• HOME
  • Q3 2024
  • Q2 2024
  • Q1 2024
  • Q4 2023
  • Q3 2023
  • Q2 2023
  • Q1 2023
  • Q4 2022
  • JULY 2022
  • JUNE 2022
  • MAY 2022
  • APR 2022
  • MAR 2022
  • FEB 2022
  • JAN 2022
  • 2021 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2021
    • FEB 2021
    • MAR 2021
    • APR 2021
    • MAY 2021
    • JUN 2021
    • JUL 2021
    • AUG 2021
    • SEP 2021
    • OCT 2021
    • NOV 2021
    • DEC 2021
  • 2020 ARCHIVE
    • FEB 2020
    • MAR 2020
    • APR 2020
    • MAY 2020
    • JUN 2020
    • JUL 2020
    • AUG 2020
    • SEP 2020
    • OCT 2020
    • NOV 2020
    • DEC 2020
  • 2019 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2019
    • FEB 2019
    • MAR 2019
    • APR 2019
    • MAY 2019
    • JUN 2019
    • JUL 2019
    • AUG 2019
    • SEP 2019
    • OCT/NOV 2019
    • DEC 2019
  • 2018 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2018
    • FEB 2018
    • MAR 2018
    • APR 2018
    • MAY 2018
    • JUN 2018
    • JUL 2018
    • AUG 2018
    • SEP 2018
    • OCT 2018
    • NOV 2018
    • DEC 2018
  • 2017 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2017
    • FEB 2017
    • MAR 2017
    • APR 2017
    • MAY 2017
    • JUN 2017
    • JUL 2017
    • AUG 2017
    • SEP 2017
    • OCT 2017
    • NOV 2017
    • DEC 2017
  • 2016 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2016
    • FEB 2016
    • MAR 2016
    • APR 2016
    • MAY 2016
    • JUN 2016
    • JUL 2016
    • AUG 2016
    • SEP 2016
    • OCT 2016
    • NOV 2016
    • DEC 2016
  • 2015 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2015
    • FEB 2015
    • MAR 2015
    • APR 2015
    • MAY 2015
    • JUN 2015
    • JUL 2015
    • AUG 2015
    • SEP 2015
    • OCT 2015
    • NOV 2015
    • DEC 2015
  • 2014 ARCHIVE
    • JAN 2014
    • FEB 2014
    • MAR 2014
    • APR 2014
    • MAY 2014
    • JUN 2014
    • JUL 2014
    • AUG 2014
    • SEPT 2014
    • OCT 2014
    • NOV 2014
    • DEC 2014
  • Untitled
  • Q1 2025
  Capital Connection

January 2015

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. 
Editor: Paula Serratore
Contributing Editors: Joe Berger; Paul Burton

Newsletter Designed By: Scoti Dodson



In this issue:
  • President's Message

  • New ALA Capital Chapter Members

  • 2015 ALL IN with ALACC

  • Make Time To Be On Time

  • Coming Soon: Dr. Dale Henry

  • Angel Tree Participation Photos

  • Changes to CLM Program

  • Antitrust Guidelines
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
 

President's Message

Picture
Weather aside, has been a great start to the Year 2015. Many of us are closing the books on 2014, sighing a sigh of relief (or regret) and waiting in anticipation for a “great” 2015. This is the time for making resolutions about going back to the gym, starting that diet, or spending less time behind a desk. Why not make another resolution? Make a resolution that helps you improve your professional self. Be more informed in your profession. Learn something to help improve your personal life. Meet new people within your profession and renew old acquaintances. You can accomplish all of this by stepping up to be an active ALA Capital Chapter member! You’ll enjoy yourself, improve yourself, and meet some very interesting folks.

Happy New Year,
Joe Berger

Picture
 

New ALA Capital Chapter Members

Jennifer L. Ireland
Human Resources and Recruitment Manager
Keller & Heckman LLP
1001 G Street NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, DC 20001-4564

[email protected]

Sabrina D. Loftis
Intellectual Property Administrator
Hunton & Williams LLP
2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037

[email protected]

Picture
 

2015 ALL IN with ALACC

ALL IN is back for 2015! All you have to do to start competing for awesome prizes is participate in the Capital Chapter this year. It's that easy! See below for game rules.
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Picture
 


Making Time To Be On Time

By: Paul H. Burton, QuietSpacing

Bruce Turkel is a nationally recognized expert on branding. He’s also a prolific blogger, one that I follow. Bruce recently wrote about his serendipitous early arrival to the airport in a post titled “Early To Bed. Early To Rise.” It’s a worthy read.

I commented on his post, focusing my message on the importance of being on time. It’s what I call Making Time To Be On Time.  Here’s the way I see it.

Why Being On Time Is Important

Being on time – in any form and for any purpose – is important in three specific ways:
  • Leadership – Being on time demonstrates leadership.  It communicates that we command our schedule and we fulfill our obligations. Others follow those who lead, resulting in more people showing up on time.
  • Respect – Being on time respects other peoples’ time. Forcing others to wait for us is impolite regardless of the reason. They’ve made time for us and we are professionally obligated to make good use of that time.
  • Productivity – Being on time is productive. As obvious as this seems, many miss the point. Gathering people for a meeting consumes two valuable and limited resources – money and time. When meetings start late and, as a result, run long, time is lost, productivity is lost and money is wasted. The aggregated effects of that loss can be staggering.

How to be on Time

These suggestions will improve timeliness:
  • Set/Follow Alerts – Most productivity tools, like Outlook, as well as all mobile devices, have alert functions. Use them and obey them. Set an appointment reminder at least 15 minutes prior to its start. When the alert sounds, finish up the current task, grab what you need and head that way. Do NOT start on a new task thinking there’s plenty of time. There isn’t.
  • Anticipate Transition Time – We are all optimists. We routinely underestimate how long things will take, including how long it will take to get from one meeting to another. If an appointment is outside the office or even on a different floor, leave plenty of time for inconvenient transition events – traffic, busy elevators, etc. It’s always better to be slightly early, than slightly late. In addition to sending a positive message to others, you’ll experience less stress.
  • Hard-Schedule Open Intervals – Another mistake many make is scheduling appointments back-to-back. Like Dominos, when one meeting runs long, the entire schedule tips over towards lateness. Hard-schedule small breaks between each meeting – as little as 15 minutes – right on the calendar. This builds a cushion into every meeting and allows us to gather our thoughts and check in with other activities between appointments.

It’s Your Time; Make the Most of It

Make a commitment to be on time, regardless of what other people do. It demonstrates better leadership while respecting others, and until everyone’s on time all the time, you might also get some extra work done while waiting for them!

Paul H. Burton is a former corporate finance attorney who helps people regain command of their day. As a nationally recognized time management expert, he regularly speaks to audiences about getting more done and enjoying greater personal and professional satisfaction. Paul is the author of five books on individual and leadership productivity. You can learn more about Paul and his practice at www.quietspacing.com.

Picture
 



Opening Soon: Dr. Dale Henry!

Picture
Click here to preview videos of Dr. Dale Henry!
 

Littler Mendelson's Angel Tree Participation

For the 8th year, the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia offices of Littler Mendelson participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program through the ALA Capital Chapter.  They sponsored 40 children, providing new clothing and toys.  The offices celebrated with a gift packing party and fun was had by all.  
Picture
Picture
 

Photos: Salvation Army Angel Tree Warehouse

 

Changes to CLM Program

ALA has reviewed its CLM policies and some significant changes that are now in effect!
  • Functional Specialists applying for the exam now need to have only 3 years of experience, not 5. (All other requirements for them remain the same.)
  • Lunch presentations will now be accepted for CLM credit. Most everything counts for CLM recertification, but some may also count for the Application. To determine what counts for CLM application credit, please see instructions here, but you can always confer with ALA staff at [email protected]. 
Lastly, the online study program is finally here and registration is now open.  Good for anyone who wants a refresher course on Human Resources, for 18 hours of CLM Recertification credit, 2 hours of Writing Skills for CLM applicants, or for potential CLM applicants as part of their CLM study resources. Additionally, one can earn all 10 hours of CLM application credit through ALA webinars.
 

Antitrust Guidelines

For Members of the Association of Legal Administrators

Professional associations such as the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), although well recognized as valuable tools of American business, are subject to severe scrutiny by both federal and state governments.

The single most significant law affecting professional associations is the Sherman Antitrust Act, which makes unlawful "every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce…"

A professional association by the very nature of the fact that it is made up of competitors is a combination, thus satisfying one of the elements in proving an antitrust violation. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act is also applicable to professional associations; it makes unlawful the same types of conduct that are prohibited by the Sherman Act. Furthermore, almost all states have enacted antitrust laws similar to the Sherman Act.

There is no organization too small or too localized to escape the possibility of a civil or criminal antitrust suit. The federal government has brought civil or criminal actions against such small organizations as Maine Lobstermen, a Virginia audio-visual association, Bakersfield Plumbing Contractors, the Utah Pharmaceuticals Association, and local barbers associations.

The government has brought approximately five civil and ten criminal cases a year against professional associations. It is thus imperative that every professional association member, regardless of the size of the association or the size of those comprising the membership, refrain from indulging in any activity which may be the basis of a federal or state antitrust action.

There are four main areas of antitrust concern for professional associations: price fixing, membership, standardization and certification, and industry self-regulation. The area of greatest concern, for it is the area where individual members are most likely to violate the law and the area where the government appears most concerned, is price fixing. The government may infer a violation of the Sherman Act by the mere fact that all or most of the members of the professional association are doing the same thing with respect to prices. It is not required that there be an actual agreement, written or unwritten, to increase prices. Rather, price fixing is a very broad term which includes any concerted effort or action which has an effect on prices or on competition.

Accordingly, professional association members should refrain from any discussion which may provide the basis for an inference that the members agreed to take action relating to prices, production, allocation of markets, or any other matter having a market effect. The following topics, while not the only ones, are some of the main ones which should not be discussed at regular meetings or member gatherings:

  • Do not discuss current or future billing rates, fees, disbursement charges or other items that could be construed as "price." Further, be very careful of discussions of past billing rates, fees or prices.
  • Do not discuss what is a fair profit, billing rate or wage level.
  • Do not discuss an increase or decrease in price, fees or wages, or disbursement charges. In this regard, remember that interest charges are considered an item of price.
  • Do not discuss standardizing or stabilizing prices, fees or wages, or disbursement charges.
  • Do not discuss current billing or fee procedures.
  • Do not discuss the imposition of credit terms or the amount thereof.
  • Do not complain to a competitor that his billing rates, fees or wages constitute unfair trade practices. In this context, another law firm (or even a corporate legal department) may be considered a competitor.
  • Do not discuss refusing to deal with anyone because of his pricing or fees.
  • Do not conduct surveys (under the auspices of ALA or informally) relating to fees, wages or other economic matters without prior review by antitrust legal counsel. Any survey should have the following characteristics: a) participation is voluntary and open to non-members, b) data should be of past transactions, c) data should be collected by an independent third party, such as an accounting firm, d) confidentiality of each participant's data should be preserved, and e) data should be presented only in a composite form to conceal data of any single participant. If these criteria are met, an association can collect and disseminate data on a wide range of matters, including such things as past salaries, vacation policies, types of office equipment used, etc.

However, care must be taken to ensure that the purpose of any survey is to permit each firm to assess its own performance. If a survey is used for the purpose of or has the effect of raising or stabilizing fees, wages, disbursements, credit policies and the like, it will create serious antitrust problems.

Within this same legal framework applicable to surveys, an association can make presentations or circulate articles regarding such educational matters as establishing sound office procedures, etc., provided it is clear that the matters are educational, and not a basis for law firm uniformity or agreement.

Inasmuch as association antitrust violations can subject all association members to criminal and civil liability, members should be aware of the legal risks in regard to membership policy and industry self-regulation. Fair and objective membership requirement policies should be established. Membership policies should avoid:
  • Restrictions on dealing with non-members.
  • Exclusions from membership, especially if there is a business advantage in being a member.
  • Limitations on access to association information, unless the limitation is based upon protection of trade secrets.
The Association of Legal Administrators has a code of ethics, which sets forth parameters of ethical conduct. However, to ensure that the Code of Ethics does not create any antitrust problems, ALA must continue to ensure that its Code does not have arbitrary enforcement procedures or penalties.

The penalties for violating federal or state antitrust laws are severe. The maximum criminal penalty for violating the Sherman Act was increased in 2004 from $350,000 to $1,000,000 for an individual and from $10,000,000 to $100,000,000 for a corporation. Pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act, alternative maximum fines could be increased to twice the pecuniary gain of an offender or twice the loss to another person.

Individuals and corporate officers who are found guilty of bid rigging, price fixing or market allocation will virtually always be sentenced to jail pursuant to the Sentencing Guidelines; community service cannot be used to avoid imprisonment. The minimum recommended sentence is four months; the maximum is three years.

Additionally, there are civil penalties such as injunctions or cease and desist orders which could result in government supervision of association members, restricting the association's activities or disbanding the association.

Civil suits may be brought by consumers or competitors. Civil antitrust actions result in treble damage awards and attorneys' fees. Thus, if association members are held liable to a competitor for antitrust violations which resulted in $500,000 worth of lost business, the verdict may exceed $1,500,000.

The government's attitude toward professional associations requires professional association members, as well as professional associations themselves, to at all times conduct their business openly and avoid any semblance of activity which might lead to the belief that the association members had agreed, even informally, to something that could have an effect on prices, fees or competition. Thus, it is important that members contact the association headquarters or legal counsel for guidance if they have even the slightest qualms about the propriety of a proposed activity or discussion.
 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

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]
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. In addition, the committee is tasked with selling the license to the survey software to other chapters within ALA for use in their locales. They also provide technical support and logistical guidance to those chapters who purchase and utilize our survey software.

Contact: Dina Dalecki (Chair), [email protected]; Jeff Delcher (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [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: Richard Gibson (Chair), [email protected]; Wendy Iversen (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. The Section's monthly meetings, held the third Tuesday, are primarily lunch meetings and every third month is a dinner meeting. 

Contact: Kristine Miller (Chair), [email protected]; Dina Dalecki (Co-Chair), [email protected] 
Listserv: [email protected]

Human Resources
The Human Resources Section operates as a venue for educational information on global human resources topics and issues. While the Section comprises mostly HR professionals, any member is invited to participate. The Section meets the second Wednesday of every month and often has either industry speakers or roundtable discussions on topics such as recruiting, benefits, strategic planning, performance management, career pathing, retention and more!

Contact: Claudia Baragaño (Chair), [email protected]; Jane Schindler (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:  Gregory Fudge (Chair), [email protected]; Jeffrey Cole (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 4th Tuesday of the month at host law firms.

Contact: Melody R. Watson (Chair), [email protected]; Emily Christianson (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]
Picture
ALA Capital Chapter Headquarters
​
2800 Eisenhower Avenue
Suite 210
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 683-6101
www.alacapchap.org

ALACC Capital Connection Questions?
[email protected]

Copyright © 2014-2024 by the ALA Capital Chapter
All Rights Reserved