June 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; Sabrina Baker; HITT Contracting; Sarah Fister Gale; Manar Morales; Robert G. Stevens, MA, CLM, SPHR; Craig Church; Qeyana M. Hart; Paul H. Barton; Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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As we approach the summer months, for some of us the pace at our firms can slow a little, allowing us time to catch up on our education and professional development.  While we should all make time to take advantage of the excellent educational opportunities offered by our Chapter, such as the session coming up on June 21st, "Getting What You Want: Setting and Maintaining Boundaries with Others," there are a variety of additional opportunities offered through ALA’s national website as well.
 
I encourage you to take a moment to review the offerings by clicking on this link: http://www.alanet.org/education/online-learning.  The education available ranges from a twenty minute podcast to an hour long webinar, and even sessions from the recent national conference.  The topics are typically relevant to a wide range of members: small, medium or large firm, administrator or functional manager, and new topics are added during the year as content becomes available.  The link also leads to the Association’s bookstore.
 
Some of the online educational resources, such as the podcasts, are available at no charge, while others require purchase, for example, a session from the virtual national conference is $79.00, and a webinar from the on-demand section is $109.00—reasonable value given the quality of content and relevance of topic.  Additionally, those sessions for purchase can easily be presented to a group at your firm, delivering more value for the cost.
 
One of the primary objectives for the Association is the education of its members, for which the online education provides a range of topics and delivery methods that complements the education program of our Chapter.  I hope that over the summer months you have the opportunity to dip into the Association’s online offerings as well as attend all of the Chapter events.
Richard Gibson

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Valerie L. Williamson
Office Administrator
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004
valerie.williamson@bassberry.com

William A. Rector
O’Melveny
Office Administrator
1625 Eye St., NW
Washington, DC 20006
wrector@omm.com
Patrick Lumpkins
Jackson & Campbell P.C.
Manager of Information Systems
1120 20th St., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
plumpkins@jackscamp.com
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Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following member well in her new position!
Melody K. Watson
Human Resources Manager
Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP
1800 M St., N.W.
Suite 800N
Washington, DC 20036
mwatson@wbklaw.com

Congratulations, Karen Jenkins!

The Capital Chapter would like to congratulate Karen Jenkins on her retirement! Karen has been an active member of the ALA Capital Chapter for 10 years, and she served on the 2016-2017 Executive Committee as the Secretary-Elect and Secretary. We are grateful to her for her contributions as both a member and a leader. Karen’s last day at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is Friday, June 16th.  Please feel free to contact her via e-mail at nanastreasures3@gmail.com.  

June 2017 Diversity Observances

​June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, established to recognize the impact that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on the world. LGBT groups celebrate this special time with pride parades, picnics, parties, memorials for those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS, and other group gatherings. The last Sunday in June is Gay Pride Day.
June 4: The Christian holiday of Pentecost, celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31)

June 14: Flag Day in the United States. This day is observed to celebrate the history and symbolism of the American flag.

June 15: Native American Citizenship Day. This observance commemorates the day in 1924 when the United States Congress passed legislation recognizing the citizenship of Native Americans.

June 16: Sikhs observe the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh guru and the first Sikh martyr.

June 19: Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. It is observed as a public holiday in 14 U.S. states. This celebration honors the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas and Louisiana finally heard they were free, two months after the end of the Civil War. June 19, therefore, became the day of emancipation for thousands of Blacks.

June 21: Lailat-al-Qadir is the holiest night of the year for Muslims, and is traditionally celebrated on the 27th day of Ramadan. It is known as the “Night of Power,” and commemorates the night that the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

June 26-28: Eid-al-Fitr is the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. It marks the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and prayer. Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity in the form of food) during Eid al-Fitr.
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June 26: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Day in the United States. It celebrates the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969.

Three Ways to Set Expectations in the Recruiting Process

Sabrina Baker, ACACIA HR Solutions

I believe that much of the conflict in the workplace is due to one of two issues. Poor communication or improper expectation setting. It’s an issue with the latter I’m going to focus on today. I’m a big fan of expectation setting. I like knowing what is going to happen. I realize that things can change or be slightly different than my original expectations, but I can always deal with things better when I have some idea of how things are going to go.

Most businesses could do a better job of setting expectations with employees. Some should even work on setting expectations with customers. But nearly all of them need to set better expectations with candidates.

Because right now we all pretty much stink at it.

The number one complaint from candidates is that they receive no communication after submitting their resume, or after a phone interview, or after a face to face, or after they were promised an offer would be coming and then….nothing.

Maybe they didn’t deserve any communication. Maybe they should not have any expectation of a follow up. But if those expectations weren’t set by the company, they will be assumed by the candidate and this is what gets us all in trouble.

What’s frustrating about this, and a bit mind boggling, is that setting expectations with candidates is fairly easy. Possibly the easiest of all expectations to set. Here are three different places you could easily do a little expectation setting with potential candidates and future employees.

On Your Careers Site:
Without a doubt the single most important piece of property a recruiter owns is the careers page on their website. This page is used for so many things. Employer branding, job postings, benefit sharing and of course, expectation setting. Use a small space to describe the recruitment process and what type of follow up candidates can expect at each stage. You can put in estimated time frames (be honest) to let candidates know how long it typically takes you to respond and in what circumstances they should expect no response at all.

During the Application Process:
Since the majority of companies use an online application, why not have a page during the process that explains what happens after they hit submit. This could even be the submit page. Just a few brief paragraphs that describe what could happen if the company is interested and what will happen if they aren’t. If you use autoresponders (you should use autoresponders) then don’t just send the default email your ATS provider includes, customize it to explain the process. The more times you tell people, the more they listen. I promise this is true.

During Each Interview:
Part of every interview should be dedicated to “what’s next”. This is where the interviewer needs training in how to properly set expectations, especially with someone they know will not be moving on. I’m a big fan of being honest in the moment, but if the interviewer isn’t comfortable with that, then the least they can do is explain that candidates moving on to the next stage will receive a phone call while others will receive an email – or whatever the appropriate process is for your business.

The more upfront you are, the less individuals have reason to get upset. The more you are honest about how long things could take or the types of communication they may receive, then the less likely they are to feel slighted. Even if they don’t like that you only communicate in email or that your recruitment process takes three months, at least they knew that going in.
The challenge, especially for small businesses who struggle to recruit anyway, is to keep candidates engaged with good feelings towards the employer even if the role doesn’t work out for them. Setting expectations is the first step to keeping them in good graces.
 

This article has been reprinted with permission from the author and originally appeared on http://www.acaciahrsolutions.com/blog/

HITT Contracting Spotlight: 
Early General Contractor Collaboration: The Cornerstone of a Successful Project

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There are some intrinsic brick and mortar aspects to early involvement of a general contractor in the successful outcome of a law firm build-out. In the Washington DC Region, clients have the benefit of selecting a good general contractor from a great list of companies.

At HITT Contracting Inc., we strive to make our early involvement with the design team and client an exceptional and rewarding experience.   “A positive intrinsic value through a sustained relationship and partnership approach to achieve a successful and beautiful work environment.” While many variables can contribute to the success of a project, an organized approach to mitigating risk seems to be a consistent factor in most award winning projects.

Budgets, schedules, lead times and best value, are all terms we hear in today’s economy and especially in the construction process of law firms.  By bringing the right General Contractor on board early in the preconstruction phase of a project, a law firm gets all of these things…for free in the case of HITT Contracting. Our experience teaches us that it is wise to get a realistic budget early incorporating our in-house estimating team (that is the same team building the project), current pricing from key subcontractor trades in the industry that have extensive knowledge of law firm design, and direct communication with suppliers and manufacturers have contributed to great end results.  In addition, market factors can contribute to an increase or decrease in budgets.

Every law firm walks the fine line between beautiful design and budget realities.  A qualified General Contractor brings experience in budget applications and in some cases offers value engineering ideas.  Items including opening up the specification to other qualified vendors in the case of items like office fronts, light fixtures and carpet,  or revising budgets on the fly with subcontractors to help steer the design process in the most efficient direction without changing the design intent. Would you rather present a design to the partners with an accurate construction budget in the design phase or present a design without a quality budget only to find out months later in the GC bid process that it is 30% more than you wanted to spend? At that point, all efficiency is lost since you are working against the clock, rushing redesigns, delaying material orders, and ultimately hurting the success of the project.

In the cases where a law firm is moving into a building currently under construction, it is helpful to have a contractor on board before the base building project is done.  This early involvement up front, affords the design team with eyes in the field to check existing conditions that may conflict with the proposed design; particularly maximizing clear finish ceiling heights. 

​Maybe the sprinklers are too low for the new proposed ceiling height.  No provisions were left in the concrete for a communicating stair. The perimeter shade detail will not work with the existing curtain wall mullions, etc.  All of these things cost thousands of dollars to change after the fact and save thousands if coordinated properly in advance.  With a qualified General Contractor on board, many of these things can be checked ahead of time and coordinated with the base building Contractor so that costly rework is minimized.  To take it a step further even, HITT Contracting has completed several law firms concurrently with the base building project so that occupancy for the building and the law firm occur on the same day…now that’s efficiency.

Finally, one of the biggest cost savings and quality enhancing benefits of hiring a General Contractor early is the ability to control the project duration more easily. This can be achieved by breaking out the longest lead items …pre-engineered office fronts, custom linear lighting packages, stone packages, specialty items, stair packages, etc…into early release packages.  The early high priority releases, allow the submittal and shop drawing process to get an early jump start weeks, and in some cases months, prior to the overall construction starts, in some cases before the final drawings are issued.  This works out so that the long lead material shop drawings are approved for design intent by the time workers arrive on site.  Field dimensions are obtained immediately following demolition, and the installer can provide field verified dimensions for production release shortly after arriving on-site; in lieu of weeks after starting.  This results in a shorter overall duration, cost savings for the client, and provides a more thorough submittal review of the signature items of a project. 
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Hopefully, when the time comes for your next project, you will invite HITT Law Team to assist you through every step of the process to keep your project on budget and on time.

OMG! Ur Hired! Could Texting Make Your Recruiting Process More User-Friendly?

Sarah Fister Gale, Workforce

Millennials and their Gen Z successors have little time for thoughtfully crafted emails or telephone pleasantries.

These digital natives grew up texting and often consider other formats to be cumbersome and outdated. So it should come as no surprise that they think text messages are a completely appropriate way to communicate with recruiters and their future workplace peers.

A recent survey from Yello, the talent acquisition software company, shows 86 percent of millennials “feel positively about text messages being used during the interview period,” and a similar HeyWire Inc. survey shows 67 percent of employees are using text messaging for business-related communications.

While it may seem like an overly casual environment to connect with potential hires, texts offer a lot of benefits — especially in a recruiting setting, said Jason Weingarten, co-founder of the Chicago-based Yello. “Text is faster, it’s easier and it’s more personal,” he said. It can also solve many of problems that create a negative candidate experience, including delays in communication, lack of follow-up and overly generic form letters.

“There are many points in the recruiting process that are very stressful for candidates,” he said. “Getting a quick response or update can ease some of that anxiety.”

It can also be handy for recruits who have another job and don’t want to communicate via their company email or phone, said JoAnne Kruse, chief human resources officer at American Express Global Business Travel. “They are lot more responsive via text, and it’s an easy way to move the process forward.”

A Strange Bunch
Besides convenience, texting is a great way to get a sense of a candidate’s personality, said Jack Barmby, CEO of Gnatta, a customer service software company based in the U.K. His developers and support staff use text messaging to talk to each other and to potential new hires. “It is the underpinning of how we communicate,” he said.

The company uses Slack, a cloud-based team collaboration tool for its text platform, creating different conversations for different projects, teams and topics. Participants post project updates, questions and comments that others in the group can see and respond to.

“It’s more efficient than email because users can quickly scroll through posts, find those that are relevant, without getting bogged down in a bunch of ‘reply-all’ email chains,” he said. There are no formal rules for use, beyond the basics — don’t be a jerk, and don’t post comments that are not relevant to the topic. “Otherwise it’s very organic, and we encourage people to let their personalities flourish.”

Gnatta also uses it as a vetting tool for new hires. When a candidate makes the hiring short list, they are invited to join one of the casual Slack channels, where Gnatta employees talk about what’s going on in their lives. The recruits get a chance to see how the team communicates, and the team gets a sense of their personality, Barmby said. “The ‘shine’ of the interview comes off, and they have a chance to be themselves.”

Inviting candidates to engage via text helps his team determine who will be the best cultural fit for the organization, and it ultimately becomes an extension of the onboarding process. He admitted that some candidates are turned off by the process because it adds a week to the decision, but others love the opportunities to connect with potential peers. “Developers can be a strange bunch, and not everyone is a good fit,” he said. Spending a week chatting with the team is a great way to decide who will fit in.

For all its conveniences there also are risks to using texts in recruiting. Companies need to be thoughtful about the information they share via text and how those communications can be tracked, Weingarten said. “If you get audited, you need to be able to show the source of the texts, how they were sent, and what messaging you used.”

Recruiters shouldn’t put too many rules around how texting is used. Where recruiters are looking for better, faster and more personal ways to engage with talent, texting is a cheap and familiar solution that can add real value to the process.

“Text is the next iteration of how we communicate,” Kruse said. “It can be a hugely helpful way to quickly connect with people, is a style that they prefer, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?”

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Sarah Fister Gale is a writer in the Chicago area.
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This article has been reprinted with permission from Workforce and originally appeared here.

Implementing a Successful Holistic Flexibility Program

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Manar Morales
President & CEO, Diversity & Flexibility Alliance

​The Chapter's May Lunch & Learn featured Manar Morales, President & CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, where she discussed how to implement a successful holistic flexibility program at your organization. Although many organizations have flexibility policies, providing flexible work options without stigma remains a challenge. Removing stigma requires a clear understanding of why flexibility is a business imperative, and the Alliance’s five-step process, the Flex Success® Framework, provides a road map to achieve your organization’s holistic flexibility goals.
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1. Explore the business case. Flexible work programs can only
be successful when everyone understands the business case for flex and the role it plays in the recruitment and retention of valuable employees. Flexibility also increases the innovation and productivity that’s found in happy, well-balanced employees. An organization needs to first figure out who is leaving and why. Then develop a strategy that responds to the particular challenges and potential biases towards those wanting to work flexibly. Is it women or men with young children who are leaving the organization, or is it just getting harder to recruit millennials who are demanding flex more than ever? A flexible work program can only be a talent retention tool if it’s available to everyone – both women and men of all ages and races.

2. Map the components. Your organization should map out which kinds of holistic flexible work options are needed, usage rates, and advancement of flex employees. Holistic flexibility refers to both reduced hours and full-time flexibility options such as telecommuting and flexible start and end times. Remember, the program must be adaptable and should evolve as the needs of your employees change.

3. Design the program. Form a committee or team to help create the formal written policy. It’s
important to put it in writing for consistency across the entire organization. The policy should
include a statement on why you’re establishing the policy, the expectations of those using it,
detailed instructions on the approval process, and how to start working flex. It’s also important
to outline pay and benefits that are at least proportional for those working reduced hours and
to specify there would be no impact on pay and benefits for those working full-time flex
schedules. It’s critical to develop a flex management structure to support those working flex
and to avoid misunderstandings before they occur.

4. Integrate the implementation strategy. Implementation is key to the program’s success.
Leadership must be vocal about their support of the program and hold supervisors
accountable for its success. This step also includes building in an educational component so
those working flex and their supervisors have the necessary training and tools to carry out what
is expected of them. These resources make flexible work a reality and should be activated and
readily accessible to everyone.

5. Reinforce Flex Success® through measurement and monitoring. It’s critical to regularly
monitor and measure the success of the flex policy through quantitative and qualitative
indicators. Track whether people are using the policy, whether they are staying, and whether
they are being promoted. Someone within the organization should be responsible for regularly
checking in with those working flex to do a periodic climate survey to address challenges and
build on successes.

Manar Morales is a national thought leader on women's leadership, diversity and workplace flexibility. She is the CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive
work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership. The Executive Summary for the Alliance’s annual Flexibility Benchmarking Survey is available for download (members have access to the full Report). If you would like more information on how to implement Flex
Success® at your organization or to learn more about the Alliance, please contact Manar at manar@dfalliance.com. We’re here to help!

June Diversity Tip Sheet:
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month

Robert G. Stevens, MA, CLM, SPHR – Bennett Bigelow & Leedom, PS
www.alanet.org/diversity

Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else.” - Judy Garland

For many in the United States, and around the world for that matter, gay pride is something associated with parades, festivals, and at times people behaving outlandishly as a sign of being free. The truth is that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans- gender individuals around the globe have been fighting for the right to be treated in a way that so many of us take for granted, Namely, to be treated with dignity and respect This struggle dates to Pre-modern times through the 19th Century movements in Germany and up to today. But for those of us in the United States, Gay Pride as we know and celebrate it has its birthplace at The Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969.

On June 28, 1969, New York City police began a raid at The Stonewall Inn. It was a common occurrence for places where gay people congregated for police to conduct raids and to extort money from bar owners. These raids usually happened where the bar owners knew in advance and could prepare for it with the end result being a kickback to police as well as patrons often being harassed, beaten, and arrested. On June 28, 1969 something different occurred at The Stonewall Inn. When police began the raid, people did not do what was expected. They fought back against public humiliation and harassment and did so for several days. For many this event is considered to be the beginning of what united the gay community in the United States and in some part around the world.

The first Gay Pride parades simultaneously took place in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles one year after The Stonewall Inn Riots. Today, there are hundreds of Gay Pride parades and festivals that take place throughout North, Central, and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Despite increasing acceptance and celebration of LGBT Americans, there are still many social and workplace situations that create uncomfortable or even hostile conditions for our clients and co-work- ers. They may not choose to fight back as Stonewall’s patrons did, but their dignity, satisfaction and happiness are no less important. I want you to ask yourself this month, “What can I do or do better to lessen or eliminate conditions in my workplace that are unfriendly to LGBT individuals?” When you ask yourself that question, you are creating a better workplace for everyone that walks in your door.

On May 30, 2014, President Barack Obama proclaimed June 2014 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. In that Presidential Proclamation, he stated: “This month, as we mark 45 years since the patrons of the Stonewall Inn defied an unjust policy and awakened a nascent movement, let us honor every brave leader who stood up, sat in, and came out, as well as the allies who supported them along the way. Following their example, let each of us speak for tolerance, justice, and dignity – because if hearts and minds continue to change, laws will too.”

When we allow people to be “first rate versions” of who they are, our firms and our lives prosper. That is the promise of diversity and inclusion. On behalf of the ALA Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, Happy Pride Month to you and your office!

Explore Additional Resources:
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLG) - www.community.pflg.org
Human Rights Campaign - www.hrc.org
Lambda Legal Defense - www.lambdalegal.org
The White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/30/presidential-proclamation-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-pride-mon
It Gets Better Project - http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

Miller's Supplies at Work Spotlight:
Are You Spending a Nickel to Save a Penny?

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Craig Church
Vice President Sales, Miller's Supplies at work

How much money is your staff costing you in their quest to save money?  There are many people that think the price of the product is the main or only consideration when buying a product.  It’s that thinking that can ultimately cost you and your firm a lot of money.  I think of my Dad who would drive 5 miles to save $0.10 on a gallon of gas.  It would take him an extra 20 minutes to grab the 20  gallons so when you add up the time, and the extra gas used, how much did that $2.00 that he saved cost him?

The same thing happens in the business world.  It can be hard to think of the total cost of procurement when you look at buying products.  We have a customer that purchases their office products from us and some of their toner.  They recently wanted to make a bulk purchase of 30 toners and went on line to do that.  The person initiating the purchase from their IT department looked at our site and then went to Amazon.  At first glance, they thought Amazon would be cheaper because the “price” of the toner was $15 less on Amazon.  Luckily, for both the customer, and us they called their Miller’s rep to inquire about what we could do to match the Amazon price.  Turns out, they were looking at a low capacity toner when they should have been purchasing a high capacity toner.  Additionally that toner came in a dual pack which provides an even greater cost savings.  After speaking with our rep., instead of purchasing 30 of the low capacity toners, we sent them 9 of the dual pack high capacity toners.  When looking at Amazon, they thought they would save $450 by buying the toner from them.  After consulting with us, they saved an extra $750 on top of the supposed $450 from Amazon for a total savings of $1,200.  Along with the hard cost savings, there was a tremendous amount of soft cost savings  as Miller’s delivered the product to the IT department instead of dropping it off with the UPS delivery.  That purchase is billed on the monthly Miller’s invoice and not processed as a separate charge.  They can now track that with their analytics tool so the administrator know where the budget money is being spent.

This is just one example of how a staff member with good intentions can cost the firm money while trying to save a few dollars.  What many people don’t think of is the total cost of procurement.

 How do they account for these extra costs:
  • Time sourcing the product to find the best price?
  • Are there any additional shipping fees?
  • When do we get the product?  Is it next or same day or two to three days?  Have we lost productivity time?
  • Where is it being delivered to?  The front desk or the department that needs it?  Is it being delivered all at once or our multiple days?
  • How am I being invoiced?  Credit card or monthly invoice?  Is it less costly to process one invoice instead of many?
  • How can I track that expense?
  • Am I buying the right product? Are they allowed to buy those products?
  • What is the return process?  How do we process those credits?

​The seasoned buyer knows all of these are factors go into the total cost of procurement.  Many times the cheapest price is not the lowest cost.  Please make sure your staff is not costing you money in their quest to save.

Play, Pick, Win! Prize Preview

In 2017, the Chapter introduced a new membership incentive game to replace the ALL-IN game: Play, Pick, Win! Throughout the year, members will earn raffle tickets by attending events, participating in community service activities, engaging with Business Partners, and more (click here for official game rules). At the 2017 Annual Meeting Holiday Lunch on December 6th, members will drop their raffle tickets (don't forget to write your name on the back!) into drawing boxes for a chance to win one or more of 25 amazing prizes! To show you just how important those raffle tickets are, here's a sneak preview of some of the prizes that will be offered this year:

Lawyers Have Heart Water Station Volunteering

Qeyana M. Hart
Human Resources Generalist, Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Vice President-Elect, Community Services

The Lawyers Have Heart 5K, 10K, and Walk was held on Saturday, June 10th. Founded in 1991, this year marked the 27th year the American Heart Association has brought together more than 250 organizations to help bring awareness to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The Capital Chapter of ALA members and friends were among the many organizations to help support the American Heart Association. Our volunteers handed out cups of water to over 6,000 runners and walkers along Canal Road.
 
Thank you to all of the Capital Chapter volunteers for your hard work to help make this year’s Lawyers Have Heart race a success!

Five-Step Delegation

Paul H. Barton
QuietSpacing
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My recent collaboration Sean Murray at RealTime Performance has produced a one-day seminar for new managers at his Fortune 500 clients. Creating the program required that we narrowly focus some existing training components to help people who have never supervised others before.

The delegation process was one key area that was simplified. It’s a potential land mine for new managers because they must learn to (a) effectively handoff work and (b) manage that work while it is in process.

We reduced delegation to five simple steps that are easy to remember. Those are set out below.

Delegation Checklist
  • Determine What Can Be Delegated – Get yourself organized, then determine what can be delegated. Factors in this decision include the skill sets required to accomplish tasks, the level of interest or challenge in the work, and the best use of available personnel.
  • Define Deliverables and Deadlines – Give the delegate specific and reasonable guidance with respect to stated expectations. Set parameters around the work and give the delegate a yardstick to use while doing the work.
  • Discuss Details & Ownership – Prepare for the delegation meeting and schedule enough time to properly hand off the work. The better the work is explained the first time, including its background and your expectations, the fewer mistakes that will be made, and the fewer questions will arise midstream to potentially delay the job’s completion. Next, ownership can be delegated at several levels:
    • (a) return with information and materials for the manager to make decision,
    • (b) return with information and materials for a discussion and collaborative decision, or
    • (c) see task to completion and report back with results.
  • Direct Workflow & Progress – Seek updates to demonstrate interest in progress and (1) give delegate greater pride in the work, and (2) provide ample opportunity for ongoing feedback about the work being performed. Also, report up the change of command to ensure those above are kept apprised of progress and any potential pitfalls.
  • Debrief If Appropriate – Debrief with the delegate whenever the project merits it. Ask: What went well? What could have gone better? These are opportune moments to greatly improve both work product and working relationships.

Keep it Simple to Get it Done

Ensure effective delegation by creating a checklist in Word, OneNote, etc., so you can work through this list every time you must delegate a piece of work.


This article has been reprinted with permission from the author and originally appeared on ​http://www.quietspacing.com/blog/ 

Avoid Connection Crushers

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

​“Stick and stones can break my bones, but words can break my heart.”
           -- Robert Fulghum

When verbal garbage gets dumped, it causes a cesspool of negative reactions. Put-downs, sarcasm, accusations, and other verbal barbs stir up energy as egos jockey for respect. Verbal attacks usually deploy self-defense mechanisms and obliterate positive connections.
 
Certain words or phrases block connections cold, and make us steamed simultaneously! (They kick up a whirlwind of emotion, just like in weather patterns, when   cold and warm conditions combine to form a tornado!) Connection crushing communication usually brings out the beast, rather than the best in others. This includes: (From the book, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere … 8 keys to creating enduring connections with customers, co-workers … even kids” by Arnold Sanow and Sandra Strauss.
 
Connection-Crushing Communication
 
  • Blaming and accusations
          “If you hadn’t screwed up, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”
          “How could you ever . . .?”
  • Sarcastic remarks
  • Profanity
  • Discriminatory remarks or insults about age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation
  • Denial statements
          “It can’t be that terrible!”
          "You’re telling a bunch of lies!”
         “You shouldn’t say those things.”
          "You’re wrong!”
          “That’s not true.”
          “I don’t believe you.” 
  • Name-calling, put-downs and anything that makes someone else feel inferior or stupid:
          “I told you so!”
          “How many times have I told you (or gone over this)?”
          “What an absolutely stupid thing to say!”
          “I can’t believe how unprofessional you looked!”
          “What an idiot! How could you do such a thing?”
          “Can’t you ever do anything right?” 
  • Ultimatums and threats
          “If you don’t, then . . .”
          “You better or else!“
  • Demands
          “Do it now!”
          “Do as I say!”
          “That’s the end of it. I don’t want to hear another word!”           
  • Gross generalizations and exaggerations
          “You never do what I ask! “
          “You always say that!“
          “Everything is always such a crisis with you.”
          “All you ever do is complain!”
          “You’re always late!
          “I’ve told you a million times to clean up your room!
          “Why don’t you ever . . .?”
  • Emotionally loaded responses
          “Here we go again!”
          “Oh, brother, I can’t believe you!”
          “I know exactly what you’re thinking!”
          “That’s not how it happened!”
  • Impatient remarks
          “Not now!
          “Keep it short.”
          “Hurry up!”
  • Especially for parents: Unfortunately like verbal DNA, the least favorite phrases of childhood are often passed down to the next generation, only to get on the nerves of their offspring. This cycle continues, as they in turn, repeat the same unproductive and disempowering statements. Here’s a sampling:
          “How many times do I have to tell you . . .?”
          “If you do that one more time, I’m going to . . .”
          “What did I just say?”
          “When I was your age, I always . . . “ (Beware! If you use this phrase, just watch their eyes
​            roll!)
 
Most of these responses invite escalation or discourage communication—they cause resistance, resentment, and reactivity. Although it might be very tempting to litter your language with “zappers,” it’s better to refrain from engaging in any verbal artillery. Verbal blows cause massive damage to relationships and crush your chances for keeping quality connections. To create good connections, make a commitment to consistently choose your words wisely.
 
Avoid going to extremes
 
Using extreme statements (never, always, everyone, all, everything) are exaggerations and bound to trigger some extreme reactions; they’re unfair and accusatory. The attacked instantly begin scrolling through their experiences, recalling when their actions proved otherwise, and hurl back the facts in self-defense. Unfair judgments generally fire up defenses!
 
Focus on the desired action by requesting information, “When can I expect the final report?”  Ask questions, i.e. “What needs to happen on Tuesday evenings?” instead of blasting accusations, i.e. “You never remember to take the trash out!”  Nudging with a simple one-word reminder, “Trash” also makes the point. Nudge rather than nag!
 
When inflammatory, extreme remarks are unfairly lobbed your way, reverse them with a question that refutes their unfair claim. Let’s say, you’ve been accused of never being on time. You know that statement is simply not true. It’s fair to repeat the statement as a means of discounting its validity, “I’m never on time?"  Spoken in a dubious tone, with facial expressions to match your disbelief, makes the point. This repositions you in a fair light and demonstrates that you do indeed act responsibly; your actions speak louder than words.


Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (certified speaking professional) is a speaker, trainer, presentations coach and facilitator with over 2,500 presentations. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz” and “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” www.arnoldsanow.com – speaker@arnoldsanow.com  

Sign up for Arnold's 2 minute tips newsletter at speaker@arnoldsanow.com
Want to start your own speaking and training business?  Contact Arnold at 703-255-3133 

Administrative Committees

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

Contact: Jacqueline Moline, jam@carmaloney.com; Paula Serratore, pserratore@alacapchap.org

Diversity & Inclusion
The Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is a professional organization comprised of administrative managers from private, corporate and government legal organizations in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland areas.  ALACC embraces and encourages diversity within the legal profession. We value diversity and those initiatives that promote it and look to partner with affiliated professional legal organizations to advance diversity. We not only strive to raise awareness, but to increase our sensitivity in the area of diversity and more closely reflect the diversity of our community at large. Having a more inclusive and diverse legal community will improve the quality of our organizations workforce and respond to our client’s requirements for diversity. As a committee we are very interested in your thoughts, comments, and suggestions about achieving greater diversity in our Chapter, our profession, and in our firms. 

Contact: 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
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
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

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

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.firmseek.com
 
Technology
The Technology Section is looking for members to join the group for lively discussions about practical situations we all face daily in the information technology world. With ever-changing IT needs and issues, we will look at our firms' policies and procedures and help develop best practices and speak of the many concerns we all have. Even if you are not in the IT field,  your experiences and opinions will help us in bringing all departments of a law firm together and working on the same page.

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