January 2017

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; Management Mentors; Washington Express; J. Blythe Peelor; Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP 
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

Picture
​Happy New Year!  More than other months, I have struggled with a topic for this newsletter.  I am not sure whether it is because my plate is a bit full at the moment, or because I am still wondering where 2016 went.  It is certainly not because I have spent time drafting New Year’s resolutions, as that has barely crossed my mind.  I'm just trying to keep my head above water!  

This is not meant to sound complaining, as certainly being busy is much better than the alternative - and I am sure that many of you feel the same.  Isn’t it great that we are part of an association of peers that understand what we go through day in and day out?  With the touch of the keyboard or phone we have access to an incredible support system and knowledge base.  No matter the situation, someone in this group has been there before and has an answer to your question or some advice to share. 
 
No matter how busy you are, please take the time to really be a part of the ALACC community this year. Come to a QNL, a section meeting or some of the wonderful educational sessions the Chapter has scheduled for us.  Use the beginning of the new year as a reason to re-connect with the Chapter.  I look forward to seeing many of you at events, and to an interesting and very busy 2017.  Wishing you all great health and much success this year.
​Barbara Mannix

New ALA Capital Chapter Members

Audrey Denise Prescott
Office Services Supervisor
Sidley Austin LLP
1501 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
aprescot@sidley.com

Elizabeth Germaine Lanfranchi
Human Resources Assistant
Bookoff McAndrews PLLC
2401 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Suite 450
Washington, DC 20037
ELanfranchi@bomcip.com
Jessica Elizabeth Starr
Human Resources Operations Manager
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
901 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
jessica.starr@finnegan.com

Linda Padrón
Office Manager
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP
1717 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
lpadron@curtis.com

Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following member well in her new position!
Joanna R. Hurt
Office Manager
McCarter & English, LLP
1015 15th St., N.W.
Twelfth Floor
Washington, DC 20005
jhurt@mccarter.co

The Differences Between Coaching & Mentoring

Management Mentors

​It's understandable that you might think mentoring and coaching are similar or even the same thing. But they're not. Both warrant consideration in the workplace. Here are five differentiators that are important.

Differentiator #1: 
Coaching is task oriented. The focus is on concrete issues, such as managing more effectively, speaking more articulately, and learning how to think strategically. This requires a content expert (coach) who is capable of teaching the coachee how to develop these skills.

Mentoring is relationship oriented. It seeks to provide a safe environment where the mentoree shares whatever issues affect his or her professional and personal success. Although specific learning goals or competencies may be used as a basis for creating the relationship, its focus goes beyond these areas to include things, such as work/life balance, self-confidence, self-perception, and how the personal influences the professional.

Differentiator #2:
Coaching is short term. A coach can successfully be involved with a coachee for a short period of time, maybe even just a few sessions. The coaching lasts for as long as is needed, depending on the purpose of the coaching relationship.

Mentoring is always long term. Mentoring, to be successful, requires time in which both partners can learn about one another and build a climate of trust that creates an environment in which the mentoree can feel secure in sharing the real issues that impact his or her success. Successful mentoring relationships last nine months to a year.

Differentiator #3:
Coaching is performance driven. The purpose of coaching is to improve the individual's performance on the job. This involves either enhancing current skills or acquiring new skills. Once the coachee successfully acquires the skills, the coach is no longer needed.

Mentoring is development driven. Its purpose is to develop the individual not only for the current job, but also for the future. This distinction differentiates the role of the immediate manager and that of the mentor. It also reduces the possibility of creating conflict between the employee's manager and the mentor.

Differentiator #4:
Coaching does not require design. Coaching can be conducted almost immediately on any given topic. If a company seeks to provide coaching to a large group of individuals, then certainly an amount of design is involved in order to determine the competency area, expertise needed, and assessment tools used, but this does not necessarily require a long lead-time to actually implement the coaching program.

Mentoring requires a design phase in order to determine the strategic purpose for mentoring, the focus areas of the relationship, the specific mentoring models, and the specific components that will guide the relationship, especially the matching process.

Differentiator # 5: 
The coachee's immediate manager is a critical partner in coaching. She or he often provides the coach with feedback on areas in which his or her employee is in need of coaching. This coach uses this information to guide the coaching process

In mentoring, the immediate manager is indirectly involved. Although she or he may offer suggestions to the employee on how to best use the mentoring experience or may provide a recommendation to the matching committee on what would constitute a good match, the manager has no link to the mentor and they do not communicate at all during the mentoring relationship. This helps maintain the mentoring relationship's integrity.

When to consider coaching:
  • When a firm is seeking to develop its employees in specific competencies using performance management tools and involving the immediate manager
  • When a firm has a number of talented employees who are not meeting expectations
  • When a firm is introducing a new system or program
  • When a firm has a small group of individuals (5-8) in need of increased competency in specific areas
  • When a leader or executive needs assistance in acquiring a new skill as an additional responsibility

When to consider mentoring:
  • When a firm is seeking to develop its leaders or talent pool as part of succession planning
  • When a firm seeks to develop its diverse employees to remove barriers that hinder their success
  • When a firm seeks to more completely develop its employees in ways that are additional to the acquisition of specific skills/competencies
  • When a firm seeks to retain its internal expertise and experience residing in its baby boomer employees for future generations
  • When a firm wants to create a workforce that balances the professional and the personal

​This article has been reprinted with permission from Management Mentors, and can be found on their website, http://mangement-mentors.com.  For a free white paper on this subject or more information, please visit their website.

January 2017 Diversity Observances

January 6: Christmas for the Armenian Orthodox Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus on Epiphany.(Armenians living in Israel celebrate Christmas on January 19.)

January 7: Christmas for Eastern Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Christmas 13 days later than other Christian churches, because they follow the Julian rather than the Gregorian version of the Western calendar.

January 14: Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India.

January 15: World Religion Day is observed by those of the Baha’i faith to promote interfaith harmony and understanding. World Religion Day starts sundown of January 17.

January 16: Martin Luther King Day commemorates the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr., the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and an activist for non-violent social change until his assassination in 1968.

January 18-25: The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. During the week, Christians pray for unity between all churches of the Christian faith.

January 24-27: Mahayana New Year is celebrated on the first full-moon day in January by members of the Mahayana Buddhist branch.

January 26: Republic Day of India recognizes the date the Constitution of India came into law in 1950, replacing the Government of India Act of 1935. This day also coincides with India’s 1930 declaration of independence.

January 27: The anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in 1945 and UN Holocaust Memorial Day, the Annual International Day of Commemoration to remember the victims of the Holocaust.

January 28: Lunar New Year honors ancestors and is geared toward family celebrations.  It takes place on the first day of the first month according to the Chinese calendar, whose months coordinate with the phases of the moon.  It is widely celebrated in South East Asian countries.

January 28: Chinese New Year is one of the most sacred of all traditional Chinese holidays, Chinese New Year is a time of family reunion and celebration.
​
January 31: The birthday of Guru Har Rai, the seventh Sikh guru.

Washington Express Spotlight:
Washington Express Movers

Picture
Happy New Year ALA members! We hope 2017 is off to a great start. By now you’ve hopefully heard about Washington Express’ new division, Washington Express Movers (WXM). Some of you may have already had an opportunity to use Washington Express Movers and hopefully recognized the value and professionalism of this new service. We wanted to take this opportunity to share the story of how this service evolved and how it differs from traditional commercial moving services and how Washington Express Movers can provide convenient, fast and reliable moving services to your firm at a significant savings as compared to traditional moving companies.
 
The Evolution of WASHINGTON EXPRESS MOVERS
Just like the origins of our visas and document authentication, Washington Express Movers was developed in response to what our clients had been asking us to do for years on a smaller scale. For years we have been delivering personal belongings, records and small furniture for attorneys moving between firms. Over the past five years or so, we’ve grown our fleet of vehicles to include large moving trucks and packing and crating materials and have developed a fleet of experienced and trained movers. Through discussions we’ve had with our customers we’ve identified a significant gap in the industry for reliable and cost effective options for small to medium sized corporate moves. Your choices, before now, were a large scale, traditional mover or the budget-friendly “big men with a truck.” Both had pros and cons.  You may have been paying for much more labor and equipment than was really necessary with a traditional mover. Or you were using a less expensive but much less experienced mover.
 
Why WASHINGTON EXPRESS MOVERS?
So why choose Washington Express Movers -- for an inventive new approach to handling all types of small and medium sized office moves that is both cost effective and reliable. With over 35 years in the Washington DC local delivery business, our moving division merges the speed and personalization of our local delivery services with the resources of a traditional moving service. Now your small office moves will be handled by small office moving specialists, meaning you won’t pay for more service than you really need.
 
Capabilities
  • Pre-Move Consulting
  • Comprehensive and Detailed Cost Estimate In Writing
  • Project Management
  • On-Site Supervision
  • Crate and Material Rental
  • Furniture Installation
  • Internal and External Moving Services
 
DIFFERENTIATORS
Short Notice Movers
We can complete your move, sometimes with as little as one day’s notice as compared to 1-2 weeks’ notice with a traditional mover.
 
Professionally Trained
Our movers have the professional training, experience and resources to get your individuals or groups moved securely and cost effectively.

Cost Competitive
We typically do not require a four hour minimum, so you only pay for the service you need.
 
Versatility
We provide both external and internal moving services. Need to clean out old furniture and equipment? We will also haul items to a refuse or recycling facility.
 
The Full Package
Call us today for a quick quote. We’ll take care of the rest including arranging a site visit (if necessary), submitting the necessary Certificate of Insurance and moving and packing materials.

Mentoring in the Capital Chapter: The ALACC Ambassador Program

Blythe Peelor
Office Manager, Shipman & Goodwin LLP

​When my husband accepted a job in Silver Spring, MD and I at Shipman & Goodwin LLP in Washington DC, I knew there would be some hurdles that would need to be scaled in order to settle in to a new state, field of work and social life. In Elaine Gregg, I found a mentor who could help me gain the courage to attack each of those three hurdles.
 
D.C., I quickly learned, has the highest density of lawyers per capita of any city in our nation. Joining the ALA and the local, Capital Chapter, was a no-brainer.  I knew being an ALA member would be a great way to learn the ropes of the administrative side of the legal world.  Shortly after I joined, I dove right in and attended  my first ALA CapChap meeting as soon as possible. Although everyone I met at that first meeting made me feel extremely welcomed and included, I was, nevertheless intimidated by friendships that appeared to have been procured over many years. I got back to my office wondering if and how I would ever feel less intimidated by the wealth of knowledge other members seem to have. I was not discouraged, however.
 
When I received Elaine’s email inviting me to lunch and explaining the CapChap’s Ambassador Program, again, I was intimidated. I had no idea what to expect. I was intrigued by Elaine’s particular style which I recognize as similar to my own. Elaine’s question to me in that email  was not whether or not I could meet for lunch, but rather which of the following specific DAYS and TIMES could I meet her at a specific restaurant that she had picked out beforehand.  I had a hunch we might get along.
 
Needless to say, at that lunch and the many meetings I’ve had with Elaine since then, we have had no shortage of topics to discuss including and not limited to: living in Maryland; working in DC; life as an administrator in the legal field; commuting; vacationing; raising kids; the awesomeness of having a September birthday and giving birth to September daughters; where to eat/shop; etc.  Elaine encouraged me to attend the regional conference in Boston in September. As Elaine predicted, I met a ton of great people at that conference, many of whom I have developed productive work relationships with and who have become good friends. Elaine has referred vendors to me and continues to introduce me to new people at meetings and events and always encourages me to stay involved.
 
My network of colleagues and friends continues to grow and the legal administration field feels much less intimidating than it once did. I have since learned that I was not alone in my hunch that I would get along with Elaine: it seems MANY people feel this way too. I cannot thank Elaine enough for extending her warm welcome and sharing her vast experience in the field, and of course introducing me to so many wonderful people. I look forward to someday returning the favor to a new member.
 
Best,
Blythe

Telework Poll Results

7 Ways to Handle Difficult Conversations

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

In my keynotes and workshops on "Getting Along Better with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere", one of the questions that ultimately comes up is, "how do I tell someone about a character or  behavioral flaw in their personality?" 
 
If you work with customers or have co-workers, are a manager, coach, or care about your friends, there will come a time when you will need to have a difficult conversation.
 
Uncomfortable topics such as personal hygiene, sexism, inappropriate behaviors, vulgar language, lack of cooperation with others, bullying, rudeness and dress need to be addressed. 
 
The problem is many times we don't address them because we are uncomfortable in providing feedback to others. And when we don't the problem continues to persist.
 
As someone who works with companies and organizations to improve customer and workplace relationships, I am often hired as a coach to provide the feedback and engage the "perpetrator” in the difficult conversation.
 
Here are some ways to help you hold these difficult conversations:
 
* In a nice manner let the person know you have some feedback you would like to share. Ask if they have a few minutes to talk now or if they would like you to come back later. Don't start the conversation at such times as before lunch and when they are going home.
 
* Don't go directly into the feedback. Tell them the feedback you are going to share is difficult for you. If you are uncomfortable let them know that too. I sometimes mention that “feedback is like a gift. If you don’t like it, you can return it to the store.”
 
* If others have complained about this person’s behavior, don't go into specifics about who the "accusers" are. This tends to get people madder and makes the feedback even more uncomfortable for the person.
 
* Depending on how comfortable you are, you may want to go in and directly state the problem. Sometimes keeping it simple, straightforward and honest is the best policy. As an outside coach, this is the one I use the most. Many times the person doesn't realize that they are being a bully, are rude or are using inappropriate language. Many times the problem is "cured" immediately by stating the problem directly. 
 
* Tell the person the benefits (what they can save, gain or accomplish) to them by changing their behavior. The key to persuasion is WIFM (What's in it for me?)
 
* If you are the manager, set up an agreement of what the person will do to change their behavior. When I am hired to coach someone with poor behavior, I ask them to tell me what they are going to do to change. I then set due dates and a time frame. I measure the results by asking other employees on a regular basis to provide feedback about the person.
 
* Follow up on an ongoing basis. As a coach, I have a four month contract where I continually monitor the person’s behavior. When I see them going backwards I immediately confront them on their behavior and let them know what I expect. Also, make sure they understand how to "fix" the problem.  

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, facilitator and coach. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” and Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz.” He was recently named as one of the top 5 best “bang for the buck” speakers in the USA by Successful Meetings Magazine.  www.arnoldsanow.com – speaker@arnoldsanow.com  - 703-255-3133 

Common Mistakes Made by New Mentors

Management Mentors

​Mentors are people who are generous at heart and have the best interests of the mentoree when working with them. Even so, new mentors can sometimes make inadvertent mistakes that can pose a problem now or in the future for the mentoring relationship.

Here are a few common mistakes made by new mentors to be aware of:

​1. You are eager to provide solutions to your mentoree. With your wealth of experience and knowledge, you may often have the quick solution to your mentoree's issue. But wait! 

The real value of a mentor is not to provide the answers but to help your mentoree find the answers that work best for them. Tweet this!

​It's the old adage about the difference between feeding and teaching someone to feed themselves. So as a new mentor, learn how to ask open ended questions: who, what, when, where and why have always served to allow a mentoree to uncover the real issues that affect their success in a given situation. So think of yourself as a poser of questions as opposed to the problem solver.
 
2.  You take on too much responsibility for the mentoree.  You are excited about being a new mentor and want to help as much as possible—even going beyond the call of duty.  You meet more often than you probably should. You do extensive research before each meeting. You feel responsible for your mentoree's success. Be careful! Your enthusiasm could overwhelm your mentoree and/or they could welcome all of this attention at the cost of abrogating their responsibility to drive this relationship. Remember, your mentoree's success is due to their own commitment to grow and do the things necessary to grow. Your role is simply to assist in that process.
 
3.  You're really coaching instead of mentoring. One of the key success elements in mentoring is the trust built over time between the mentor and mentoree. This involves being able to share one's vulnerable spots and to engage in personal conversations that go beyond the immediate work environment. Sometimes new mentors are uncomfortable with sharing the personal, preferring instead to stay on a level of discussing competencies and how to accomplish them and avoiding the more critical part that hinders their ability to achieve their goals. Often, the true reason for lack of success on any given issue is personal: one's lack of self-confidence, how one communicates, how one is perceived by others.  This is much more personal than discussing a financial skill or how to generate a sales report. Once you've been meeting with your mentoree for a while, ask yourself: "how well am I getting to know the real person in front of me so that I can better understand what real issues impact their success?" If you don't know, then it's time to ask. It's not difficult just say:  "I'd like to know and understand better about what really hinders you in your interactions with others.  Would you be willing to share some of that with me?" If you open the door, the mentoree will enter.

​This article has been reprinted with permission from Management Mentors, and can be found on their website, http://mangement-mentors.com.  For a free white paper on this subject or more information, please visit their website.

Your Attitude: Deadly or Dazzling?

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

Your attitude reflects your thoughts and feelings and is revealed in your voice, your words, and your facial expressions. Your attitude has a direct impact on the quality of your relationships and helps determine whether you engage people or turn them off. Your attitudes direct your destiny in both subtle and significant ways.
 
Positive attitude (we call them Dazzling Attitudes) are like powerful magnets. A person with a positive attitude looks on the bright side and tries to see the best in everyone and everything. They attract the interest of others with their optimism, enthusiasm, and love of life. Positive attitudes also seem to magically bring out the best in others.
 
What’s it like being with those on the flip side, the people who complain, blame, and see the worst in others? Uncomfortable?  Miserable to spend even a few moments in their presence? Do you find yourself concocting excuses to keep interactions with them brief or avoid them altogether? Negative attitudes (we call them Deadly Attitudes) are naturally repelling. The only thing these attitudes attract is a chain of avoidance strategies by people who don’t want to catch them.
 
In our book, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere … 8 keys to creating enduring connections with customers, co-workers  - even kids” by Arnold Sanow and Sandra Strauss here is a list of Dazzling and Deadly Attitudes. Which do you have?
Dazzling Attitude Traits
Optimistic
Courageous
Patient
Thoughtful
Cheerful
Caring
Interested
Helpful
Confident
Warm
Enthusiastic
Supportive
Friendly
Motivated
Authentic
Forgiving
Deadly Attitude Traits
​Pessimistic
Fearful
Impatient
Rude
Complaining
Uncaring
Bored
Grumpy
Conceited
Cold
Apathetic
Critical
Aloof
Lazy
Fake
​Vengeful

​Deadly Attitudes are like the plague, contaminating connections and breeding bad feelings.
 
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, facilitator and coach. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” and Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz.” He was recently named as one of the top 5 best “bang for the buck” speakers in the USA by Successful Meetings Magazine.  www.arnoldsanow.com – speaker@arnoldsanow.com  - 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, jam@carmaloney.com; Paula Serratore,pserratore@alacapchap.org

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), vanessa.partin@kirkland.com; Cindy Schuler (Co-Chair), cschuler@skgf.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: Sheri Shifflett (Chair), cshifflett@saul.com; Emily Christianson (Co-Chair), echristianson@relmanlaw.com
Listserv: finance@lists.firmseek.com


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), bkernus@gsblaw.com; Cheryl Flynn (Co-Chair), cflynn@wileyrein.com


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),  jenna.carter@ropesgray.com; Danita Ellis (Co-Chair), danita.ellis@nelsonmullins.com
Listserv: branchofcadmin@lists.firmseek.com


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),  kenia.garner@pillsburylaw.com; Qeyana Hart (Co-Chair), qhart@milesstockbridge.com  
Listserv: ooms@lists.firmseek.com
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),  smith.sharon@arentfox.com; Kimberly J. Potter (Co-Chair), kpotter@sgrlaw.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.firmseek.com



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),  tomey@thewbkfirm.com; Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Co-Chair), wguido-chizhik@bookoffmcandrews.com
Listserv: smallfirmadmin@lists.firmseek.com



​
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),  andrew.george@finnegan.com; Evan Kettig (Co-Chair),  kettige@gotofirm.com
Listserv: finance@lists.firmseek.com
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),  cbarboza@hpm.com​; Aryn Blanton (Co-Chair),  aryn.blanton@bracewelllaw.com ​​
Listserv: hr@lists.firmseek.com

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),  kmitchell@wbklaw.com; Frank Schipani (Co-Chair),  schipanif@gotofirm.com; ​
Listserv: alacaptech@lists.firmseek.com