January 2021

Capital Connection is published monthly for members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide information for the education and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers, managing partners of law firms, and other law related associations. Capital Connection is not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax counseling or advice through this publication. The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection should not be considered endorsements by the Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any products advertised. Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial and/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter.
Editors: Cindy Conover; Beth Fowler
Contributing Editors: Jackie Johnson; Natalie W. Loeb, MS; David B. Sarnoff, Esq.; Niki Irish; Cindy Schuler
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis

In this issue:

President's Message
New Members and Members on the Move
The Case for Active Listening
On the Verge of Burnout: The Importance of Completing the Stress Cycle
Alternative Staffing Models in the Legal Industry
January 2021 Diversity Observances

President's Message: A Conversation Post 2020 – The Longest Year Ever

“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
– Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

We made it to 2021 and boy did 2020 feel like decades wrapped into that one year. As I mentioned in my recent Happy New Year e-mail, I am forever grateful to have walked 2020 out with you all and I am also grateful for the lessons 2020 taught me, for the resilience and strength it refined in me, and for the priorities it instilled in me.

I honestly was not sure how everyone would receive the request to share your word for 2021 or whether anyone would share, but the outpouring not only of words, but the sharing of meanings behind them was overwhelming. I was blown away and reminded yet again how truly blessed we are for this Chapter. I got to learn a little more about the people in the Chapter I love and it was humbling to have you share such meaningful thoughts with me.

Some who shared do this every year. Some were new to the concept and took this as an opportunity to self-reflect. I thank each of you for taking the time to thoughtfully share and for diving all-in with me on this crowdsourcing activity. If you do not typically choose a word, take some time to reflect on the ones below, as there are some really great words you could borrow that I am certain your fellow members and business partners would not mind sharing. I sincerely wish these words bring about some hope for better things in 2021.

Interestingly enough, though ultimately not surprising, there were several words that resonated with multiple people for 2021: GRATEFUL, PERSEVERE (PERSEVERANCE) and RESILIENCE. This is evidence of just how battle-tested (notice I refrain from using “battle-worn”) we are after 2020. But we survived. We are here. And we are better versions of ourselves for it, whether we feel that way at the moment or not.

I want to share a few additional lessons learned from our fellow colleagues that inspired me. These are some of your words and advice that I am taking into this year. I hope you find these as helpful and inspirational as I did.

Refine your focus. 2020 is perfect vision through the right lens, but it is also hindsight. I used that when I first introduced myself last April. If we start our focus in a different optic, we may find that we fight from a different strength. As one member pointed out, New Year’s resolutions have never worked for them, because once they are broken there is no starting over. Use everything your word encompasses to drive and sustain you in 2021! Another member plans to make their word a part of everything they do. Use your word as a mental force to guide you to do more, be better, and stretch yourself to give to others because of everything you are GRATEFUL for in your life.
Reincorporate self-care. Give yourself permission to take care of you. As administrators and leaders we are so focused on taking care of others that we often forget to take care of ourselves. If we do not put our oxygen mask on first and we pass out, then we are incapable of helping others put theirs on. It may feel selfish but it is truly selfless. As one member said, 2020 gave us the opportunity and permission to work from home from time-to-time and the time in isolation gave us an opportunity to reflect and get to know ourselves better. Another member is giving themselves permission not to shoulder every responsibility under the sun and find PEACE. It is okay to turn off the computer and find peace and solitude, letting go a little bit and not having to be in control the entire time. That is part of my aim with my word SURRENDER.
Redefine your words and be open to new opportunities to redefine yourself. Personal definitions and perception matter. Sometimes we use words and do not look closely enough at the meanings. Words hold great power and can mean different things to different people. One member wrote: “my words for the year are RESET (set again or differently) and OVERCOME (defeat; prevail).” Overcome and be more creative and more open to new opportunities in your life. Another member’s words were OPEN and FEARLESS (read as fear less) - be open to new experiences and show no fear by walking into whatever life brings your way. If 2020 taught us nothing else it is that we are resilient. One member’s word is RESILIENCE the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. No matter what we may have been encountering professionally or personally, 2020 taught us how resilient we are. We learned that no matter what comes our way we can prevail. Let those be new adjectives you use to describe yourself, because they are true.
Reverse negativity in your daily life. Be slow to speak and continue to give yourself and others around you grace. As one colleague replied, so many things around us have not gone “as planned,” and they are learning to give themselves and those around them GRACE - grace to not have anxiety about the unexpected and to cherish each day as it comes, as unplanned and chaotic as it might be. Another colleague is making efforts to be very INTENTIONAL in their conversations and interactions and to start with KINDNESS. Another important word is POSITIVITY. If we all project a little more positivity to ourselves and others, imagine where we could be. Be kind to yourself first and foremost, you deserve it.
Reimagine the possibilities. We have learned to do more with less and utilize employees in different ways. As one member said, their 2020 word would have been engage (a good one especially given we were navigating waters we had never been in and trying to engage a remote workforce like never before), so now their 2021 word will be VISION. We need to really focus on getting data and input from employees at all levels and from clients to figure out what the firm of the future will look like and how to get us there. I am excited to see the possibilities and to see if it includes more work-life balance than before.
Reinforce your strengths. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter thank you think.” – Christopher Robin. One friend shared that although 2020 was a rough year in so many regards it was also a year of togetherness, PERSEVERANCE and discovery. A business partner wrote that so many things changed and will never look the same for them and their family. And through it all though they learned that perseverance is not negotiable. A member added that this past year certainly showed us that things do not always go as planned and the importance of being able to regroup and create a new plan. More new adjectives we can add to our toolbox.

I read something on LinkedIn before the end of the year that basically said New Year’s Eve is approaching and we are about to see people post about how many things they have overcome and accomplished despite 2020. Do not compare your accomplishments to theirs. If you are still standing that in itself is accomplishment enough! For just a minute let it sink in just how transformational and remarkable we all were in 2020, pivoting in ways we had never thought we might need to or thought possible. We did not have the time to stop and benchmark where we were in March 2020 to compare to where we were on December 31, so it is hard to measure just how far we have come and how much we have grown both personally and professionally. Our focus determines our reality and if we choose to focus on positive words and our newfound strengths as our baseline for the new year, I believe we are setting ourselves up for a far greater 2021.

While we have learned you cannot just flip the calendar and BAM all is right in the world, and while our 2021 may appear to be starting off where 2020 left off - especially in light of the painful, heartbreaking and disgusting events that occurred in our Nation’s Capital recently - I am still remaining hopeful that we will see better days on the horizon in 2021. I am hopeful that night cannot last forever and that joy comes in the morning. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” I want to reassure you that the Capital Chapter will continue to strive to be a community that embraces and celebrates our differences. We are better together and that has not changed.

Jackie Johnson

New Members and Members on the Move

Christine ChaseCarpino
Paralegal Manager
Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP
2000 K St., N.W.
4th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
cchasecarpino@robbinsrussell.com

Lydia Moore-Riley, PHR, SHRM-CP
Office Administrator
Davis Wright Tremaine
1301 K St., N.W.
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
lydiariley@dwt.com

Rachael Conti
Human Resources Specialist
Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP
1129 20th St., N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
rconti@ftlf.com

Valerie Williamson
Office Administrator
Foley Hoag LLP
1717 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
vwilliamson@foleyhoag.com

The Case for Active Listening

Natalie W. Loeb, MS
David B. Sarnoff, Esq.
Loeb Leadership

It’s simple but not easy. With the ongoing pandemic, the transition to remote work and living with restrictions, there is no doubt that the secret to our success lies in our ability to effectively communicate. One of the most important skills to possess during these times is active listening. Active listening is a strong interpersonal skill and when done well, it proves our humanity, it builds trust, enhances relationships, demonstrates empathy and compassion and makes those being listened feel valued and important. It also offers the opportunity to gain new knowledge, perspective and information to help us grow personally and professionally. When we are truly actively listening, we suspend judgment and leave space for the speaker to continue. We use both non-verbal and verbal expressions to demonstrate we are receiving information and interested in what the speaker has to say. We are extinguishing random thoughts that come into our minds, so we can intently listen and give the speaker our full attention. Active listening is hard work. It is strenuous and requires intention, effort and focus. However, at a time when many of us are feeling disconnected, isolated and lonely, active listening is the human gift we can choose to give to others. When done well, your hard work will pay off in numerous ways.

How to actively listen
Active listening is a commitment to intentionally listen to the speaker with your ears, eyes and body. It requires asking questions to clarify assumptions and demonstrating interest by testing your understanding with the speaker to confirm you heard what the speaker intended to share with you. When you are practicing active listening, you are not waiting for a chance to jump in and speak. Instead you are trying to understand fully. It’s not unusual to find ourselves waiting to speak when a good response comes to mind while another person is speaking and we feel eager for them to stop talking so we can express our point. In fact, when we notice this happening and resist the impulse to interrupt, we know we are practicing active listening. More than ever, human beings are striving to be heard and understood. Problems occur when more than one person in a conversation wants to be heard at the same time. When people are interrupting each other, feelings of frustration grow. If one feels they are not being heard, you will notice stress levels increase and a breakdown in communication. Those breakdowns in communication can lead to a number of unfortunate outcomes, including straining professional relationships.

Active listening communicates to another person that they are valued and respected. Imagine if someone comes to you to seek advice or share an experience for your feedback. How do you think that person would feel if in the middle of what they are saying you decided to send a text or check emails? It is a safe bet that the other person would feel disrespected and not heard. It is imperative while active listening to be present, focus on the speaker and maintain comfortable eye contact. As stated earlier, active listening is a physical activity and requires practice to increase proficiency and ability.

It is particularly important as an attorney to actively listen for multiple reasons. First, being an active listener builds trust amongst members of your team and encourages them to communicate ideas, challenges and feedback. It also models the way for others in your firm to practice active listening, raising their level of listening skills.

Typically in a high stress work environment such as a law firm, many people tend to listen for the least amount of information they need to try to complete a task, in order to be able to move on to the next task. This is not the most productive way to practice because by practicing active listening, you may identify a deeper level of understanding that may raise the caliber of your work product.

An example of this is when a litigator conducts a deposition. Litigators are typically trained to never ask a question they don’t know the answer to. While that may be solid advice, attorneys tend to focus only on the questions they prepared and may not listen deeply to the responses of the witness, potentially creating other lines of questioning. Active listening would not only focus on the specific words the witness was saying, but also on how they were saying these words. Are they sweating, is their volume elevated, are they touching their face while they are speaking, are all observations that should be noticed. It also requires an attorney to focus on what the witness is not saying, and if they are uneasy and nervous. Active listening taps into our intuition and experiences to focus completely on the verbal and non-verbal responses from a witness and have a heightened sense of what is actually being communicated.

Similarly, when presenting an argument in front of a judge, active listening is just as important as the legal research supporting your brief. Often times during oral argument, an attorney is hyper focused on their argument and how they will use the facts of the case to support their legal citations, a judge will interrupt with questions. For many attorneys, this can be unnerving and if you do not put your thoughts on hold and focus on what the judge is saying, you may fumble in your reply.

How many times have you heard a judge say to an attorney, “you did not answer my question.”

When a person is performing active listening, they do not focus on their own thoughts or responses in their head, however, they are focused on the person who is speaking. Your awareness is tuned into the expressions, emotions and communication being transmitted from the person speaking to you. In order to do this, it requires a mind shift from wanting to reply immediately with only your reply and thoughts to focusing on how to flesh out more from the person who is speaking. This skill will in most cases provide a deeper understanding of the thoughts and aspirations of the person who is speaking, and in some cases their competency.

Active listening is an important life skill to not only cultivate and nurture personal and familial relationships but can be an effective tool to building a high trust workplace in your professional life. Attorneys who elevate their active listening skills will also raise their emotional intelligence skills, self- awareness and how they show up and are perceived by their colleagues.

Below are some strategies and practices to help you raise your active listening abilities. The more you practice them, the better your listening skills will be.

Choose to actively listen and provide your full attention.
Set any distractions aside and give your full attention to the speaker.
Use your eye contact, body language and short non-verbals to show you are paying attention. These efforts will also help you to remain engaged in the conversation. Pay attention to the speaker’s verbal and non-verbal messaging. Speed and tone of voice along with body language clues can provide valuable information to you in addition to the words being used.
Identifying emotions being expressed along with the words will show the speaker you are connecting to, interested in and value their input. This leads to building trust, enhancing relationships and improved productivity and outcomes.
Ask thoughtful clarifying questions to demonstrate you are “hearing” the speaker and want to learn more. Open-ended questions that begin with “What?” and “How?” can prompt new details about what you are really trying to understand. There’s also a place for closed questions (questions requiring a one-word answer to help you gather some facts).
Be mindful and strategic about the question types you choose to help you focus on understanding the speaker and gaining information. A closed question can help you paraphrase what you think you understand and give the speaker the opportunity to correct your understanding.
Suspend judgment and put your desire to be heard and understood on the back burner.
Be patient with yourself as you practice. This is not the natural way in which we communicate with others—especially in a disagreement. It won’t go perfectly, and that’s fine.

For a free listening quiz on the Psychology Today website to evaluate your listening skills click here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/personality/listening-skills-test

On the Verge of Burnout: The Importance of Completing the Stress Cycle
Expert Guidance from Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Niki Irish
Senior Counselor, Lawyer Assistance Program – D.C. Bar

Early humans were stressed out just like we are. Our hunter-gatherer prehistoric ancestors had some scary times, running from Saber Tooth tigers and battling neighboring tribes with clubs and spears. Times were tough and folks were in a life and death struggle on almost a daily basis. Although come to think of it, in some ways life for them was unfortunately not that different from how many of us experienced life in 2020.

In prehistoric times, people with robust bodily stress responses survived to sharpen another spear and pass on their genes. Fast forward to today’s world and we are still benefitting, and suffering, from the same bodily stress responses. Everywhere we look right now there are "tigers" chasing us - stressors our bodies interpret as dangerous threats. The tigers of today are relationships, work deadlines, the pandemic, and systems of oppression, among others. When we encounter today's tigers, our brain (our amygdala specifically) and our sympathetic nervous system activate our body’s fight or flight response in order to prepare our body to respond to the danger. Our cortisol and adrenaline levels spike, enabling us to fight or run, and ultimately to survive. However, we are not built to stay in this stressed-out state. If we get stuck in a chronic or prolonged stress response, it depletes our physical, psychological, and emotional resources.

Once the fight or flight response occurs the body will ideally go through a full stress cycle. The stress cycle has three stages - a beginning, a middle and an end - before the final stress shutdown begins and we can exhale figuratively, and literally. Completing the cycle is how our bodies communicate to us that we have survived and are no longer in danger. If the stress cycle is not completed, our bodies do not get the message that danger is past. When this happens repeatedly, like it does for many of us in the modern world, the toll of chronic, unresolved stress begins to have effects both physically and mentally.

While we used to be able to run away from the tiger, thereby completing the stress cycle, the tigers of today are much harder to elude. This makes it difficult to complete the full stress response cycle, and our bodies miss the crucial message: we have survived the tiger and are now safe.

In their book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, identical twins Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA explore what you can do to help your body complete the biological stress cycle—and return to a state of relaxation. They note, “The good news is that stress is not the problem. The problem is that the strategies that deal with stressors have almost no relationship to the strategies that deal with the physiological reactions our bodies have to those stressors.”

The Nagoskis remind us that “completing the cycle isn’t an intellectual decision; it’s a physiological shift.” You must give your body a physical signal that you are safe, so the stress cycle can complete.

Burnout explores seven evidence-based strategies to complete the stress response cycle.

Physical activity is the most efficient and effective means of completing the stress cycle. As the Nagoskis write, “physical activity is what tells your brain you have successfully survived the threat and now your body is a safe place to live.” Aim to move your body 20 to 60 minutes a day. This can be anything that gets your body going – running, dancing, yoga, biking, gardening.

If you have difficulty with mobility, the Nagoskis recommend trying progressive muscle relaxation, progressively tensing and releasing every muscle in your body while simultaneously visualizing “clearly and viscerally, what it feels like to beat the living daylights out of whatever stressor you’ve encountered.”

Are you short on time and still want to complete the stress cycle using movement? Turn on some music and dance it out for the length of one song. Do a quick set of jumping jacks. Try standing up, taking a deep breath, tense all your muscles for 20 seconds and then release with a big exhale, shaking it out. If you have kids at home (or just want to be silly) check out Go Noodle’s short movement videos.
Breathing, deeply and slowly - exhaling longer than you inhale - reminds your body that it is not under attack from the perceived tigers. An easy method for deep breathing is box breathing, also known as 4x4 or square breathing. Try it now: inhale through your nose for the count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale out of your mouth for the count of four, and hold your breath again for a count of four. Then repeat. Do this for two minutes and see how you feel, you may have created just a little bit more space for you to proceed.
Positive social interactions, even superficial ones, help complete the stress cycle. Since humans are wired for connection, positive social interaction reassures your brain that the world is a safe place. The pandemic has clearly made this guidance a little bit harder to implement. It may take some creativity but think about how to engage others, whether virtually or from a safe distance.

Can you wave to the people you walk by since they can’t see your smile through your mask? Can you make sure to send a friendly chat to your coworker over Teams? Do you schedule a phone call with a friend because you are fatigued from too much Zoom but still need to hear a reassuring voice at the end of the day?
Laughter, particularly with someone else, helps reinforce social connection and regulate emotions. The Nagoskis note that deep belly laughter is a way to release and express the emotions we are keeping inside. It is not even necessary to be laughing in the present moment; merely recalling a funny story that made you laugh in the past is enough to complete the stress cycle.
Affection, whether physical or emotional, is another great tool to complete the stress cycle. This can be particularly useful if you are too stressed for laughing or light social connection. The goal here is to connect with a loving presence to remind your body that it is safe.
If you have access to someone you love and trust, try giving them a 20 second hug. It is a signal to your body that you are safe and can relax. (Here is some advice on how to hug in a pandemic). Do you have someone you are even more comfortable with? Try a six second kiss. Yes, that is six seconds in a row, not six one-second kisses. If people are not an option, try petting a dog, cat, or other beloved pet, until you feel your body relax.

If physical affection is not for you, think about ways you can connect spiritually with a place that makes you feel safe and held. This could be through nature or with the divine, it just needs to be a place that you feel loved and cared for – reminding your body it is safe.
Crying it out. Crying is one of our body’s methods for releasing stress and completing the stress cycle. There is no shame in crying – it is a fundamental part of being human. If you are having trouble accessing a good cry, try setting aside time and put it in your schedule. During the time you have given yourself, try playing some music, watching a tv show or movie, reading an article or book, anything that might trigger a good therapeutic cry.
Creative expression. According to Nagoskis, the arts “create a context that tolerates, even encourages, big emotions.” It is a space where emotions can be processed and explored, allowing you to complete the stress cycle. The options are limitless. You can try playing instruments, dancing, painting, sculpting, storytelling through poetry, or stream of conscious journaling. Whatever you choose, find a way to express yourself that works for you.

Whichever evidence-based strategy you choose to complete the stress cycle, remember that it should be based on what you need and what you can access in that moment. Check in with yourself each day, several times a day, and see which strategy you can implement. Remember, in any given moment you might need something different and that is okay. This isn’t a one-size fits all approach. What is one-size fits all is building time in your day to complete the cycle, intentionally.

If these tips made you curious, do not hesitate to read the book for a more in-depth discussion.

Alternative Staffing Models in the Legal Industry

Cindy Schuler
Director of Human Resources, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
Chair, Human Resources Committee

On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, the Capital Chapter’s HR Community presented a program entitled Alternative Staffing Models in the Legal Industry. The panelists included our very own Capital Chapter members Carmen Barboza, Senior Human Resources Manager at Crowell & Moring, LLP, Nicole Nowak, Executive Director at Adduci, Mastriani & Schaumberg, LLP, and Julie Hooper, Assistant Office Administrator and Loren Bosies, Secretarial Supervisor at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Each panelist spoke about their experience in moving from a traditional law firm support model to a more efficient and effective support model. While each of the panelists had different experiences in planning, implementing and slightly different models, there were several important takeaways:

Assess your current model by identifying gaps and the ultimate goal;
Assess your current positions and identify a path for professional development;
Target and gain the support of “ambassadors” who will champion the initiative;
Develop a communications/marketing campaign to implement the initiative;
Remain flexible as “one size does not always fit all” and any new initiative will be a “work in progress.”

Thank you Carmen, Nicole, Julie and Loren! We appreciate the valuable insight you brought to our panel discussion. For those of you who were unable to attend, the session recording will be available on Capital Chapter website.

January 2021 Diversity Observances

Click here to view the full list of January observances.

Administrative Committees

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

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The mission of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is to advance the concepts of inclusiveness and acceptance in every organization by providing all Chapter members with information so that they can merge these concepts with their firm's policies, procedures, culture, and relationships to be more equitable and inclusive. We not only strive to raise awareness, but also to increase our sensitivity in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion and more closely reflect the diversity of our community at large. Having a more inclusive and diverse legal community will improve the quality of our organizations’ workforces and respond to our clients’ requirements for diversity. The DEI Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month and we welcome all members to join us for discussion on how to further our mission in our firms and in our Chapter.

Contact: Beth Fowler (Chair), bfowler@robbinsrussell.com; Denise Verdesoto (Co-Chair), deniseverdesoto@eversheds-sutherland.com

Salary Survey
The Salary Survey Committee is responsible for maintaining, updating and running the local survey each year. They review the positions listed, the job descriptions, and the benefits questions to ensure that the survey remains relevant to the end users. The members of the committee also promote the survey within the Chapter to stimulate participation.

Contact: Valerie Williamson (Chair), valerie.williamson@bassberry.com; Herb Abercrombie Jr. (Co-Chair), HAbercrombie@jenner.com

Member Experience
The Member Experience Committee will establish a welcoming environment for new members to be integrated into the Chapter through a formal Ambassador Program. Ambassadors will provide support and guidance to new members through their first 12 months of membership, ensuring new members realize benefits of membership and become ambassadors of the Chapter. If you would like more information and/or are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please contact the Chair or Co-Chair.

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

Educational Communities

Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators
The Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators Community focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local administrators who must coordinate with other offices of their firms, as well as to provide administrators of law firms with 35 or fewer attorneys educational opportunities through vendor presentations, idea sharing and open forums specifically designed for those who work in smaller firms.. The Community's monthly luncheon meetings, held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:30 pm, provide a venue for members to discuss issues of common interest, share ideas, and network. Members are encouraged to raise topics and to recommend speakers.

Contact: Joanna Hurt (Chair), jhurt@mccarter.com; Tabatha Harris (Chair), tsh@dwgp.com
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org and smallfirm@lists.alacapchap.org

Office Operations Management and IT
The members of the Office Operations Management and IT Community represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Community meets on the second Thursday of each month at noon. We welcome all members to join the section, especially if you are an administrator in a small law office and you have to wear multiple hats. We can provide you with many best practices to run your operation smoothly.

Contact: Giovanni DiLuca (Chair), gdiluca@zuckerman.com ; Janelle E. Rynes (Co-Chair), janelle.rynes@arentfox.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org

Human Resources
The Human Resources Community operates as a venue for educational information on global human resources issues. While the Community is mostly comprised of HR professionals, any member is invited to participate in the meetings which typically take place on the second or third Wednesday of each month. The meetings feature industry speakers or roundtable discussions on topics such as recruiting, benefits, strategic planning, performance management, career pathing, retention and other matters of interest.

Contact: Cindy Schuler (Co-Chair), cindy.schuler@hugheshubbard.com; Monique Terrell (Co-Chair), mterrell@foxrothschild.com

Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Amy Walkowiak (Chair), awalkowiak@dcwhitecollar.com; Ana Sobalvarro (Co-Chair), asobalvarro@bomcip.com
Listserv: nextgen@lists.alacapchap.org