August 2016

Capital Connection is published monthly for members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide information for the education and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers, managing partners of law firms, and other law related associations. Capital Connection is not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax counseling or advice through this publication.  The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection should not be considered endorsements by the Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any products advertised.   Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial an/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter. ​

Editor: Jacqueline Moline 
Associate Editors: Paula Serratore; Cindy Conover
Contributing Editors: Barbara Mannix; Vanessa Partin; Susan Saltonstall Duncan; Michelle Cotter Richards; Ali Seibert; LaVerne Anenia, SPHR; Lori Mihalich-Levin, JD;  Howie Schafer; Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Carmen C. Barboza; Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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​I just spent a week between two leadership conferences.  One with my firm for all firm administrative leaders and then with the ALA attending the Chapter Leadership Institute (CLI).  Although the two conferences were focused on leadership, they each took a different path.  My firm conference focused on leadership style.  It was about knowing what type of leader you are and having the ability to “flex,” or modify your leadership style according to the situation.  It was also about understanding the style of the people you are leading.  CLI focused on the power of positive leadership and the impact that has on any task we attempt.  It was interesting to attend these conferences back to back and see that both leadership concepts have value.  I consider myself a glass half full kind of person, so I certainly hope that gives me a step up in the power of positive leadership.  Sometimes, I think it is easy to get caught up in what we have always done and not taking the time to fully listen, to understand or re-think an issue.  I probably need to work on my ability to flex.  In these times of great change, as well as worry for safety and security, our leadership has an impact on everyone we touch.  I don’t know that I learned anything new, but they both gave me some time to be introspective about how I am as a leader and the impact I have on those I lead.
 
At times, with leadership comes great worry.  It is in these times, when being part of an organization such as the Capital Chapter, give me great comfort.  Knowing that I have peers to reach out to, knowing that I have peers with the same concerns and issues that I have, knowing that this network is filled with strong leaders who are a phone call or e-mail away.  I look at our Executive Committee and our Leadership Team and know that each of them give their leadership, experience and time to our Chapter.  I look at our Ambassador program and think about what a great example of leadership it is to be stewards of our association.  I look at our wonderful education series and think about what it means that, as busy as we are, we all give our time to learn and improve.  I think continuing to learn is part of being a great leader.  Realizing we do not know everything and opening ourselves up to change and learning new things, or even re-learn the things we may already know.
 
Thank you to all the great leaders who make our Chapter strong!

​Barbara Mannix

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Barbara K. Madden 
Director of Administration
Groom Law Group, Chtd.
1701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
[email protected]
 
Robin M. Walsh 
Manager, HR/Operations
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
1901 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
[email protected]
 
Christian T. Blemly
Assistant Manager/Accounting Specialist
Ain & Bank, P.C.
1900 M St., N.W.
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
[email protected]

Suzanne Katherine Gralow
Director of Administration
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
3050 K St., N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20007
[email protected]
Deborah White
Director Facilities, Services, Corporate Records
Van Ness Feldman LLP
1050 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 298-1994
[email protected] 
 
Thomas C. Lewis
Administrator
GKG Law, P.C.
1055 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20007
[email protected]

Rachel Ball 
Office Administrator
Hunton & Williams, LLP
2200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
[email protected]

Congratulations, Julie Tomey! 

The Capital Chapter has a new Certified Legal Manager: please join us in congratulating  Julie Tomey, CLM! Julie earned her certification in May.

Interested in earning your CLM certification? Click Here for details. 

August 2016 Diversity Observances

Vanessa Partin
Associate Director, Human Resources, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

August 6: Transfiguration, a holiday recognized by Orthodox Christians to celebrate when Jesus became radiant, and communed with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. To celebrate, adherents have a feast.
August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The focus this year is “Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honoring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements.”
August 14: Tisha B’Av, an annual fasting day that is observed to commemorate the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, specifically the destructions of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 BCE and 70 CE.
August 17: Marcus Garvey Day, which celebrates the birthday of the Jamaican politician and activist who is revered by Rastafarians. Garvey is credited with starting the Back to Africa movement, which encouraged those of African descent to return to the land of their ancestors during and after slavery in North America.
August 17: The Buddhist Ghost Festival or Ulambana. On this day Buddhist chant and provide offerings to the unsettled spirits of dead ancestors to calm and enable them to pass peacefully into the next world.
August 18: Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu holiday commemorating the loving kinship between a brother and a sister. Raksha means protection in Hindi, and symbolizes the longing a sister has to be protected by her brother. During the celebration, a sister ties a string around her brother’s (or brother-figure’s) wrist, and asks him to protect her. The brother usually gives the sister a gift and agrees to protect her for life.
August 23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and the anniversary of the uprising in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) that initiated the abolition of slavery in that nation.
August 25: Krishna Jayanti, the day Hindus celebrate Krishna’s birthday, Vishnu’s eighth incarnation on earth.
August 26: Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the August 26, 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution that gave women the right to vote. Congresswoman Bella Abzug first introduced a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day in 1971. Since that time, every president has published a proclamation recognizing August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.
August 28: Paryushana Parva, the most revered Jain festival comprising eight or ten days of fasting and repentance.

Succession Planning: Why Your Firm Should Do It and How You Can Help

Susan Saltonstall Duncan and Michelle Cotter Richards
Consultants, RainMaking Oasis LLC, ©2016

Succession is on every law firm leader’s mind as it is on most law firm clients’ minds.  The demographic trends reflect the dire need to be doing more than just think and talk about it.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, eight adults per minute turn sixty-five.  Currently, nearly 48 million Americans are sixty-five or older and by 2020, 40 percent of all workers will be retirement eligible.

The Demographic Wave That is Hitting Law Firms
Lawyers and law firm demographics mirror this trend, perhaps even more so. The Altman Weil 2016 Law Firms in Transition Flash Survey indicates that 65 percent of equity partners are in their late fifties or early sixties and 63 percent of partners sixty and older often control 50 percent or more of their firms’ business base. Add to this the fact that 78 percent of senior partners don’t want to retire and 73 percent don’t want to forfeit current compensation by transitioning client work.

To make matters more complicated, the Altman Weil survey found that only 31 percent of law firms have a formal succession plan process in place and not surprisingly, 59 percent don’t feel well-prepared for the retirement and succession of Baby Boomers. 

The most effective way for firms to steer through this demographic shift while preserving client relationships, revenue, and the firm’s legacy is to engage in formal succession planning. While most firms believe this, actually engaging in conversations about succession planning and implementing necessary policies and programs can be difficult as this topic triggers many sensitive issues. 

How Effective Succession Planning Can Preserve Firm Profitability, Talent, and Legacy
To help you initiate some of these conversations with your leadership, we share some of the most pressing reasons that firms should engage in succession planning sooner rather than later:
  • While not a pleasant thought, none of us lives or can work forever.  There are serious business risks associated with unexpected illness or death of law firm leaders and senior rainmakers.
  • As with any business plan process, succession planning enables firms to better control the firm’s future and manage downside risk.
  • Putting a succession plan in place ensures the continuity of client relationships, revenue and the firm’s legacy.
  • Clients truly value the transparency and predictability that result from effective succession planning.  Firms that engage in effective succession planning will enhance new and existing client relationships and differentiate themselves from their competitors.
  • A conscientious, articulated succession plan is appealing to your top talent because it provides a clear pathway, ensures advancement opportunities, and identifies and nurtures high potential leaders and rainmakers early. It also attracts new talent to the firm.
  • A formal and thoughtful process keeps boomer partners happy and productive and makes it more likely that that those nearing retirement will effectively transition their clients to other lawyers within the firm.
 
How to Help Your Firm Get Started with Succession Planning
There are real challenges and roadblocks that must be considered if you decide to suggest succession management initiative to your firms. Most people, and lawyers in particular, are fearful about retirement and mortality. For many lawyers, their entire lives and identities are rooted in practicing law and being a lawyer. Transitioning away from that is very scary to many.  Partners may have genuine concerns about the financial impact of retirement as a result of the effects of the 2008-9 financial crises on retirement funds, second or third families to support, or just poor personal financial planning and management. Added to that are lawyer norms that partners like their autonomy and don’t want to be forced into a discussion or policy about their clients and practice and finally an insistence that “No one can replace me” or “My clients don’t want to work with anyone else” and therefore, transitioning relationships would pose a risk.
Below are ten steps that will help you overcome these roadblocks so that you can help prepare your firm for the succession challenges ahead.     
          
10 Steps You Can Take to Get Your Firm to Develop and Implement a Succession Program:
  1. Recognize that developing a program is as much an art as a science, i.e., no two firms will be the same and no two lawyers will be the same. There are difficult and emotional issues involved which will require sensitivity and diplomacy.
  2. Conduct a three or five year analysis of your partner demographics, their productivity contributions, and their client billings. Next to each partner, also attribute other key assets, e.g., management roles and skills, institutional knowledge, specific practice expertise, mentoring skills, external/community roles and visibility, etc.
  3. Look at your top 50 clients over the past 3-5 years (remember that 80% of your revenue usually is produced by 20% of your clients) to identify which senior partners are associated with those clients, and hence, present a threat if lost or an opportunity if transitioned.
  4. Make the financial case to management about the financial risk, the potential gaps in internal and external leadership, and the loss of intangible value if an important part of your cultural history and fabric.
  5. Design a succession plan process that addresses client succession, leadership succession, timeframes and timelines, phase down options, compensation and incentives, how the program will be managed and by whom. Ideally, you will involve senior partners in the design of this program but at the very least, you must get their buy-in.
  6. Align your succession plan with your overall strategic plan, mission and values. Once approved, share the essential elements of the plan with all partners and even with associates. This will demonstrate that the firm’s succession plan is there to ensure to the long-term health and sustainability of the firm, and that is it part of the professional life cycle, not an end of life occurrence!
  7. With each top client, and with each senior rainmaker, develop a client relationship, transition and opportunity plan, as well as a workload transition plan. Identify potential successors and others and introduce them to clients, then discuss these proposed plans directly with clients to get their input.
  8. Assess the skills and roles that senior leader and rainmakers currently have that will create gaps and develop a pipeline of future leaders and rainmakers who receive training and mentoring.  If you truly do not have internal talent to fill these key skills and roles, you may have to hire laterally (even more reason to start this early so that high potential talent can be grown organically.)
  9. Work with and support individual senior partners to keep them productive and happy as they move toward retirement.  Find roles for them to play internally in training, mentoring, or pro bono or externally, in civic and community leadership roles or business development.
  10. Take a close look at how you recognize and reward partners for transitioning clients, matters and relationships – it will be important to use phased compensation and other rewards to incentivize partners to do what will be in the best, long-term interests of the firm and the firm’s clients.
 
NOTE: Please plan to attend our program during the HR section monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 21 when Susan and Michelle will engage our members on the topic of succession planning with a particular focus on employing a systematic approach to this aspect of talent management. This will be an interactive and very practical workshop and we hope you can join us!

Susan Saltonstall Duncan and Michelle Cotter Richards are consultants with RainMaking Oasis LLC, a management consulting firm that helps law firms build and grow sustainable law firms and focuses on succession, leadership, business and client development, talent and practice management

Hilltop Consultants Spotlight: Doing This One Thing Will Save You Time, Money, and Give You Peace of Mind

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Ali Seibert
Sales & Marketing Manager, Hilltop Consultants, Inc.

Standardization - a critical key to the success and profitability of firms today.  Standardization provides you the ability to create a model computer that allows for optimal productivity and efficiency.  This includes all compatible applications, current versions of software, and security policies.  Once you have one ideal computer, you can then quickly and easily replicate it to each computer within your firm.
However, standardization provides more than just replicas, it also…

Creates Efficiency
Whether it’s a new hire starting on the same day, or a partner’s computer crashed and needs to be immediately replaced, implementing standardization will significantly reduce the amount of time needed to get a new computer up and running.  Without standardization, setting up a computer can take anywhere from several hours to an entire day to manually install each application one by one.  Similarly, installing or upgrading new applications across an entire organization can be a time consuming and cumbersome task, especially if you are doing it one computer at a time.
 
Through replicating the original, model computer, standardization provides employees the ability to turn on a new computer that contains a copy, or “image”, of the original machine.  In a matter of minutes, the user profile is restored with all applications, security policies and settings. If there is an upgrade or new application being deployed, once the change is made to the original machine, it can then be effortlessly deployed across the entire firm virtually overnight.

Ensures Compatibility
There are constantly new tools being developed to help firms increase productivity, and while it may seem beneficial to allow employees test out new tools, it’s important to make sure that it will not cause their computer or the firm’s network any downtime. For example, if a user downloads a program that is an add-on to Microsoft Word, it could cause separate Word add-ons, such as Workshare or iManage to crash. When standardization policies are not in place to protect a firm’s systems, it can cost a firm immeasurable downtime and significant costs to fix applications, computers, and networks.

Another common compatibility issue that can be eliminated through standardization is an employee operating on a separate or outdated version of an application. Standardization enables firms to ensure that all employees are operating on the same versions of any applications.  This is seen most frequently with applications like Microsoft Word which will cause compatibility issues when users are operating on different versions.  Developing standard applications ensures that users aren't able to download programs on their own, that are either unapproved or not compatible with their operating systems and other applications. Having this standardization in place will translate to less downtime for you, and less repairs for your IT department.

Provides Security
Implementing standardized security policies will also ensure greater protection for your firm. There are often numerous cyber security risks associated with working on outdated applications, unmonitored Internet browsers, and risky downloads.  Setting firm security standards will allow you to control the policies on each employee’s machine, blocking them from engaging in dangerous behavior that could jeopardize the security of the firm.  It will also enable you to quickly and easily push through security patches and updates, protecting your firm from hackers or security loopholes.

Firms that strategically invest in standardizing their practice and leveraging technology achieve more efficient and more secure practices.  Our certified IT strategists can assist you with developing strategies that cover all facets of your IT, both now and in the future. They will help you define practical, actionable roadmaps and standardized operating procedures, in order to protect your firm. Call 1 (877) 365 TECH (8324) or email us at [email protected] to learn how your firm can implement standardization today!

July Quarterly Networking Lunch: Best of DC Scholarship Celebration

LaVerna Anenia, SPHR
Office Administrator, Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, PC
Vice President Community Services
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What inspires you?  Some would say, “mountain climbing” while others may say things like “seeing people overcome large obstacles” or that “a particular prominent person” is inspirational to them.  There will always most certainly be a variety of answers to this question.  When someone inspires you, they force you to think broader and taller, or even to manifest their strength as your own.

Inspiration was absolutely in full effect at the ALA Capital Chapter (ALACC) Quarterly Networking Lunch on July 13, 2016 where we honored our 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship recipient, Philip O’Sullivan, who will be attending the University of Chicago in the fall, and also highlighted our past scholarship winners. 

While we recognized the “best” of the scholarship applicants, we also recognized the “Best of DC” cuisine.  The menu featured a Pad Thai station representing CityCenter, a brisket station representing Capitol Hill, a crab cake station representing the Waterfront, and a crepe station representing Eastern Market. For dessert, we enjoyed Chicago-themed treats: s’mores pizza, Palmer House brownies, and Garrett’s popcorn, to give our scholarship winner a taste of his new college town!

This yearly event is a favorite of so many members because it is a time to praise our youth for their accomplishments and encourage and support their future aspirations.  It is also a time to praise our fellow colleagues for their philanthropic efforts, i.e., hours of mentoring and giving back during scholarship interviews.  It is a time to be proud of our legal administration community for carrying on the legacy of Toni K. Allen, a fierce advocate for higher education.  This scholarship has been given out in her name since 2003.  Finally, it is a time to jump start fundraising for next year’s scholarship award.  At the luncheon, ALACC members, ALACC executive committee and leadership team members, the ALACC past presidents and ALACC business partners raised $ 3,090.00 for the 2017 scholarship fund!

The Toni K. Allen scholarship helps makes bright futures possible for high school students in the District of Columbia.  This year, the scholarship committee received 7 qualified applicants from 4 different DC public schools; Benjamin Banneker High School, Thurgood Marshall Academy, School Without Walls and the Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School. 
Our scholarship recipient, Philip O’ Sullivan, attended the luncheon with his very proud parents, Melody Webb and Steve O’Sullivan.  Philip graduated with a 4.15 GPA and ranked 7 out of a graduating class of 137, also scoring a 2110 SAT score.  Philip was on the varsity rowing team and held several internships such as a HR Clerk at Arnold & Porter LLP and a Museum Assistant at the Mary McLeod Bethune House.

This aspiring attorney said of his future, “I hope that one day, through hard work; I can be the next prominent lawyer fighting to make the world a better place for those in my community who are marginalized or left without a voice.”  This incredibly humble young person will go far and will be a great example to future Toni K. Allen scholarship recipients. 

Inspirational is an accurate way to describe the quarterly networking lunch.  With a group of professionals such as the ALACC members and business partners, excellence, dedication, passion and class are always in abundance! 

A very special recognition is also given to the scholarship interviewers and panels for their dedication and hard work throughout the interview process: Cindy Schuler, Chief HR Officer at Sterne Kessler; Tiffany Montgomery, National HR Manager at Vinson & Elkins; Pamela Wilson, HR Manager at Wilkinson Barker Knauer; Peter Thaler, Senior Vice President of HITT; Pheobe Smith, Office Manager at the Fair labor Association and Judy A. Scriber - Human Resources Manager at Alston & Bird; Karen Gallagher, Office Manager at Banner & Witcoff; Beth Fowler, Administrator at Robbins, Russell; Claudia Baragano, HR Manager at Kelley Drye; Tara Gray, Business Solutions Manager at Adams & Martin Group and Mary Randolph, Operations Manager at Wilmer Hale.  Mary Randolph is also Philip’s mentor and will help Philip navigate the challenges ahead, help empower him to succeed in college and achieve his ambitions.
 
Want to help future scholarship recipients fund their dreams? Here are 2 ways to help:
  1. Click here to make a donation to the Toni K. Allen Scholarship Fund
  2. Click here to purchase the Event Planning Guide eBook for only $25! The book provides data, tips, and recommendations for events and morale boosters that you can implement in your firm throughout the year, and 100% of the proceeds fund the Toni K. Allen Scholarship. Impress your coworkers while helping a send D.C. high school senior to college!

July Lunch & Learn: Fundamentals of Project Management for Law Firms

Because clients are demanding more from their law firms in the form of efficiency, transparency and accountability, ALA hosted its quarterly lunch and learn focused on Project Management unique to law firms.   Cara Parker, PMP from C Parker Consulting, Inc. in Fredericksburg facilitated the activity-based event.  Members shared about their projects ranging from developing a client database to writing HR policy manuals to constructing build-outs.  Cara stated, “it really doesn’t matter the type of project, the principles of managing them are the same.” 
 
During the 90-minute session, members paired up and assessed their projects against the six components realizing a change to one component likely meant changes to the other five components.  Those components include: scope, quality, schedule, budget, resources, and risk.  The participants walked through the five phases of a project lifecycle and received four tools/templates to help them manage each phase.  Cara continually stressed the importance of the planning phase quoting a famous lawyer, Benjamin Franklin, “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
 
Materials from the lunch and learn can be found here.  Cara is also available for further consultation and welcomes questions at: [email protected]

How to Survive Your First Weeks Back from Maternity Leave

Lori Mihalich-Levin, JD
Founder, Mindful Return

As your maternity leave draws to a close, you’re likely a big jumble of emotions. No need for me to spell them out - if you’re about to become a working-outside-the-home mama, you know the spectrum from dread to glee.

Let’s spend some time thinking about what actually happens at your job, though, once you’ve arrived back on your employer’s clock. What will those first few weeks back at the office really look like? And what can make them just a tiny bit easier for you?

Below find 3 real questions from real mamas who I’ve coached in my Mindful Return E-Course (next one is Jan 11, ladies!). Here’s my advice on how to head back to the office feeling calm, supported, productive and satisfied:

Question: I’m worried that I won’t be able to catch up on everything I missed while I was out on maternity leave. How will I possibly have time to do the work that’s required now and read my e-mail backlog, learn what happened while I was gone, and feel like I don’t have a big knowledge gap?

Answer: This was absolutely one of my fears, and with my first kiddo, I did it entirely wrong. I tried to catch up on everything I missed while I was out, plow through all those e-mails...and quickly got overwhelmed.

My advice? Schedule 30-60 minute meetings with your key stakeholders at work (direct reports, bosses, key members of your teams) throughout the first few weeks you’re back. Ask them (1) to give you highlights of what happened while you were gone, and (2) to advise you on how you can contribute best right now. Then let go of whatever happened. Don’t read every old e-mail. And don’t worry about knowing every detail of what happened while you were out. Look ahead and focus on what you can add to the team moving forward.

(Note: this strategy works to give yourself a fresh start, if you’ve already gone back, have little ones, and are feeling behind.)

Question: I’m really dreading the actual week of returning to work. Between trusting a new caregiver for my munchkin, feeling sad about separating, and wondering how I’ll function on so little sleep, I’m really anxious. What if I’m a teary mess at the office?

Answer: Set yourself up to be surrounded by others who will understand and have been there. Everything you’re describing is completely normal. (Yes, we all cry when we go back to work.) So before you go back, get in touch with other working parents at your office or who work near you, and set up lunches with them for the first week back. They’ll be able to relate to what you’ve been through, for sure. If you shed a few tears over lunch, they won’t judge you. And chances are, you’ll look forward to lunch with some good adult (though likely kid-related) conversation.

If you’re a parent who has already gone back to work, help those new parents at your office with their return. Reach out to them, find out their return-to-work date, and offer to take them out to lunch that first week back. They will probably be thrilled to hear from you and delighted you thought of them.

Question: How on earth will I ever feel productive at work again, between having to leave “early” to pick up my child before daycare closes, taking pump breaks, and having to stay home when my baby gets sick?

​Answer: Take the long view, mama. Your career is more like a marathon than a sprint. You will discover new super-powers of efficiency at work (I promise!). And studies show that over the long term, women with children are actually more productive than their peers. So take deep breath. Cut yourself some lots of slack. And ease back in as you’re able. Give yourself time - I’m talking the better part of a year - to feel more like yourself.
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And finally, if your employer doesn’t accommodate an easing-back-in transition period with some compassion and understanding, perhaps it’s time to think about a change. I’ve coached women who have made a job change shortly after returning from maternity leave, so I know it can be done. Resources like Fairygodboss can also help you figure out which employers out there are truly family friendly.

This article has been reprinted with permission from the author.
Yee Haw! Secretary-Elect Karen Jenkins represented the Capital Chapter in style at ALA's 2016 Chapter Leadership Institute conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Richard Gibson, Barbara Mannix, Claudia Baragano, and Paula Serratore also attended the conference. 

Promoting Inclusion Increases Security and Trust

Howie Schafer
Chief Inclusion Officer, Bonanza Communications

You know the drill. If you see an abandoned backpack at the airport, you tell security. If you hear people plotting violence, you tell the police. When it comes to fighting terrorism, vigilance and prevention save lives. When it comes to creating inclusive behaviors and organizational cultures the same deal applies, “If you see something, say something.”

Being sensitive to possible attacks and doing whatever we can to prevent violence is something most people seem willing to do. Imagine what might happen if we were equally willing to say something when we encounter exclusion or disrespect. We all have the power to call out:
  • inappropriate humor
  • comments about physical appearance
  • disrespectful interactions
  • colleagues taking credit for the work of others
  • high-potential talent getting overlooked
  • And other behaviors and actions that decrease trust, productivity, opportunity, performance, and profit.
 
From law firms to retailers, professional services to healthcare, increasing and improving organizational inclusion and diversity is a key ingredient in making these organizations more profitable and more successful. Making people feel seen, heard and valued has strengthened the effectiveness and the brand of top law firms and corporate powerhouses such as McDonald’s, Sodexo and Starbucks. As a result, industry diversity leaders are more global in their appeal to both talent and consumers. And, workplaces have become more flexible and inclusive.

When confronted with exclusion, many people feel powerless, defensive, and apprehensive. If you see your boss repeatedly asking the same person to accept high-profile client assignments, shouting out, “How about giving a shot to someone different for a change?” might not be the best way to go. However, a private conversation sharing that you have witnessed a pattern, might help a leader see into a blind spot. Trying to fix others is a dangerous and complicated business. And, starting my acknowledging your own bias or past mistakes can make your comments seem less judging or blaming. For example, if you hear a colleague using a culturally or racially insensitive comment, you can say, “At first I was a bit defensive and felt corrected when a friend pointed out that many people in wheelchairs don’t want you to push their chair if they appear to be stuck. Simply asking if they need any help is best. But, I am glad they cared enough to point it out to me.”

It is best to start with yourself by doing your own inclusion audit. Do you have a type of person you feel most comfortable with? Why? Do you have people you automatically turn to for help? Are there others you can bring into that circle of trust and opportunity? Are you uncomfortable giving honest feedback to some groups of people? Why? Every organization has its own “us vs. them”. What are you doing each day to make others feel like “one of us?”
           
Some organizations are great at hiring diverse talent, yet poor at retaining diverse talent. Hiring a more diverse staff doesn’t do much good if new colleagues are not made to feel welcome and if they cannot see a clear pathway to long-term career success. Sometimes the newest employees are able to bring fresh wisdom and insights. If a new person is being left out of meetings, email chains, project teams and more, it’s not a difficult thing to notice and address. Everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed and enjoy the pride of accomplishment. Everyone deserves the opportunity to also fail, and learn from the experience.
           
Then there are matters of corporate culture. Some organizations place a big premium on frequent after-work gatherings at bars. Such activities can be a great way to improve working relationships but they also can be difficult for lower-paid employees who are on tight budgets. Or for those who need to collect children from day care. Or for those who don’t drink for reasons of religion or health. The same can be true for people with disabilities that don’t maneuver easily in busy bars and restaurants, or people with addictions or in recovery for whom being around alcohol can be a trigger. Making sure that a wide variety of opportunities exist for colleagues to engage socially is great for office morale and a strategy for breaking down walls and obstacles to authentic professional relationships.

Here are just three (of many) easy tips for saying something when you see something isn’t quite right regarding inclusion in the workplace:
  1. If something just doesn’t seem right (people aren’t included at meetings, left out of project teams and email chains), say something to someone who can help. Especially if you are that someone.
  2. If you hear language that doesn’t belong anywhere, much less in the workplace, say something. Human resources offices exist in part to handle such issues. You may not only prevent a lawsuit but you may help make it possible to retain great employees. And, if some employees don’t seem to talk much at meetings or on conference calls, encourage them to jump in. They may have been looking for cues to know it is safe to contribute.
  3. The social side of work can be very important for building staff morale and cohesion. If you see someone isn’t attending organizational social gatherings or participating in informal office conversations, say something. There may be very good reasons for their absence or non-participation. There also may be good reasons to re-work interactions and gatherings to encourage greater involvement from everyone.
             
​It has been said that diversity means you have been invited to the party. Inclusion means you have been asked to dance. Are you dancing? Do you see others not dancing? If you see something, say something. Don’t be a bystander when it comes to creating great places to work and grow.
 
Howie Schaffer is the Chief Inclusion Officer of Bonanza Communications, a consulting firm dedicated to increasing organizational inclusion and leadership effectiveness. You can reach him at www.inclusionworld.com

​Sustainability Tip of the Month

This month's tip is provided by Silver Business Partner Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

August is for summer hours!  Encourage attorneys and staff to work from home on weekends, rather than in the office.  Cutting weekend hours will reduce energy usage and operating cost passthroughs to the firm.
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To find out how to get the full value for real estate savings through greening your lease, reach out to Jennifer Tatum at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank at 202-312-5771.

HR Section Update

Carmen C. Barboza
HR Manager, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara P.C.
Chair, Human Resources Section

The HR section invited Jason Levin, Career and Outplacement Coach at Ready, Set, Launch, LLC (www.readysetlaunch.net) to join our July meeting and lead a discussion around the subject of outplacement and career transitions. Legal outplacement is a support service that is offered to aid attorneys and other executive-level professionals who are exiting the business, whether voluntarily or not. The goal of an outplacement coach is to offer tools that will help the employee orient themselves with the job market, and help them target specific industries and jobs that would be a good fit.
 
We typically think of outplacement to be solely to the employee’s benefit. During our discussion, however, Mr. Levin presented some of the benefits of outplacement for the employer. By providing the departing employee with tools to ease the transition, we also make their exit out of the firm a more pleasant experience; ensuring that they become ambassadors who would promote the firm to others. Additionally, it boosts morale among the retained employees. While involuntary departures will still be difficult, by assisting the departing employee, we not only mitigate some of the risks associate with terminations, but it could also protect our firm’s image on social media. Departing employees who have been aided in their transition into a new job are less likely to disparage their previous employer on social media.
 
The reasons a departing employee meets with a coach are varied. As Mr. Levin explained, some people need help reorienting themselves with the market after being employed for three decades. Others realize that perhaps a career in the legal field is not for them, so they need assistance tapping into other networks. Or sometimes they just need to find a job immediately because of financial circumstances. Whatever the case may be, outplacement coaches set up intake meetings at the beginning of the engagement to discuss goals, define next steps, and develop an action that plan. According to Mr. Levin, engagements can range from three weeks, up to eight months.
 
Not all firms have a budget that covers outplacement. For larger firms, however, the question centered on timing. Exit interviews can be quite unpleasant for a departing employee, and the message they leave with is usually a negative one. Offering outplacement services during an exit interview might actually lose its intended effect on the employee. Instead, we discussed offering outplacement before the employee has departed. In some instances, employees are given a few weeks before their last day. In that case, offering outplacement services might benefit them while they are still employed.
 
Outplacement is an option when thinking about tools we can offer current and departing employees in order to transition into other careers. Mr. Levin’s presentation was engaging and provoked discussion among the group not only focused on outplacement, but also on how we manage terminations. We all came away with ideas and suggestions on how to handle our process, and considering outplacement if our firms do not already offer it as an option. 

​Click Here to view the presentation slides.

Join Your Peers – Become an Urban Alliance Job Partner

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Urban Alliance was founded in Washington, DC almost 20 years ago to concurrently meet the needs of the City’s youth and business communities. Through partnering with businesses, we provide youth meaningful, early employment and concurrently benefit businesses by providing trained, motivated youth ready to work.  Here’s a short video which shows how the program works.  Urban Alliance partners with over 100 businesses in the DC region, including several law firms. 
 
William Ackerman at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP says, “Urban Alliance has provided us with interns who have been enthusiastic about learning how a law firm operates.  By working alongside the attorneys and the Firm's support staff in organizing their files, the interns get a real perspective of how a law firm functions on a daily basis.”

Cecil Atkinson comments, “Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is committed to always serving the community.  Because of that, we work with Urban Alliance to continue in the Firm’s theme of giving…

Interns become a part of the team, we integrate them into the team so they can feel the successes they are a part of.”

Urban Alliance launched with 5 students from Anacostia High School in 1996 and has grown to engage more than 150 students/year from across the City in its transformational High School Internship Program. Working with Urban Alliance helps businesses:
  • Build a robust employee pipeline
  • Diversify staff
  • Invest in our community
  • Develop current staff

For more information, please reach out to Urban Alliance DC executive director, Nathaniel Cole: [email protected]. 

How's Your "Get Along" IQ?

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

​Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 on the statements below:
 
1-Never
2-Almost never
3-Sometimes
4-Almost always
5-Always
 
How often do you ...
 
____ Listen to others attentively, even when you disagree?
____ Boost good feelings in others?
____ Project a positive presence?
____ Express a positive attitude even when it’s difficult?
____ Give people credit for their ideas?
____ Resolve conflicts with diplomacy?
____ Treat others with respect even when you find it challenging to do so?
____ Honor differences of opinion and keep an open mind?
____ Act as a catalyst to help others get what they want?
____ Accept responsibility for a mistake you’ve contributed to or caused?
____ Adapt how you communicate in order to be most effective in relating to the needs of others?
____ Seek to understand how others see a situation?
____ Provide ample opportunity for people to air their grievances or concerns?
____ Give feedback tactfully and receive it willingly?
____ Work to find the best possible solutions for all parties involved when disputes arise?
­­____ Model the same behaviors you want others to express?
____ Seek to respond to what others want or need?
____ Master your emotions when angry or frustrated?
­­­____ Create a sense of safety and openness?
____ Keep current as to what’s important and valued by others in every arena of your life?
____ Act in ways that make people feel valued?
____ Drop any need to be right?
____ Let go of grudges?
____ Keep your commitments or promises?
____ Communicate respect in everything you say and do?
 
Scores:
115-125: You’re a Get Along guru!
105-114: You’re using some excellent connection strategies, but you’re missing some important connecting cues.
95-104: Being responsive to others is music to their ears! Explore more ways to connect to what others want, need or value.
94 and under: Pump up your Get Along Power! You may find yourself often frustrated from misunderstandings, disappointments and missed connection opportunities. 

 
Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (certified speaking professional) is a speaker, trainer, presentations coach and facilitator with over 2,500 presentations. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz” and “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” www.arnoldsanow.com – [email protected]  

Sign up for Arnold's 2 minute tips newsletter at [email protected]
Want to start your own speaking and training business?  Contact Arnold at 703-255-3133 

Administrative Committees

Communications and Media Relations
As members of the Newsletter and Media Relations Committee, Chapter members participate in producing the award-winning Capital Connection. Members gather to brainstorm new ideas for editorial themes for upcoming editions. The newsletter reports Chapter business activities such as Section and Committee news and provides information about upcoming educational and other events. It also includes articles of interest to members and other legal management personnel, collected, authored and/or edited by members of the committee. This committee also works with other legal associations and the media to ensure that ALA and the Capital Chapter are represented in the legal industry. The Newsletter Committee welcomes new members.

Contact: Jacqueline Moline, [email protected]; Paula Serratore, [email protected]

Diversity & Inclusion
The Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is a professional organization comprised of administrative managers from private, corporate and government legal organizations in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland areas.  ALACC embraces and encourages diversity within the legal profession. We value diversity and those initiatives that promote it and look to partner with affiliated professional legal organizations to advance diversity. We not only strive to raise awareness, but to increase our sensitivity in the area of diversity and more closely reflect the diversity of our community at large. Having a more inclusive and diverse legal community will improve the quality of our organizations workforce and respond to our client’s requirements for diversity. As a committee we are very interested in your thoughts, comments, and suggestions about achieving greater diversity in our Chapter, our profession, and in our firms. 

Contact: Vanessa Partin (Co-Chair), [email protected]; Cindy Schuler (Co-Chair), [email protected] 
Salary Survey
The Salary Survey Committee is responsible for maintaining, updating and running the local survey each year. They review the positions listed, the job descriptions, and the benefits questions to ensure that the survey remains relevant to the end users. The members of the committee also promote the survey within the Chapter to stimulate participation. 

Contact: Sheri Shifflett (Chair), [email protected]; Emily Christianson (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]


Member Experience
The Member Experience Committee will establish a welcoming environment for new members to be integrated into the Chapter through a formal Ambassador Program. Ambassadors will provide support and guidance to new members through their first 12 months of membership, ensuring new members realize benefits of membership and become ambassadors of the Chapter. 

Contact: Barbara Kernus (Co-Chair), [email protected]; Cheryl Flynn (Co-Chair), [email protected]


Educational Sections

Branch Office Administrators
The Branch Office Adminsitrators Section focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local adminisraotrs who must coordinate with other officees of their firms. The Section's monthly luncheon meetings, held on the second Tuesday of the month, provide a venue for members to discuss issues of common interest, share ideas, and network. Members are encouraged to raise topics and to recommend speakers.

Contact: Jenna Carter (Chair),  [email protected]; Danita Ellis (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Section focuses on all aspects of legal management as it pertains to the IP Administrator. The group discusses the complexity of the ever-changing IP environment and how to effectively create and apply IP specific, non-legal procedures in both boutique and general practice firms. 

Contact: Sharon Smith (Chair), [email protected]; Kimberly J. Potter (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
Human Resources
The Human Resources Section operates as a venue for educational information on global human resources issues.  While the Section is mostly comprised of HR professionals, any member is invited to participate in the meetings which typically take place on the second or third Wednesday of each month.  The meetings feature industry speakers or roundtable discussions on topics such as recruiting, benefits, strategic planning, performance management, career pathing, retention and other matters of interest.

Contact: Carmen C. Barboza (Chair), [email protected]; Aryn Blanton (Co-Chair),  [email protected] ​
Listserv: [email protected]

Office Operations Management
The members of the Office Operations Management Section represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Office Operations Management Section (OOMS) meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month to discuss operations related hot topics. We welcome all members to join the section, especially if you are an administrator in a small law office and you have to wear multiple hats. We can provide you with many best practices to run your operation smoothly.

Contact:  Kenia Garner (Chair), [email protected]; Qeyana Hart (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]

Small Firm Management
The purpose of the Small Firm Management Section is to provide Administrators of law firms with 35 or fewer attorneys educational opportunities through vendor presentations, idea sharing and open forums specifically designed for those who work in smaller firms. The Small Firm Management Section meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at host law firms.

Contact: Julie Tomey (Chair), [email protected]; Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]


​

Finance
Based on member feedback the Capital Chapter has formed a new Finance Section. We are seeking active members to helps us get this group up and running in 2016! As we get started, we will be focusing on what issues members are facing within their firms that we may be able to help address together. Topics may range from reviewing new time and billing systems to tax filings and matter budgeting solutions and anything in between. Your input is needed! Please consider adding Finance section meetings to your monthly educational schedule.
​
Contact: Andy George (Chair),  [email protected]; Evan Kettig (Co-Chair),  [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
 
Technology
The Technology Section is looking for members to join the group for lively discussions about practical situations we all face daily in the information technology world. With ever-changing IT needs and issues, we will look at our firms' policies and procedures and help develop best practices and speak of the many concerns we all have. Even if you are not in the IT field,  your experiences and opinions will help us in bringing all departments of a law firm together and working on the same page.

Contact: Kenny Mitchell (Chair),  [email protected]; Frank Schipani (Co-Chair),  [email protected]; 
Listserv: [email protected]