March 2016

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: Beth L. Fowler, CLM; Ron Lopez; Jennifer Hayes; rand* Construction; Monique Terrell; Sharon Smith; Adams & Martin Group; Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Sheehan Lake; Patrick Goodwin; Andrea Hodson; Emily Christianson; Thomas B. Martin; Lance Breger 
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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I have some post-it notes that a friend gave me that say “Stop me before I volunteer again.”   It is true; I am one of those people who can’t say no.  Over the years, I’ve had various leadership roles in several school PTAs, Girl Scouts, the Capital Chapter, and ALA, and I’m probably not done!  The friendships I have made in each of these positions have been long-lasting, and I am a better person as a result.  As I have said many times before, I would not be nearly as successful in my position if it weren’t for my Capital Chapter and ALA colleagues and friends.  

It is hard to believe it’s been a year since I was writing my first President’s Message.  In some ways, it seems like it was just yesterday, and in other ways, it seems like ages ago – but regardless, the past year has been an incredibly rewarding experience.  I had the opportunity to work alongside an amazing Executive Committee and Leadership Team who worked hard to provide Chapter members with the best opportunities for education and networking.  It was an honor to work with and get to know such a dedicated and creative group of people, and I am proud of all that we accomplished this year.  And of course, we couldn’t have done it without the guidance and hard work of Paula Serratore and Jessie Davis at Chapter Headquarters.  Thanks to all of you for all you have done and continue to do for the Chapter.

I would also like to recognize the Chapter’s Business Partners for their continued support of the Chapter.  It is through their generous support that the Chapter is able to provide high quality educational programs to our members at no cost to them.  In addition, they are resources we can call on to help us do our jobs better and make us look good in our firms.
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It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as President of this great Chapter, and I thank you for the opportunity.  I look forward to continuing to serve as Immediate Past President, and hope to see many of you at Chapter events.  As we begin another Chapter year I encourage each of you to find a way to volunteer: on a committee, as an Ambassador, or as a Section co-chair.  I guarantee you will get more out of it than you put in.
All my best,

New ALA Capital Chapter Members

Trinette A. Bolden
Secretarial Services Manager
DLA Piper
500 8th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
trinette.bolden@dlapiper.com
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India Hall
Director of Accounting
Cohen Millstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
1100 New York Ave., N.W.
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
ihall@cohenmilstein.com
Camden Miller
Strategic Projects Manager
Wiley Rein LLP
1776 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
cmiller@wileyrein.com
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Melody K. Watson
HR Manager
Perkins Coie LLP
700 13th St., N.W.
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005
mwatson@perkinscoie.com

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Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following member well in her new position!
A’sia Bentley
Office Manager
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
The McDermott Building
500 N. Capitol St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
abentley@mwe.com

Get Ready For EU Unified Patent Court And Unitary Patent​

Ron Lopez, Partner & Jennifer Hayes, Senior Associate
Nixon Peabody LLP

Big change is coming to European patent litigation for U.S. companies with European patents. The time to start planning and preparing is now. As early as January 2017, a new single Unified Patent Court with jurisdiction over European patents will commence operation. The UPC system will accept cases and have jurisdiction over not only the new unitary European patents, but also traditional European patents previously enforced on a national basis that have not opted out of the UPC system.

The New European Unitary Patent

The unitary European patent will allow parties to register their European patent application as a unified patent, enforceable in the UPC system, as opposed to registering their patents in each individual country. Under the current system, the registered European patents are only enforceable in the countries in which the European patent has been registered. Under the new UPC system, the unified European patent and existing European patents that have not opted out of the unified patent system will be enforceable in the UPC system.

European patentees can opt their European patents and patent applications out of the UPC by registering an “opt out” with the UPC within the (current) seven-year transitional period. Only one opt out and opt back in will be permitted. Infringement, noninfringement and revocation actions for opted-out patents must be brought in the courts where those patents are registered (i.e., only in those European countries in which the European application has been registered). The opt-out provisions will bind licensees of European patents as well, which may impact existing companies’ and future licensing and collaboration agreements. Unitary patents and patent applications cannot be opted out of the UPC system.

The unitary patent will be granted from conventional European patent applications. The process for patent prosecution in the European Patent Office will remain unaffected until registration. The EPO, however, will have a new set of rules relating to the registration process including updates to the renewal fees. Current predictions are that the renewal fees will be less than it would cost to register a European patent in each of the covered countries, but will cost more than it would cost to register in a single country. A significant source of cost savings for unitary patent applicants is that only one translation will need to be filed — from English into another European Union official language or from another EU language into English.

The number of countries covered by the unitary patent will depend on the date the application was filed and will be between 12 and 24 countries. At a minimum, the unitary patent will cover Germany, the United Kingdom and France, but, most notably, the unitary patent will not cover Spain.

The unitary effect of European patents will affect patent applications filed or granted since 2007. Accordingly, current European patent owners and patent applications should carefully consider whether they should file an opt-out registration with the UPC before the UPC becomes operational.

The Unified Patent Court
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The Unified Patent Court is expected to be operational in early 2017. This single UPC will cover most of the European Union and will include divisions throughout the European Union, featuring international panels of judges. The court system will include a centralized court that will hear appeals and certain actions, and local, regional, and central divisions located in the member states that will also hear actions. The registry and court of appeal will be based in Luxembourg.

Applications to revoke patents (similar to a declaratory judgment action of invalidity in the United States) and declarations of noninfringement should be brought in the central division. Infringement actions should be brought in the regional or local division in which the infringement occurs. The local and regional divisions can also hear revocation counterclaims. However, the central division also has the discretion to hear infringement actions, but it is unclear under which circumstances the central division will hear infringement actions.

Cases of patent ownership or disputes over licensing cannot be brought in the UPC but the issues may be determined as part of an action concerning infringement or validity of a patent. The EPO opposition process (similar to the United States post-grant review process) will still exist and will not be affected by the UPC.

The central division will be located in Paris, London and Munich, with chemical and pharmaceutical cases being heard in London, mechanical engineering cases being heard in Munich, and the remainder of cases being heard in Paris. The local and revision divisions will be hosted by individual countries with current expectations that local divisions will be located in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Austria and Italy, and a regional division shared by Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, and potentially the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia. Further regional divisions may be set up in addition to the local divisions and regional divisions described above.

The language of the cases in the central division will be based on the language in which the patent was applied for. The language of the cases in the local and regional divisions will vary based on the region, locality and the final version of the rules of procedure. The current version of the rules of procedure permits a mix of languages, which will include English as one of the languages.

The central division will have two legal judges of different nationalities and one technical judge of any nationality. Local and regional divisions will have two local legal judges and one legal judge who is a national of another state. A technical judge may also be added where validity is an issue and may be a national of any state.

It should be noted that European patents that are not opted out of the UPC system may still be the subject of national litigation. Thus, actions for infringement and revocation for those European patents can be brought under either the UPC system or the existing national system.

What Does This Mean to U.S. Companies Operating in Europe with European Patents?

Many practitioners are predicting an uptick in patent troll litigation in Europe with the UPC. Litigation costs and fees in the UPC will likely be lower than U.S. cases for both parties because the discovery procedures under the UPC are different and the time to trial is expected to be shorter. Additionally, a single case can be filed to prevent infringement throughout Europe (as opposed to filings in each individual country), which may desirable for patent trolls. Finally, after making a careful evaluation of their patents and risks of the UPC, companies should be prepared to opt out if they do not wish to litigate in the UPC based on the prior expertise of national courts.

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

All Content © 2003-2016, Portfolio Media, Inc.

Congratulations, Richard Gibson!

ALA is pleased to announce the 2016-17 committee members at the international level. The newly ratified members of these committees will begin their terms in May at the close of the 2016 Annual Conference & Expo in Los Angeles, California. Congratulations to all of our new committee members!

The Chapter's President-Elect Richard Gibson, Nixon Peabody, LLP Washington, DC, will serve on ALA's International Relations Committee in the 2016-2019 term.

rand* Construction Spotlight:
Delivering on Client Expectations – An Integrated Approach

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For the majority of consumers, our goal when shopping for or purchasing an item is to obtain the highest quality for the best value and at the lowest cost possible. Beyond that, most consumers additionally have an idea of specific criteria they expect their purchase to comply with. Let’s take the housing market. If you are buying a new home for your family to move into, you are likely looking for a home that has stable foundations, a sturdy roof, insulated walls and updated windows, because you want this investment to be of value to your family. There is also a reason why you would generally work with an agent to negotiate pricing – and that is because you want to pay the lowest possible price for the value of your new prospective home.
 
Depending on your circumstances, there are even more criteria that come into play when making this purchase. Perhaps you want to be in a safe neighborhood within great school district and have a big yard. Or, maybe you’re more interested in being in a walkable, urban location with access to entertainment options. Or, you may want to be close to a dog park, or have a two-car garage, or a finished basement, or your dream kitchen. These requirements will vary person-to-person.
 
Likewise, any professional working in the commercial real estate industry will agree that most commercial tenants are just like any other consumer when it comes to their expectations. They are always looking at quality, value and price; and beyond that, they hire contractors and engineers and designers and project managers – an extended team of people and organizations and relationships - to achieve specific goals for their office space within a certain time frame and budget. It is the responsibility of that team to deliver on their client’s expectations within the parameters established at the time of contract award.
 
Law firm and other high-end, modern tenant interior workplace design and construction trends have shifted over the years in response to several factors such as technology, cost, and corporate culture. In the commercial real estate industry, it is the responsibility of the construction, design, and management contractors hired by the tenant to inform them of the quality, value and costs within the marketplace. A prime example within the DC Metro region and other major cities would be the rising cost of rent, which has become a significant expense for businesses and organizations who locate their workspace in high demand areas. Particularly in Class A office buildings, shifts in design, construction and development goals reflect the remarkably high cost of urban workplace leases.
 
In rand*’s experience, the modern high-end tenant client, such as a law firm, considers the following objectives for their new or renovated office space:
  • a physical footprint that will allow for expansion if necessary, without adding square footage (and rent costs);
  • the elimination of “dead”, under-utilized space in favor of increased multi-purpose, flexible and functional space;
  • the implementation of the “open floor plan” or layout while maintaining high organizational standards in terms of privacy, confidentiality, and a productive work environment;
  • an innovative approach to employee-centered shared space, such as meeting rooms, “collaboration zones”, employee lounges, pantries, etc.;
  • the integration of high-tech services, such as audio-visual conferencing, lighting/electric systems, video conferencing, digital archive systems, cloud-based systems integration, etc.

As a general contractor, we partner with tenants who are looking for the above elements in addition to a laundry list of firm-by-firm pre-requisites on a regular basis. Our focus on providing integrated services that start early in preconstruction has a direct relationship with our ability to meet the expectations of such tenants within their budget and timeline limitations. The earlier we are able to identify critical elements of a project, the better we can address them. Some of these key factors ultimately drive the success of the project. By working with the team to develop the design, or by partnering with the design team to gain a comprehensive understanding of the design intent, we get a “head start” in consulting with the team on material selections and alternative options, constructability, timeline, cost implications, and opportunities to save the project time and/or money, ultimately adding value to the project for the client. We also are able to utilize time before mobilizing on site to properly plan the logistical approach to delivering the tenant space.
 
During preconstruction, the general contractor should work to identify opportunities for coordination with other tenants, the building management, and the base building contractor, if there is one. Early coordination will pay dividends in terms of cost, sequencing and schedule, which should always be a priority of the project team. (Remember – quality, value and cost?) This early planning phase also provides time for other proactive services, such as BIM scanning, developing the procurement strategy, and the identifying the most critical areas or materials that must be properly coordinated, as they will drive the schedule and completion date.
 
rand*’s investment in the preconstruction phase of any project consistently pays off in terms of schedule, cost, and the client’s expectations. This phase provides us with the planning time to achieve the tenant’s workspace goals at the optimal quality, value and cost. It allows us to mitigate challenges typical to tenant interiors work and collaborate with the entire team on design-sensitive, cost-effective solutions that accommodate the client’s wants and needs. After all, so they say, the customer is always right.
 
For more information on rand*’s collaborative, integrated preconstruction approach and how we deliver on project goals, please visit randcc.com.

Welcome, New Business Partners!

The Capital Chapter would like to welcome our new for 2016 Business Partners:

Capella Washington, D.C. Georgetown
CORT
Kraft Kennedy
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
The College Funding Coach
U.S. Legal Support, Inc.

We are extremely grateful to all of our Business Partners - both new and returning - for their support of the Chapter. 

To learn more about our new 2016 Business Partners, use the links above or visit our Business Partner Directory. 

Diversity & Inclusion: Women's History Month

Monique Terrell
Branch Office Manager, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
Diversity & Inclusion Section Chair

The ALACC continues its commitment to diversity and inclusion by sharing resources that celebrate our differences. March is National Women’s History Month. Please join us in recognizing and acknowledging the profound impact women have had both in our country and around the world. I hope you will take time to read: “This Is How March Became Women’s History Month”

Congratulations, Nancy Dugan!

The Capital Chapter would like to congratulate Nancy Dugan, one of the winners of the ALA Member Needs Survey raffle drawing for a $75 Amazon gift card! Thanks to all who contributed valuable feedback through this survey. 

Docketing System Upgrade Lessons Learned: An End User Perspective

Sharon Smith-Neal
Senior Director of Intellectual Property Administration, Arent Fox LLP
IP Administrators Section Co-Chair

Three years ago, Arent Fox embarked on a journey with an important goal: updating our docketing system to make sure it remained a leader in setting industry standards, while clearing the firm’s internal standards for meeting best practices. As with most top law firms, one deliverable for a docketing system is paramount: reliability. While this technology is essential to every IP practice, it does not have to be overly-expensive, complete with unnecessary bells and whistles. What it does need is absolute dependability. Critical information and events must be correctly recorded and reflected in the docket so deadlines are met and client service remains unmatched. Nothing else comes close.
 
Our reason for upgrading the system was simple: clients wanted more access. Understandably, companies are increasingly requesting real-time access to records. They want the ability to browse, review, and print their case records. They need expanded reporting capabilities with an easy, cost-saving method to create their own reports, rather than being billed for it. And they want to use a system as if they were using their own database, with a look and feel that is compatible to their company’s technology.
 
Before making the upgrade, limitations in our existing docketing system did not allow for easy handling of firm timekeeper and client requests. Most requests – primarily customizations -- had to be handled by the vendor, which was costly for the firm (but not the client). We were unable to pull the most detailed information from the system without tailored queries. Monthly and quarterly system maintenance was a painful process. It was also difficult to track the progression of work, especially within some of the administrative departments. System reporting to track departmental efficiency was limited, if not non-existent.
 
So there was palpable excitement when we received approval to transition to an IP Management System – goodbye “old school docketing database,” hello “best-in-class” technology. Transitioning thousands of patent and trademark filings in numerous countries to a more state-of-the art system was going to be a game-changer. With an upgrade to a more robust system, we could deliver a better, more technologically-advanced and efficient product to our clients that is in line with how we deliver every other services. The prospect alone put us in IP software heaven.
 
 At the outset, we duplicated many of the planning techniques used by other leading law firms. Most reports made it sound like the conversion would just magically happen. You grab a magic wand, sprinkle fairy dust and poof, a seamless conversion.  But this was not the case. And after completing a successful conversion to our new docketing system, a few important themes emerged that can serve as guideposts for other law firms that are looking to upgrade their capabilities.
 
Preparing End Users for Change
 
Implementing new software is a major change for end users. In this case, the change was enormous. The docketing database had been in place for so long that many of our employees had never experienced a significant change in the way that they work. Slowly transitioning end users to a different way of working prior to implementing a massive institutional change is vital. Steps must be taken to educate employees to what amounts to a systemic change in firm culture; educating people about why the impending changes are necessary is a key step in that process.
 
Another critical step is providing adequate training to management and key personnel on how to effectively communicate information to their employees in three areas. First, managers should assure employees that their jobs are secure. Second, championing the benefits of the new technology and getting people excited about the change. Engaging various levels of your team also helps to provide different perspectives. Finally, communicating the changes coming thoroughly. If this is not handled well, you will likely need to sell the software post-conversion.
 
Understanding Impact of Major Change on End Users
 
At Arent Fox, we understood that this conversion would be a tremendous undertaking that affected our entire IP Department. We elected to start the process with our Patent group and implement the workflow capabilities in the software. Many of our users had only used a docketing database, i.e., a date shows on the docket and you attend to the matter prior to that deadline. A workflow system not only manages the deadline, but is an interactive system that tracks the steps required to reach the deadline. This type of system must be well thought out and simplified. Your users will be required to monitor and interact with the system; in order to maintain efficiency the required steps should be kept to a minimum. In addition, make sure you consider the habits of your end users and their working style prior to developing workflows. Again, ensure that you engage and include key stakeholders in decision-making. You must have an end product that reflects the maturity and vast knowledge base of your team.
 
Training End Users
 
Consider the individual needs and learning style of your end users. This requires a large investment of time, attention, and resources to make sure that training sticks. Otherwise, employees may not absorb and make productive use of the new skills and information. Changing behavior requires overcoming disinterest in learning new techniques. To help make that pitch, your product must be sold on the value that users will receive. Highlight an increase in on-the-job performance, new skills, and the ability to address real-life problems they encounter.
 
Training schedules are also a factor to consider. Consider breaking the training down into smaller, more manageable segments. Your employees will be able to use some of their new skills and build on that during follow-up training. Be sure to gather feedback prior to conducting follow-up training, so that it can be focused and succinct. Finally, rather than lecture, consider a hands-on approach to training. You must allow for practice under safe conditions and build a sense of comfort with new skills and approaches. Include relevant training exercises customized to your audience, so they get to use these new skills that translate to their actual work environment. It is important that all users are fully aware of the functionality of the software and realize how the software is an asset, rather than a hindrance.
 
Although we learned many lessons during our conversion, we could not be more pleased with the new IP Management System. The result is a better level of client service, which for us is the bottom line. For any other law firms that is considering an update to their docketing system, it would be wise to keep one key component in mind: don’t forget about your end users. 

Adams & Martin Group Spotlight:
​The Heat is On: How to Speed Up your Hiring Process

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If your firm hasn’t hired in the past six months, then you may be shocked to learn how tight the legal job market has become.  If you have been hiring, you are already aware of how fast the best candidates are getting offers.  There’s only one way to stay ahead in today’s labor market and that is to speed up the hiring process.
 
The legal job market is currently experiencing a major shift; unemployment is declining and candidates are being swooped up faster than ever.  Compared to other industries, legal has the lowest national unemployment rate (0.6%).  On average, “hot” legal candidates are getting job offers within eight to ten days.  This presents an unpleasant truth: you are losing your top potential talent due to a slow hiring process.
 
The typical hiring process is taking nearly twice as long to hire people as it did several years ago.  Hiring professionals are now taking up to eight days to conduct phone screenings and as long as seven days to complete group interviews.  The entire procedure is taking upwards of almost a month.
 
At Adams & Martin Group, we’ve found that we lose most of our best candidates if the interview isn’t scheduled within five days of finding them. It’s not about having a quick hiring process; it’s about creating an efficient one.
 
How to Improve Your Selection Process
A quick interviewing and selection process is no good if it leads you to the wrong employees.  Every step in your hiring process should focus on the candidate, ensuring that they feel important.  Demonstrating transparency and open dialogue will communicate that you value and respect their time, and appreciate their consideration.  This will make your organization stand out from other firms.
 
Here are a few tips to make the process as fast as possible with the best results:
 
Loud and Clear
Before the interview process begins, start with a precise description of what the job requires and what you are looking for in the ideal candidate. Outline a specific skill set, but also think of intangible “remarkable” qualities.
 
Game Plan
Make a plan and a timeline to match. Try to shorten it while still making it realistic. When you do begin your interviews, outline the process for your candidates (this will add a little pressure to complete deliverables on time).
 
Bring in the A Team
Invite your top performers to interview your favorite candidates.  They can sniff out weaknesses and they’ll be able to understand where the candidates might stand in the team environment.
 
Back to Back to Back
If you have multiple interviews, try and condense them to a single day. You’ll be in the mindset, and it will be easier to compare candidates.
 
Technically Speaking
Try to go easy on the technical testing, only utilizing it if it is absolutely necessary. If you really have to, keep it to 15 minutes and make it a real-life scenario.
 
Be Ruthless
You have pretty great intuition. If the candidate isn’t right, move on. Don’t settle for less than excellent.
 
The Culture Glass Slipper
You can teach skills, but it’s a lot more difficult to force a culture fit. Make sure culture fit is a top priority when hiring.
 
Keep in Touch
Consistently keep in contact with your candidates, even if it’s just an email. Keeping them involved in the process will keep your favorite candidates close and cut down on how often they reach out to you.
 
Competitive Advantage
Remember, this is a candidate’s market. Be ready to make a competitive offer, and for their current firm to make a counteroffer. Websites like Glassdoor can offer insight on what your competitors are offering for specific positions. For more insight on salaries by region, consult Adam & Martin Group’s Annual Salary Guide.
 
Deadline Inspiration
If you meet the ideal candidate, offer them the job before they leave.
 
This may require that your firm adjust your hiring process.  Hiring managers need the authority to make hiring decisions or Attorneys need to approve hires quickly. Also, give the candidate 24 hours to accept your offer. This limits the time they have to negotiate other offers and will allow you to move on quickly if they decide to go in a different direction.
 
Overall, this process should be an exciting one, overflowing with opportunities to make your organization better.  Allow yourself to feel the excitement, and feed off the energy of your candidates, that will propel you forward and create an eagerness to reach the finish line.
 
You know your firm, you know what you’re looking for, and you have the ability to create the team of your dreams.
 
About Adams & Martin Group
Adams & Martin Group, a Roth Staffing Company, is the preeminent legal staffing services company.  We specialize in providing full-service legal staffing, attorney search, project management, litigation solutions and dedicated project center support for corporate legal departments and law firms. We are proud to be recognized by Inavero’s “Best of Staffing®—Client Satisfaction” and the “Best of Staffing®—Talent Satisfaction”, as well as one of Fortune’s 50 Best Small & Medium Workplaces in the U.S.

Contact: Kimberly White | Branch Manager
Tel: 202.350.3976
Email: kwhite@adamsmartingroup.com

Sustainability Tip of the Month

This month's tip is provided by Silver Business Partner Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

Daylight savings reminder!  Install interior lighting sensors to take advantage of “free” sunlight, and motion detectors in offices and conference rooms to ensure lights are only on when rooms are occupied.
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To find out how to get the full value for energy savings through greening your lease, reach out to Jennifer Tatum at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank at 202-312-5771

Efficiency and Transparency through Automation in IP Prosecution

Sheehan Lake, CTO & Patrick Goodwin, Director of Practice Integration
Aurora North Software Inc.

Do more with less. 

We may be years past the economic downturn of 2008, but echoes of its effects on the legal industry are still being felt by law firms of all sizes.  The “do more with less” constraints placed on internal legal departments intensified the leverage companies had when shopping for legal services.  The transactional nature of IP prosecution made it possible for companies to shop around and reallocate IP portfolios across multiple firms seeking to maximize the return on their shrinking outside counsel budgets.  A 2014 survey by Altman Weil of Chief Legal Officers indicated that 40% of respondents had already shifted work to an internal attorney and 36% had transferred work to lower priced firms.

In the years since the recession, many firms have seen an increased use of outside counsel guidelines by legal departments, more scrutiny of the law firm’s processes, and more stringent guidelines governing expectations like the speed and cost of reporting PTO correspondence and receipt of draft responses.  Outside counsel guidelines are quickly becoming the new normal in the law department-law firm relationship.  These governing documents, sometimes lengthy, outline the client’s expectation of continued high level service while also documenting the services they will no longer pay for, along with any cost consequences associated for failing to meet these standards. In order to meet client demands to balance quality and value, many of the most successful IP firms and departments have turned to technology to increase their efficiency, lower their cost of providing services, and increase transparency of operations. 

Automation of an IP practice offers several benefits: reduced risk, enhanced client services, reduced expenses, client-facing transparency, improved collaboration between personnel in multi-office firms, and the ability to react quickly to changing client demands.  There are several key areas of automation that IP firms can implement to gain efficiencies: document intake; electronic prosecution workflows; automated email reporting; self-maintaining client portals; client-based rule-sets to automate the creation and tracking of non-statutory deadlines mandated by outside counsel guidelines; and aggregating data in real time from existing firm systems into a single interface that gives practitioners access to key information, when they need it, while eliminating the “noise”.

The automation of document intake from official, federal systems of record can be accomplished using one of several available document download tools that identify and pull newly added correspondence from the electronic prosecution files accessible to registered IP practitioners.  As those documents are downloaded, attributes related to those documents such as Patent Application Number, Trademark Serial Number, Document Type, and Document Name can be captured along with the related document.  This information can be used to place the document in the firm’s document management system in the correct electronic matter file without having a staff member physically involved.  This simple automation can save hours of time daily and increase the efficiency and availability of the documents which you wish to share with clients.  Many systems offer varying levels of auto-docketing functionality as well, based on the metadata associated with the downloaded documents, freeing up docketing personnel to spend more time reviewing and focusing on the myriad foreign deadlines.

As new prosecution documents arrive, reporting emails can also be automatically generated for legal assistants, paralegals, or attorneys to report newly received correspondence to the client.  Some documents, like filing receipts, could be reported automatically without any intervention.  Within minutes of a document’s arrival at the firm it can be reported with little or no involvement or time spent by matter personnel to report the document.  Reporting templates can be created at the client level and leverage all of the document metadata, application details, and even upcoming docket deadlines that already exists in firm systems.  Similarly, self-maintaining client portals can leverage the same document in the electronic prosecution file, application details, and docket data to give clients real-time access to their prosecution portfolio. 

Outside counsel guidelines frequently dictate the turnaround time for reporting actions and submitting draft responses and recommendations to legal departments.  Tracking these non-statutory deadlines across all clients and firm attorneys can be a cumbersome and time consuming process.  It can also be an expensive one when there are cost consequences to incorrectly following client guidelines.  The ability to automatically create and monitor these client-enforced dates and automatically remind personnel of impending OCG-related deadlines frees up other personnel, such as docketing departments, to focus on higher risk functions like monitoring bar dates.

Transitioning to an electronic workflow and automating key aspects of the IP prosecution practice can greatly reduce risk for the firm.  It eliminates bottlenecks, lost documents, and opens up multi-office firms to staff matters more easily with appropriate personnel regardless of office.  A study by Gartner Research indicated that professionals spend 50% of their time searching for information and take 18 minutes, on average, to locate each document.  As a firm’s integration between systems becomes stronger, the ability to present data and documents in a concise format and targeted specifically for the consumer of the information, whether matter personnel or client-facing, provides enormous, controlled transparency and ease of access.

As a whole, much of the legal industry has been slow to adopt to a changing marketplace.  Like any business, law firms need to closely examine their operational paradigm and regularly evaluate their strengths and weaknesses against their peers in the industry.  It is no longer enough to be competent, successful prosecutors…firms must also be innovators and adopters of new technologies and processes in order to meet clients’ demands, survive in a changing marketplace, and do more with less. 

Wellness Poll Results

Why Firm Managers and Administrators Need to Address “Bad Behavior”

Andrea Hodson
 
The other day, a dear friend of mine asked me to comment about a workplace situation in which two employees gossip about others. Even worse, they gossip within earshot of others, and are directly disrespectful to others, even insubordinate. She calls these two "mean girls", and is concerned about their effect on colleagues and their cost to the firm. Contributing to this situation is that senior leadership seems unwilling to address their "bad behavior". Presumably her leadership does not realize that while bad behavior per se may not unlawful, it does have a
negative and costly effect on the workplace and working conditions.

Bad behavior at work can be considered inappropriate, immature, unprofessional, or bad
management practice. It diverts money spent on the firm's core work to paying for time spent on gossiping, investigating complaints, and mediating relationships. Depending who gets involved, calculating the cost can be based on the firm's own billable hourly rate. Or, for employees who do not bill to clients, by calculating an hourly rate, which needs not be complicated: (annual wage plus benefits) divided by (number of hours worked in the year, for instance, 2080 based on a 40-hour workweek). Multiply these rates by the hours spent in conversation about bad behavior and it adds up.

Harder to estimate is the cost incurred by employees who bully, exclude, or humiliate others and effectively reduce those others' capacity to work productively. Intimidating behavior limits an employee's ability to get the job done efficiently, or meet quality standards. That is, an employee who is excluded from normal networking channels is hampered or has to work "double time" to learn the ropes, locate and access resources, anticipate and pitch in on projects, or otherwise stay abreast of firm priorities -- great and small.

Additionally, there is the cost of employee turnover. Firms rely on the full engagement of
competent and experienced employees at all levels to achieve their measures of success. Poor
morale and distracted employees, which invariably develop in bad-behavior situations, can only
derail or detract from successful outcomes. And, it is often the most capable individuals who
move on in search of workplace conducive to professional opportunity. HR or Finance will be
able to calculate the cost of replacement staffing and training.

In aggregate, these costs drive up the overhead load of the billable hourly rate charged to clients. 

In the absence of firm policies addressing code of conduct or ethical behavior, what firm
leadership need to understand is that "bad behavior" can most certainly be regarded as unlawful within the context of prevailing state and federal anti-discrimination, retaliation, and harassment laws.

That is, harassment is regarded as a form of employer discrimination in violation of the nation’s
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, bad behavior becomes unlawful harassment where enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment (1); or (2), the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

In this area, the firm has a legal duty to investigate the situation and take corrective action. That
is, if harassment results in a hostile work environment, the employer can avoid liability only if it
can prove that it reasonably tired to prevent and promptly correct the harassing behavior (1);
and (2), the employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventive or corrective
opportunities provided by the employer.

Viewed through the lens of risk management, bad behavior unchecked can effectively create a
hostile or discriminatory environment that in turn creates exposure to actionable litigation. While many litigants reach a confidential settlement before completing trial, a widely cited study based on an anonymously coded dataset of cases settled by federal magistrate judges in Chicago (1999-2005) found a mean recovery rate of $54,651 at the time. (Minna J. Kotkin, Outing
Outcomes: An Empirical Study of Confidential Employment Discrimination Settlements, 64
Wash. & Lee L. Rev. 111 (2007), http://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/slulr/vol64/iss1/4)

Any situation involving bullying, intimidation, and similar behavior -- however nuanced --
should be understood and addressed. That is, swift and responsive action to investigate and
evaluate the situation, and as appropriate, put employees on notice that harassing conduct is
unwelcome and must stop. This action to correct wrongful behavior is required to demonstrate
that the firm does not condone or ratify unlawful behavior, and while not a complete defense,
may limit potential damages in litigation. Further, by acting promptly and fairly, an investigation may serve to establish that the firm had "good faith belief" that the employee engaged in misconduct to justify a potential termination where that occurs (even if later proved that the firm came to the wrong conclusion).

Prevention is the best tool to eliminate harassment in the workplace and is often communicated through policies that notice harassing conduct will not be tolerated. Complaint mechanisms help
managers and employees identify and surface unacceptable and illegal behavior, and take action towards appropriate resolution. And, key to responding to a complaint is the investigation. It is worth noting that investigations are normally triggered by a written or verbal communication from an employee complaining of some form of objectionable conduct -- or, as reported by others within proximity to observe or with knowledge of this behavior. Also worth noting is that there are no "magic words" to trigger an investigation, and effective harassment prevention training is normally required to raise awareness.

In a nutshell, bad behavior is costly, interferes with a dynamic work environment, introduces
discrimination and harassment risk to a firm's success and reputation, and should trigger an
investigation to prevent and correct wrongful and unlawful behavior -- promptly and with fair
and impartial process before matters escalate to litigation.

Andrea Hodson is a seasoned HR professional based in New England. Her 30-year practice focuses on aligning HR strategies to organizational goals and priorities, covering the waterfront of HR management and development. She specializes in the areas of online training, performance management, and employee communications. Hodson earned her Master's in teaching with technology from Marlboro College Graduate School (VT), and lives in the unique, preserved 19th-century mill town of Harrisville, NH.

Small Firm Section Update

Emily Christianson
Office Manager, Relman, Dane & Colfax PLLC
Chair, Small Firm Section

The Small Firm section welcomed back Sensei Enterprises to speak and we learned quite a lot.  The subject covered digital forensics and e-discovery.  Though these topics could take days to cover, we managed to gather a good bit of knowledge in an hour.  Using computers to analyze and work through document reviews is growing larger each year.  Systems like IBM’s Watson and Ross are evolving programs that are almost AI like and actually learn as they go.  Taking tedious and time consuming work away from people and allowing supercomputers to sift through large volumes of discovery is going to reduce the number of contract attorneys, paralegals and 1st year attorneys that firm’s employ in 5 years, they say.  Digital forensic companies can provide predictive costs based on science that will help determine if a particular claim is worth pursuing for an attorney.
​
There is a lot of information in this field and certainly more than can be covered in depth in an hour.  This was useful information to get us thinking about the way e-discovery is being used and evolving in firms.  Below is the summary of what was discussed and you can learn more on their website if you are interested at  http://www.senseient.com or if you are interested in their blog http://ridethelightning.senseient.com (electronic evidence blog)
 
Sensei -Hot Issues in Digital Forensics & E-Discovery
These worlds move at a juggernaut pace. To acquaint lawyers with the hottest issues in this constantly changing landscape, our experts will cover a myriad of topics including:
  • The preservation and authentication of social media evidence
  • Recovering deleted text messages
  • Recovering conversations from within apps
  • Finding digital assets, including Bitcoins
  • The use of GPS locators
  • How to secure e-mails, texts, and phone call evidence in discovery
  • How to craft successful electronic discovery searches

Did You Know?

Thomas B. Martin
Partner, Goldblatt Martin Pozen LLP

Did you know that all employers facing an unemployment insurance hearing at the DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) can receive free legal representation?  By statute, the DC Chamber of Commerce’s Employer Advocacy Program (EAP) offers pro bono representation at DC unemployment insurance hearings.  Of course, the DC Chamber cannot provide legal services, so it contracts with the law firm of Goldblatt Martin and Pozen LLP.  Their attorneys have been representing employers in these administrative hearings since 2008, and have represented hundreds of employers in approximately 1,000 cases.  If your company or organization receives a Scheduling Order and Notice of In-Person Hearing, or if you have questions about any part of the DC unemployment insurance process, contact Thomas Martin, Director of the Employer Advocacy Program and a partner at GMP at 202-795-9190 or tmartin@gmpllp.com. 
 
Representation in these matters includes but is not limited to preparing and filing witness lists and exhibits with OAH and the opposing party, preparing witnesses, filing any necessary motions, and representing employers at the hearing.  We will also answer any questions you may have about appealing an OAH decision.  However, representation before the DC Court of Appeals is not covered under EAP.
 
Representation through EAP is completely free and is paid for through your DC unemployment insurance taxes.  In addition to representing employers at unemployment insurance hearings, EAP offers free quarterly seminars on DC business law topics.  Recent seminars have included updates on DC Council legislation impacting wage-hour requirements, concealed carry and marijuana.  Contact Thomas Martin at 202-795-9190 or tmartin@gmpllp.com for more information about representation or about the free seminars.   
 
Thomas B. Martin
Partner, Goldblatt Martin Pozen LLP
1625 K Street, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-795-9190
Fax: 202-795-9192
tmartin@gmpllp.com
www.gmpllp.com

New & Improved Sleep Hygiene Routine

Lance Breger, Executive Wellness Coach & Founder of Infinity Wellness Partners
​
As a wellness coach to CEOs, entrepreneurs and companies around the country I know I can only be effective if I walk my talk. Seriously would you ever hire, trust, or follow the guidance of a wellness coach that shows up smelling like French fries, has bags under their eyes and sporting a bodacious beer belly? I thought so. No matter how many clients I have or how VIP they may be considered I will always be my #1 client. Let me take a second to ask you, who’s the #1 priority in your life?

I haven’t always been like this. In 2008, I was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. because my left tonsil blew up to the size of a tennis ball from poor self-management while I put work before myself. Ironically enough, I was the head personal trainer of a fitness spa and running two start-up wellness businesses at that time – you’d think I’d have known better! All too often it is healthcare providers that are the worst at taking care of their own health as they are always giving, never receiving.

When I was finally discharged from the hospital I realized that my immunity was directly connected to my quantity of sleep. I dived into learning about the science of sleep and by following the principles that I shared in 10 Tips for Deep Sleep in combination with balancing my nutrition, hydration, movement, thinking and breathing I have not missed one day of work (without flu shots) in 8 years!

This past December (75 days ago) I realized that I didn’t know what it was like to sleep through the entire night without needing to wake up to go to the bathroom between midnight and 2:00am. I was doing the pitch-black slumber stumble to the toilet every night and decided to do something about changing that because nothing in the world gives humans more energy and physical-mental repair than sleep. I am fascinated with maximizing my own human potential and sharing that with others, so ‘I’ always comes before ‘We’ and ‘All’.
​
I started paying closer attention to my evening sleep routine by fine-tuning five specific things and now am excited to tell you that I completely sleep through the night without needing to get out of bed at least 1x/week. If I do wake up it is between 3:00am and 5:00am. This is a huge deal and big progress because I am getting more 4th stage deep coma-like sleep and I am totally feeling the difference! With continual attention and small adjustments I have no doubt I will be able to sleep through the night most days each week. Watch out world!

Over the past few months, I have honed in on five factors to improve my sleep and have seen dramatic improvements. The coolest part of this is that none of what I am about to share is that new, it just wasn’t being applied or not used optimally. Here is the New and Improved Sleep Hygiene Routine that I use daily to get to bed by the optimal 10:00PM to 10:30PM bedtime:

7:30PM - Finish Drinking

If you’ve been following my articles, posts and presentations you know by now that
the recommended amount of water to drink per day is ½ your body weight in ounces.
Well it wasn’t so obvious to me that going to bed with a full bladder is a recipe for a
night full of bathroom runs. Not only do I stop drinking water before 7:30PM, but I try
to minimize all drinks to have less disrupted sleep. This means front-loading your
water drinking half the recommendation before noon and half after noon.
Picture
8:30PM - Finish Eating

I have heard for a number of years now to allow 2-3 hours between your last meal of the day and your bedtime, but honestly that wasn’t happening. Now I time my dinner so that I am finishing by 8:30pm so I can have about 2 hours before I go to sleep. I do this because:

• The digestive system is one of the most energy demanding in the body and eating a big meal before bed prevents your body from resting as it works all night to breakdown, assimilate and eliminate your food. This causes you to wake up feeling less than rested and with digestive distress. It’s estimated that 70% of digestion is mechanical and laying down after a meal doesn’t support the process.

• Any calories (energy) that your body cannot use or burn while awake will be stored as fat and to make matters worse our activity and metabolism level is the lowest at night/during sleep.

• Sumo wrestler weight gain strategy is eating big meals and going right to bed. 300 to 400 pounds, people!

• This practice also helps me wake up feeling hungry for ‘break fast’ to reboot my metabolism and energy.

• The red image shows meal sizes for most professionals and the respective body shape. The green image shows what happens when you eat breakfast like a king or queen.
Picture
9:00PM - Cold Shower

I’ve been taking cold showers at every shower now for over a year and it is a lifechanger for sure! Cold and hydrotherapy has been used for hundreds of years for health promotion and here’s what it does for you before bed:

• Improves dinner digestion by sending blood toward the digestive tract.

• Lowers core body temperature ideal for sleeping.

• Lowers inflammation in the brain, guts, muscles, and joints.

• Increases immune system function.

• Lowers sympathetic nervous system activation (stress response/fight or flight).

• Ladies and gentlemen, it also increases sexual performance through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (did that sell you?)
​
• Start with as little as 3 to 6 minutes
Picture
9:30PM - Masked Man

Light is a huge factor in sleep quality and quantity as the brain and body respond similarly to the sun, a screen and a bulb. Light stimulates the eyes and skin that releases the stress hormone cortisol which will increase blood sugar to keep us up and mobile. Why cortisol also is so influential is because it suppresses melatonin, our main sleep hormone and antioxidant. I begin to dim the lights at my house at 9:00PM making it darker and darker as I approach my 10:00PM bedtime, preparing my brain and body to rest. Even with this progressive dimming down, a problem still remained; my bedroom is so bright! I knew that I had to take desperate measures. What did I do, you may ask? I invested in a sleep mask to win the world’s sexiest sleeper award while simultaneously achieving the pitch-black bedroom, which was eluding me.

10:00PM - Alternate Nostril Breathing

Stress and a racing mind are two very common reasons for insomnia and waking up in the middle of the night with an inability to fall back asleep. To prevent either I began using one of my trusty breathing exercises drawn from yoga called alternate nostril breathing (ANB) immediately before bed.

​This breathing exercise stimulates the pineal gland that is responsible for the release of
melatonin.

• ANB stimulates both hemispheres of the brain.

• ANB is a moving meditation as it distracts your mind from thinking because you are
concentrating on the breathing and hand pattern.

• Breathing in and out through the nose stimulates the nerve endings in the nostrils that slow and stop the fight or flight stress response.

To perform alternate nostril breathing:

• Make a ‘hang loose’ hand symbol with your right hand

• Cover your right nostril with your right thumb and breathe out completely from your left nostril

• Now inhale deeply and fully back up the left nostril

• Cover the left nostril with the right pinkie and exhale complete from the right nostril

• Inhale back up the right nostril, switch the nostril cover and exhale out the left nostril. Repeat for repetitions or time.

​There you have it, my New & Improved Sleep Hygiene Routine! Are you ready for the best night sleep of your life? Don’t just take my word that this combination of habits works - test it out for yourself. I challenge you to create your own sleep hygiene routine and apply it every day for the next 21 days in a row. Repeating new behaviors on consecutive days for 7-21 days creates entrainment or habit formation. Consistency is key as you have to guide your body and brain to adapt to this new routine. Following this article and my 10 Tips for Deep Sleep once in a while is never going to have the true impact you want it to have. Commit to becoming the very best version of yourself today and that starts with getting sleep.

Create Your Sleep Hygiene Routine
8:30PM - ____________________
9:00PM - ____________________
9:30PM - _____________________
10:00PM - ____________________
10:30PM - Bedtime

Lance Breger is an Executive Wellness Coach and the Founder of Infinity Wellness Partners, a comprehensive corporate wellness company that prepares executives and organizations for the most productive and healthy work-life. Lance has led online/on-site training programs for over one thousand professionals through his company’s four pillars of wellness: fitness, nutrition, mind/body and ergonomics.

Lance is also a Master Instructor for the American Council on Exercise and the recipient of the IDEA Health & Fitness Association Program Director of the Year award. Contact Lance: lbreger@infinitywellnesspartners.com

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: Monique Terrell (Chair), mterrell@stradley.com; Vanessa Partin (Co-Chair), vanessa.partin@kirkland.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. In addition, the committee is tasked with selling the license to the survey software to other chapters within ALA for use in their locales. They also provide technical support and logistical guidance to those chapters who purchase and utilize our survey software.

Contact: Jeff Delcher (Chair), jdelcher@wbklaw.com; Sheri Shifflett (Co-Chair),cshifflett@saul.com
Listserv: finance@lists.firmseek.com


Member Experience
The Member Experience Committee will establish a welcoming environment for new members to be integrated into the Chapter through a formal Ambassador Program. Ambassadors will provide support and guidance to new members through their first 12 months of membership, ensuring new members realize benefits of membership and become ambassadors of the Chapter. 

Contact: Kenia Garner (Chair), kenia.garner@pillsburylaw.com ; Barbara Kernus, (Co-Chair), bkernus@gsblaw.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: Richard Gibson (Chair),rgibson@nixonpeabody.com; Wendy Iversen (Co-Chair), iversen@ballardspahr.com
Listserv: branchofcadmin@lists.firmseek.com


Office Operations Management
The members of the Office Operations Management Section represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Office Operations Management Section (OOMS) meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month to discuss operations related hot topics. We welcome all members to join the section, especially if you are an administrator in a small law office and you have to wear multiple hats. We can provide you with many best practices to run your operation smoothly.

Contact:  Jeffery Cole (Chair),jeffery.l.cole@squirepb.com; Jamaine Yarborough (Co-Chair),  jamaine.yarborough@finnegan.com 
Listserv: ooms@lists.firmseek.com
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Section focuses on all aspects of legal management as it pertains to the IP Administrator. The group discusses the complexity of the ever-changing IP environment and how to effectively create and apply IP specific, non-legal procedures in both boutique and general practice firms. 

Contact: Kristine Miller (Chair), kmiller@nixonpeabody.com; Sharon Smith (Co-Chair), smith.sharon@arentfox.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.firmseek.com



Small Firm Management
The purpose of the Small Firm Management Section is to provide Administrators of law firms with 35 or fewer attorneys educational opportunities through vendor presentations, idea sharing and open forums specifically designed for those who work in smaller firms. The Small Firm Management Section meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at host law firms.

Contact: Emily Christianson (Chair),echristianson@relmanlaw.com; Julie Tomey (Co-Chair),tomey@thewbkfirm.com
Listserv: smallfirmadmin@lists.firmseek.com
Human Resources
The Human Resources Section operates as a venue for educational information on global human resources issues.  While the Section is mostly comprised of HR professionals, any member is invited to participate in the meetings which typically take place on the second or third Wednesday of each month.  The meetings feature industry speakers or roundtable discussions on topics such as recruiting, benefits, strategic planning, performance management, career pathing, retention and other matters of interest.

Contact: Connie Summers (Chair),connie.summers@threecrownsllp.com; Carmen C. Weissbratten (Co-Chair), cweissbratten@hpm.com
Listserv: hr@lists.firmseek.com

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

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