February 2021

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 and/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter. 
Editors: Cindy Conover;  Beth Fowler
​Contributing Editors: Jackie Johnson; Jessie Davis; Mauricio Velásquez; Sarah E. Fortt; Allie Howen
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message: A Conversation Over a Moscow Mule – The 12 Years of Paula

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
-Winnie the Pooh
As I was in the middle of writing my February President’s message I received the news of Paula’s passing.  The world seemed to stand still and I literally could not figure out what my next move was supposed to be.  It seemed unreal.  As one of our business partners mentioned she did, the first thing I also did was grab my phone and look over, fondly, the messages we had exchanged over the past year.  I was so extremely blessed to have known Paula and to have kept in touch and I will treasure that time I had with her.  When I was looking for a way to start this message, I could not have said it better myself – how lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.  So hard.  And those of us who knew her are feeling the void as well.  When I looked up the definition of Moscow Mule -- Paula’s favorite drink -- I smiled because this phrase came up on the Grey Goose website – “Made without Compromise.  Unparalleled Quality.”  A true definition of Paula and how she ran the Chapter - with just a twist of lime and a little bit of ginger-snap.  In her last text message to me, she had such a positive outlook for 2021 and so much encouragement for the Chapter.  I will carry that with me this year and I hope that you will too.   

So with that I hit pause on my current path for my President’s message and will share it with the Chapter later in February for Black History Month, but wanted to share the 12 Years of Paula that Dot Mooney and the other Past Presidents put together for Paula’s retirement skit in December 2019.  If you missed it you are in luck, as I share the 12 years of Paula and all of the incredible lessons we all learned from a remarkable colleague and friend.  
The 12 Years of Paula sung to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas
  • In the first year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Learning you were Voluntold” – For some of us, okay, a lot of us, being “voluntold” was how we ended up here, and subsequently how we got to know Paula, and for that I am forever grateful.  
  • In the second year of Paula, the memories we made: “Scholarships for Many” – Scholarships for conference attendance allowed deserving members who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to learn and grow into some of our great ALACC leaders. 
  • In the third year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Business Partners Joining” – I know there are many Business Partners who are feeling the loss of Paula heavily as well.  She was always in your corner and I know she appreciated you.
  • In the fourth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Dinner in Park City” – Good times had by all that attended the Chapter Leadership Institute that year.  Paula had a way of making things magical for those around her.  
  • In the fifth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Cluster Busting!!!!” – Paula was great at making sure members spent quality time with Business Partners and did not just cluster together – and you can be sure that she saw you move that “Member” place card so you could sit next to a friend.  Ha!   
  • In the sixth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Aloha from Hawaii” – Why do we not have conferences in Hawaii anymore???  Here is hoping for an in-person conference later this year and a chance to raise a glass to Paula.  
  • In the seventh year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Murder Mystery Dinner” – This sounds like a lot of fun and I am sure Paula enjoyed planning it.  She loved thinking outside the box for new ways to engage the members.
  • In the eighth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Lots of QNLs” – And cluster busting place cards…
  • In the ninth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Our Community Our Kids” – For those newer to the Chapter, we had a program to assist kids in the community with their resumes and interviewing skills.  
  • In the tenth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Play Pick and Win” – One of Paula’s favorite things to do was shop for these gifts for the Annual Meeting and Holiday Party.  I got to experience the joy of it in 2019.  She took pride in scoring amazing deals and creative options.  
  • In the eleventh year of Paula, the memories we made:  “Winning Video Challenge” – Three years in a row!!!
  • In the twelfth year of Paula, the memories we made:  “All the Great Events” – I think we can all agree that Paula was the best at planning great events.  She wanted every event to be fun as well as offer the most opportunities to network.

​Paula, you will be missed by so many.  Your legacy will live on in the Capital Chapter as you have impacted so many lives.  How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. . .
Jackie Johnson

In Loving Memory of Paula Serratore

Paula Curto Serratore was tough as nails, and one of the kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. She had more gravitas than a single person should be capable of possessing, and absolutely no inside voice (both of which I believe were related to her being Italian). She was Dollar Tree’s number one spokesperson, and she continually amazed me with her $1 finds. She took a lot of pride in her cooking (again—Italian), but she also had a soft spot for Pringles. She loved Moscow Mules, Jersey Boys, and Shake Shack. But she didn’t love anything as much as she loved her grandson Daniel. When I interviewed for the Membership Coordinator & Event Planner position back in 2015, my predecessor Scoti summed it up perfectly: “The world stops for Daniel.” No matter where she was or what she was doing, if his name popped up on her phone she was off like a shot to answer it. I remember sitting across her desk from her on a conference call one afternoon. Her cellphone started to ring, and I suddenly had to carry on the Chapter Headquarters portion of the conversation solo as she launched her desk chair backward across the office to get closer to the window (the spot with the best reception) to answer Daniel’s call. She radiated pride every time she talked about him, and she was just shy of needing a forklift to get his Christmas gifts to the post office every year.

When Paula wasn’t on the phone with Daniel, she passed the time by managing the Capital Chapter. For more than 12 years she lent her passion, shrewd business sense, and boundless creativity to keeping the Chapter running like a well-oiled machine. She loved the work, and she loved the people, and it showed in everything she did. Sometimes she would come into the office in the morning with a gleam in her eye and say “so, I was thinking…” and I knew I was in for an interesting morning. She would pull out a newspaper clipping or describe a spark of inspiration that came to her in the middle of the night (she did some of her best thinking around 2 am) and we would try to figure out how to wrangle her idea into one of our events. We didn’t always manage to pull it off (her vision of an elaborate and elegant keynote speaker event modeled after one she’d attended featuring President Obama didn’t end up getting all the way off the ground), but her knack for thinking big brought us everything from a mindfulness-themed networking lunch (complete with a spa cuisine menu and an adult coloring book at each place setting) to an unforgettable Business Partner Appreciation event at Nationals Park. I learned so much from her in the four years that we worked together, in between eating Twizzlers, yelling to each other back and forth between our open office doors, and laughing until we cried.

I’ve been trying to write this for the better part of a week, and no matter how much I type and erase, I keep running into the same problem: nothing I write here is going to be able to sum Paula up. It isn’t possible; you had to know her. She had a huge personality and a huge heart, and she lived an incredible life. The thought that someone so smart and funny and bold and full of life is gone breaks my heart. Having to say goodbye is devastating, but I’m truly grateful that she was a part of my life. So I’ll remember her every time I drink a Moscow Mule or have a crazy idea, and I’ll do my best to do her proud—carry myself with confidence, always salt my pasta water, and strive for “hot and jazzy” in all things.  

Jessie Davis
ALA Capital Chapter Membership Coordinator & Event Planner, 2015-2019

​In Memory of Paula Serratore

The Newsletter Committee expresses its deepest sympathy to Paula’s family and friends.
In one of her roles for the Chapter, she was the Associate Editor of the
ALA Capital Chapter’s Newsletter for many years.

Paula’s obituary can be found on the Collins Funeral Home website: 
​www.collinsfuneralhome.com

If the World Were a Village of 100

Submitted by Mauricio Velásquez
President, The Diversity Training Group

If we could turn the population of the earth into a small community of 100 people, keeping the same proportions we have today, it would look something like this. . .
ETHNICITY:
  • 61 Asians
  • 13 Africans
  • 12 Europeans
  • 8 North Americans
  • 5 South Americans & the Caribbean
  • 1 from Oceania
GENDER:
  • 50 male
  • 50 female
RELIGION
  • 33 are Christian
  • 21 are Muslims
  • 13 are Hindus
  • 6 are Buddhists
  • 1 is Sikhs
  • 1 is Jewish
  • 11 practice other religions
  • 11 are non-religious
  • 3 are Atheists
SKIN COLOR: 
  • 70 non-white
  • 30 white
LANGUAGE: 
  • 17 speak Chinese
  • 9 speak English
  • 8 speak Hindi
  • 6 speak Russian
  • 6 speak Spanish
  • 4 speak Arabic 
  • 50 speak other languages 
FOOD: 
  • 30 would always have enough to eat (15 would be overweight) 
  • 50 would be malnourished 
  • 20 would be undernourished (1 would be dying of starvation) 
FREEDOMS: 
  • 48 can't speak, act according to their faith and conscience due to harassment, imprisonment, torture or death
  • 52 can 
  • 20 live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attack, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups 
  • 80 do not 
EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY: 
  • 12 are unable to read 
  • 1 has a college degree 
  • 12 own a computer 
  • 8 have an internet connection 
HEALTH: 
  • 12 are disabled 
  • 1 adult has HIV/AIDS LIVING STANDARDS 
  • 43 live without basic sanitation 
  • 20 have no clean, safe water to drink 
  • 80 live in substandard housing 
  • 68 breathe clean air 
  • 32 breathe polluted air 
MONEY: 
  • 6 people own 59% of the world's wealth (all of them from the United States) 
  • 74 people own 39% 
  • 20 people share the remaining 2% 
  • 21 people live on $1.25 (US) per day or less 
  • The village spend $1.24 trillion (US) on military expenditures 
  • $100 billion (US) on development aid

If you keep your food in a refrigerator, your clothes in a closet,
If you have a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head, you are richer than 75% of the entire world population.

Appreciate what you have & do your best for a better world. 
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SOURCE: OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE 
Other Resources: Website: http://www.100people.org/statistics_100stats.php. Book: If the World Were a Village, by David J. Smith Video (older) – multiple videos on YouTube, most recent is 2019 edition
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I was raised by my wonderful immigrant parents and they taught me and I say this to my own family -- “Don’t think of those who have more (envy) but rather focus on (care, be concerned for) those who have less!” – Mauricio Velásquez

This You?  Five Practical Steps for Matching Your Diversity Walk to Your Diversity Talk

Sarah E. Fortt
Counsel, Vinson & Elkins LLP

Facebook, Inc. recently posted “Black lives matter.  We stand with the Black community” to its own Facebook page.  Starbucks Corporation is “committed to taking action, learning, and supporting our Black partners, customers and communities.”  Chevron Corporation has published statements from its leaders on racial injustice and discrimination.  Discovery, Inc., the parent company of the Discovery channel, hosts a conversation led by Oprah on “Where Do We Go From Here?” and posted “Discovery will always stand for mutual respect, equality and acceptance.  #BlackLivesMatter” to its website.  Countless other companies have expressed their #support for #racialjustice.

Statements like these have been positively received by some, but also have resulted in questions regarding the consistency between companies’ messages and their actions.  A few companies have been on the receiving end of #thisyou campaigns, social media callouts that reference companies’ past controversial and sometimes racist ads or positions posted by the company itself or key employees, as well as similar tweets and messages questioning companies’ motivations and consistency.  Companies that do not want their statements to be a one-time event must consider how to make concrete, long-term changes to reflect a shift in their corporate culture that aligns with those statements, and yet not all of those companies are likely to know where to start.  Here, I outline five practical suggestions for how companies can match their diversity walk to their diversity talk.

Consider the consistency of your message across all disclosures and your litigation strategies. It is not unusual for a company to take one position with respect to its labor and employment-related litigation and shareholder engagement on matters relating to diversity — specifically, a position in which the company declines to make certain policy changes or disclosures — and another position in its “value” statements.  These two positions are not necessarily incompatible.  Just because a company wants to do diversity in its own way and on its own schedule does not mean that it is against the concept of enhancing and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity.  However, it is a reality I raise to make a broader point:  Companies often make “value” statements, including statements on diversity, sustainability and corporate culture, through their marketing or public relations groups and those statements often have not been reviewed by the company personnel charged with overseeing the legal strategy and content of required corporate disclosures.  This is almost always a mistake.  At best, if these statements contradict or appear to contradict other disclosures the company has made, the company is likely to be accused of “virtue signaling,” which investors and the public alike mistrust.  At worst, these statements may contradict current litigation strategies or create potential litigation risk in the future, a possibility we have already seen play out in the climate change space.  In order for value statements to carry real weight, companies need to do the hard work of assessing the degree to which those statements should influence their litigation strategies and shareholder engagement efforts.

Review your ethics reporting practices and structures. Most companies have several options for employees to internally report ethical violations or violations of the law or company policy.  Because companies’ codes of conduct or ethics frequently include anti-discrimination and harassment considerations, these reporting mechanisms also often include any reports on these matters.  Reporting options often include employees’ managers, the HR department, the legal and compliance department, and the audit committee of the board, and may also include an anonymous hotline.  While companies frequently consider how employees can report violations or suspected violations if their managers are directly involved in the suspected behavior, companies do not always consider whether employees will be comfortable reporting issues regarding racial or gender-based discrimination or harassment to a manager who they do not believe has had similar life experiences.  If employees do not have that level of comfort with a manager or other person in leadership, issues may be allowed to fester.   

When I speak to clients and organizations on corporate culture, at times I touch on the power of these “bedrock” cultures.  “Bedrock” cultures are the backgrounds, identities and experiences that individuals walk into the organization with — the more similar individuals’ bedrock cultures are, the more likely they are to have a shared experience of the corporate culture with minimal intentional input from the organization.  However, few companies are, or should be, homogeneous from stem to stern.  While diversity in leadership, and particularly at the board level, has received a fair amount of attention over the past few years, one of the benefits of diversity at every level of the organization is that it can aid in creating the opportunity for shared experiences of the corporate culture throughout the organization.

Companies that want to find ways to thoughtfully improve their practices and procedures should consider reviewing their ethics reporting structures.  Do employees have options for reporting to leaders who the employees are more likely to feel have had similar life experiences?  If reporting options are limited, has the company considered how to provide employees with other options for discussing race or gender-based concerns (i.e., an independent counsellor)?  This may be an add-on to the company’s employee assistance program or a separation program.

Companies should also consider whether the content of their codes of conduct and ethics address the seriousness of race and gender-based discrimination and harassment.  Does the company’s code of conduct or ethics stress the seriousness of race and gender-based discrimination and harassment, including microaggressions?  Do the company’s anti-retaliation statements cover reports of discrimination and harassment?  Treating race and gender-based discrimination and harassment as serious ethical issues, rather than simply labor or potential litigation issues, may more effectively embed a shared respect for others within the corporate culture.  Any changes made to the code of conduct or ethics should be appropriately communicated to members of the company’s community.

Consider providing ally trainings and education. Many companies have diversity programs that include opportunities for diverse employees with similar backgrounds, identities and experiences to socialize and support each other.  Diversity programs often also include nondiverse individuals who identify as “allies.”  While allies generally do not share the backgrounds, identities or experience of those they aim to support, they may be included in a company’s diversity program’s efforts or events to promote community.  And while nondiverse allies can provide diversity programs with powerful internal support, ally groups may also include individuals whose good intentions cannot completely make up for their lack of exposure to the stories and experiences of those they wish to support.  It can be easy to assume that anyone who is a “good person” is equipped to be an effective ally, but this is unfortunately frequently not the case.

In my professional years, I have heard of countless examples of careless words and moments — self-identified allies who suggested to a gay colleague that he did not “seem gay,” asked a Latina employee whether she had come to the U.S. the “right way,” misgendered a nonbinary employee, told a Black colleague that the ally in question “did not see color,” asked an Asian employee where she was “from, from,” and worse — much of which could have been avoided had appropriate training opportunities been provided.  While companies often provide anti-discrimination and harassment trainings, limiting employees’ options to these leaves a critical gap — the cultivation of empathy and understanding regarding the experiences of other people — that can be filled through thoughtful trainings and education that equip self-identified allies to become allies that diverse people recognize as such.

Reconsider your approaches to employee reviews. Approaches to employee reviews vary about as widely as organizational structures, however, it is not unusual for reviews, to the extent they take place at all, to be highly subjective.  And it is easy for unconscious bias to hide in the subjective nature of performance reviews.  In early 2019, the Harvard Business Review published an article titled “Why Most Performance Evaluations Are Biased, and How to Fix Them.”[1]  In describing what the article refers to as the “problem of the ‘open box’,” the authors state:

The ambiguity of these questions is by design: They are general and open-ended precisely because they must apply to everyone in the organization, regardless of level or function. So when the form states “Describe the ways the employee’s performance met your expectations,” managers are expected to remember or figure out on their own what the specific expectations were for that particular employee.

The trouble is, when the context and criteria for making evaluations are ambiguous, bias is more prevalent. As many studies have shown, without structure, people are more likely to rely on gender, race, and other stereotypes when making decisions – instead of thoughtfully constructing assessments using agreed-upon processes and criteria that are consistently applied across all employees.

The articles goes on to suggest (1) creating a rubric for evaluations, (2) creating better prompts, and (3) running consistency checks.  These are great suggestions, but they fail to address the problem of unconscious bias at its source, and so they put the onus on the company to find ways to circumvent or mitigate its effects.  Build a more effective mouse trap is effectively the article’s advice.  I suggest doing that and better — train the mouse.  Increasingly, there are methodologies, assessments and trainings to help us recognize and overcome the effects of our own unconscious biases.  Companies that want to find ways to shift their corporate culture to be more inclusive of diverse peoples should do both — review and improve the performance review process and provide those with responsibilities for completing reviews with unconscious bias training.  Reviewing and improving the performance review process should include encouraging managers to provide real-time feedback in addition to (or even instead of) written reviews, but managers must first be equipped to recognize and address their unconscious bias.  Taking these steps may not only improve the ways in which diverse people experience the organization’s culture, it may also improve productivity and retention of diverse individuals.

Have the hard conversations about “sacred cows.” As I mentioned in my last article, “Three Things Crisis Can Teach Us About Corporate Culture,” when I engage with companies on the topic of corporate cultural wellness, I often discuss the importance of identifying “sacred cows” and exploring whether they are creating risks that are going unmanaged and unmitigated.  “Sacred cows” are people, products, or principles that an organization will go to any lengths to protect.  A sacred cow may be a charismatic or particularly powerful leader or founder, a product or customer that makes the company more money than any other, a strategy or business approach that the company uses to distinguish itself in its industry, or any other thing that the company prioritizes and protects.  It is not unusual for a company’s culture itself to become a sacred cow.  Have you ever worked at an organization where you regularly heard this or something similar? — “Our culture is our biggest strength,” or “Our culture is our number one asset.”  Often companies that idealize their corporate culture in this way fail to explore the ways in which their cultures are not working for a subset of individuals.  Other sacred cows that may put creating an inclusive culture at risk include particularly powerful leaders or customers who do not support the organization’s goals with respect to diversity and inclusion.  Often companies do not have the hard conversations about a sacred cow until there is a crisis brought on by the unwillingness to explore the risks that that sacred cow is creating — a leader who is “caught on tape,” a whistleblower who claims the company has a culture of discrimination or harassment, a prized company process or procedure that is reported as having a significant disparate effect on a subset of employees.  A company that is willing to explore sacred cows in advance of such a crisis is likely to have a healthier approach to supporting and including diverse members of its community.

Companies should not remain silent on issues of importance; they should speak not only to their value but to their values.  But statements should always be meaningful, and companies should be fully equipped, and proud, to be able to back up those statements with verifiable practices.  In other words, make the walk match the talk.


Sarah Fortt is Counsel at Vinson & Elkins in Austin, TX. Her practice is focused on board-level matters and she regularly engages with boards, public and private, on matters regarding corporate governance, disclosure and regulation, and provides board education, representation and engagement on topics including corporate culture and disclosure, reporting requirements, “ESG” (environmental, social and governance) matters, investor engagement, board composition and board and c-suite succession planning and transition management.

[1] Lori Mackenzie , JoAnne Wehner & Shelley J. Correll, Why Most Performance Evaluations Are Biased, and How to Fix Them, Harv. Bus. Rev. (Jan. 11, 2019), https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-most-performance-evaluations-are-biased-and-how-to-fix-them.

6 Benefits of a Culturally Diverse Workplace

Allie Howen
Senior Content Manager, iSolved

To develop a culturally diverse workplace, leadership teams need to bring together people from a wide variety of backgrounds and demographics and enable them to work together in a welcoming and supportive environment. 

Since most workplaces aren’t inherently set up to support this type of environment, it is up to business and human resource (HR) leaders to bring this vision to life by implementing diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. The energy put into fostering an inclusive and culturally diverse workplace comes with many benefits, including:

  1. Increasing Employee Engagement
    Hiring a culturally diverse staff won’t make a difference if HR leaders don’t cultivate an inclusive and supportive environment for every employee. After all, a positive working environment will encourage employees to contribute their ideas and stay engaged within their roles.

  2. Improving Innovation
    Diversity can boost creativity within the workplace. In fact, a study from Boston Consulting Group found that diverse leadership teams can have a positive impact on innovation. This is because people with different backgrounds will oftentimes find different solutions for the same problem.

  3. A Boost in Productivity
    By providing support and the tools needed to perform at a high level, employees are able to complete their daily duties and focus on strategic initiatives. In fact, one study found that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to outperform the competition.

  4. Higher Profitability
    Did you know that diversity can impact a business’s bottom line? An analysis from McKinsey shows that companies with diverse executive boards are likely to see higher profitability. Additionally, colleagues with different perspectives and ideas makes it easier to recognize and capture new markets.

  5. Better Customer Service
    Creating a culture of inclusion trickles down to customer service, establishing an environment where customers are served without bias. Plus, the impact diversity has on employee engagement can impact customer service as well, with research suggesting that there is a connection between engaged employees and better customer service.
  6. Reduce Turnover
    ​With all of the positive impacts diversity can have on an organization – from increased engagement and productivity to higher profitability and better customer service – it seems safes to say that diversity can also reduce turnover. Keep in mind that happy employees are less likely to search for a new job.

“By fostering an inclusive workplace, business leaders can better support employees of all backgrounds, making them feel welcomed and engaged,” says isolved’s Chief People Officer Amy Mosher. “This not only leads to a happier and more fulfilled workforce, but also can have an impact on the rest of the business – from innovation to customer service.”

It is important to note that achieving a culturally diverse and inclusive workplace doesn’t happen with a few new hires or initiatives. Rather, it is something that an enterprise needs to continually focus on by working toward specific DE&I goals. 

A DE&I committee can help hold the organization accountable in its efforts toward becoming inclusive. Learn how to create this type of committee for your workplace by downloading our eBook for a step-by-step guide.

February 2021 Diversity Observances

February is Black History Month in the United States and Canada. Since 1976, the month has been designated to remember the contributions of people of the African diaspora.
Click here to view the full list of February observances.

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 Community 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: Cindy Conover (Chair), Cindy.Conover@Shearman.com; Beth Fowler (Co-Chair), bfowler@robbinsrussell.com
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The mission of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is to advance the concepts of inclusiveness and acceptance in every organization by providing all Chapter members with information so that they can merge these concepts with their firm's policies, procedures, culture, and relationships to be more equitable and inclusive.  We not only strive to raise awareness, but also to increase our sensitivity in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion 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’ workforces and respond to our clients’ requirements for diversity. The DEI Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month and we welcome all members to join us for discussion on how to further our mission in our firms and in our Chapter.  
 
Contact: Beth Fowler (Chair), bfowler@robbinsrussell.com; Denise Verdesoto (Co-Chair), deniseverdesoto@eversheds-sutherland.com
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: Valerie Williamson (Chair), valerie.williamson@bassberry.com; Herb Abercrombie Jr. (Co-Chair), HAbercrombie@jenner.com



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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. If you would like more information and/or are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please contact the Chair or Co-Chair.

Contact: LaVerne Anenia (Chair), LaVerne.Anenia@dbr.com; Kim Santaiti-Potter (Co-Chair), kim.potter@alston.com


Educational Communities

Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators
The Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators Community focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local administrators who must coordinate with other offices of their firms, as well as 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 Community's monthly luncheon meetings, held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:30 pm, 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: Joanna Hurt (Chair), jhurt@mccarter.com; Tabatha Harris (Chair), tsh@dwgp.com
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org and smallfirm@lists.alacapchap.org
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Office Operations Management and IT
The members of the Office Operations Management and IT Community represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Community meets on the second Thursday of each month at noon. 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: Giovanni DiLuca (Chair), gdiluca@zuckerman.com; Janelle E. Rynes (Co-Chair), janelle.rynes@arentfox.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org
Human Resources
The Human Resources Community operates as a venue for educational information on global human resources issues.  While the Community 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: Cindy Schuler (Co-Chair), cindy.schuler@hugheshubbard.com; Monique Terrell (Co-Chair), mterrell@foxrothschild.com

Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org

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Next Generation Leaders
The mission of the Next Generation Leaders Community is to support our next generation of leaders and close the gap faced by our association and the legal industry as a whole by providing a community for Millennial legal managers and new managers in the legal field with a focus on mentoring, education, and networking. To accomplish this goal, the section hosts monthly meetings, pop-up events, and educational sessions, and provides 2-way mentoring opportunities. 
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Contact: Amy Walkowiak (Chair), awalkowiak@dcwhitecollar.com; Ana Sobalvarro (Co-Chair), asobalvarro@bomcip.com 
Listserv: nextgen@lists.alacapchap.org