January 2019

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; Valerie L. Williamson
Associate Editor: Paula Serratore
​Contributing Editors: Jenna Carter; Sarahi Estrella; Philip O'Sullivan; Dan Negroni
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

Jenna Carter

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Beverly Miller
Crowell & Moring LLP
Assistant Manager of Support Services
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
bmiller@crowell.com
Dayna Lusby
Seyfarth Shaw
HR Manager
975 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
dlusby@seyfarth.com 

Ambassadors Roll Out the Red Carpet

Sarahi Estrella
Senior Human Resources Manager, Arent Fox LLP
Chair, Member Experience Committee

The Member Experience Committee's Ambassador Program welcomed 34 new Chapter members in 2018.  Each new Chapter member was paired with an Ambassador upon joining the Chapter. 
 
Ambassadors create a welcoming environment for new members by inviting them to Chapter events, informing them of membership benefits, and being available as a go-to resource for any questions about the Capital Chapter.  Ambassadors are the key to help new members get involved in the Chapter by being a friendly face to make events and meetings less intimidating. 
 
In November the committee released an Ambassador Program video, which is available on the Chapter's website and YouTube channel (click here to watch the video). In it, we explain the benefits of the Ambassador Program and extend a warm welcome to all of our new Chapter members. 
 
If you are interested in joining the Ambassador Program, please contact Chapter Headquarters.  A huge thanks to all of our current Ambassadors for everything they do to help our new Chapter members find a welcoming home in the Capital Chapter. We look forward to welcoming all of our new Chapter members in 2019!

January 2019 Diversity Observances

Click here to view the full list of January 2019 Observances

A Letter from 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship Recipient Philip O'Sullivan

Dear Foundation Board:

I hope this letter finds you all well. I just finished another fantastic quarter at school and I wanted to update you all on what I have been doing since we were last in touch and to once again express my thanks for supporting me and helping me fund my education at the University of Chicago. I am once again happy to report that I have kept up the good work in my classes; I earned an A in all four classes I took this fall quarter.

This quarter, seeing as how I was already halfway done with completing my major in U.S. History, I decided to mix things up a little and take some classes in different disciplines. Alongside a history class on housing, I also took introductory classes on computer science and data science and an honors proof-based math course. In my history class, The Politics of Housing, we explored the local, state and federal politics of housing throughout U.S. history. In my introductory computer science class, I learned the basics of programming in the Python language and next quarter I will continue learning to program in the C language. In my data science class I learned how to handle and analyze data and perform statistical analyses empirically, as opposed to using classical statistical methods. I hope to be able to apply my new skills from these classes to my research job here at school going forward. Finally, in my math class I had a very interesting, non-traditional learning experience. Unlike traditional math classes, this class was not taught via lectures but instead in an inquiry-based learning format. In this format, we the students were given various definitions and theorems to prove. We proved them outside of class and then in class we presented them to each other with the instruction providing guidance when necessary. This year-long course will eventually get to calculus, but this quarter was spent building up to the construction of the real number line. 

Outside of class I continued my job as a data analyst working under sociology professor Robert Vargas. In addition to continuing the research on policing in Chicago, we are currently in the final stages of collecting homicide data on New Orleans. Throughout the past year we have been reading through homicide records from New Orleans going back to 1898 and coding salient information about the outcome of the reports and other interesting information (such as in formation on the victim, the accused, the setting, etc.). Throughout the fall we have been verifying all the information gathered, and we hope to start conducting analyses for interesting trends once the verification is done. I also got a new job in campus housing as a Resident Dean Assistant. In that role I help with putting on events and programming like dinners and study breaks for over 400 students living in college housing.

In addition to my job, I have continued my leadership role as Vice President of Finance and Logistics of the undergraduate Moot Court team. This year we were able to successfully send 12 teams to regional tournaments in Akron, Chicago, Wooster and Baton Rouge. Of those 12 teams, 7 of them will be competing in the national tournament this January in Orlando, Florida - a new record for our club!

Outside of schoolwork and other extracurricular activities, I had fun exploring Chicago with my friends. Some of my highlights included getting the chance to attend a Chicago Bulls basketball game versus the Toronto Raptors (the game was not very close, unfortunately) and visiting Navy Pier downtown. Of all of my excursions this quarter, my favorite place was Navy Pier. While the ferris wheel was unfortunately closed due to strong winds the day I visited, I had the chance to take an interesting "tour" of Chicago using virtual reality and to peruse the shops there. 

I will be spending my winter break relaxing with my family and enjoying my break before school starts up again. I hope to continue my good work in the future. If there is anything I can do to give back, please let me know!

Happy Holidays!

Philip O'Sullivan

Reverse Mentorship is the Key to Success for Millennials and their Law Firms

Dan Negroni
Founder, Launchbox365

For years, attorneys have used traditional approaches to mentorship. The familiar, apprentice-type relationships where experienced, tenured lawyers provide advice to the new lawyers in their firm.

While mentorship programs are common in most firms, technology, an evolution of social norms, and the economy have changed the world and millennials comprise a new generation of lawyers that want something more, and they are willing to work for it. Millennials want to be heard and should be heard to enhance succession planning and firm sustainability.

Firms have good reason to listen to what millennials want. Millennials are the largest cohort of the workforce. In today’s world, millennials’ perspective, approach, and relevance are sorely needed for future law firm growth. However, millennials are also leaving the professional industries faster than ever before. Many firms already know they need to change how they conduct management and mentorship to help attract and retain millennial talent. They just don’t know how to ensure the next generation of law firms and law firm leaders can successfully emerge.

Enter reverse mentorship! Reverse mentorship is a concept that provides millennials and more experienced lawyers the platform to teach one another about the business and practice, and also to share new ideas openly. Through reverse mentoring, millennials can thrive and contribute in ways that will launch their careers like never before while still learning valuable lessons from the more experienced members of an organization. Intrigued? Not sure where to start? No worries—we got ya covered!

Understand the Millennial Myth
Young lawyers who want to bring reverse mentorship to their firms should first understand how senior lawyers may perceive them, and they should learn to articulate their value to the organization.

The nature of employment, motivation, and service are completely different from when senior lawyers came up through the ranks. That difference, however, has unfortunately painted the whole millennial generation with negative stereotypes, such as being whiny, lazy, entitled, and unprofessional. The truth about millennials is that they are misunderstood.

Their whining? That comes from a desire for their work to be meaningful. Lazy? Only if you can be lazy and also be one of the most entrepreneurial generations in history. Entitled? More like burdened with college loans, super smart, questioning, and committed to authenticity. Unprofessional? Again, is being different unprofessional? It’s thanks to millennials that many companies now promote work-life balance, require an innovative and transparent approach to problem-solving, and are integrating new technologies.

Opportunities to learn and share ideas across generations quickly bust generational stereotypes. Through open communication, what was once misinterpreted as just a “whiny millennial” can be understood as the voice of someone who wants to contribute in a significant way to the success of the company. What was once seen as “unprofessional” is quickly understood as a new way to achieve better work-life balance.

Millennials want to contribute, help, learn, and grow in an organization. As a profession, we need to ensure that senior lawyers are aware of how much millennials can contribute to the future of the legal profession. Reverse mentorship can achieve this goal.

Discover How Reverse Mentoring Will Bridge the Generational Gap
As the world continues to rapidly change, law firms need to ensure that they remain relevant and have a solid succession plan. Business leaders who are out of touch with younger generations can wreak havoc on a company. Being in touch with the next generation’s likes, dislikes, thoughts, needs, and values is part of a winning strategy to retain millennial attorney talent, and also to attract them as clients.
The truth is, to stay ahead of the game, law firms need millennials’ help in planning for the future.
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"There’s no better teacher than experience. Just in the same way that a senior partner can pass down lessons learned over the years, young lawyers know social media inside and out as we practically grew up with a screen in our hands. If the goal of mentoring is to pass on your experience to others, no one has more experience with social media than us. In many respects, we can help our firms achieve our goals more quickly, efficiently, and intuitively. You just have to trust us."
                 - Ethan Wall, President / The Social Media Law Firm

Reverse mentoring programs can also benefit bar associations. The Marin County Bar Association was recently awarded an American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Affiliate Star of the Quarter for its mentorship program that featured a reverse mentoring component. When asked about the inception of the program, then President Dorothy Chou Proudfoot, who initiated the project with the Barristers and Diversity Committee chairs, said:
"I was looking for a way to tweak our own somewhat lapsed mentorship program to attract good mentors to participate. In 2017, at the first Barrister’s Happy Hour of the year, we had a great discussion with the Barristers in attendance about how organizations and individuals could promote and enhance the budding careers of Barristers and encourage involvement through opportunities such as featuring them as speakers, and the idea basically took off from there."

As is often in life, the simplest solution to cracking the scary millennial code is the most effective strategy: communication. Senior lawyers can use reverse mentorship to sit down and have real, honest conversations with their young talent to learn how their business, both internal and external, can better appeal to and serve millennials. Reverse mentoring provides the best opportunity for everyone in a firm to feel valued and respected.

Get Tools to Create a Reverse Mentorship Environment
So, you’ve decided you want to try to implement reverse mentoring in your organization. How do you get it done? You need a thoughtful plan that involves building key relationships with people who can make reverse mentoring a reality in your organization. Here are a few steps to help you get started.

Create Mindset. To create a positive mindset that will be open to reverse mentoring, you must start with an honest self-assessment. The best way to become confident in connecting and building relationships is to truly understand who you are and how you add value. Not sure where to start? See if your organization offers any self-assessment tools or trainings, or check out the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Clifton Strengths assessment.

Communicate Authentically. Once you understand yourself and have a mindset of helping others, you’re ready to start connecting and building relationships with decision-makers. Identify a senior lawyer in your firm to be your mentor and schedule time with that person by suggesting coffee, drinks, or lunch. This is a great way to start an informal discussion on the work you’re doing, how you’re accomplishing it, what difficulties you’re facing, and how those challenges can be overcome to better serve the organization.

Keep Building the Relationship. Make sure you are always focused on building relationships. One effective strategy for strengthening relationships and building trust is to ask questions such as:
  • How can I help you finish this project?
  • Was the work I did on X helpful in finishing the assignment?
  • Was there anything I could have done to make this project easier for you?
  • Do I have your permission to share an idea I have for improving X?

Be direct, but thoughtful. As you begin to have these newly framed conversations with your mentor, you’ll begin to see common themes or challenges come up and either learn how your mentor overcame a similar obstacle, or use it as an opportunity to brainstorm new ways to tackle it. It’s a great opportunity to build positive and productive interactions between generations.

Now that you have done your prep work, you’re ready to pitch a reverse mentorship program. When you’re approaching the idea of a reverse mentorship to your mentor, remember the Platinum Rule: Treat others how they want to be treated. Make the conversation about them and the organization and not about you. Share your vision of how reverse mentorship will be an effective tool for sharing ideas, identifying more efficiencies, and opening up communication to help everyone in the firm. Come prepared with a thoughtful proposal that will help get your mentor onboard with the idea. Remember that everyone at the firm is busy and free time is a luxury, so make sure to provide the best value in the shortest amount of time.

When making a pitch, we suggest coming up with both formal and informal methods for developing a reverse mentorship program. You could consider enlisting the help of an experienced organization or come up with your own less formal ideas for starting a reverse mentorship. No matter what approach you decide to implement, reverse mentorship benefits everyone and can provide a treasure trove of unique insights that might otherwise go unheard.

​Who could argue with that?

Antitrust Guidelines​

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. As such, it is important to review the antitrust guidelines each year.

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 audiovisual 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:
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  1. 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.
  2. Do not discuss what is a fair profit, billing rate or wage level.
  3. 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.
  4. Do not discuss standardizing or stabilizing prices, fees or wages, or disbursement charges.
  5. Do not discuss current billing or fee procedures.
  6. Do not discuss the imposition of constitute unfair trade practices. In this context, another law firm (or even a corporate legal department) may be considered a competitor.
  7. 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
  8. Do not discuss refusing to deal with anyone because of his pricing or fees.
  9. 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.
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​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:

  1. Restrictions on dealing with nonmembers.
  2. Exclusions from membership, especially if there is a business advantage in being a member.
  3. Limitations on access to association information, unless the limitation is based upon protection of trade secrets.
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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 is $350,000 for an individual and $10,000,000 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 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.

Tips for a Productive Mentor Relationship

Many successful people attribute part of their success to having a mentor. The right mentor can provide advice and connections that help their mentee reach heights that would be impossible alone.

Here are some useful tips on mentorship:

1. Mentorship requires intentional investments of time and energy.
Being a mentee is not a passive role. When you have a mentor, it's your job to define your own goals, cultivate the relationship, seek out advice, attend meetings or events you're invited to, and so on.  You will need to make time to cultivate the relationships you make. 
 
2. Experienced perspectives are invaluable for young careers and companies.
While mentorship can be valuable at any stage of a career, it's especially important when the mentee doesn't have as much personal experience in the industry. With a mentor, they can benefit from the insights gained through years of experience--without having to spend years of trial and error themselves.  Many young professionals discount the importance of experience.  A strong mentor has the experience to help their mentee avoid the pitfalls and identify possible paths to success.
 
3. Don't seek a mentor who's your clone.  Find a mentor that can fill in your skill gaps.
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. And while mentors can certainly help make the strengths even stronger, it's usually even more valuable to have someone who can give advice in areas where you're struggling.  Having great mentors is crucial to learning fast, particularly in the areas where you lack knowledge. 
 
4. You don't always have to follow a mentor's advice--but listen to it and evaluate it.
One important thing to understand about mentorship is that the mentor can't live your life for you. They're there to provide advice and perspective and make you think differently--not make unilateral decisions for you. Counsel need not always be followed, but should always be carefully considered. 
The role of the mentor is to make you reflect, not to give you advice or answers. Helping you ask the right questions--that’s real mentorship. 
 
5. Anyone can be a mentor.
If you go through life with the perspective that you have something to learn from everyone you meet, you'll collect a lot of informal mentors along the way. Not all mentorship relationships have to be formal.  Many people have informal mentors without even knowing it.  Think of people in your network with whom you consult – they are your mentors too.
 
6. Diversity of mentorship is important.
It's common to have one person you regard as a primary mentor, but that doesn't mean you can't seek out a variety of perspectives on a more informal basis as well.  You should be encouraged to seek out mentors who bring other perspectives to light.  Add people who bring a different point of view from your own. 
 
7. Things to do to be a good mentee -
Often, people consider the "burden" of mentorship to be on the mentor. But mentees can take responsibility for cultivating the experience of mentorship too. The biggest difference between people having a successful mentor relationship boils down to initiative.  Successful mentees thoughtfully select the right person to mentor them based on the items already discussed.  They establish the framework of the relationship and work at developing the relationship. They are prepared with specific questions, areas for feedback, and requests for support.
 
8. Mentorship is beneficial for the mentors too.
Finally, just as the responsibilities of mentorship are shared by mentees, the benefits are shared by mentors.  The most successful mentorships are the ones that are a two-way experience where both sides benefit from the relationship.  In these relationships, the mentor experiences satisfaction and new perspectives by providing guidance and insight to the person seeking advice, while the mentee gains the benefit of experienced advice.  We tend to think that mentorship was designed to help the mentees, the up-and-coming. But mentorship helps the mentor too.  To be a mentor makes you a more understanding human being. It keeps your mind young and your skills fresh. Successful people who don’t start to mentor others will over time lose touch with their own excellence. Mentoring someone connects you back to the original you who became so excellent.

Redacted from an article by Laurence Bradford printed in Forbes Magazine in January 2018

Register Now! 2019 ALA Annual Conference

Early Bird registration is now open for the 2019 ALA Annual Conference & Expo at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Learn more about this year's conference below, and be sure to register by February 4th to receive the Early Bird discount!

Featured Speakers:
Keynote Speaker--Molly Fletcher
Chief Executive Officer who shares the unconventional and unique techniques that made her one of the first successful female agents in the world of professional sports
Leading the Way: Inspiring Go-Getters and Game Changers
 
General Session Speaker--Col. Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.)
Leader, combat veteran and the first female pilot on the elite Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron Harnessing Headwinds
 
David W. Brezina Memorial Session Speaker--Michelle Silverthorn
Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation, a diversity consulting firm that partners with organizations to design inclusive workplaces
How to Respectfully Discuss Race, Gender and Politics in a Fragmented World
 
Refer a Colleague:
Tell your colleagues in the business of law about the value of your experience and encourage them to join us in 2019! For each attendee you refer, you will receive a $25 gift card. Plus, you will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card.
 
Community Service:
ALA is proud to partner with Clean the World for this year’s community service event. Learn more about this organization dedicated to supporting shelters, missions and disaster relief efforts.
 
Register today at alanet.org/events/2019-events and join your chapter for this high-caliber educational event exploring New Frontiers in Legal Management.

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: Cindy Conover, Cindy.Conover@Shearman.com; Valerie Williamson, valerie.williamson@bassberry.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: Ellen Clinton (Chair), ellen.clinton@kutakrock.com;  Cameron Gowan (Co-Chair), cgowan@jonesday.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: Julie Tomey (Chair), tomey@thewbkfirm.com; Sheri Shifflett (Co-Chair), Cheryl.Shifflett@saul.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: Sarahi Estrella (Chair), sarahi.estrella@arentfox.com ; Dot Mooney (Co-Chair), dmooney@powerslaw.com​


Educational Communities

Branch Office Administrators
The Branch Office Adminsitrators Community focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local adminisraotrs who must coordinate with other officees of their firms. The Community'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: Jackie Thomas (Chair), jackie.thomas@agg.com; Anjanette Milladge (Co-Chair), amilladge@sandw.com 
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org
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Office Operations Management
The members of the Office Operations Management Community 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:  Linda Padron (Chair), lpadron@curtis.com; Janice Byrum-Jackson (Co-Chair),  jbyrum-jackson@hunton.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Community 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: Astrid Emond (Chair), aemond@bakerlaw.com; Matthew Cichocki (Co-Chair), mcichocki@cooley.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.alacapchap.org



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Small Firm Administrators
The purpose of the Small Firm Administrators Community 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 Community meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at host law firms.

Contact: Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Chair), wguido-chizhik@bomcip.com; Jo Jo Ruby (Co-Chair), jruby@btlaw.com
Listserv: smallfirm@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. 

Contact: Danielle Smith (Chair), danielle.smith@hklaw.com; Tania Jose (Co-Chair), tania.jose@powerslaw.com
Listserv: nextgen@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: Jasmine Stribling (Chair), jstribling@bsfllp.com; Tiffany Montgomery (Co-Chair), tmontgomery@velaw.com
Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org
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Technology
The Technology Community 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), kennymitchell@quinnemanuel.com
Listserv: tech@lists.alacapchap.org