bio Pages - QR codes can be read right from computer screens, so be sure to include QR codes on pages listing the firm's general contact information, as well as specific attorneys'
contact information, on bio pages and on Contact Us pages.
Social Networking - Include your contact QR code in all your social networking - blogs, LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter, etc.You can even create QR codes that will provide the reader with a prewritten post/tweet about your firm or a specific firm event.
RFP Responses - Embed QR codes in proposals to direct potential clients to your website for more
information, such as attorneys’bios, additional practice areas or recent applicable news headlines.
Recruiting - Bolster your firm's recruitment efforts by including QR codes on recruiting materials to attract the more technologically savvy pool of potential hires.
Seminar Name Tags - Enhance networking by including a QR code on all participants' name tags.
Simply creating a QR code and putting it on your materials is not enough. As with all marketing endeavors, you should have a strategic plan in place and build codes that will add relevant value to
your audience. Remember, QR codes that point to URLs allow you to track results. Build thisdevice
into your plan, and analyze results closely to ensure that the codes are having the desired effect.
For more on QR codes - what they are, how they are used and production guidelines - please visit www.aslegal.com/qr
Bob Heiss is a sales representative for All‐State Legal. All‐State Legal pro‐
vides complete law office systems that maximize a firm’s efficiency and prof‐
itability, providing a comprehensive offering of design services, graphic communications products, legal specialties and general office supplies.
Page 10
The Palm Beacher
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dawn Tasca, President
Gloria E. Hernandez, Vice-President
Sue Recchia, Secretary
Debbie Giordano, Treasurer
Jim Menendez, Immediate Past President
Mary Aguiar, Past Past President
For membership information
please contact:
Michele Parcells, Membership Chair
Volume 1, Issue 4
The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) was formed in 1971 to
provide support to professionals involved in the management of law firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. ALA provides educational opportunities and services to more than 10,000 members representing
more than 5,300 employers in 21 countries. ALA is structured into six regions with more than 100 chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada
and New Zealand.
ALA’s mission is to improve the quality of management in legal services organizations; promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal
administrators and all members of the management team. The Association’s
members are law office administrators who manage such areas as finance, human resources, systems and technology, facilities, marketing and practice development.
Calendar of Events
March 21, 2012
Webinar “The Art of Active Listening”
Contact Gloria Hernandez at
[email protected]
March 23, 2012
PBCALA Legal Expo
3:00 p.m. PBC Convention Center
Hawaiian Shirt Contest!
April 10, 2012
April Meeting
April 17, 2012
Board Meeting
Carlton Fields
April 22-26, 2012
National ALA Conference
Hawaii Convention Center,
Hilton Hawaiian Village
Visit our website!
www.pbcala.org
May 9, 2012
May Meeting
June 1, 2012
Community Connection
PBCALA Golf Tournament