January/February 2014

Transcription

The
INSIDE:
MINISTRATOR’S
VA N TA G E
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
Mark Bridgeman: Toronto 2014 - An ALA Annual Education Conference
Experience Like No Other
12
Rafi Arbel: Attorneys Should Be Seen and Heard
18
Sally Schmidt: Billing is Marketing
20
Heather Suttie: Design to Survey Clients
22
Jon Heiniger: First Impressions Matter
28
Marketing Issue
January / February 2014 The Administrator’s Advantage
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The Administrator’s Advantage January / February 2014
The
MINISTRATOR’S
VA N TA G E
Marketing Articles
Toronto 2014 - An ALA Annual Education Conference
Experience Like No Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
By Mark Bridgeman
A Chapter of the
Association of Legal Administrators
The Administrator’s Advantage
January / February 2014
Newsletter Editor:
Mary Lynn Wilson, CLM
312-332-8497
[email protected]
Newsletter Committee:
Patsy Carey
312-630-1211
[email protected]
Attorneys Should Be Seen and Heard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
By Rafi Arbel
Billing is Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
By Sally Schmidt
Design to Survey Clients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
By Heather Suttie
First Impressions Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
By Jon Heiniger
Features
Jane Klenck
312-662-4662
[email protected]
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Lisa Van Sant, CLM
312-648-2300
[email protected]
Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Drema Lee Woldman
312-715-5011
[email protected]
Printing:
Elk Grove Graphics
847-439-7834
Design:
Heiniger Design, Inc.
219-838-0243
[email protected]
Cover photos:
Front: ShutterStock
Back: Paul Klenck, Art Institute
ALA Mission Statement:
The Association of Legal Administrators’ mission is to promote and enhance
the competence and professionalism of
all members of the legal management
team; improve the quality of management in law firms and other legal service
organizations; and represent professional legal management and managers to
the legal community and to the community at large.
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Business Partner Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Bi-Monthly Recap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Brown Bag Recap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Legal Levity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Holiday Board Event Photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Got CLM?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Welcome New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
GREATER CHICAGO CHAPTER MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is to serve the diverse
and evolving needs of our members and the legal organizations they represent by:
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providing high-quality educational programs;
promoting peer networking opportunities;
fostering professional alliances with business partners; and
encouraging our members’ active involvement and service in community efforts.
The Administrator’s Advantage is published on a bi-monthly basis by The Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association
of Legal Administrators. The newsletter is published as a service to The Greater Chicago Chapter members and others interested in law firm management. Any article or advertisement published here should not be considered to be an
endorsement by The Administrator’s Advantage of the opinions expressed in the articles or of the products or services
advertised. Contributing writers are asked to disclose affiliations or interests that may influence their writing positions.
Anyone interested in contributing an article or otherwise participating in the production of the newsletter is most welcome
and should contact the editor.
© Copyright 2013 by The Greater Chicago Chapter of ALA International. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Association of Legal Administrators.
Requests for permission to reprint any part of The Administrator’s Advantage should be directed to the Newsletter Editor
or the Newsletter Committee.
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Business Partner Sponsors and Advertisers
Business Partner Sponsors
The Greater Chicago Chapter wishes to thank all of our sponsors
for their generous contributions and support:
Platinum Sponsor:
Next Day Toner Supplies, Inc.
Gold Sponsors:
DTI
nQueue Billback
UPS
Silver Sponsors:
Garvey’s Office Products
Novitex
Project Leadership Associates
Warehouse Direct Business Products & Services
Copper Sponsors:
Genesis Technologies, Inc.
Ricoh Legal
Special Counsel
Merrill Corporation
MG Welbel & Associates, Inc.
Miller Bros Engraving, Inc.
Nuance Communication, Inc.
R4 Services LLC
Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel
RhinoDox
Rippe & Kingston
Robert Half Legal
Staples Advantage
Steelcase, Inc.
The Classic Group
The Gunlocke Company, LLC
The Horton Group
Tuttle Printing & Engraving
Werner Printing & Engraving Co
Website Sponsors:
Algonquin Studios
Bronze Sponsors:
Bronze Sponsors:
1st & Fresh Catering
ABA Retirement Funds
Access
All-State Legal
Archive Systems, Inc.
Avanti Staffing, Inc.
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Beacon Hill Staffing Group
Business Software Associates
Call One
Canon Business Process Service, Inc.
Coffee Unlimited
Compass Group
Compex Legal Services
Cushman & Wakefield
Datasource, Ink
Firefly Legal
FirmWise
First Choice Coffee Services
Genesis Electronics Recycling, Inc.
GLC Business Services
Gregg Communications
HiTouch Business Service
HUB International Midwest
Impact Networking
Intelliteach
IST Management Services, Inc.
Jones Lang LaSalle
Keno Kozie Associates
Linder Legal Staffing, Inc.
Lower Electric LLC
Maverick Maven
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Advertisers Index:
Algonquin Studios............................................................................ 5
DTI.................................................................................................. 33
Garvey’s Office Products ............................................................... 14
Genesis Technologies.................................................................... 13
Next Day Toner................................................................................. 2
Novitex............................................................................................. 9
nQueue Billback............................................................................. 31
Project Leadership Associates ...................................................... 25
Ricoh Legal .................................................................................... 21
Special Counsel............................................................................. 15
UPS ............................................................................................... 35
Warehouse Direct Business Products & Services ......................... 25
Paper or Digital: Your Choice
One of the many benefits of your Greater Chicago Chapter
membership is receiving our bi-monthly newsletter,
the ADMINISTRATOR’S ADVANTAGE. We are offering an
opportunity to “go green” and “opt out” of the printed copy of the
newsletter being mailed to you. Recipients who “opt out” will receive
an email notification once the digital version of the newsletter is
available for download from the Chapter’s website, along with a link
to the newsletter.
If you’d like to “go green,” please send an email with “request to
opt out” in the subject line to [email protected].
From the Editor
As I sit here writing this, the
temperature outside is a frigid 12
degrees below zero. That’s right – I
said 12 degrees below zero. As cold
as it has been, we are used to extremes
here in Chicago – sometimes a 40 to
50 degree temperature change in a
single day!
Like the weather, at our law firms we
do not want to let our marketing efforts grow cold. Even
if we are receiving new cases and all seems well, we should
always continue to think about marketing and what we can
do to generate new business as well as continue to service our
existing clients.
In this issue we have some helpful articles on using video in
our marketing, the importance of branding for your firm, the
use of client surveys and even how your billing invoice is a
marketing tool.
Be sure to check out the Legal Levity section where we give
you the “hottest” spots in the area for skiing and sledding and
a great chili recipe. Have fun testing your knowledge in our
GOT CLM? section, too.
IT’S 8:30 P.M.
Darn it, wasn’t there just one more thing
on your to-do list for today?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ORDER OFFICE SUPPLIES?
UPDATE SOFTWARE?
SIGN NEW LEASE?
REFRESH WEB SITE?
RESEARCH BILLING SOLUTIONS?
CHECK
CHECK
CHECK
CHECK
CHECK
6. PICK UP JIMMY FROM BASKETBALL OH
If administrative multi-tasking is
eating up more time than you have in a day we have something that can lighten the load.
LegalLink. Proposal Builder.
A better plan for Legal Administrators.
Give us a call: 716.842.1439
or visit: algonquinstudios.com/legaladmin
Hope you all are staying warm during this challenging
weather. I know it will make me appreciate spring weather
even more!
.COM
Mary Lynn Wilson, CLM
Newsletter Editor
Cray Huber Horstman Heil & VanAusdal LLC
[email protected]
Consulting. Software. Web. Shiny New Watches.
Algonqui Studios ALA_George.indd 1
1/13/14 2:30 PM
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Board Members and Chapter Advisors
The Greater Chicago Chapter
Board of Directors
President
Deborah O’Donnell, Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard
& Geraldson LLP
[email protected]
Vice President
Jim Beavers, Hall Prangle & Schoonveld LLC
[email protected]
Secretary
Deborah A. Kuchta, CLM, Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD.
[email protected]
Survey Director
Benjamin C. Shames, Valorem Law Group
[email protected]
CLM Director
Jose R. Cheesman, MSLA, CLM, Baker & McKenzie
Global Services LLP
[email protected]
Treasurer
John T. Podbielski, Jr., Ungaretti & Harris, LLP
[email protected]
Community Relations Director
Marie Coffee, Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP
[email protected]
Membership Director
Jane Klenck, Varga Berger Ledsky Hayes & Casey
[email protected]
Special Events Director
Carol A. McCallum, CLM, Arnett Law Group
[email protected]
Professional Development Director
Diane Brummel, SmithAmundsen LLC
[email protected]
Past President / Historian
Cinthia M. LeGrand, CLM, Epstein Becker & Green
[email protected]
Chapter Advisors
Newsletter Director
Mary Lynn Wilson, CLM, Cray Huber Horstman Heil &
VanAusdal LLC
[email protected]
Business Partner Relations Director
Laura Thompson Sears, Gould & Ratner LLP
[email protected]
Communications / Website Director
Betsy Amaya Kopczynski, Howe & Hutton, Ltd.
[email protected]
Small Firm Director
Randi S. Kohn, Funkhouser Vegosen Liebman & Dunn, Ltd.
[email protected]
Mid-Size Firm Director
Patricia A. Winter, PHR, Foran, Glennon, Palendech, Ponzi
& Rudloff
[email protected]
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Large Firm Director
Courtney M. Landon, Esq., Quarles & Brady LLP
[email protected]
Finance Advisor
Karin Jackson, Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush,
DiCianni & Krafthefer, P.C.
[email protected]
Human Resources Advisor
Ony Beverly, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP
[email protected]
Legal Industry / Business Advisor
Travis A. Larson, Husch Blackwell LLP
[email protected]
My Managing Partner
just walked into my office
and needs:
Information on
“green” office
practices
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Where do you begin?
Put your ALA membership to work for you!
At the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) we understand that when you need information,
you want it quickly and from a reliable source.
ALA Management SolutionsSM offers you access to a competent,
experienced team of researchers — and it’s FREE to ALA members!
Just tell us what you need; we’ll respond quickly with the best information
available. Send your questions to [email protected], or call 847.267.1385.
7
President’s Message
MARKETING MAKEOVER:
ARE YOU READY TO SELECT A NEW
SHADE OF SUCCESS?
Successful failures. We’ve all had
them, and chances are these teachable
moments have shaped us into who we
are today. It’s hard for many to accept
Deborah O’Donnell,
Office Administrator
failure gracefully, especially Type-A
Pattishall, McAuliffe,
folks like we Legal Administrators.
Newbury, Hilliard &
But deep down we all know that after
Geraldson LLP
every less than desirable outcome, an
opportunity for insight and growth
emerges. It is this opportunity that turns a less than desirable outcome
into a successful failure.
Reaping the benefits of a successful failure is a
four-step process: (1) admitting that what was
attempted was not as successful as hoped or
planned; (2) taking an honest inventory of what
went wrong; (3) learning from that analysis; and
(4) storing the lesson learned in one’s toolbox
for future use. Sometimes the lessons reveal
themselves immediately. But often it takes the
benefit of time and perspective to truly “get it.”
And so my story begins.
Well before I entered the world of legal
management, but still while working full
time, I decided to try my luck at running
a small business of my own in an industry that I love: skin care and
cosmetics. I was recruited into the world of Mary Kay Cosmetics,
and I became a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. What
started as an exciting business venture ended two years later in a quiet
Closing-My-Doors-And-Practically-Giving-Everything-Away-For-Free
sale. I had enthusiasm, inventory, business cards, a personal website
and clients. What went wrong? Why was my success so short-lived?
Marketing professionals understand intimately the concept of the 4Ps
of Marketing: Price, Product, Promotion and Placement. In the years
since my business closed, I came to devise my own version of the “Ps” of
Marketing: Passion, Purpose, Position, and Perpetual Proactivity. What
became apparent to me was that aside from “Passion,” I was woefully
deficient in all the other Ps.
• Passion: At the time, I don’t think it was possible for me to have
been more passionate about the prospect of being a Mary Kay
Independent Beauty Consultant. I loved Mary Kay’s products, and
I was crazy about sharing my love of cosmetics with others who
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were interested, but passion alone a successful business does not
make.
• Purpose: While it didn’t occur to me then, it’s painfully obvious to
me now: my business lacked a clear purpose. Was I a consultant
because it was fun? Was it because I wanted to inspire people to
love skin care and cosmetics as much as I did? Or was it because I
had hoped for a successful business that would allow me different
options for my future? Even now, I can honestly say that I’m not
sure.
Here’s where things really started to fall off a
cliff for my business.
• Position: What was my position within
the marketplace? In a city with hundreds of
Mary Kay consultants, how did my services
differ from what was offered by my peers?
What was my value in the marketplace,
and why should clients retain me rather
than another Mary Kay consultant? These
questions became increasingly hard to
answer.
• Perpetual Proactivity: When I began
my Mary Kay business, the flurry of
excitement and activity was incredible. I
had inventory on-hand; I started establishing a clientele; I had a
fully functional, company-provided website; and I had a creative,
monthly newsletter of my own design. Things were going great!
So what happened? I lost the momentum that made my launch
great. I didn’t perpetuate my proactivity. The daily busyness of life
became my priority, and my client development efforts shifted to
the back burner. New clients became harder to find, in part because
I was afraid to sell the service behind the products--me! Sales with
existing clients became harder to win because I became timid to ask
for the sale. My monthly newsletter morphed into a bi-monthly
newsletter; then it changed into a quarterly newsletter; and then
one day there was no newsletter at all. My business suffered because
I didn’t appreciate the fact that perpetual proactivity was just as
important as the products and services I offered. Without perpetual
proactivity, business stagnates.
In an industry that touts the makeover, I was blind to the fact that it was
I who really needed the makeover: a marketing makeover! Though lost
on me then, the irony isn’t lost on me today.
President’s Message
Years after my Closing-My-Doors-And-Practically-Giving-EverythingAway-For-Free sale, I came to sincerely appreciate the lessons learned
through my Mary Kay experience. I understood the importance
of marketing and how it fits into a business plan as a whole. More
importantly, I began to see the parallel between the challenges I faced in
my business and the challenges we each face with our firms’ marketing
efforts. It seemed to me that the struggles many of our firms face occur
with the same Ps: Position and Perpetual Proactivity.
At a time when competition for clients and new business is at its greatest,
isn’t it imperative that we seek to differentiate our firms from others? If
all things are equal, why should a client select our services over that of
our competitors? From a client’s perspective, determining the differences
between firms can be like splitting hairs. Therefore, isn’t it incumbent
upon us as Legal Administrators to challenge our partners and managing
attorneys and ensure that every employee knows the answer to the
question, “Why us?”
What about our firms’ client development efforts? Are our firms placing
continual importance on proactively marketing and selling the firm and
its legal services? Or, do those in your firm allow the busyness of the dayto-day to get in the way of making client development as important a task
as client service? What about marketing efforts like our firms’ websites,
blogs and social media? Is new content added continually and existing
content updated frequently? Or is the content as dusty as the space
behind our office desks? Depending on your answers, it may be time
for a makeover.
What about us? While it is easy to consider marketing from the
point-of-view of the firms we support, what about our marketing
efforts as individual professionals? In the same way that it is vitally
important to encourage our attorneys to continue to develop
themselves professionally and establish credibility in the marketplace,
it is important that we do so as well. Are we as perpetually proactive
in developing and maintaining our professional brand as we need to
be? Do we take advantage of opportunities at work to “sell” our ideas
and promote the services we offer to our firms? Or, do we allow the
busyness of our daily lives to shift our professional development to the
back burner?
Is it time for a marketing makeover, whether for your firm or for you?
Only you can be the judge. But, if you find that you need a little help
along the way, don’t hesitate to call upon your closest 330 friends right
here in the Greater Chicago Chapter. Together, we can help you select
the shade of success that looks good on you!
Innovative Excellence For The Legal Industry
Innovative excellence
Core Services
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9
Business Partner Profile
My name is:
Sue Keno
I work for: Keno Kozie Associates
The company’s product or service
is: IT solutions: network design and
integration, desktop engineering,
advanced application integration,
24/7/365 help desk support,
training, managed services, IT
Security and litigation support.
The company has: For the last
25 years successfully designed,
implemented and supported a wide variety of
IT solutions for law firms and corporate legal
departments around the globe.
My title is: Vice President.
Before becoming a business partner to the legal
market, I was: An accounting manager for a large
Real Estate Development and Property Management
organization.
I entered the legal market because: I made a career
change due to a continued interest in technology and
customer service. The legal market presents many
opportunities and challenges for architecting solutions
to fit unique needs. Working in the legal market allows
me to continually develop or redevelop solutions
based upon needs and it is very rewarding to be a
part of a team that really cares about the technologies
implemented.
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To be successful in the legal market, one has to: Be
knowledgeable, motivated and honest.
The thing I like best about being a business partner
to the legal market is: The long term partnerships and
the team work involved.
The best advice I have received
is:That we as people are granted with
the serenity to accept the things we
cannot change, the courage to change
the things we can and the wisdom to
know the difference.
The best advice I would give to
someone just entering the legal market is: When
providing a service always ask yourself, is it necessary,
is it true and will it be a benefit to those who are
looking for the solutions you provide.
I try to motivate myself and/or my staff by: Creating
a positive work environment, constantly learning new
things and always educating my team along the way.
Three things I do well are: Have passion for working
as a team for greater benefit, have the confidence to
act to achieve a goal, listen to provide better support
and advice.
While I love my current job, my dream job would be:
an Olympic Equestrian.
The last good book I read was: Light Between
Oceans.
I have a degree in: Business Administration
The last good movie I saw was: Frozen
I support ALA because: ALA provides members with
a great forum for honest communication amongst
the legal administrators and business partners in our
community. I am also a strong supporter of ALA’s
educational programs and networking opportunities.
The last vacation I took was: To Croatia
In my free time, I: Have fun with my daughter and ride
my horse.
Thank You Sponsors!
The Greater Chicago Chapter wishes to recognize and thank the
following Business Partners for their support of ALA National and
ALA Region 3 scholarships awarded to members of our Chapter in
the 2013-14 fiscal year. We are grateful for their commitment to the
A Chapter of the
Chapter’s continuing education efforts!
2013-14
PLATINUM
SPONSOR
ALA GREATER
CHICAGO
Next Day Toner Supplies, Inc.
2013-14
G O L D
SPONSOR
ALA GREATER
CHICAGO
DTI, nQueue Billback, UPS
2013-14
SILVER
SPONSOR
ALA GREATER
CHICAGO
Garvey’s Office Products, Novitex Enterprise Solutions, Project Leadership Associates,
Warehouse Direct Business Products & Services
2013-14
COPPER
SPONSOR
ALA GREATER
CHICAGO
Genesis Technologies, Ricoh, Special Counsel
With Deepest Sympathy……..
Our condolences to lifetime member Marie
Kraemer on the passing of her husband. They were
married for over 50 years, raised three sons and
have numerous grandchildren. Our thoughts are
with Marie and her family.
We forgot to mention . . .
In our last issue (Nov. Dec. 2013) , we forgot to give
proper credit in the President’s Message
for the illustration we used.
This illustration’s source credit is:
Wikimedia Commons; Star Trek Style 3D
chess board; Author: Otavio1981
11
Toronto 2014
Toronto 2014 - An ALA Annual Education
Conference Experience Like No Other...
By Mark A. Bridgeman, CLM
Special Monday Programming Includes:
Please take a sneak peek at some of what we have in store for you in
Toronto in 2014 and be sure you join us to explore the Education and
Networking Mosaic at the ALA Annual Conference & Exposition in
Toronto, Canada, from May 19 – 22, 2014.
Host Hotel – While our stunning host hotel will be the Fairmont Royal
York, we have identified three other hotels within walking distance of
the Metro Toronto Convention Center. The other ALA hotels are the
InterContinental Toronto Centre, the Renaissance Toronto Downtown
Hotel, and the Westin Harbour Castle.
Toronto is an international tourist destination due to its wonderful
attractions and beautiful sites, and it is just a short car trip from the
gorgeous Niagara Falls. The top 10 sites in Toronto include: The Eaton
Center, The CN Tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Center
Island, the Distillery District, Yorkville, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Art
Gallery of Ontario and China Town.
Educational – The conference will be fresh, new and invigorating. We
have designed over 90 educational sessions that will have something for
each and every ALA membership demographic, including government,
corporate, independent, international, large firm and functional
specialists. In addition, we have created NEW educational programs
which will run Monday through Thursday, with sessions in both French
and English.
1. The Social Media Hive Kickoff.
2. Cushman & Wakefield Session: National Legal Sector Benchmark
Survey Results.
3. Comprehensive Perspective of Today’s Legal Marketplace (Business,
Financial & Operational).
4. Business Matters Sessions.
5. Partnering with the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) for two
new pre-conference marketing certificate programs. There will be an
additional cost for these dynamic full-day and half-day programs.
6. Managing Partner Suite – Educational programs designed for senior
management, as well as our managing partners.
7. Senior Administrator Guided Education (SAGE) Suite – Education
designed for the senior administrator teams.
8. Educational programming complete with HRCI (including strategic
credit) and CLM education and recertification credits. NEW this
year, we will also provide Continuing Education Credits – CHRP
(for HR), CGA (for accounting) and work with the Law Society of
Upper Canada for specialized education credit (for lawyers) for our
Canadian members.
9. First EVER Social Media HIVE Sessions – Learn how to use social
media and how it can benefit both you and your firm.
10. Educational programming designed with the “Future Law Firm” in
mind, including HR, technology and business management.
11.Hot Topic sessions for the legal professional that will be designed
with the most current and relevant information, right up to the
moment the conference starts.
Keynote Address:
On Tuesday morning, you won’t want to miss the phenomenal opening
keynote address, Endeavour to Succeed, presented by former U.S. Rep.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords and her husband, Captain Mark Kelly, a
retired combat pilot and astronaut. Their message will undoubtedly
inspire all of us to lead our firms and businesses to success, as well as
have a powerful and personal impact on how believing in ourselves can
take us to new heights in our lives and professions.
The 2014 ALA Annual Conference will WOW you with first-ever
events, business partner collaboration at new levels and a honed-in
focus on member attendee needs.
What you can expect to see:
Networking – There will be both familiar and NEW networking
opportunities, such as the captivating Welcome Reception, where
you will be able to reconnect with your colleagues, meet new friends
12
Toronto 2014
and dance the night away. The Leadership/Newcomer’s Connection
(formerly the Newcomers’ Reception) will have a new and dynamic
look and will be included in the conference program.
In addition, we hope you will join the fun at the brand new IDEA
Awards, which replaces the Chapter Awards. This promises to be an
enjoyable evening with your chapter, regional, national and international
colleagues as we celebrate exciting innovation and a new beginning
in ALA’s networking history. Finally, and again this year, our Grand
Finale event will start with dinner, followed by a SPECTACULAR
classic rock concert by REO Speedwagon and ending with dessert and
dancing at the Fairmont Royal York. All of this is being provided to our
ALA members by our very generous VIP business partners, led by Alan
Wilson of GLJ Benefit Consultants, at no extra cost to full registrants.
The Legal Marketplace is the NEW name for the former Exhibit Hall
and will be at the massive Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It will
have NEW stations, including the HIVE, where you can learn how to
master the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn), as
well as how social media can benefit you and your firms/businesses. We
will also have the Learning Theater, called “The Hub,” where you can
learn about new products, attend educational sessions and, of course,
be able to “Ask the Experts” about the latest and greatest in legal and
business products. Finally, there will be the “Recharge” Station. Some
of you will remember the days when we had the Cyber Café? This is
the same concept with an updated name. You will be able to come here
to connect with your offices back home, recharge your devices, and
yourselves, before launching into more of the dynamic education.
Please be sure to visit our conference website at www.alanet.org/
conf/2014/index.html#. Save it in your Browser favorites or better still,
make it your homepage so it is easy to follow the blog, stay connected
and learn about the NEW programs and educational sessions to be
found at the Annual Conference, as well as the latest products, offerings,
education and Business Matters! Sessions from our wonderful business
partners coming to you in Toronto!
Mark Bridgeman, CLM, is the Federal Records
Officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern
District, Chicago, Illinois. He was a member of
the 2011 Annual Conference Committee and spent
three years on ALA’s Committee on Diversity. In
2010 he received ALA’s Volunteer of the Year Award.
Mark currently serves as the Region 3 Education Officer, was a
member of the 2013 Annual Conference Committee and is serving
as the 2014 Annual Conference Chair.
Proud to be a new Copper Sponsor for the
Greater Chicago Chapter of the ALA!
Genesis has helped Chicago law firms increase productivity, streamline
processes and reduce document management costs for over twenty
years. Our people care about the job that they do and they care about
you. Call us to learn more!
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Morgan Lewis
n 77 W. Wacker Dr.
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Quarles & Brady
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15
Bi-Monthly Recap
Top 10 Time Taming Tips
By: Sue Becker
Speaker Sue Becker
Time – that elusive entity that
keeps ticking away no matter
how much we may want to slow
it down. Try as we might, we can’t
control time, but the good news is
that we can control ourselves and
our behaviors regarding time. As
we enjoy more sunshine during
our (l-o-n-g) march towards
spring, consider what changes you
can make to your behavior, both
at home and at work, to make the
most of each day. Here are some
of my favorite tips:
1. Plan each day. Invest 15 to 30 minutes each day
planning and preparing for the next
day so nothing falls through the
cracks. Planning will help prevent
you from rushing to do things at
the last minute – you may even
save yourself from forgetting an
important appointment or task.
Planning is typically best done
towards the end of the day when
you can wrap up your work from
the current day and make plans
to carry over anything you didn’t
finish. So how do you plan? Review
meeting notes and schedule action
items you’re responsible for; look ahead to see what meetings,
appointments, projects, etc. you need to start working on
tomorrow; review your master to-do list (see next tip) and see
what you need to get started on. Plan your next day the day
before so you can start the day with purpose and focus.
2. Keep a master to-do list. When something to do
comes your way you have several options: do it now so you don’t
forget, even if there’s something more important you should be
doing; tell yourself you’ll remember to do it later and run the
risk of forgetting; scribble a reminder on a sticky note or scrap
of paper that ends up getting lost or buried; or record the to-do
on a master list that contains all of the things you need to do
but just aren’t sure when you’ll get to them. You can keep your
master to-do list on a piece of paper, in a notebook, on your
phone, on your computer, or anywhere you can conveniently
16
add things as you think of them. Be sure to include not only
what you need to do, but the target date by when you want to
have it completed, and how long you estimate the task will take.
Review this list during your daily planning time and schedule
tasks on your calendar as time permits.
3. Identify small steps. Break projects and large,
time-consuming activities into smaller tasks. Rather than trying
to tackle these large and overwhelming endeavors all at once,
identifying the individual steps will create a clear vision for how
to accomplish them. Instead of feeling like you need a large
chunk of time to accomplish a large project, breaking it into
steps will make it manageable and allow it to fit more realistically
into the blocks of time you have available each day. Breaking
projects into individual steps is like planning a long road trip –
determining the route ahead of time allows you to know exactly
how to get to your destination. You
may run into obstacles that slow you
down, but your well thought-out
plan lets you know you’re headed in
the right direction.
4. Create a realistic daily
to-do list. If you end each day
with a frustratingly long list of things
you didn’t have time to do, you may
need to adjust your expectations.
Consider paring down your list to
no more than three items and see if
committing to, and focusing on, just
those few items improves your productivity. Be sure to also take
some time to discover why you’re not accomplishing as much as
you would like. Maybe your time estimates are unreasonable,
maybe you’re poor at prioritizing, or maybe interruptions and
demands from other people keep derailing you. Once you know
the cause of your diminished productivity, create a plan to
overcome whatever is holding you back.
5. Prioritize your tasks. At the start of your day ask
yourself, “If I can only get one thing done today, what must it
be?” and then get rolling. As time permits, work on that most
important thing and keep coming back to it during the day.
Keep yourself on track by periodically asking yourself, “What’s
the most important thing I should be doing right now?” Even on
days when you’re less productive than you’d like to be, you can
feel good about the fact that you at least made progress on the
most important thing.
Bi-Monthly Recap
6. Learn to say “no.”
Take control of your life
instead of letting others
control it. Identify what’s
important to you and live
your life around those things.
While it may be harder to do
this at work, it’s critical to at
least do it in your personal
life. If you agree to take on
obligations you resent or for
which you don’t have time,
you’re not going to be of
service to anyone. Everyone
will be better off if you make
room for things that enrich
your life, because feeling
fulfilled is critical to productivity. Rather than thinking of
yourself as being selfish if you turn down a request to help out,
think of saying “no” as a way to make yourself more able to give
of yourself. Just like the airlines instruct us to put on our own
oxygen mask before helping others, making time for activities
that feed your soul will help you be your best in other situations.
7. Control interruptions. We often interrupt
ourselves more often than we realize. “How?” you ask. Every
time you jump up to ask somebody a question; when you
constantly check email; when you obsessively text or IM. In each
of those situations, you’ve stopped what you were doing in order
to do something else. Then, you have to ramp back up and reengage with what you were working on before the interruption.
Pay attention to how often you use the telephone, television,
internet, email, etc. as a means to procrastinate. Identify specific
times during the day to give those items your attention, and
spend the rest of your day doing whatever you determined was
important for the day. Create regular meeting times with your
boss and staff to discuss issues that have arisen, rather than feeling
the need to discuss them every time you think of them. Use your
master to-do list to capture ideas as you think of them so you’re
not tempted to interrupt yourself and do them right away. Set a
timer in 10- or 15-minute intervals to catch yourself getting off
task – when the timer goes off, ask yourself if you’re working on
what you intended. And if other people are the cause of your
being interrupted, keep an interruption log that will allow you
to identify who interrupts you and for what reason so you can
notice patterns and create solutions.
8. Maximize your peak mental energy time.
Are you a morning person? Are you at your best late in the day?
Knowing your peak mental energy time will help you work more
efficiently. Work on difficult or unpleasant tasks when you have
the most mental horsepower, rather than spinning your wheels
trying to work on them when you’re tired. By contrast, save
fun and interesting
tasks for lower-energy
times of day – you’re
more likely to work on
those tasks no matter
how you’re feeling.
Paying attention to
your energy level will
help prevent you from
squandering
peak
mental energy time by
working on tasks that
aren’t worthy of that
precious time.
9. Set a timer.
If you are having
trouble getting started on something, set a timer for anywhere
between 15 and 30 minutes. Tell yourself you’ll only work on
the troublesome item until the timer goes off – knowing there’s
a reasonable ending time can get you over the hurdle of getting
started. Don’t allow yourself to work on anything else during
the timed session. Once you get started, you may find yourself
willing to keep at it until the dreaded task is completed. You
can also use a timer if you’re easily prone to distraction – set it
in intervals of 10 to 15 minutes and every time it goes off, ask
yourself if you’re working on what you intended. If you got off
course, get back to the task you intended to be working on, and
reset the timer.
10. Take care of yourself. Getting enough sleep,
eating a healthy diet, and getting some physical activity can
improve your productivity. Poor quality sleep leads to increased
errors and a lesser ability to focus and receive new information,
so establish a regular bedtime that will allow you to get sufficient
sleep. A healthy diet and regular exercise benefit us not only
physically, but positively impact our brain function as well. Make
time for exercise, meal planning, grocery shopping, and packing
your lunch. Take a lunch break, and short breaks throughout the
day, especially those that allow you to move around. Following
a healthy lifestyle will allow you to work more efficiently, which
will give you more time to enjoy the things you love to do.
Sue Becker is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic
Disorganization who helps individuals and businesses discover the
simplicity, harmony, and freedom of being organized and productive.
She also speaks to companies and organizations about how to get
organized and make the most of their time. Sue can be reached at
www.PilesToSmiles.com or 630-724-1111.
17
Web Video
Attorneys Should Be Seen and Heard:
Video as an Essential Part of Law Firm Web-Marketing Strategy
By Rafi Arbel, President, Market JD
www.marketjd.com
Whether your prospective client is a business or consumer, the
importance of Internet marketing continues to grow. In the last year,
more than 75% of consumers looking for a lawyer used the Internet at
some point in the process.1 Corporate counsel is also getting in the game,
"the percentage of respondents not using new media tools has shrunk
from 43 percent in 2010 to 27 percent
in 2013.”2 These folks are reading
blog posts, visiting LinkedIn, and
Wikipedia, and reading and watching
business news on their smartphones,
tablets and mobile apps. In other
words, both corporate attorneys and
individuals are using the Internet to
consume information at a higher rate
than ever before. If your firm hasn’t yet
capitalized on the opportunities these
trends present, 2014 offers a golden
opportunity.
The shape your Internet presence takes should depend on your firm’s
goals, which may include:
n
Introducing the firm to new visitors
n Conveying a professional image
n Attracting prospective clients from search engines and social media
who may not be aware of the firm or the services it provides
n Strengthening relationships with existing and past clients
n Highlighting attorneys in the firm with deep subject matter
knowledge (especially important where a prospective client is
deciding between several firms)
n Demonstrating a commitment to solving a client’s problems (as
John Maxwell says, “People don’t care how much you know until
they know how much you care.”) This may include educational
videos.
Which of these goals is important to your firm dictates the tactics
used to achieve them. Options include a website, inbound or content
marketing (creating a body of content, including online videos
that searchers connect to through the search engines), search engine
optimization (the process of building quality links to your website
which increases its authority and ability to get found), social media,
email marketing, and online video. It is this last category—online law
firm videos—that has the potential to advance all of your firm’s goals
through increased engagement and visibility.
18
Engagement
Today's consumer, corporate or individual, needs to be grabbed,
entertained and even wooed by prospective attorneys. Just as every
firm has its own story, every attorney has a unique set of characteristics
and experiences that define him or her, personally and professionally.
Video may be the single most compelling
medium for tying a firm’s human capital
and culture to the resolution of a client’s
problem—the reason he or she landed on
your website in the first place. Consumers
are bombarded with hundreds of messages,
making it ever harder to get—and keep—a
visitor’s attention. Leveraging attorneys in
the creation of online video is essential to
increasing engagement. Clients may pay
law firm invoices, but it is the individual
attorneys at the firm who bring clients
back.
Attention Economics posits that as the quantity of content continues to
grow, attention becomes the limiting factor in the consumption of that
information.3 Videos that are 30 seconds or less are completed more
than 80% of the time while those two to three minutes in length are
viewed to completion just over half the time.4 Of web pages with 111
words or less, only 49% of the copy is read.5 It is because our collective
attention span has become so short that your firm website must capture
a visitor’s attention and deliver your message as quickly and effectively
as possible. Online video is the perfect medium for delivering that
message in the shortest time period. Since video does the important job
of making a first impression without a personal visit from you, make it
professional.
Given the constraints in visitor time and attention, it is critical that the
message be the right one. Determining what messages you convey on
your site and video are the most important decisions you will make (and
the two should reinforce each other); these should form the foundation
for every marketing campaign you run. Ask yourself, "What are the three
most important points you’d like the viewer to walk away knowing?"
You should be able to summarize these messages in short bullet points,
i.e. we can defend a medical malpractice lawsuit better than others
because two of our lawyers are also doctors; our customer service is
so good we’ve been recognized for it; our firm has both breadth and
depth for whatever problem you bring to us. If you find it difficult to
distill your message into something of this length, it will be a challenge
presenting it on a video, no matter who you hire to help produce it.
Web Video
One important caveat that should permeate all of your marketing,
especially your online videos: be transparent and genuine. Seth Godin,
author of Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, argues that humans have been
seeking tribes for thousands of years. A tribe may be political, racial,
ethnic, musical—any attribute, idea, or leader that connects us. He
adds that the Internet has broken down the walls of geography, cost and
time that have separated us. In so doing, we have been able to quickly
find and connect with others in our tribe.
How is this relevant to your law firm video? Godin claims, "the key to
success is to find a way to stand out—to be the purple cow in a field of
monochrome Holsteins."6 Your video should reflect your inner purple
cow and embrace it. He continues: Start with the truth. Identify the
worldview of the people you need to reach. Describe the truth through
their worldview. That's your story. When you overreach, you always fail.
Not today, but sooner or later, the truth wins out. Negative or positive,
the challenge isn't just to tell the truth. It's to tell truth that resonates.7
Whoever you are professionally and personally will resonate with some,
repulse others. Whether or not you create a video, prospective clients
will eventually meet you. Those who aren’t inclined to do business with
you generally won’t, whether they discover that through a video or in
person. On the flip side, creating an online video will often help you
find your tribe by introducing and educating prospective clients about
the firm, often reducing the time it takes to close the deal.
Distribution
Once you’ve made the video, you need to distribute it. How far and
wide you broadcast it depends on what you are trying to achieve. Some
firms may only be interested in using the video on a particular page of
the firm’s site for increased conversion (getting a visitor to take the next
step, i.e. download a white paper, call the firm, etc.). For example, a
practice group may have a story they want to tell those who are visiting
their page of the firm website, one that complements and only makes
sense next to the written text. Some firms may not believe that new,
qualified clients would ever find them through search engines or social
media and therefore limit video distribution to the firm website or blog.
More progressive firms see a benefit in greater visibility, realizing that
clients are using the Internet to find legal and business information in
increasing numbers. These firms want to be found when their clients or
prospective clients use social media or type in a search related to their
practice area. For these firms, Internet marketing needs to become an
integrated system, one where all the digital assets coordinate to tell the
same stories and support the same key terms. Visitors move seamlessly
between web searches and social media, between their Google search
results, LinkedIn, and a YouTube video. To best earn a visitor’s trust, a
firm’s Internet presence ought to reflect that reality and provide value
and a consistent message, whatever the medium.
To increase the reach (and return on investment) of your videos,
consider distributing it liberally. Video may be uploaded to a firm’s own
digital assets (website, blog, social media accounts) or to other sites not
controlled by the firm, like Vimeo or You Tube. It can also be embedded
in emails (my personal favorite; our firm video has a link in my email
signature line that gets clicked on hundreds of times per month),
making it the perfect vehicle for cross-marketing other practice areas
to existing clients. Few realize that videos may show up in the search
results alongside web pages of text (i.e. blog posts). Some argue that the
probability of ranking on page one for a search term is greater for video
than for a text page because of the relative scarcity of the former and
abundance of the latter.8 Achieving this result requires that your video,
whether on your site or someone else’s, be properly tagged to include
the key word term for which you hope the video is found.
Once you have professionally-produced videos, revisit your firm's
goals and integrate them accordingly. To remain relevant, your website
should be regularly updated. An industry best practice is to maintain
a predetermined blog editorial schedule. Using video as part of this
schedule adds depth, diversity and interest to your posts. Consider
adding video news blasts or alerts relevant to your area of law. You
may also upload a video to your Slide Share account (now owned
by LinkedIn), and then connect it to your LinkedIn profile, making
it far more interactive. Having dynamic content gives you an excuse
to reach out to clients through email and social media, by posting it
on your timeline or as a status update. Repurposing your video gives
you a second bite at the apple, reduces how much content you have to
produce and extends your message’s reach.
Where search, social media and email marketing become relevant to
a firm’s overall marketing strategy, online video plays an ever more
important role as visitors may land on your digital property as part of
a journey, not as a destination. Content, especially video, has become
the new currency on the Internet because of its unique ability to create
relationships with its viewers which ultimately increases the value of
your Internet presence.
http://lawyernomics.avvo.com/legal-marketing-2/how-do-people-find-hireattorneys.html
http://insidecounselsurvey.com/2013-survey/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_economy
4
http://wistia.com/blog/4 ways to keep viewers engaged in an online video
5
http://www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics/
6
http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/blurbs.asp
7
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/08/creating-storie.html
8
http://searchengineland.com/want--‐to rank tops in google do youtube videos stupid
1
2
3
Rafi Arbel started Market JD, an agency that markets law firms
online. Leveraging his combined expertise in law, business, and
technology, he helps small and medium-sized law firms grow their
practices. He is a licensed attorney and he earned an MBA, with
honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Rafi provides his clients with digital-marketing solutions that drive
growth such as Website development, content marketing, social
media and search engine optimization.
He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, Jennifer and their three boys, Joseph,
Jacob, and Isaac.
19
Billing
Billing is Marketing
By Sally Schmidt
If you are pleased with a result, say so. If you wrote off time, tell
the client what it was and why they don’t have to pay for it. You
can also use the cover letter to update where the fees stand on the
project. And, most important, you can thank the client. It may
not be necessary to put a cover letter on every invoice, but at a
minimum you should include one at the end of a major matter.
Time Entries
In my experience, clients’ unhappiness with bills can have as
much to do with the way the information is described as the
time itself.
In past articles, I wrote about the importance of communication
when it comes to pricing your services. Once you have the
engagement, your invoices become a critical communication
method. In fact, I would argue that bills, properly done, can be
great marketing tools.
Conversely, poor billing techniques create tension with clients.
First, clients use any tangible work product to judge the quality
of the firm’s services. Said one, “If you can’t get your billing
straight, I don’t have confidence in you to get the file straight.”
But they also use invoices to evaluate the progress of matters.
With scant information, they are left in the cold.
Technology is a wonderful thing. But too many times, lawyers
allow computers to drive the form and substance of the invoice.
Paying a little more attention to your bills will not only enhance
your client relationships, it will increase your likelihood of
getting paid.
20
(1) Be careful how you describe your time. Whether it is when
you enter time or when you look at your pro formas, augment
the terse computer language. Let’s use “office conference” as
an example. First, clients don’t like paying for you to talk to
other lawyers in your firm. Second, it provides zero insight
into the value provided by the meeting. Instead, focus on
what you did, for example, “Reviewed requirements for
shareholders’ agreement,” “Analyzed tax issues in proposed
trust,” or “Met with Attorney A to discuss outstanding
issues in settlement agreement.” And name names.
(2) Avoid red-flag terms. In addition to “office conference,”
other phrases that set clients off include “review of file”
(paying you to get up to speed), “research” (don’t you know
this already?), “attempted to call,” “left voicemail for” and
other things that don’t contribute to the progress of the file.
(3)Use active descriptions. For instance,
“Consideration of ” say “Analyzed.”
instead
of
(4) Show progress. When you write down time for the same
matter, be conscious of showing progress on the file.
(5) Be consistent. If you referred to the matter as a “stock
purchase agreement,” don’t call it an “agreement” in future
bills.
Cover Letters
(6) If possible, don’t bill for projects until clients have seen the
related work product. If you have taken a deposition, send
clients the summary before they have to pay for it.
Everyone talks about providing value. But when was the last
time a client said, “Great brief!” or complimented you on the
research you did? A cover letter allows you to explain the value
you have brought to the engagement.
(7) Show time that you are writing off. If you did something
for which you did not get paid, such as attend a client board
meeting, enter it at “no charge.”
Billing
(8) Be sure to apply time to the right file!
(9) Concentrate your time. Clients would rather see blocks of
time than 6-minute intervals.
(10)Bill on a timely basis. This helps clients see where they
stand on a matter and, studies show, vastly increases your
likelihood of getting paid.
(11)Don’t nickel and dime. How do you feel when your $300
a night hotel room charges $12 for Wi-Fi when the Super8
provides it free? Disbursements, even if they represent
a small percentage of the bill, can be a landmine because
clients know what most things cost. In addition, charging
.25 for administrative tasks—reading emails, reviewing
bills—will cause clients to review future invoices in more
detail for billing abuses.
Perhaps the best thing to do is put yourself in the client’s shoes
and ask, “Would I mind paying for this?”
Powerful
document
services
provide your
best defense.
Conclusion
Remember, good billing practices result in no surprises for the
client. If things are getting out of hand on a matter, pick up the
phone. If your bill is higher than anticipated, deliver the invoice
in person. When there’s a problem, it’s crucial that you contact
clients before they have to contact you.
Article reprinted with permission.
First published at www.attorneyatwork.com:
http://www.attorneyatwork.com/billing-is-marketing/.
Sally Schmidt is President of Schmidt Marketing, Inc.,
which offers marketing services to law firms. Sally was a
founder and the first President of the Legal Marketing
Association. She is a Fellow of the College of Law
Practice Management and one of the first inductees into
the LMA’s Hall of Fame. She is the author of Marketing
the Law Firm: Business Development Techniques and
Business Development for Lawyers: Strategies for Getting and Keeping
Clients. Follow her on Twitter@SallySchmidt.
Ricoh Legal. The experience of
IKON. The innovation of Ricoh.
We’re committed to bringing the largest,
most experienced organization of legal
document solutions to work for you,
along with delivering premier eDiscovery
services. As a powerful partner to the
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solutions you need to allow you to
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Visit ricoh-usa.com/legal
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or call 312-251-0300.
©2012 Ricoh Americas Corporation.
Ricoh® and the Ricoh logo are registered
trademarks of Ricoh Company, Ltd. All
other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
21
Client Surveys
Design to Survey Clients
By Heather Suttie
Firms, to their own detriment, often fail to gauge client satisfaction.
A client survey can reap huge returns for minimal investment.
Law firms have traditionally been reluctant to ask clients what
they think of them. For a profession in the business of mitigating
risk, this is risky business. If your client is happy,
wouldn’t you want to know why,
so you can do more of
the same? Conversely, if
your client is unhappy,
wouldn’t you want to know
about that too, so you can
do something about it before
he or she crosses the street for
a chat with your competitors?
Statistics show that many law
firms don’t make client feedback
a priority. One Legal Marketing
Association
(LMA)
survey,
published in December 2009,
revealed that only 10 percent of
the U.S. and Canadian law firms
that responded consider client
feedback their top priority, while
20 percent rank it as their lowest
priority. This is pretty consistent with
the study’s 2008 findings (9 and 26 percent, respectively).
Canadian Lawyer’s 2009 survey of 60 general counsel, meanwhile,
found that 72 percent had not been asked by their top law firms
to participate in a client-satisfaction survey. Alarmingly, that
number has risen with Canadian Lawyer’s 2013 survey reporting
that of the more than 200 general counsel who responded to
this question, 80 percent said their top law firm had not asked
them to participate in a client satisfaction survey in the previous
12 months.
That’s a shame. It’s common sense, after all, that you can win
more business from a satisfied client. The large accounting and
financial services firms know this and have been using formal
feedback protocols to survey their clients for years. Of course,
not everything clients say will come as a surprise. Roughly 70
percent of feedback is information that you already know and
20 percent confirms what you had suspected. But the remaining
10 percent of responses are golden nuggets — and the law
22
firms that do survey clients are using those “golden nugget”
opportunities to pitch for work that’s currently being done by
their competitors.
One firm that reaped the
benefits of client surveys was
Ogilvy Renault LLP, which
combined
with
Norton
Rose in 2011 and is now
part of global legal giant,
Norton Rose Fulbright. Lise
Monette, Ogilvy Renault’s
former Chief Marketing
Officer and now Global
Head, Client Programs
and Chief Marketing
Officer of Norton Rose
Fulbright Canada, says
conducting
surveys
enhances and solidifies
the
relationship
between a client and
a trusted advisor.
She says asking
for feedback is the best
marketing you can do. “Clients love it,” she says.
“We show them the love, and that we’re listening and doing this
on our dime.”
Monette says that while most corporations design business plans
based on customer feedback, many law firms don’t. “No one is
conducting surveys in a consistent way,” she says. “You can’t do
business plans without input from clients.”
What Are You Afraid Of?
“The reason for not doing client surveys is that, when you ask
for feedback, you are obligated to respond to the comments and
to make the changes and improvements, when reasonable, that
clients want,” says Keith Cassidy, who has been an executive at
many of Canada’s largest firms.
Admittedly, it can be a daunting task to be told that you need
to change how you do business, but it’s usually not an “all or
nothing” proposition. Feedback is often more favorable than
anticipated and issues are surprisingly simple to remedy. All it
Client Surveys
took to make one client I surveyed happy, for example, was the
addition of an identifying number on the invoice that made it
easier for him to tell which firm sent the bill.
Respondents to the online forum Leadership for Lawyers
suggested there can also be a degree of arrogance among law
firms that feel they do good work and, if clients have concerns,
they will pipe up — or that clients may not be able to assess their
work independent of the outcome.
Further evidence is that at every one of the last six LMA
conferences featuring a general counsel panel, in-house lawyers
have not been shy about their expectations of outside counsel.
They said they wanted to be asked questions that show an
eagerness on the part of law firms to understand the business:
“What are you seeing that’s changing within your customer
base?” “Who, in addition to you, are the decision-makers on
outside counsel?” These are questions applicable to any client,
whether that person is an in-house lawyer or not.
Nothing beats an in-person survey, though. Monette conducts
personal surveys accompanied by either the firm’s Chair
or Managing Partner, which she says helps underscore the
importance of that client to the firm. This method also enables
an interviewer to read body language and get a good sense of the
client’s work environment.
Written surveys create work for your client. One Leadership
for Lawyers respondent found the response to these was usually
less than 10 percent, and the comments were generally positive
but vague. He suggested that phone interviews done by a
professional would produce better results. He’s right; telephone
surveys enable two-way conversation, allowing an interviewer to
probe for subtleties conveyed by the client’s tone.
Online surveys are popular only because they’re convenient. This
quick (but one-way) communication means that, while you’ll get
quantitative measures, you’ll lose the subtleties. Online surveys
are also easy to ignore and even easier to delete.
Satisfaction and Loyalty
Keys to Success
There is a difference between satisfaction and loyalty. For
example, the feedback provider may not be the only person to
decide whether to continue retaining your firm. And even if he
or she is satisfied with your services, you may still lose the client
should that person leave the company.
Act fast on requests. As Monette says, “You must respond to
comments and execute change.” Cassidy agrees, saying “The
challenge many firms face is to fully review their business
processes and then implement the efficiencies that improve
matter management, transparency, and add real value for their
clients, thereby strengthening the client relationship.”
One way to gauge loyalty is to ask whether a highly satisfied
client would recommend the firm to others. While this may seem
like a delicate proposition, it yields positive results most of the
time. As Frederick Reichheld notes in his 2003 paper “The One
Number You Need to Grow” in the Harvard Business Review,
“When customers act as references, they do more than indicate
that they’ve received good economic value from a company; they
put their own reputations on the line. And they will risk their
own reputations only if they feel loyal.”
This is why the most thorough client feedback methods seek to
capture personal recommendations. This is also why, with their
approval, client testimonials will appear on their firm’s marketing
collateral — a winning strategy that allows the firm to stand out
from the competition.
The Right Approach
Most clients will tell you they are most comfortable being
interviewed by a third party, because speaking freely to someone
who is a neutral conduit instills confidence in the process. If you
do take the internal route, it’s crucial that the person handling
the survey is recognized as impartial both by clients being
interviewed and by firm members.
Strengthening the relationship is what feedback is all about.
Surveyed clients report that firms that ask for input set themselves
head and shoulders above the competition. Considering that
very few firms are currently asking clients what they think, you
have the distinct advantage to seize this opportunity to stand out
from the crowd. Do it before it’s too late.
This article originally appeared in Lexpert® April 2010 and is
reprinted with edits and updates with permission.
Heather Suttie is a legal business development and law
marketing consultant. She works with law firms, legal
teams and lawyers in all areas of practice and consults to a
wide range of law firms — global, national, mid-size and
boutique. Heather can be reached at (416) 964-9607,
[email protected] or [email protected].
23
Brown Bag Recap
The Space Evolution
by Travis Larson
On Tuesday, December 3, the
Greater Chicago Chapter held
their Monthly Brown Bag event
hosted by Jennifer Winters of
Proskauer Rose LLP. Gensler’s
Todd Baisch and Erin Sherman
presented a thought-provoking
view on the evolution of
physical space utilization in our
law firms. Change is inevitable
Speakers Todd Baisch and Erin
and until recent years, change
Sherman of Gensler
within the legal industry was
relatively slow. However, recent economic events have pushed law
firms to think about new ways to do work better, faster and cheaper yet
preserve the practice of law. Structural changes in our workforce have
left many firms wondering what to do with all of this extra space. Todd
and Erin presented five directions for our space to evolve and offered
some ideas to get firms there.
interact. The reality is, many people just walk right into their private
office and do not utilize these spaces. You can continue pushing
collaboration by placing a bistro or sitting area in multiple spots with
at least one on each floor, create “activate paths” where people walk
and have encounters with other members of their firm, and connect
multiple floors through staircases or atriums.
1. How do you make lawyers and staff healthier by the time they leave
the office? Our physical environment has
a large impact on health and well-being. A
recent study shows that for every 100 workers,
44 suffer from stress, 38 are overweight, 31
use alcohol excessively and 24 don’t exercise.
Solutions include getting people active with
treadmill workstations and exercise rooms,
adjust for comfort with standing workstations
and ergonomically designed seating, provide
natural lighting throughout the space – not
just exterior offices — and provide access to
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2. How do you shape your space to allow
for efficient workflow? Strategic work flow process is driving the
legal business model now more than ever. This team approach will
continue to drive many firms to design spaces where collaboration can
occur with team workspaces/tables and open space plans in addition
to private work spaces. Give your workforce the tools to work as
efficiently as possible.
3. Look at reducing your real estate footprint by allowing more
choices. A Cornell University study of 320 small businesses showed
that companies that grant employees choices in how to do their work
grew at four times the rate and had one-third the turnover vs. controloriented firms. To achieve this choice, Gensler suggests creating
spaces within your space to allow for the four work modes (Focus,
Collaborate, Learn and Socialize).
4. How do you build a community beyond a café? Many firms have
a space, be it a kitchen, a sitting area or library table, where people can
24
5. Use technology to give people the flexibility to
work where they feel the most productive. Law firms
are becoming technology companies dressed in
suits. By utilizing wireless capabilities with tablets
or laptops, you give people the choice to move from
space to space, seamlessly connecting a collaborative
work area with a private office. With technology,
your options are limitless on how mobile you want
your workforce to become.
Needless to say, the legal industry is changing.
Tradition got us here. Evolution will push us
forward.
If you would like a copy of the PowerPoint presentation, please contact
Travis Larson at [email protected].
This Brown Bag event was generously sponsored
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25
Legal Levity
Surprise Safari
By Sherry and Al Gini
Fifteen years ago my then boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Africa. There were two immediate outcomes of the
trip. We fell in love with Africa and we also fell in love with each other. We were married in Africa two years later.
This holiday season was a “significant” birthday for my husband, so I surprised him with Christmas at our favorite
Safari lodge in South Africa and New Year’s Eve at the Cape Town hotel where we were married. This was our 13th
trip to Africa and two things remain the same… We still love Africa and we are still in love with each other!
New Arrivals
Congratulations to member
Jose Cheesman and his wife
on the birth of their son
Felix James Cheesman who
arrived on November 6, 2013
weighing 10 lbs. 8 oz. and
measuring 21.5 inches long.
26
Congratulations to
member Ony Beverly
and her husband on
the arrival of Sophia
Rachelle Beverly who
was born on August 21,
2013 weighing 7 lbs. 2
oz. and measuring 20.5
inches long.
Legal Levity
Chef’s Corner:
Cincinnati Chili
Top Ten Skiiing and
Snowboarding Places near
Chicagoland
Illinois
Villa Olivia (1401 W Lake St, Bartlett, 630-289-1000) Miles from Chicago 49.
This local option features 7 downhill runs, the perfect options to cut your teeth
on the snow.
Raging Buffalo (Rt 31 at Wilbrandt Rd, Algonquin, 847-836-RAGE)
Miles from Chicago 45. You don’t even have to leave the ’burbs to find a hill
dedicated to the oh-so-trendy sport of snowboarding. Raging, near the Fox
River in the Northwest Suburbs, offers half pipes, kickers, table tops and other
rad features, plus a “magic carpet” (basically a slanted moving sidewalk) on the
beginner hill.
I had a college roommate who was from Cincinnati.
This was a dinner staple at our apartment. If you visit
Cincy, be sure to stop at one of the many chili parlors.
Skyline Chili is one of the most popular. This is a meat
based chili, and then you build on top of it. You provide
spaghetti, a variety of toppings to serve it with and let
guests make it as they want:
• two-way: spaghetti and chili
• three-way: spaghetti, chili, and shredded cheese
• four-way: spaghetti, chili, shredded cheese, and
either diced onions or beans
• five-way: spaghetti, chili, shredded cheese, diced
onions, and beans
Sour cream is another necessary topping in my house.
Or cook wagon wheel pasta, throw the ingredients in the
back of the car, and you’ve got a great dish for tailgating.
Double or triple the recipe for a party. Serve with amber
lager or pilsner.
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2-4 yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T cumin
4 T chili powder
3 whole bay leaves
2 t cinnamon powder
2 t allspice ground
2 T Cocoa powder
1 T oregano
2 t Tabasco sauce
2 T Worcestershire sauce
4 T vinegar
1 can 28 oz crushed, chopped or pureed tomatoes
Salt as needed
In a large stockpot sauté pork and beef. Drain most of the
fat. Saute onions and garlic, then add dry ingredients and
mix thoroughly. Add all the other ingredients, and bring
to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 ½ hours. Add water if
needed as it is cooking.
Paul Klenck
Chestnut Mountain (8700 W Chestnut Rd, Galena, 800-798-0098) Miles from
Chicago 161. This resort’s 120-room lodge is situated high on the bluff of
Chestnut Mountain, offering breathtaking views of the Mississippi River. And
even though indoor activities include a pool, sauna and game room, the real
reason for visiting is to take advantage of the largest snowmaking system in the
Midwest. Its 475-foot vertical drop runs 3,500 feet through 19 slopes ranging
from beginning to black diamond.
Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports (5790 Forest View Rd, Lisle, 630-964-2551)
Miles from Chicago 28. With an “Anyone Can Do” method, beginners can learn
to navigate the slopes in no time. These hills in the western ’burbs consist of
two bunny slopes, a terrain park, and two intermediate inclines, each accessible
by towropes.
Iowa
Sundown Mountain Resort (16991Asbury Rd, Dubuque 52002, 563-556-6676)
Miles from Chicago 207. The only Midwest ski slope to receive the National
Ski Areas Association Award of Excellence six years in a row, this beautiful
mountain takes you down a century-old cedar forest reminiscent of Colorado
or Wyoming. With 21 trails, two terrain parks, and six lifts, this resort will have
you up and down the hills in no time.
Michigan
Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area (13421 Mann St, Jones, 269-244-5635)
Miles from Chicago 103. This southwestern Michigan mainstay features 11
slopes, a 225-foot vertical drop and a fireside lounge.
Wisconsin
Alpine Valley Ski Resort (W2501 County Rd D, Elkhorn, 800-227-9395) Miles
from Chicago 87. Touting itself as the only resort in the Midwest with three highspeed quads and four Wonder Carpets (a type of conveyer lift), this Wisconsin
resort’s longest run is 3,000 feet while its vertical drop is 388 feet.
Cascade Mountain (W10441 Cascade Mountain Rd, Portage, 608-742-5588)
Miles from Chicago 177. Cascade maintains a top rep with snowboarders,
catering to radicals with four terrain parks outfitted with obstacles, a superpipe
and halfpipe, and also to families with a snow-tubing park, beginner slopes
and a modest hill (460 feet). The bunny slopes on the west side of the hill keep
beginners out of experts’ way.
Devil’s Head (S6330 Bluff Rd, Merrimac 53561, 608-493-2251)
Miles from Chicago 185. This South Central Wisconsin ski resort is only three
hours away from Chicago, and has one of the highest mountains in Wisconsin.
This resort takes care of its slopes just as well as its guests; the ski slopes are
groomed twice a day to make for an exhilarating ride down the mountain.
Justin Trails (7452 Kathryn Ave, Sparta, 800-488-4521)
Miles from Chicago 262 miles. You could easily spend an entire weekend
vegging out fireside in one of Justin Trails Resort’s cozy cabins. But if you’re
determined to be active, try tackling a 1,000 foot long hill on an inner tube,
getting pulled on skis by dogs and cross-country skiing through Wisconsin’s
gorgeous wide-open spaces.
27
Branding
brand quality
on average, brand quality is, well, average
brand chan
tuning the channels for the clearest re
First Impressions Matter.
How effective is your brand?
TAKEAWAY
TAKEAWAY
By Jon Heiniger
A brand is far more than a logo in the reception area or on a
business card. The sophisticated tools in the marketer’s quiver
today require a solid understanding of your marketing goals in
order to hit the targets, and your firm’s brand is crucial to your
success.
When I left PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2007 after 17 years in
their design department, it was assumed that marketing and
branding in accounting was a good ten years ahead of the legal
field. Law firms are catching up quickly in their brand building
with
other
professional
services.
Do-it-yourself brands using
stock images and mediocre
designs save on outside costs
but result in average-quality
materials that taste a bit
sour on your own five-point
grade scale. Is it more costly
in the long run to pickle your
brand at home? We believe
you can do a lot yourself but
believe you should routinely
outsource the most critical
market-facing materials to the
professionals who created
the recipe.
Everyone recognizes the firm’s website to be its most important
marketing investment. Events are viewed as much less important
but still command a disproportionate financial commitment. Pitch
materials are not getting the love CMOs feel they deserve, and bl
sky thought leadership is short-changed as well.
outstanding client service, your caring attorneys, your aggressive
reputation?
MOST IMPORTANT CHANNEL
How consistent is your message? Do all partners and associates
convey the right brand message from initial meetings through
firm websites
to case resolution? They are your brand ambassadors, after all.
Do all of your legal marketing efforts –proposal/pitch
web, social
materials media and
30% with
brochure pieces – reflect your unique identity and resonate
substantive alerts & seminars
your target audience? That’s particularly important with your
32%
website, as it’s almost always the first point of customer contact
signature relationship events
43%
these days.
public relations
CMOs and CEOs grade their own efforts “C” or worse
43%
46%
What’s your reputation? What
speaking engagements
do clients
and colleagues37%at
37%
other firms
say about your firm?
firm/practice advertising
35%
Major
investments
are
being made to establish FIRM WEBSITE
3.6 (mean rating)
45%
brand recognition in an LOGO
3.5
One effective way to clarify
3.5
extremely competitive space. PITCH MATERIALS
your thinking is to craft a brand
3.1
A recent article in the Wall VIDEOS
promise. Keep it simple – a
2.8
Street Journal by Nathan ADVERTISING
concise, one- to two-sentence
Koppel noted that “Law
statement that articulates what
firms, particularly those 6 greenfield/belser | the state of professional services 2013
Room for Improvement
your firm does, how it does it,
that represent plaintiffs,
In a recent study by the marketing firm Greenfield Belser,
are increasingly devoting leadership of firms gave their branding efforts a passing grade. and how the firm benefits its
clients.
resources
to
developing
a presence online, where
consumers—and potential clients—congregate.” The article The brand promise will help you create a distinct and fully
mentions Sokolove Law, a Massachusetts-based firm that’s integrated identity. If done correctly, the results can be
spending $12 million annually on digital outreach. That’s a powerful. Potential clients who visit your website will be able to
pretty substantial investment in making sure future clients know immediately differentiate you from another attorney or firm in
the same practice area in the same city. Clients who read your
who they are.
blog, view your other social media properties or watch your
Every firm that has a strong brand has at least three elements in videos will quickly recognize your firm’s unique characteristics.
common:
2014 may be the year to refresh your firm’s branding to improve
n It’s distinctive.
your marketing effort’s effectiveness and achieve your business
n It relates to clients and potential clients.
development goals.
n It communicates a consistent message.
So how strong is your firm’s brand? Here are some key questions:
Who is your target audience and ideal customer? Understand
what messages will appeal to and motivate them. This will be
important when you chose your different media options.
What sets your law firm apart? For the majority of firms, your
practice areas are similar to the firm across the street. Is it your
28
Jon Heiniger worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers for
17 years before opening Heiniger Design in 2007 which
provides creative and design solutions for professional
services firms. He works with small to mid-size firms
to develop and achieve their marketing goals. Jon lives
in the Chicago area with his wife, Leanne and three
children, Rachael, Jack, and Nicole.
GREATEST INVEST
6
59%
Board Event Photos
On January 28, 2014, the Greater
Chicago Chapter Board of Directors
gathered at the offices of Pattishall
McAuliffe for its annual post-holiday
board meeting. After completing
Board business, members
enjoyed refreshments and a tour
of Pattishall’s new offices led by
Chapter President Deb O’Donnell.
Jose Cheesman and Travis Larson
Board members deliberating
Laura Sears, Deb O’Donnell and Diane Brummel
Marie Coffee, Courtney Landon and Ony Beverly
Ben Shames and John Podbielski
Randi Kohn and Patti Winter
29
Got CLM?
Test your knowledge.
By: Jose Cheesman, CLM
Test your knowledge on the following sample questions:
1) TRUE or FALSE - A lawyer may pay a referral or marketing
fee to a foreclosure consultant or other person for referring
distressed homeowners
III. LEGAL INDUSTRY/BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - 17%
Legal Industry (12%)
Monday, March 3, 2014: Knowledge of the ABA Model Rules of
Professional Ethics as it pertains to law firm management (e.g.
conflict of interest, advertising, client file management).
Monday, March 3, 2014: Knowledge of professional liability issues;
2) TRUE or FALSE - A lawyer or law firm may face
disciplinary action for including the wording of the "likelihood
of getting a favorable result" in their marketing campaign
3) A lawyer or law firm may utilize the following forms of
marketing:
A) Coupon-deals in which the lawyer directly collects
discounted fees upon providing legal services
B) Website-deals in which the legal fees are paid in
advance and collected for distribution by a third party
marketing organization
C) Mass email distribution to recipients of lists purchased
from telemarketers
D) Firm's own website indicating discounts if legal work is
performed by non-lawyers
Monday, March 10, 2014: Knowledge of changes/trends in the legal
industry;
Monday, March 10, 2014: “Knowledge of records management and
retention requirements (including paper and electronic documents);
[Knowledge of filing systems]”
Business Management (5%)
Monday, March 17, 2014: Knowledge of laws and regulations
regarding business insurance coverage;
Monday, March 17, 2014: Knowledge of planning techniques (e.g.
strategic, disaster and business planning);
Monday, March 24, 2014: “Knowledge of procurement and contract
management procedures (e.g. developing requests for proposals,
evaluating proposals, overseeing contractor performance);”
IV. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT - 18% Technology (5%)
Monday, March 31, 2014: “Knowledge of the features and
capabilities of the Internet, web-based technology, hardware and
software systems, including security and confidentiality; “
4) A lawyer shall not by in-person, live telephone or real-time
electronic contact solicit professional employment when a
significant motive for the lawyer's doing so is the lawyer's
pecuniary gain, unless the person contacted is NOT:
A) Another lawyer
B) A family member of the lawyer
C) Previously in a close personal or prior professional relationship with the lawyer
D) C-Level officers of companies
Monday, March 31, 2014: “Knowledge of the features and
capabilities of practice support systems; (e.g. Lexis-Nexis,
Westlaw, research, document management, litigation support, case
management);”
Monday, April 7, 2014: Knowledge of the features and capabilities
of document assembly and management systems;
Monday, April 7, 2014: Knowledge of electronic privacy issues;
Operations (13%)
Monday, April 14, 2014: Knowledge of work product quality control
procedures and techniques;
Monday, April 14, 2014: Knowledge of facilities management
procedures and techniques;
Join Jose Cheesman, MSLA, CLM, CLM Director, at
his office every Monday at 5:30 p.m. (Baker & McKenzie
Global Services LLP), 300 East Randolph Street, Suite
5000) for the weekly study group.
Monday, April 21, 2014: Knowledge of lease/contract agreements
and terminology;
Monday, April 21, 2014: Knowledge of project management;
Monday, April 28, 2014: Knowledge of work place safety and health
issues (e.g. OSHA, EAPs);
Answers: 1) F 2) T 3) A 4) d
30
Monday, April 28, 2014: Knowledge of space assessment, design
and development strategies;
Recover. Manage. Control.
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into a single database to improve profitability firmwide
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31
Member Spotlight
Drema Lee Woldman
My name is:
Drema Lee Woldman
I work for:
Quarles & Brady LLP
The firm & practice is:
One of the challenges of being in legal
administration is: getting the attorneys to complete
the performance evaluations.
a broad-based, national-level
legal services firm.
My title is:
The best advice I’ve ever received is: if you follow the
rules then you have nothing to worry about.
The best advice I would give to someone who is
Supervisor, Secretarial Support
just entering the legal management field is:
if you
do not have a thick skin, develop one fast.
Before becoming an Administrator:
I was a Social
Worker.
I have been working in the legal field for:
I have a degree in
30+ years
Social Work from W. Va. State
University.
I joined ALA Chicago Chapter because:
I wanted to
keep current with the legal community.
I try to motivate my staff by: listening to their
issues/problems and trying to come up with a solution that
works for the firm and for them.
If I weren’t a Secretarial Supervisor, I would:
be a writer.
The last good book I read was:
The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks.
The last good movie I saw was:
Gravity.
To be successful in legal administration:
1) Take nothing personal.
2) Try to do the right thing.
3) Document everything.
The last vacation I took was:
The thing I like best about being a Secretarial
massage.
Las Vegas.
The one appointment I never miss is:
Supervisor is: finding ways to motivate the staff and
empower them to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
In my free time, I enjoy: volunteering,
and reading.
32
My weekly
Scrabble, Bridge
Kelly Dillon
DTI
105 W. Adams Street, #1200
Chicago, IL 60603
January / February 2014 The331-206-5800
Administrator’s Advantage
33
[email protected]
New Members
The Greater Chicago Chapter welcomes our new and returning members:
Daniel Campione
Firm Accountant
Hall, Prangle & Schoonveld, LLC (45 Attorneys)
200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 3300
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel: 312-267-6238
Fax: 312-345-9608
[email protected]
Cesar Fernandez
Office Manager
Rusin Maciorowski & Friedman, Ltd. (33
Attorneys)
10 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 1530
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel: 312-454-5129
Fax: 312-454-4455
[email protected]
Shirley Campos
Director of HR
Schopf & Weiss (26 Attorneys)
1 S. Wacker Drive, 28th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel: (312) 701-9321
Fax: (312) 701-9335
[email protected]
Mary Gibbard
Secretarial Manager
Dentons (120 Attorneys)
233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 7800
Chicago, IL 60606-6306
Tel: 312-876-7954
Fax: 312-876-7934
[email protected]
Joshua Dugan
Regional HR Manager
Bryan Cave LLP (1200 Attorneys)
161 N. Clark Street, Suite 4300
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel: 312-602-5152
Fax: 312-698-7552
[email protected]
Virginia (Ginny) Tureson
Controller
Meckler Bulger Tilson Marick & Pearson (75
Attorneys)
123 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel: 312-474-7908
Fax: 312-474-7898
[email protected]
Members on the Move:
The following members have moved to new
positions:
Carol McCallum, CLM
Office Manager
Arnett Law Group (5 Attorneys)
500 W. Monroe Street, Suite 2010
Chicago, IL 60661
Tel: 312-561-5665
Fax: 312-561-5699
[email protected]
ALA Management EncyclopediaSM
Included with Your Membership
More value for your dues dollar — the Encyclopedia, formerly a $395
subscription, is now a members-only benefit.
With carefully researched articles, written by recognized legal industry experts, the Encyclopedia
offers concrete, practical information on the legal management challenges you face on a daily
basis. Answering the tough questions, the Encyclopedia integrates many useful features including:
•
•
links to key websites
functional spreadsheets
•
•
forms and checklists
charts and graphs
The Knowledge You Need — When You Need It
Learn more at www.alaencyclopedia.org
34
Copyright © 2012 United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
UPS delivers overnight by 8:00 a.m. to more businesses and ZIP Codes than anyone. When you have urgent documents requiring a client signature, sometimes mid-day delivery just won’t do. That’s why we recently expanded the
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Time is always an issue, so rely on UPS to help you reach more businesses and more ZIP Codes earlier than anyone.
Serving more of your clients earlier. Now that’s the power of logistics.
Put the new logistics to work for you. UPS is proud to
support the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association
of Legal Administrators. For more information, contact
Anthony Perrino at [email protected].
35
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P.O. Box A 3936
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Administrator’s Advantage.
36
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January/February 2014

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