March 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: Barbara Mannix; Tanner Herpst; rand* Construction; LaVerne Anenia, SHRM-SCP; Christine Clapp; Judy Deason; Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP 
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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In honor of the Golden Triangle’s 2017 Golden Haiku Contest:
 
Four seasons pass by
I find I am almost done
Relief I now find
 
Sorrow and joy mix
But I know I am not all through
You will see me again
 
Accomplishments abound
My team continues to give
I am inspired
 
A title I will enjoy
You may ask what could that be
Why Past President of course
​Barbara Mannix

New ALA Capital Chapter Members

Cindy L. Brown
Office Administrator
Baker & McKenzie LLP
815 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
cindy.brown@bakermckenzie.com
 
Anthony Malba
Associate Director - Operations Services
KPMG
1801 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
amalba@kpmg.com
​
Ismail Laher
Attorney
Liles Parker, PLLC
2121 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
#200
Washington, DC 20007
ilaher@lilesparker.com
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Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following members well in their new positions!
Qeyana M. Hart
Human Resources Generalist
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
100 Light St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
qhart@milesstockbridge.com
​
Catherine Ryan
Administrative Manager
Kacvinsky Daisak Bluni PLLC
655 15th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
cryan@kdbfirm.com
​

2017 ALA President's Award of Excellence

The Capital Chapter is proud to announce that our Chapter has been honored with the 2017 ALA President's Award of Excellence!
​The President's Award of Excellence, named in honor of ALA's Past Presidents, recognizes chapters for their efforts in effective chapter leadership and establishes both mandatory and recommended annual chapter performance standards. The award is a chapter performance guideline to encourage chapters to take effective and collaborative action in support of ALA's mission to promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the legal management team; improve the quality of management in law firms and other legal service organizations; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.  

Thank you to our members, Business Partners, and volunteer leadership for all of your hard work throughout the year to create a strong, successful Chapter.

Tom Price and the Future of the ESI Tax Exclusion

Tanner Herpst
Consultant, The Meltzer Group

​On Feb. 10, 2017, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Secretary Price previously served as chairman of the House Budget Committee and has proposed a series of substitutes for the ACA subsidies and Cadillac tax. If it’s left up to Price, we have a clear direction of how the replacement efforts will unfold — and it’s not all roses for employers. Although Price won’t have the authority to push through legislation as HHS secretary, he will have tremendous influence over the shaping of the Republicans’ future proposals and the replacement’s implementation.

How to Pay the Bills
The issue is how to pay for subsidies or tax credits provided to low-income Americans under the ACA. The Cadillac tax was intended to be one source of revenue for the ACA, but there’s bipartisan support for repealing the Cadillac tax, for a number of reasons. We’ll likely see its repeal through either a stand-alone bill or as a part of the overall repeal efforts submitted through the reconciliation process. Eliminating the Cadillac tax would cut estimated revenues by $87 billion through 2025. There’s a technical issue with how the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has scored this revenue amount, but I’ll reserve that discussion for a later time. Just know that lawmakers will be searching for ways to replace this revenue source.

Price approached the revenue issue by capping the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored coverage in his most recent dismantling of the ACA, called the Empowering Patients First Act. To provide context, a tax exemption, exclusion or deduction from gross income is considered lost revenue for the government and is therefore referred to as a “tax expenditure.” The employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) tax exclusion results in lost revenue for the federal government to the tune of an estimated $260 billion annually, making it the single largest tax expenditure in the individual federal income tax code.1 The ESI tax expenditure includes the exclusion from an employee’s income of employer-paid premiums for health insurance (or health benefits when paid directly by the employer) and long-term-care insurance premiums. Employees are also able to exclude from income contributions made through a cafeteria plan. The ESI exclusion includes the effect of these exclusions on payroll taxes but does not include the employer’s deduction for premium costs as an ordinary business expense.

ESI Exclusion Pros and Cons
The main argument for continuing the ESI exclusion is to not disrupt the segment of the insurance market that’s working effectively. ESI is the leading source of coverage for non-elderly people in our country. Roughly 150 million Americans2 (two-thirds of the U.S. population under age 65) receive health insurance benefits through their employer. This compares to roughly 15.6 million people who have major medical coverage in the non-group insurance market, both inside and outside of the exchange.3 Many believe that a complete repeal of the ESI exclusion will lead to employers choosing to not offer coverage, pushing those employees into the non-group market that’s generally characterized by instability and rapidly rising premium rates. A cap on the tax benefit may also reduce the number of relatively healthy employees who obtain health insurance, thereby creating an issue of adverse selection in the employer risk pool. The CBO estimates that the removal of the ESI exclusion will reduce the number of people with ESI by 15 million, or about 10 percent, and many of those who lose coverage will likely remain uninsured. Those in favor of capping or repealing the ESI exclusion look to its regressive nature, the incentive it provides to purchase richer health insurance coverage and the need for a source of revenue. Compared to other Republican cap proposals, Price’s proposal is one of the more aggressive caps with a limit on the tax exclusion for employer contributions to ESI (including employer contributions to a health savings account) of $8,000 for self-only coverage and $20,000 for family coverage. Employees would be required to pay taxes on employer contributions above this cap, so there would be a direct impact on employees’ income.

The Bottom Line
Let’s compare this to the Cadillac tax at a high level. In contrast to the cap on the ESI exclusion, the Cadillac tax would be levied on insurance companies and plan administrators, which would likely translate into higher premium costs that may partially be absorbed by employers. The employer’s ability to deduct the premiums paid for health insurance coverage as an ordinary and necessary business expense would not be affected. Employees would absorb the tax either through higher premiums or through likely changes to their health benefits in the form of increased cost-sharing or reduced coverage. Aside from these issues, there are many studies highlighting other problems with the Cadillac tax.
 
1 Congressional Budget Office. “The Distribution of Major Tax Expenditures in the Individual Income Tax System.” https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/113th-congress-2013-2014/reports/TaxExpenditures_One-Column.pdf.
2 The Kaiser Family Foundation 2016 Employer Health Benefits Survey. http://kff.org/report-section/ehbs-2016-summary-of-findings/.
3 Kaiser Family Foundation referring to recently submitted 2014 filings by insurers to state insurance departments (using data compiled by Mark Farrah Associates) for coverage as of Dec. 31, 2014.

March 2017 Diversity Observances

March is Women’s History Month. Started in 1987, Women’s History Month recognizes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society.

March is also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which was established to increase awareness and understanding of issues affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month. It was established to raise public awareness of the autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and assist those with multiple sclerosis in making informed decisions about their health care.

March 1: Ash Wednesday is the the beginning of Lent in the Christian faith. As a display of atonement, ashes are marked on worshipers. Lent, which is observed during the seven weeks prior to Easter, is a time of reflection and preparation for the Holy Week and is observed by fasting, charitable giving, and worshiping.

March 1-19: This nineteen-day fast for members of the Baha'i Faith is meant to reinvigorate the soul and bring the person closer to God.

March 8: International Women’s Day. First observed in 1911 in Germany, it has now become a major global celebration honoring women’s economic, political, and social achievements.

March 11-12: Purim, a Jewish celebration that marks the time when the Jewish community living in Persia was saved from genocide. According to the Book of Esther, King Ahasuerus’s political advisor planned to have all the Jews killed; however, his plot was foiled when Esther, one of the king’s wives, revealed her Jewish identity. On Purim, Jewish people offer charity and share food with friends.

March 12: Magha Puja Day, a Buddhist holiday that marks an event early in the Buddha’s teaching life when a group of 1,250 enlightened saints, ordained by the Buddha, gathered to pay their respect to him. March 23 is the Lord’s Supper, a holiday celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Once a year after sundown on Nisan 14, Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the Lord’s Evening Meal.

March 13: Holi, a Hindu and Sikh spring religious festival observed in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, along with other countries that have large Hindu and Sikh populations. People celebrate Holi by throwing colored powder and water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before in the memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika carried him into the fire.

March 13 – April 15: Deaf History Month. This observance celebrates key events in deaf history, including the founding of Gallaudet University and the American School for the Deaf.

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday started in Ireland to recognize St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who brought Christianity to the country in the early days of the faith.

March 20: The Bahá’í New Year or Naw-Rúz is a holiday celebrated on the vernal equinox. It is one of the nine Bahá’í holy days on which work is suspended.
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March 20: Ostara/Eostre, a celebration of the spring equinox on March 21. Commemorated by Pagans and Wiccans, it is observed as a time to mark the coming of spring and the fertility of the land.

rand* construction Spotlight:
Phased In-Place Renovation: Managing Expectations

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There’s no way around it: construction is messy. There is noise, dust and many moving parts. This fact poses a real inconvenience when renovating office space occupied by staff members. How do you renovate a space without disturbing employees?

It is in everyone’s best interest to establish a clear and realistic plan that allows the construction crew to work efficiently while minimizing disruptions to the client’s business operations. The key to accomplishing this and completing a successful occupied renovation is the client and project team communicating and managing expectations as partners from the start.
​
Communicate the Business Infrastructure
At the beginning of the project, both the client and contractor need to sit down together and discuss the organization of the firm in detail. It is important to answer these questions:
  • How are the affected floorplans organized by employee teams?
  • What are the business hours?
  • In the likely event that employees will need to be temporarily displaced for construction, what is the best strategy for doing so without creating inefficiencies in the day-to-day business operations?
  • What teams need to be kept together, and where is the best place to put them? Can some staff members work remotely off-site?
It is critical that the client communicate in detail how they use the space on a daily basis. For example, if employees need to use a conference room for meetings every Monday at 9 a.m., the project team will need to factor this into their plans. The better the contractor understands the blueprint of the business, the better the team will be able to develop their phasing and contingency plans in a way that minimizes disruptions to staff.

Before we develop our schedule, we have an in-depth conversation with the client about the nuances of their daily business operations. That way, we can best tailor our construction plans to the needs of the client’s staff.

When rand* was renovating the Washington, DC law firm Sidley Austin, working around the meeting schedule of the client’s staff played a major role in the phasing of the project. We were tasked with renovating the sixth floor, which housed several conference rooms that the client staff needed to have access to during the project. We worked closely with the client to establish a phasing plan that would leave half of these conference rooms available to staff while also limiting their exposure to noise, dust and odors during their working hours. As with the majority of occupied renovations, our project team would begin work at 3 a.m. and complete our work for the day at noon. In turn, the client staff would schedule their interviews and meetings for the afternoon after we had left for the day.
 
Be Realistic
When negotiating the phasing plan for an occupied renovation, the trick is to strike a balance between allowing the construction crew to work efficiently and the client’s staff to maintain normal business operations. In order to do this, both parties have to be realistic in their expectations. Both the client and the contractor need to be honest in their limitations and work around each other’s schedules.

Given the fact that you have to share space, occupied renovations take more time. Because the contractor is unable to take over the entire job site at once, they are working with more restrictions on their time and space. The contractor has to factor in extra time for daily job site set-up, breakdown and cleanup.

While expediency is preferred, attempting to rush the process can introduce major issues that ultimately prolong the project. Both the client and the contractor need to know and communicate their limits from the start to avoid future roadblocks. If the construction crew doesn’t have enough time to complete their work, this will cause delays that ultimately cause more disruptions and headaches for the client.

Be Precise
Given the nature of phasing and time restrictions, there is very little room for error on occupied renovations. The client and contractor need to develop a strict schedule and stick to it. The millwork has to go in today, the desk has to go in tomorrow because carpeting is coming in tomorrow and the client is moving in in three days. With all these moving parts, the impact of a delay can be huge. 

For example, when rand* was renovating workspace for the Washington, DC law firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, the client and project team had to negotiate a small window of time to conduct X-Rays of the floors to determine where the team could drill. The firm operated a 24/7 command center, which posed an issue for the X-Ray scan, which required that the three floors above and below were empty. Consequently, the only time the team could conduct the X-Ray was at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, in order to not disturb the 24/7 command center operations. Their ability to drill into the floors and continue the project hinged on this one task accomplished in a small window of time.
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Work as Partners
Ultimately, projects benefit from the client and contractor working as partners and building a sense of trust. Start planning together early to develop a plan that best serves everyone. While construction in an occupied space can be an inconvenience, starting from a place of honest and open collaboration will help the project run smoothly. 

Recognizing our 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship Mentor

LaVerne Anenia, SHRM-SCP
Office Administrator, Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.
Vice President, Community Services

The first Quarterly Networking Lunch for the Capital Chapter ALA was very special (and not just because of the honey cornbread) as we recognized our 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship Mentor, Mary Randolph.  Mary is the mentor to Philip O’Sullivan, who is currently studying at the University of Chicago.  If you catch Mary chatting it up about Philip, you will immediately see that she is invested in the success of this young man.

Mary and Philip exchange a friendly text message every Friday as a way of checking in with one another.  Mary’s commitment to Philip’s growth and development is such a gift, and one that so many members of our younger generation need.  It is remarkable to watch this relationship blossom as Philip matures and navigates through this complicated world.  Thank you, Mary, for so graciously giving your time and support to our 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship recipient!

Being a scholarship mentor is a four-year commitment, and in many cases it develops into a lifetime relationship.  Thank you, as well, to our previous scholarship mentors as they continue to make an impact: Dot Mooney, Phoebe Boger-Smith and Stacy Fischbach.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor and fostering this type of success story for an upcoming 2017 scholarship recipient, please contact Claudia Baragano.

February Lunch & Learn Recap: The 5 S's of Speaking with Confidence

Christine Clapp​
President, Spoken with Authority

Successful legal professionals speak with confidence whether they’re in the conference room or coffee room, on the phone or speaking on a panel.  That’s because they’ve mastered the five S’s of confident delivery: stance, sound, smile, silence, and sight. Here’s a recap of these concepts as explored during the ALA Capital Chapter’s meeting on February 22, 2017.
 
Secret One: Stance
Open your posture and move purposefully. Keep your feet planted on the ground, hip distance apart with weight equally distributed. Imagine that your feet have dried in concrete to avoid rocking, swaying, tapping, or pacing. With your feet grounded, stand tall. Lift your chest, expanding the area from your hips to your shoulders. Keep your shoulders relaxed and rolled back. Hold your head high, like there’s a string attached from the top of your head to the ceiling.
 
Keep your hands at the sides in a neutral position rather than doing the T-Rex – keeping arms glued to your torso and gesturing with small, frantic hand movements. Remember, purposeless movement distracts listeners from your message and are a sign of nervousness. When you have control of your body, use thoughtful gestures and movements in the room to reinforce what you’re saying.
 
Secret Two: Sound
Fill the room with sound. With the foundation of excellent posture, project by speaking from the diaphragm, not the throat. This also ensures that the voice is grounded – on the low end of its natural range. It’s nearly impossible to be too loud.  After all, how many times have you left a presentation thinking, “That speaker was just too loud”? After you master speaking in a loud, low, slow and clear voice, aim to add variations to your volume, pace, and pitch to add dynamism to your speaking.
 
Secret Three: Smile
Show those pearly whites. Smiling not only makes your voice more pleasant to listen to, it conveys confidence. Even if you’re terrified of public speaking, no one will know if you have a smile on your face. Rest assured, smiling throughout a presentation won’t make you look cheesy (remember the Brené Brown clip we watched).  You will appear friendly, approachable and composed.  Whenever it’s appropriate for your topic (when it is good news, neutral, informational, or technical), throw on a smile.
 
Secret Four: Silence
Use . . . long . . . pauses. Americans generally loathe silence. This results in sentences that are littered with junk words, such as “um,” “ah,” “you know,” “kind of,” “like,” “so,” and “well.” These vocal fillers make speakers look unpolished, unprepared and unprofessional. They can even be distracting or can undermine your credibility. To overcome them, start correcting yourself in casual conversations and enlist the help of friends, family members and colleagues to point out when you slip up. 
 
Additionally, if you lose your train of thought, don’t apologize or show any outward signs of frustration. These reactions only draw attention to a mistake. Minimize inevitable stumbles by silently finding your place in your notes or taking a sip of water to regain composure. Any pause before an audience feels longer to the speaker than the audience.
 
Secret Five: Sight
Make lasting eye contact. Hold your gaze on an audience member for three full seconds without blinking or glancing away. Then move on and lock your gaze with someone else in a different part of the room. Lingering eye contact builds rapport by giving audience members the feeling they are engaged in an intimate one-on-one conversation. 
 
Avoid scanning the audience without stopping to look directly at anyone. Don’t make selective eye contact with the two or three people in the room who are smiling and nodding. Ignore the suggestion of looking at the back of the room rather than your audience to reduce nervousness. While it might make it the easiest speech you ever delivered, it also will make it the least engaging. Audiences want you to speak to them, not at them.
 
Remember the five S’s of confident delivery: stance, sound, smile, silence, and sight.  Master them and you’ll have the confidence to speak up and stand out in any workplace situation.
 
Christine Clapp is the author of Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public Speaking in Professional Contexts (www.presentingatwork.com) and the president of Spoken with Authority (www.spokenwithauthority.com), a presentation skills consultancy that trains professionals to achieve a personal best every time they present. She can be reached at christine@spokenwithauthority.com or @christineclapp.
The reviews are in - this session was a hit! Check out some of the responses from this session's feedback survey:

Would you recommend Christine Clapp as a speaker?
  • "Yes, I would recommend Christine -- one of the very best presenters to date!"  
  • "This was the most beneficial workshop I've attended in my career. I strongly recommend Christine!"        
  • "Yes, even sent an email to Chief HR Officer asking if she could speak at our next Office Administrators Meeting in Chicago"

Missed the session? Click here for the handouts and a link to Christine's Prezi presentation.

February Quarterly Networking Lunch

On February 16th, Capital Chapter members and Business Partners met at Boss Shepherd's restaurant to mingle and celebrate two Chapter members at the first Quarterly Networking Lunch of the year. Guests enjoyed comfort foods including pot pie fritters, fried chicken, and cornbread (a far cry from the October networking lunch's spa cuisine menu), as they greeted old friends and new faces at the event. 

In addition to plenty of opportunity to network, the program featured recognition of two outstanding members: Mary Randolph and Judy Deason. Vice President of Community Services LaVerne Anenia presented Mary with a mentorship award in recognition of her service as a scholarship mentor for our 2016 Toni K. Allen Scholarship recipient Philip O'Sullivan (read more about Mary's service as a mentor in LaVerne's article above). The Chapter also recognized Past Chapter President Judy Deason, thanking her for her service and dedication to the Chapter over the years and congratulating her on her retirement after a 32-year career. The Chapter wishes her the best in her retirement, and is extremely grateful for her contributions throughout her membership.

A message from Judy:
"Barbara, EC, Paula, Jessie, members and partners of the Capital Chapter  -- Thank you so much for making me feel so appreciated by the Chapter at the Quarterly Networking Luncheon.  32 years in one firm is a rarity and yet, it some ways, feels like I just started yesterday.   I have loved being a part of the Chapter and walk away with not only lifelong friends, but so many memories of all we have accomplished together.   Never one to say goodbye, I leave you with a see you later and wish you well as together, you move the Chapter forward!!!"  
 
Judy Deason
Past President

1st Quarter Community Service Initiative Recap: Martha's Table Food Bank Challenge

LaVerne Anenia, SHRM-SCP
Office Administrator, Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.
Vice President, Community Services

The 1st quarter 2017 community service initiative was a hit!  The Chapter organized a food bank drive for Martha’s Table.  This food drive supported McKenna’s Wagon, Martha’s Table’s mobile food truck, which hands out trail mix and sandwiches to hundreds of homeless men and women in the DC area. In total, participating firms donated a total of 3,746 sandwiches and 763 bags of trail mix!  

A BIG thank you to the following very generous ALACC members and law firms that organized drives to donate sandwiches and trail mix!!!  Together, we can continue to make a difference!

Kirkland & Ellis LLP – 150 sandwiches
Saul Ewing LLP – 150 sandwiches
Baker Botts – 600 sandwiches
Husch Blackwell LLP – 91 sandwiches and 53 bags of trail mix
Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C. - 300 sandwiches
Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP - 340 sandwiches
Baker & McKenzie – 318 sandwiches
Littler Mendelson, P.C. – 260 sandwiches
Three Crowns LLP – 250 sandwiches
Garvey Schubert Barer – 500 sandwiches
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton – 656 bags of trail mix
Vinson & Elkins – 250 sandwiches
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP – 537 sandwiches and 54 bags of trail mix
 
Stay tuned for details on the 2nd quarter 2017 ALACC community service initiative - “STUFF THE BUS” - focused on educating DC Public School children, beginning April 2017!

CapChap Commentary 

We're listening! Chapter Headquarters sends out feedback surveys to attendees following Chapter events and programs, and your responses are used by Chapter leadership to improve programs and shape the Chapter's educational calendar for the year. 

The educational sessions scheduled for the first half of 2017 - Behavioral Interviewing, Executive Presence, Working with Multiple Generations (from the perspective of two different generations), Implementing Flex Programs, and Maintaining Boundaries - were all suggestions from previous lunch & learn feedback surveys. 

Thank you for taking the time to complete feedback surveys - your responses are appreciated, and are being put to use to give you the greatest possible value out of your membership. Keep letting us know what you think, and stay tuned to see how your suggestions make an impact!

12 Things to Avoid In Conversations

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

To build rapport, relationships and to connect with customers, co-workers family and friends it's important to watch what you say and how you say it.
 
Poor conversation skills can derail teams, cause leaders to lose respect, destroy customer relationships, lose sales, and demolish friendships. 
 
Here are 12 things to avoid in your conversations:
 
Gossiping - By constantly gossiping about others you lose trust and respect.  If you have the urge to gossip, gossip in a positive manner.
 
Talking Too Long About Yourself - A good conversation is a 2-way street. By asking open ended questions and showing interest in others they will show interest in you. Remember the #1 key to popularity is to be 'interested, not just interesting.'
 
Talking About Sex, Politics and Religion - Don't assume that everyone has the same opinion about everything that you do. Talking about these can make others feel uncomfortable and can cause them to reject you or your ideas.
 
Interrupting - When you interrupt others, sensitivity, rapport and commitment are killed.
 
Bragging - (This is different from promoting your achievements). It's annoying to many people if you constantly talk about all the great things you have done, name drop and show one-upmanship.  
 
Being Critical of Others Who Have Different Opinions - Everyone was raised differently, comes from different backgrounds and sees the world from their perspective. This is a sure way to turn people away from you.
  
Arguing - The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
 
Ingratitude - Always show appreciation for what others say or do. Even if they have some concern about you, thank them for sharing that with you. If you want to be appreciated, show appreciation.
 
Using Unfamiliar Terminology - If people don't understand what you are talking about they will lose interest in the conversation. Get rid of jargon and your 'million dollar' words and stick to the 'fifty cent' words that everyone understands.
 
Not Listening - You have 2 ears and one mouth. People love people who listen to them.
 
Complaining -  People like others who are in good spirits. People avoid constant complainers. Also watch out about talking about illness or an operation in detail.
 
Not Admitting Mistakes - The six most important words in the English language, "I admit I made a mistake." If you make an error always apologize.
 
To make all of your conversations positive, the next time you greet someone treat them as if they are your best friend that you have not seen in years. You want everyone to feel good about themselves after they talk to you!

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, facilitator and coach. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” and Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz.” He was recently named as one of the top 5 best “bang for the buck” speakers in the USA by Successful Meetings Magazine.  www.arnoldsanow.com – speaker@arnoldsanow.com  - 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: Vanessa Partin (Co-Chair), vanessa.partin@kirkland.com; Cindy Schuler (Co-Chair), cschuler@skgf.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: Sheri Shifflett (Chair), cshifflett@saul.com; Emily Christianson (Co-Chair), echristianson@relmanlaw.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: Barbara Kernus (Co-Chair), bkernus@gsblaw.com; Cheryl Flynn (Co-Chair), cflynn@wileyrein.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: Jenna Carter (Chair),  jenna.carter@ropesgray.com; Danita Ellis (Co-Chair), danita.ellis@nelsonmullins.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:  Kenia Garner (Chair),  kenia.garner@pillsburylaw.com; Qeyana Hart (Co-Chair), qhart@milesstockbridge.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: Sharon Smith (Chair),  smith.sharon@arentfox.com; Kimberly J. Potter (Co-Chair), kpotter@sgrlaw.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: Julie Tomey (Chair),  tomey@thewbkfirm.com; Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Co-Chair), wguido-chizhik@bookoffmcandrews.com
Listserv: smallfirmadmin@lists.firmseek.com



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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
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: Carmen C. Barboza (Chair),  cbarboza@hpm.com​; Aryn Blanton (Co-Chair),  aryn.blanton@bracewelllaw.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: Kenny Mitchell (Chair),  kmitchell@wbklaw.com; Frank Schipani (Co-Chair),  schipanif@gotofirm.com; ​
Listserv: alacaptech@lists.firmseek.com