July 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: Richard Gibson; Justin Bariso; Robert Half Legal; Montserrat Miller; Cindy Schuler PHR, SHRM-CP; Joseph Lalonde; Washington Express; Jenniffer A. Brown; Claudia M. Baragano; Joellen Brassfield
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis

In this issue:

President's Message
New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members
2017-2018 ALACC Foundation Board
These are the 7 (Completely Free) Perks the Best Employees Crave
July 2017 Diversity Observances
Spotlight: Robert Half Legal, Gold Business Partner
ALACC Business Partners & Firms Named Top Places to Work
Are Your Employment Practices Setting You Up for a Discrimination Claim?
Diversity Today - Being a More Inclusive Law Firm Tomorrow
15 Questions Great Leaders Ask Other Leaders
Spotlight: Washington Express, Gold Business Partner
July Diversity Tip Sheet: Celebrate July - Tell the Story of Your America
2nd Quarter Community Services Initiative Recap: Stuff the Bus
OOMS Section Update
Congratulations to the Diversity & Inclusion Resources Trivia Challenge Winners!
A Message from the Heart Association Regarding Lawyers Have Heart

President's Message

I recently had the pleasure of hosting several new members of the Chapter at this year’s presentation of the Benefits of Membership. I found it refreshing to have to reconsider all the aspects of ALA, both in our Chapter and at the national level, that make membership interesting and valuable.

In trying to distill membership into one concise sentence, I decided on Education, Information & Networking. I probably could have chosen Learning, Best Practices & Communication, or Knowledge, Sharing & People, because for me the association consistently delivers professional development through quality education programs, information we share of our experiences, and lasting relationships we form with fellow members. The new members present at the meeting were joined by a number of established members, some of whom shared their experiences of serving in leadership roles or being awarded a scholarship, and others who, as Ambassadors, had welcomed their new member to the Chapter, provided them an orientation to the association, and encouraged their attendance at events.

The quality of our Chapter organization, the frequent education offerings, the support of our Business Partners, and the active participation of many Chapter members make it easy for me to present the Chapter as a dynamic environment for a new member. In researching the Chapter’s history I was reminded that it all began in 1973—we’ll celebrate our forty-fifth anniversary next year—just two years after the national association was formed. Our current membership of around four hundred spans a wide variety of firm size, type and specialty practice, which invariably allows us to match a new member’s area of interest with the deep experience and expertise of a fellow member.

As mentioned earlier, each new member is assigned an Ambassador whose very valuable role is to ensure the new member is aware of all that the Chapter offers and to encourage their involvement whether in an education program, a section meeting, or a networking event. Our Ambassadors invest their time and experience to make the new member feel welcomed and fully informed. If while reading this article you become interested in the role of an Ambassador, please let Paula or Jessie know and they’ll be happy to provide more detail and to assign a new member to you.

Spending an hour with the new and established members last week proved valuable to me, not only as an opportunity to revisit the many and varied aspects of our association, but also because I can take great pride in our Chapter. The size, scope and quality of the Capital Chapter makes it a pleasure to present to a new member, and an easy job to encourage them to participate, enjoy the experience, and perhaps eventually volunteer for a leadership role.

At any of our events, please look out for our new members, introduce yourself and take a minute to chat and perhaps demonstrate to them what our Chapter is all about: Education, Information & Networking.

Richard Gibson

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Judith J. Heston
Nixon Peabody LLP
IP Support Manager
799 9th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
jheston@nixonpeabody.com

Tim T. White, Esq.
PeopleView Legal Business Advisors
Principal
35594 Canell Bay Court
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
twhite@peopleviewadvisors.com

Catherine A. Van Houten
Venable LLP
IP Administrator
600 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
cavanhouten@venable.com

Lisa J. Levine
Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker PA
Director of Human Resources
12505 Park Potomac Ave.
6th Floor
Potomac, MD 20854
llevine@shulmanrogers.com

Sarah Moore Johnson
Birchstone Moore LLC
Managing Partner
5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Ste 640
Washington, DC 20015
smj@birchstonemoore.com

2017-2018 ALACC Foundation Board

The Capital Chapter would like to welcome the 2017-2018 ALA Capital Chapter Foundation Board of Directors:

Donna Williams – President (2017-2018)
Jenna Carter – Secretary (2016-2019)
Adele Hook – Secretary-Elect (2015-2018)
Beth Fowler – Treasurer (2016- 2019)
LaVerne Anenia – Treasurer-Elect (2017-2020)
Barbara Mannix – Trustee (2017-2020)

The Chapter would like to thank outgoing Treasurer Karen Laumoli and outgoing President Dot Mooney for their service and dedication as members of the Foundation board over the past three years.

These Are the 7 (Completely Free) Perks the Best Employees Crave

Justin Bariso
Author of EQ, APPLIED, Inc. and TIME Contributor

The war for top talent is fiercer than ever.
It goes without saying that you need great compensation and benefits to attract quality employees. But every day, headhunters and rival companies are working hard to lure your best people away.

Which raises the question: What are you doing to keep them around?

If you're serious about retaining your best employees, make sure you're giving them the following:

1. Consistent and meaningful communication
Every healthy relationship begins with good communication.

In a series of recent studies, research organization Gallup concluded:

Employees whose managers hold regular meetings with them are almost three times as likely to be engaged.
Managers who use a combination of face-to-face, phone, and electronic communication are the most successful in engaging employees.
Engaged employees report that when attempting to contact their manager, he or she returns their calls or messages within 24 hours.

Additionally, Gallup's research found employees value communication from their managers about "what happens in their lives outside of work."

All of this contributes to feeling the manager or team lead is invested in him or her as a real person.

2. Sincere commendation
Praise. Giving credit where credit is due. Telling someone: "Job well done." Whatever you want to call it, people need it--and they respond to it.

Don't mistake my point: I never encourage flattery, or praise just for the sake of praising. (Anyone can see through superficial compliments and a lack of authenticity.)

But each of your people is talented in different ways. It's your job to see those talents, and to bring out the best in them.

3. Flexibility
From offering the opportunity to work remotely to making a selection of tools available to do the job, flexibility in the workplace is a major advantage for employees.

Employers expect their people to be flexible, so why wouldn't they return the favor?

4. Transparency
If you want to push your best people out the door, a lack of transparency is one of the quickest ways to do it. There's nothing worse than feeling leaders are keeping secrets when it comes to the direction of the company or the way it operates.

In contrast, great company leaders maintain a clear vision and open access to the details that affect their people.

5. New challenges
It's easy to keep giving the best employees the exact same assignments and tasks, because they're so darn good at them.

The problem is, you risk boring those employees and encouraging stagnation. If you neglect their need to be challenged long enough, they'll look to satisfy it somewhere else.

6. Freedom
In a model workplace, individuals feel a certain degree of freedom: They're free to explore new ideas, to experiment, and to develop (and adapt) their own working style.

Of course, good team leads maintain interest in their people's work, and offer helpful advice when appropriate. By resisting the urge to micromanage every decision, your people will be more than willing to hear what you have to say.

7. Opportunities to grow
The best business leaders all share a remarkable skill: the ability to make those around them better.

That's why the best employees don't mind hearing constructive criticism--especially when it's delivered with emotional intelligence.

Additionally, they need options: Not everyone wants to follow the same road, so providing a variety of career paths to follow within the company gives your people the chance to find their way.

Parting Thoughts
I've consulted for various companies throughout the years, and it's amazing how few of them get this right.

Yes, an attractive salary will get talent through the door. But if you want them to stick around, make sure to give them what they naturally crave.

Justin Bariso is an author and a consultant who helps organizations think differently and communicate with impact. In 2016, LinkedIn named him the “Top Voice” in “Management and Culture.” His forthcoming book, EQ, Applied, shares fascinating research, modern examples, and personal stories that illustrate how emotional intelligence works in the real world.
@JustinJBariso

A version of this story originally appeared on Inc.com.

July 2017 Diversity Observances

July 9: The Martyrdom of the Bab, Baha’is observe the anniversary of the Bab’s execution in Tabriz, Iran, in 1850.
July 11: World Population Day, an observance established in 1989 by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme. The annual event is designed to raise awareness of global population issues.
July 15: Asalha Puja Day or Dharma Day is a celebration of Buddha’s first teachings.
July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day, launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on July 18, 2009 via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier, for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said “It is in your hands now”. It is more than a celebration of “Madiba’s” life and legacy. It is a global movement to honor his life’s work and act to change the world for the better.
July 23: The birthday of Haile Selassie I, the Emperor of Ethiopia, who the Rastafarians consider to be God and their Savior.
July 24: Pioneer Day, observed by the Mormons to commemorate the arrival in 1847 of the first Latter Day Saints pioneer in Salt Lake Valley.
July 26: Disability Independence Day, which marks the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
July 30: International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
July 31 (Evening)- August 1: Tisha B'Av is a fast in commemoration of the destruction of two very holy and sacred temples of Judaism destroyed by the Babylonians (in 586 B.C.E) and Romans (in 70 E.C). At the of Tisha B’Av, after very select passages from the Torah are read and understood, netilat yadayim, or the washing of the hands, is performed.

Robert Half Legal Spotlight:
Preparing the Legal Leaders of Tomorrow

Finding the potential leaders in your law firm or corporate legal department is about more than just promoting young associates based on education or career experience. You need to have a plan in place to identify, promote and nurture both technical and soft skills in budding leaders. And given baby boomers are retiring at a rapid pace, discovering and developing the next generation of legal managers to take their place is more important than ever.

But what characteristics should you be looking to pin-point in potential leaders? And what can you do today to encourage them to develop those skills for their own career development within your company?

Be on the lookout for certain qualitiesStrong legal leaders may be great at what they do, but they’re even better at communicating and engaging others in what they do. Soft skills are essential. Be on the lookout for young attorneys who demonstrate excellent judgement, strong collaboration skills, diplomacy and high ethical standards. Legal managers must also have good communication skills to motivate employees, build morale and loyalty, solve problems with personnel, work and vendors, and resolve conflicts with employees and clients.

Keep ‘leadership’ in mind when hiring
While your current staff might include future leaders, don’t limit yourself. Keep an eye out for potential leaders whenever you’re hiring, even if the job opening is for a first-year associate or a summer intern.

When going through applications, look for candidates who’ve held leadership positions in the past, in the legal field or otherwise. Look for someone who served on the board of a college student organization or took a position in a volunteer group. During interviews, ask behavioral-focused questions that point to a candidates’ leadership skills. For example: “Tell me about a time you took the lead on a challenging project” or “Describe a time when you mentored someone to a successful outcome.” The answers should help you identify candidates who have the potential to become legal managers.

Invest in training
In a recent Robert Half Legal survey, lawyers were asked about the single best piece of career advice they’d ever received. One of the top responses was: “Choose a career that allows you to grow.” If you expect to hang on to the next generation of leaders, they need to know that you support their growth. Encourage them to attend continuing legal education (CLE) conferences and courses. Managerial candidates should go to CLE seminars focusing on professional ethics, conflict resolution and growth management. In addition, they should polish and strengthen their knowledge of legal trends, especially incoming tech and tools, such as eDiscovery, cloud-based legal research, cyber security, predictive coding, and artificial intelligence through classes and other training.

Also, make sure you’re giving young attorneys a chance to shore up their weaknesses through targeted training. If candidates for management aren’t equally strong in both project and people skills, recommend the appropriate professional development.

Build a mentoring program
In the same survey, Lawyers interviewed indicated that “finding a mentor” was a key tip for career success. A mentor can have a profound effect on a lawyer’s long-term success. Mentors can serve as a sounding board for career advice and offer guidance, while also providing direction on how to navigate workplace culture or politics, overcome challenges and how to best approach a work assignment.

So many of the soft skills required for a thriving legal career, such as good judgment, decision making, teamwork, collaboration, conflict resolution, adaptability and client relations, are learned on the job, not in a class. One great way to make sure potential legal managers are developing these skills is to match them with an experienced mentor.

If your company doesn’t have an in-house mentoring program, you should consider starting one. Mentorship can have an incredible business impact beyond guiding a young professional’s legal career: it supports reverse mentoring, where new and emerging knowledge makes its way up the hierarchy; and more innovative, insightful idea sharing between baby boomers and younger generations.

Identifying and developing future legal managers in your firm or company can be a challenge. But if you invest the time and energy today, you’ll reap the benefits of your efforts for years to come.

Robert Half Legal is a premier legal staffing service specializing in the placement of attorneys, paralegals, legal administrators and other legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major North American and global markets and offers a full suite of legal staffing and consulting solutions.

Are Your Employment Practices Setting You Up for a Discrimination Claim?

Montserrat Miller
Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently reached a settlement against a pizza restaurant franchisee with 31 locations in Florida for $140,000. Why? To answer that question we need to unpack the onboarding process and focus on the Employment Eligibility Verification form (the “Form I-9” or “I-9”). It is important for leaders within the full-service restaurant industry to understand the employee onboarding process to avoid claims of unlawful discriminatory practices under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

First, the basics—All employers must complete a Form I-9 for any new hire within three business days of hire, regardless of whether a company or franchise has three or 300 employees. The form is issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and its purpose is to document a new hire’s identity and work authorization. Separately, if an employer participates in E-Verify, they must create a case in the electronic employment eligibility verification system through USCIS within three business days of hire. It is a tight timeline, but failure to do so can lead to a substantive violation under the INA. Civil penalties start at $216 per form and may increase to $2,156 per form.

When completing the Form I-9, there are certain rules employers must follow. Most importantly among those is whenever a new employee is hired, he or she must be provided with following documents: the two-page Form I-9, including the Lists of Acceptable Documents, and the Instructions for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

The two-page I-9 form, which is supported by the 65-page Handbook for Employers (M-274), the Instructions booklet, and an entire section on USCIS’s website, appears simple but commonly trips up employers. Ensuring compliance is particularly important given that the current administration is prioritizing enforcement of immigration laws in an effort to protect American jobs.

There are two main parts to completing the Form I-9, and it involves both the new hire and the employer. A new hire must complete section 1 of the Form I-9 and may do so either before their first day of hire, if they have been offered employment and accepted the offer, or, on their first day of employment. The employer then must complete section 2 of the Form I-9 within three business days of when the individual begins to work for pay.

Section 2 of the Form I-9 is where an employer’s hiring practices could run afoul of the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) of the DOJ enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the INA found in the U.S. code. This federal law prohibits three things: citizenship status discrimination and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment, or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices during the Form I-9 and E-Verify process; and retaliation or intimidation for raising a discrimination claim.

As previously mentioned, the DOJ recently reached a settlement related to an investigation into unfair documentary practices against a pizza restaurant franchisee with 31 locations in Florida for $140,000. The allegation was that the chain, Pizzerias, “routinely requested that lawful permanent residents produce a specific document—a Permanent Resident Card—to prove their work authorization, while not requesting a specific document from U.S. citizens.” The DOJ alleged that Pizzerias had a pattern or practice of requesting a List-A document, the permanent resident card, from newly hired lawful permanent residents because of their citizenship status, while not asking the same of U.S. citizens.

This action is not acceptable because a lawful permanent resident, like any other individual who completes the Form I-9, may present any of the documents listed in the Lists of Acceptable Documents as long as it is either a List-A document, such as a permanent resident card or U.S. passport, or a List-B and List-C document, like a driver’s license and unrestricted social security card.

In addition to the civil penalty, Pizzerias must now post notices informing workers about their rights under the INA’s antidiscrimination provision, train their human resources personnel, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.

Separately, in 2015, McDonald’s USA was the subject of a DOJ investigation into claims that the corporate-owned restaurants (not the franchises) engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination during the re-verification process for lawful permanent residents. Specifically, McDonald’s re-verified expiring permanent resident cards of lawful permanent residents. That practice is not acceptable and McDonald’s was fined $355,000.

In summary, here are some general practical tips when completing the Form I-9 to avoid discrimination in the employment eligibility verification and re-verification process.

Never specify which document(s) an individual must present for purposes of completing the Form I-9. Individuals can choose any of the documents from the Lists of Acceptable Documents and can show either a List-A document, like a U.S. passport or a List B and List C document, like a driver’s license and unrestricted social security card.
Non-U.S. citizens should not be asked for additional or different documentation establishing their legal status or work authorization in the United States. For example, if a new hire checks the box in section 1 that they are a lawful permanent resident or an alien authorized to work and then proceed to provide a lawful permanent resident card or an employment authorization card, a “work permit,” a discriminatory practice would be to ask that individual for additional or different documentation, such as their social security card. There are no gold stars awarded for completing section 2 of the Form I-9 by completing List A, B, and C.
Just because a new hire states that they are a lawful permanent resident does not mean they must provide their green card as proof of work authorization.
Do not re-verify an expiring green card.
Employers participating in E-Verify must post an English and Spanish version of not only the E-Verify Participation Poster, but also the IER’s “Right to Work Poster.” Both can be accessed through an employer’s E-Verify account.

Montserrat Miller is a Partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP. Ms. Miller counsels and defends companies regarding their hiring practices and compliance with the government’s Form I-9 and E-Verify employment eligibility verification requirements. Her practice includes defending employers in civil and criminal workplace investigations, and conducting immigration-related internal investigations and Form I-9 audits. She served as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Verification and Worksite Enforcement Liaison Committee. She blogs at Workforce Compliance Insights.

This article has been reprinted with permission from the author.

Diversity Today - Being a More Inclusive Law Firm Tomorrow

Cindy Schuler PHR, SHRM-CP
Chief Human Resources Officer, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

On June 15, 2017, the D&I Committee presented a panel with Mauricio Velasquez, President & CEO of Diversity Training Group. Mr. Velasquez was joined by John Harrity of Harrity & Harrity LLP and Kendal Tyre of Nixon Peabody. Both Harrity & Harrity and Nixon Peabody have worked hard to design effective diversity and inclusion programs at their law firms.

The purpose of the panel presentation was to encourage us to think about what we are doing to affect change in our law firms, what best practices are working, what needs to be in place for long term success, and how to put diversity and inclusion initiatives in place at our law firms. While some law firms may not have a diversity and inclusion initiative in place or a budget to conduct diversity and inclusion initiatives, Mr. Velasquez confirmed that simple and effective measures can be implemented and put in place for little or no money.

Mr. Velasquez discussed four ways to affect change:

Define the destination or “future state”
Size up the current state
Identify current barriers/obstacles
Devise a D& I strategy/plan

He also discussed critical success factors:

Visible, supportive and fully-committed senior leadership
Diversity strategy/plan developed & aligned with organization’s strategic plan
Internal and external communications improved
Employee involvement and assessment
Recruitment and retention activities improved
Measurement, metrics and follow through emphasized
Constant benchmarking and continuous improvement of diversity strategy and plan

The panelists discussed their law firm’s efforts in creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. One firm has a mandatory requirement for all Partners to bill hours toward diversity. The other has a hiring mechanism in place to make sure they are giving all qualified applicants an opportunity for success and has implemented a 1L diversity fellowship program which seeks to recruit students from law schools across the country to join the firm. The program is an integral part of the firm’s initiative to recruit, retain, and advance young attorneys who will contribute to the diversity of the firm in the future. In all of our law firms, the bottom line is that our employees should all have the same experience. If not, we have a responsibility to make an attempt to heighten awareness and call attention to our diversity and inclusion efforts and initiatives. As Mr. Velasquez stated, “With creativity, imagination and drive, anything can move forward…” For more information regarding the program, please refer to the ALA Capital Chapter’s website for the presentation materials from this exciting program. A special thank you is extended to HITT Contracting, our Diamond Business Partner, for sponsoring our speaker!

15 Questions Great Leaders Ask Other Leaders

Joseph Lalonde 

Great leaders never stop learning. That’s why great leaders never fail to ask other leaders questions about leadership.

These leaders are hungry. They want to grow. They know they can’t lead by themselves.
So they ask. And ask. Then ask some more.

Are you asking other leaders questions?

In my interview with Michael Bungay-Stanier, he brought up a great point about leaders need to be curious to coach well. I believe we can take this to the next level.

Not only is curiosity needed to coach well. Curiosity is needed to LEAD well. This leads great leaders to ask questions of those they’re around.

So, what kind of questions do great leaders ask of other leaders? Let’s take a look.

Who has had a major impact on your leadership? Why?
What do you wish you would have known about leadership in your early 20’s?
How have you coped with failure?
Can you share what you’ve learned from past failures?
Is there one book that has impacted your leadership more than any other?
Who do you know that I should know?
Where do you find your inspiration?
How do you decide who to mentor?
Do you separate your work life and family life? Why?
When faced with two great opportunities, how do you decide which one to go with?
What advantages have you seen with social media (or any emerging technology) in business?
What steps have you taken to become a better leader? What has been its impact?
How do you relax?
How do you create a vision for your business that everyone on your team can latch onto?
What do you do to stay grounded?

Are you doing what great leaders do? Are you asking other leaders for advice and answers to your burning questions?

Joseph Lalonde has dedicated his life to helping students transform themselves into responsible leaders. He has a strong desire to see young men and women fulfill their calling in leadership. Joseph is an award winning blogger at JMLalonde.com and hosts the Answers from Leadership podcast. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

This article has been reprinted with permission from the author and originally appeared on leadingwithquestions.com

Washington Express Spotlight:
8 Tips for Planning Your Internal Office Move

Summer is in full-swing and with that comes office moves to make way for summer associates, partner moves and office construction and restacks. We here at Washington Express Movers (WXM) have compiled some great tips to get you prepared for any upcoming internal office moves. Sometimes moving doesn’t quite require trucks, but it does require a team of knowledgeable movers who can handle moving heavy items from one space to another. We want to make this transition as easy as possible for you and your company by following these 8 steps for planning internal office moves.

1. PLAN AHEAD
We don’t want your company to have to unplug for long. By planning ahead, you can prevent any lost revenue and logistical complications. What day will the move be? Which supervisor will oversee the move? Are employees to be released early that day? Knowing these answers ahead of time will help operations run smoothly and prevent company downtime.

2. ANALYZE YOUR NEEDS
Find the RIGHT mover for the RIGHT job. Evaluate your needs and choose accordingly. Are you looking for a traditional large scale mover to handle a 100+ person move? Would you prefer to use an independent discount mover? Now there’s a third option in the industry, WXM, to bridge the gap when you’re looking for well trained, uniformed movers who are well versed in operating in professional office environments. With only a two hour minimum and no travel fees, WXM represents a smart choice for office moves at a significant savings compared to the traditional mover.

3. SCHEDULING YOUR MOVE
When it comes to scheduling your move, each building is different in what they require with regards to vender COI, loading dock access, freight elevator, and onsite management personnel. For this reason, it’s important to notify your building’s management early. Also, make sure you schedule HVAC services if you’re moving after-hours or on weekends.

4. FURNITURE & ELECTRONICS
Confirm that your mover can disassemble and reassemble any furniture you may have. Some manufacturers require factory trained technicians or need special tools to disassemble. When applicable, include photos of these items or indicate them during your walk through. Prior to your move, phone systems and computers should also be disconnected by your IT department.

5. MAKE A FLOOR PLAN
When moving or rearranging furniture, make a floor plan in advance. You and your mover should each have a copy. Include office numbers, conference room names, and how you’d like to see layout of the furniture. This saves movers time so they won’t have to seek your guidance for each piece of furniture.

6. PACKING
Determine if you’ll be hiring packers or handling this task internally. If movers are doing the packing, schedule them at a time that isn’t disruptive to your staff. If you decide to do it yourself, communicate to staff clearly how to package and label their items and by what deadline.

7. COMMUNICATE YOUR MOVE
When moving to a new floor or suite, make sure you communicate with delivery vendors, update your listings, and building signage. If your vendor delivery procedures are changing, make sure to notify USPS, FedEX, local courier, etc.

8. DECOMMISSION AKA PURGE!
If you have accumulated unneeded or broken furniture or other items, now is the time to purge them! Ask if your moving service provides hauling for disposal or furniture recycling services. If furniture is in usable condition, consider selling or donate to a local charity such as A Wider Circle or Community Connections, just to name a few. If needed, some moving services will provide e-cycling drop-offs of any unneeded computer equipment or electronics for safe destruction.

Give us a call at (301) 210-0991 to get an instant quote for your office moving needs!

July Diversity Tip Sheet: Celebrate July - Tell the Story of Your America

Jenniffer A. Brown
Weiner Millo Morgan & Bonanno LLC
www.alanet.org/diversity

July provides a day of Independence that we count on each year. It’s a great day to celebrate the inclusive foundation of this country. Yes, the founding leaders were starting a nation of strong individuals but they knew we needed a statement of equality and inclusion. What better than “all men are created equal”?

Take advantage of this break in the routine and get to know the people around you. In the bustle of daily life, we can neglect to celebrate our own stories and where we hail from and what we feel makes us unique. America offers stand-alone ideals but they hinge on working together. What better way to enhance our togetherness than by listening. Take the time to learn more about a co-worker or that neighbor you always meant to speak with. The July challenge is to start a conversation.

We have a chance in the month of July to make new friends.

Not only did our early leaders give us a day we celebrate with fireworks and outdoor fun, sun and food, they established the foundation for the first opportunity for inclusion with the Declaration of Independence, signed on Thursday, July 4, 1776.

We celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and we display this document in the hand of the Statue of Liberty in the east-facing harbor where many of our first freedom seekers stepped ashore.

We also continue to share our freedoms by welcoming neighbors from the north, south and west. While many of our first guests were brought here without choice, we recognize that we are not perfect. The Declaration of Independence is a foundation for the tolerance we still need to read to remind us of the oppression we fought against and the freedoms we still enjoy.

Inclusion and Equality are privileges and a right in this country.

Another significant July event is the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act signed on July 26, 1990. It wasn’t that long ago that we began the initial efforts to provide more inclusive opportunities for fellow Americans who were not able-bodied. Some of our disabled are also those who returned as heroes from the armed services. These fellow citizens supported American ideals often outside this country to keep the beacon of freedom available to Americans.

Celebrate July by planning a Veteran’s Job Fair. Find out who in your firm has served in the military or National Guard and celebrate them as you celebrate the birthday of this nation. Learn their stories and make them welcome. Find out more about who is already in your midst. Ask for volunteers to tell a story about themselves. Whether it be how they came to this country or how someone in their family was
the first to complete college or what brought them to your company
or another country where they lived or vacationed; we have much achievement and heroism in our midst.

Consider inclusion as a way to learn more about those you see every day at work.

Challenge your firm to celebrate themselves and our abundant differences while working together toward common business goals. Welcome families to your summer events and enjoy different summer recipes that others contribute for all to enjoy. Tell the story of our country, wave the flag, and revel in the warmth of summer that
Is often too brief.

Take the time to declare the independence of everyone by sharing stories and listening as stories are shared. Best of all, introduce yourself to a co-worker and expand your horizons by telling your story. Telling a story is nearly as great as hearing one.

Suggestions for July Conversations
Upcoming Veteran Job Fairs: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/upcoming-fairs
Hiring Our Heroes: http://www.hiringourheroes.org/hiringourheroes/events
Understanding Returning Veterans: http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/family-of-heroes/
Stories about July Fourth: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/july-4th
Statue of Liberty survives Hurricane Sandy: http://www.nytimes.com/video/nyregion/100000002320577/liberty-on-independence-day.html
Talk to a Stranger: www.nytimes.com/2014/04/26/opinion/sunday/hello-stranger.html
Recipes: allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/4th-of-july/

This article has been reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2014 Association of Legal Administrators. All Rights Reserved. www.alanet.org.

2nd Quarter Community Services Initiative Recap: Stuff the Bus

Claudia M. Baragano
Human Resources Manager - DC, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Vice President Community Services

As part of United Way's “Do More 24” and “Stuff The Bus” campaigns, the Capital Chapter collected and donated about 24 backpacks to John Hayden Middle School. All backpacks were dropped off at the “Do More 24” event on June 8th.

Special thanks to the following firms for their donations!!

Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Robbins Russell
Gray Plant Mooty
Baker & McKenzie

Stay tuned for our 3rd Quarter Community Service Initiative – “Service in the Community!"

OOMS Section Update

On Wednesday, June 28th, the OOMS section welcomed Courtney Leonard of Washington Express to speak about planning for internal office moves. Courtney covered the 8 tips for planning an internal move. Her tips included making a floor plan, being sure to communicate your move to all relevant parties (don't forget FedEX!), and purging unneeded items in advance. Check out Courtney's spotlight article for the complete list of tips!

Congratulations to the Diversity & Inclusion Resources Trivia Challenge Winners!

The Diversity & Inclusion Committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the Diversity & Inclusion Resources Trivia Challenge. Congratulations to the following members, who each won a $10 Starbucks gift card for answering all 3 questions correctly:

Joanna Hurt
Donna Williams
Deidre Veronica Hill
Renee Brooks
Cindy Conover
Denise Sloan
Harriett Coulbourn
LaVerne Anenia
Julia Yau

Here are the 3 challenge questions (with correct answers in bold - click on them to view the relevant resource):
1. RJ Mitte, the actor who starred in the award-winning show “Breaking Bad” appeared in the
     “Who Am I” PSA for what organization:
   a. The Dignity and Respect Campaign
   b. The Campaign for Disability Employment
   c. The LGBT Law Association

2. Which generation views diversity as “working collaboratively” and inclusion as “the
support for a collaborative environment that values open participation from individuals
with different ideas”?
   a. Millennials
   b. Baby Boomers
   c. Gen-Xers

   3. The iHeart Radio “Show Your Stripes” campaign supports the hiring of:
   a. Americans with disabilities
   b. People over the age of 40
   c. Veterans

Click here to learn more about the resources provided by the Diversity & Inclusion committee.

A Message from the Heart Association Regarding Lawyers Have Heart

Joellen Brassfield
Regional Office Manager/Volunteer Coordinator Greater Washington Region, American Heart Association

It’s hard to believe that one month ago today we were gathered together in Georgetown handing out water, making snow cones and cheering on thousands of runners and walkers to raise funds to fight heart disease and stroke.

Now that summer is well underway, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank YOU for volunteering your precious time, talent and energy for our 27th anniversary Lawyers Have Heart 10K Race, 5K Run & Walk. Thanks to your involvement and support, the event hit a record high, raising nearly $1 million to help fund our mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

I have received many positive comments about the incredible team of volunteers who joined us to help make Lawyers Have Heart a reality. With over 6,000 registered participants, hundreds of teams and over 250 volunteers, the premier athletic philanthropic event led by the greater Washington DC legal community was exciting and uplifting. Be sure to visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lawyershaveheart10k to see photos from the event and catch scenes you may have missed.

I am continually inspired by the dedication and commitment of all our volunteers. Your work with us supports such life-saving efforts as research, education, advocating for better health, improving patient care and reaching underserved communities in the Greater Washington Region. I hope you will consider joining us for some of our other fundraising and awareness events throughout the year. Our next big fundraiser is the Greater Washington Heart Walk on Saturday, November 4, 2017 on the grounds of the National Mall. For more information, please visit our website at www.greaterwashingtonheartwalk.org.

If you have any suggestions for ways to make Lawyers Have Heart even more successful, we welcome your feedback. Please feel free to send your thoughts to me at Joellen.Brassfield@heart.org. We want our events to be positive and meaningful experiences for all who participate and your ideas will help us as we plan for next year’s 28th anniversary race.

On behalf of everyone here at the American Heart Association, thank you for making Lawyers Have Heart a great success!

Sincerely,

Joellen

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: Cindy Schuler (Chair), cschuler@skgf.com; Monique Terrell (Co-Chair),mterrell@stradley.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: Emily Christianson (Chair), echristianson@relmanlaw.com; Julie Tomey (Co-Chair), tomey@thewbkfirm.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: Cheryl Flynn (Chair), cflynn@wileyrein.com; Sarahi Estrella
(Co-Chair), sarahi.estrella@arentfox.commailto:sarahi.estrella@arentfox.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: Danita Ellis (Chair),danita.ellis@nelsonmullins.com; Jackie Thomas (Co-Chair), jackie.thomas@agg.com
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Kevin O'Hare (Chair), kohare@nixonpeabody.com; Greg Fudge (Co-Chair), gfudge@bakerdonelson.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Kimberly J. Potter (Chair), kpotter@sgrlaw.com; Astrid Emond (Co-Chair), aemond@bakerlaw.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Chair), wguido-chizhik@bomcip.com; Marion Baker (Co-Chair), mbaker@wilkinsonwalsh.com
Listserv: smallfirm@lists.alacapchap.org

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.alacapchap.org

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: Aryn Blanton (Chair), aryn.blanton@bracewelllaw.com; Jasmine Stribling (Co-Chair), jstribling@bsfllp.com
Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Frank Schipani (Chair), schipanif@gotofirm.com; Kenny Mitchell (Co-Chair), kmitchell@wbklaw.com
Listserv: tech@lists.alacapchap.org