March 2019

Capital Connection is published monthly for members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide information for the education and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers, managing partners of law firms, and other law related associations. Capital Connection is not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax counseling or advice through this publication.  The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection should not be considered endorsements by the Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any products advertised.   Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial and/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter. 
Editors: Cindy Conover; Valerie L. Williamson
Associate Editor: Paula Serratore
​Contributing Editors: Jenna Carter; Kate Fettrow; Jackie Thomas; Sara Orazi; Carl A. Leonard; Amy Walkowiak; Camden Miller; Cindy Schuler
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

Jenna Carter

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Jacqueline Bado Keener
Three Crowns LLP
Office Manager
3000 K St., N.W.
Suite 101
Washington, DC 20007
jackie.keener@threecrownsllp.com
 
Michelle Moreno DaSilva
Wiley Rein LLP
Human Resources Coordinator
1776 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
mdasilva@wileyrein.com
 
Ana Milena Sobalvarro
Bookoff McAndrews
Administrative Assistant
2020 K St., N.W.
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20006
anamilena.sobalvarro@gmail.com
 
Simon John
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Administrator
700 6th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
simon.john@cwt.com
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Catalina Maria Mejia
Wiley Rein LLP
Human Resources Coordinator
1776 K St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
cmejia@wileyrein.com
 
 
Kimberly Albert
Crowell & Moring
Assistant Manager, Support Services
1001 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
kalbert@crowell.com
 
Roberta Walden
Weisbrod Matteis & Copley
Legal Secretary
1200 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
rwalden@wmclaw.com
 
Marcie L Burkhart
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Manager, Patent Prosecution Department
1100 13th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
mburkhart@bannerwitcoff.com
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Members on the Move

Cindy Schuler
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Office Administrator
1175 I St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
cindy.schuler@hugheshubbard.com
Jeff Delcher
Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Director of Finance
2100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
jdelcher@sughrue.com

​Why I Joined the Next Generation Leaders Community

Kate Fettrow
Human Resources Generalist, Wiley Rein LLP
Incoming Co-Chair, Next Generation Leaders Community

If you are like me, there was a path filled with many twists and turns before I found my home within a human resources function in a law firm.  My educational background and professional work experience after graduation involved a completely different field.  Seven years ago, I joined a human resources team for the first time as an internal recruiter.  However, when my role expanded beyond recruiting into general human resources responsibilities a few years ago, my Director at the firm strongly encouraged me to get involved with the ALA Capital Chapter.  This initial first step to joining a community of talented law firm administrators and human resources professionals was, now with the benefit of hindsight, critical to forging the connections that I am proud to hold today.  Over the past few years, I’ve developed relationships with peers across many organizations, many of whom that I feel comfortable calling when perplexed by a tricky issue or project.  Therefore, when the idea for the Next Generation Leaders (“NGL”) Community developed a year ago, there was not a moment’s hesitation when deciding to get involved.  The NGL Community sets itself apart by offering a specific focus to those of us who are faced with the daunting task with absorbing as much knowledge as possible from our current leaders, so that we too are positioned to lead our organizations to success.

As I reflect on the inaugural year for our NGL Community, I keep coming back to the word “Community.”  The membership is warm, welcoming, and ready to share their knowledge, experiences, struggles, and mistakes with others.  We are a collection of individuals who make up a cross section of legal administration professionals, including those who are stepping into their first leadership roles, seasoned administrators, and those who are new to working in a law firm.  One thing that we all have in common is our commitment to ensuring the long-term success of our firms and a recognition that we all can learn something from each other.  There is also relief in knowing that many of the situations we are likely to encounter in our careers, someone else has already traveled that road and can help you navigate the path forward.

Our recent community meetings included lunch and learns with trusted business partners regarding current trends, various roundtables and panel discussions, joint meetings with other ALA Communities, and even a post-work game night.  What better way to get to know your fellow NGL members and decompress at the end of the day than over a game of Jumbo Jenga?  One of the most beneficial roundtable discussions for me centered on recommendations for books and podcasts that influenced our leadership and management styles.  After that meeting, we all walked away with recommendations for over a dozen books to read and half a dozen podcasts to listen to on the metro or in the car on the way to work. 

As someone who is often tasked with giving advice to other managers on how to handle challenging situations, I valued having these resources at my fingertips.  The idea behind the NGL Community is that we are continually expanding our “professional toolkit” – each new insight or takeaway from an NGL meeting that we apply to our daily lives helps us better serve our organizations and build credibility amongst those we both support and lead.   

To those in the ALA Community who are thinking about whether to join the NGL Community, I encourage you not to hesitate and join us at the next meeting!

March 2019 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.
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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.

Click here to view the full list of March 2019 Observances

Putting Out Fires:  Hot Topics in Law Firm HR

Jackie Thomas
DC Office Administrator, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Incoming VP-Elect Community Services
 
On February 6, The HR Community hosted Michael Cohen, Esq. (Not THAT Michael Cohen) at Sidley Austin for an enjoyable, room-packed presentation on hot topics in law firm HR. 
 
Mr. Cohen started with the topic of harassment prevention and not only covered the legal reasons behind why it was important to act on such claims, but also went over the mistakes we are still making when dealing with harassment claims.  The catch phrase “adapt or die” is key in 2019 harassment prevention for firms.  We either get on board with no longer ignoring non-defenses or we will face consequences with legal action.  Mr. Cohen pointed out that knowing something is happening and remaining silent is condoning the conduct.  We as legal professionals have a duty to report even when inaction is requested by the party who makes the complaint. 
 
Mr. Cohen also covered the importance of background checks and also the proper usage of same in reference to EEOC guidance.  He made it clear that social media sites for background checks is a bad idea to stand on, as the information obtained may not be accurate and you may learn more than you want to know about potential candidates, which could lead to risk of discrimination claims and the use of the information inappropriately.
 
We heard valuable information on what we should be calling our “appearance policies” as opposed to “dress code” and that our goal should be to attract the best and the brightest employees who provide good quality care to the clients in spite of appearance.  Firms may set their own dress guidelines, but should remove any reference to gender specific attire and be careful not to discriminate on the basis of a protected class or affect one group of people more than another. 
 
Mr. Cohen rounded out the session by going over wage and hour policies, including telework, as well as leaves of absence and Americans with Disabilities Act.  

Washington Express Movers Spotlight: Cost-Saving and Eco-Friendly Moving Tips

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​Sara Orazi
Account Manager, Washington Express Movers

​Moving can be an opportunity to not only refresh and rebuild, but also to help the environment and your community. There are many different tools and options to consider when planning an office move to help limit costs and sustain the planet.  A win-win! 
  • Reusable plastic crates are a great way to reduce costs, save time and help protect our environment. Driven by the customer’s desire for convenient and environmentally-friendly products, commercial moving companies have been transitioning from cardboard boxes to reusable packing crates. These plastic, reusable bins save the hassle of buying, assembling and then disposing of cardboard boxes. They are stackable, require no tape and are durable, making today’s office move easier, more efficient and highly secure.
  • Donate unwanted office furniture to local charitable organizations. Whether for their own use or as a possible source of community-directed funds, many non-profit organizations are ready, willing and able to accept donations of usable, excess office furniture. Numerous organizations will gladly accept office equipment, tables, chairs, computers and printers and may even offer free pick-up. If not, request assistance from your moving company, they can provide you with multiple cost-effective delivery and/or temporary storage options to the benefit of all parties. This opportunity is not only tax deductible to your firm, it is also a way to help your neighbors and the environment by giving a second life to the items you no longer need. Below is a sample of a few organizations that will gladly accept donated items
    • Habitat for Humanity
    • The National Center for Children and Families
    • GreenStandards
    • Salvation Army
    • DonorsChoose.org
  • Storage of documents, furniture or equipment in a secure warehouse or storage unit instead of throwing them out only to repurchase/replace at a later date.  This can be a cost-effective solution to steward what you already own while lessening the negative impact on the environment, and a great option for an extended relocation process.
  • Go paperless with your documents. Moving is a great way to start fresh, and what better way than to cut the cost of paper and transition to a technology-enhanced filing system. Start by sending new documents directly to the cloud while implementing a program of scanning and saving older documents electronically. You’ll reduce the need for bulky, space-eating file cabinets while increasing your ability to process important client information. This also provides more security, easier access and is much more economic for not only the earth, but your company. It’s every IT department’s dream!
  • Recycle old papers, plastics, metals, and even unusable electronics. A responsible and professional commercial moving company will offer the service of removing unneeded items and having them securely and responsibly recycled. A great local source is Turtle Wings which accepts and recyles computers, keyboards, telephones, scanners, laptops, printers and much more.
Moving can be a challenging and transitional experience while simultaneously providing opportunities for improved efficiency in the workplace and creating a useful, inviting and functional office environment. Combined with a focus on the environment and the local community, a move can create a positive, long-lasting impression on your staff and your clients

Aligning Your Organization

Carl A. Leonard

For the law firm leader, changing cultural biases that impede the achievement of strategic objectives is one of the most difficult leadership challenges.  The most dramatic example of a corporate culture that almost destroyed a company is IBM.  Here was a company that for decades was the envy of the commercial world.  But little by little, the mantra, “this is the way we do things around here” started to suffocate innovation and numbed the company’s ability to respond to shifts in the computer marketplace.  The Board of Directors, after having tried several new CEOs from within, brought in Louis Gerstner from the retail industry.  Gerstner says, “Fixing the culture is the most critical—and most difficult—part of a corporate transformation.”  I would add the same is true for the transformation of a law firm.
 
In order to change culture in a law firm, you have to work on two major areas.  First, the leaders of the law firm, and I don’t mean only the elected or appointed leaders, but the key, influential partners as well, must change their behavior.  They have to walk the talk.  Second, the reward system must support the change.  By this I mean not only the partner compensation system, but the informal status and recognition system that operates by word of mouth.  Two law firm examples come to mind. 
 
One firm decided that it was imperative to change an “eat what you kill” culture where partners were out for themselves and clients were “my client,” not firm clients.  This culture served the firm well at its beginnings in the 1960s and into the 1980s, but the 1990s saw clients wanting lawyers who knew how to work in teams on major litigation and corporate transactions.  In order to do that kind of work, firms had to move from autonomy to team-based professionals of a variety of disciplines.  Little by little, the firm leaders and the key practice partners by their actions showed that what was important in this firm was a team approach.  They made certain to communicate situations where clients rewarded the firm with another deal because it had been so satisfied with the teamwork on a current one.  At one partnership meeting, a respected senior partner quipped that there should be a $100 fine every time a partner is caught saying, “my client.”  The compensation system was modified to reflect the de-emphasis on behavior described as “me, myself, and I.”  When the partners saw the next report of the compensation committee and read the tea leaves, they saw that the leadership had put the proverbial money where their mouths were.
 
Another firm struggled with its “sink or swim” culture in the development of young lawyers.  The conventional wisdom (underlying assumptions and values) was that a new lawyer needed to be thrown into a case or transaction and either learn how to handle it or fail.  “That’s the way I was brought up,” was the prevailing attitude.  When a new managing partner was elected, she rejected this method of “professional development.”  Again, a combination of leadership and rewards aimed at the desired behavior eventually changed the attitudes of the partners. 
 
Two other areas deserve attention on the subject of alignment.  The first is structure.  Experts on organizational theory are pretty much in agreement that an organization operating in a matrix—which most of today’s law firms have—must adopt one primary organization in order to operate effectively.  In other words, if your law firm has practice groups and multiple offices, the two organizational structures cannot, as a practical matter, operate on the same level.  One has to take precedence over the other.  Leaving the situation ambiguous will lead to all kinds of problems.  The corporate associate in an office whose managing partner is a litigator will suffer because the managing partner thinks the corporate practice group leader (who is based in another office) is looking out for the associate.  The corporate practice group leader thinks the office managing partner is responsible.  The result is that the associate falls between the organizational cracks created by this ambiguity.  So, you need to think about which structure is best to support your strategy.  If you are developing a firm that has an industry focus or a focus on national litigation, it seems that your primary organizational structure should be a practice-driven one.  If you are a firm developing, for example, a state and local tax practice, perhaps an office-driven structure is best for you.
 
The second area to consider is what strategists call the processes at work in the organization.  This is basically “the way we do things around here,” whether or not anyone has given much thought recently to why that is.  An example in the law firm is recruiting.  There is typically little connection and communication in the law firm among the partners who set direction and strategy for the firm, and the partners who do the recruiting, especially at the law schools. Take this example.  A firm decides to make a significant move into the technology sector.  It wants to be known to its clients as entrepreneurial, result-oriented, and non-traditional (whatever that means).  In the meantime, partners interviewing at law schools are doing business as usual:  looking for law students at the top of their class, without learning anything about their experiences before law school.  Are there any indications that these candidates are entrepreneurial or might revel in an entrepreneurial environment?  To use Willie Pietersen’s term from the book Reinventing Strategy, there is a gap between the strategic objective and the operational reality.
 
There is currently a fascination, once again, on alternative fee arrangements (“AFA” s) in law firms.  I say “once again” because this trend was prevalent in the late 1980s with no success.  Some firm leaders claim at public forums that their firms’ revenues now consist of over 25 percent from AFA arrangements.  If this is true, I celebrate this shift as one who has devoted much time and energy to urging firms to move away from time-based pricing.  But I wonder how much has changed internally to align the firm with this strategic shift in the pricing of the firm’s services.  For example, how has this changed the partner compensation system factors in determining compensation?  And, more importantly, how has the firm changed its approach to the delivery of legal services to embrace the methods of legal technology and knowledge management, Six Sigma, and project management?  The acceptance and successful implementation of these operational approaches are critical in any adoption of fixed pricing AFA or most other methods.  I believe that the firm that masters these approaches will prevail in the “new normal.”   
 
The economics of the law firm is the last area of alignment to be addressed.  This is basically a talent issue.  If your goal is to be one of the handfuls of law firms operating at the very top of the value curve in litigation or transactions, in today’s world of free agency, you will need to have fairly significant profitability to meet the demands of the talent.  Some firms with lesser economics have tried to circumvent this model by stretching the ratio between the lowest partner compensation to the highest to eight or ten to one.  Most law firms operate with a ratio anywhere from three to one to five to one.  If you stretch the ratio as far as eight or ten to one, troublesome tensions are created in the partnership and resentment starts to infect the partnership.  The firm needs to face up to the fact that it simply cannot compete in the talent market without making fundamental changes in its economics.
 
Unlike many other businesses, law firms are people-oriented organizations which require keeping all persons involved; leadership, lawyers and professional staff on the same page, operating from the same core values, or “culture.” It is the role of firm leadership and senior professional staff to define a firm’s culture, ensure it aligns with the business objectives of the firm and implement that culture at all levels. Only when doing so can a firm transform to succeed in today’s competitive legal marketplace.
 
Carl A. Leonard is experienced both as a law firm leader and a practicing lawyer.  He joined Hildebrandt Baker Robbins following a 26-year career with Morrison & Foerster. After practicing law at Morrison for 15 years as a general corporate partner, he was the firm’s Chairman from 1984 through 1993.  While attending the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Hastings Law Journal. Mr. Leonard was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal. He is the Founder of The Hildebrandt Institute, the educational arm of Hildebrandt dedicated to leadership and skills development for managing partners, practice leaders, and professional administrators.  Mr. Leonard has been a Visiting Professor in the MBA Program in Law Firm Management, Nottingham Law School, England; Lecturer, Columbia Business School Executive Education Program; and is the Program Director and an Assistant Professor at The George Washington University, College of Professional Studies, Master’s Program in Law Firm Management.

February Quarterly Networking Lunch

Capital Chapter members and Business Partners gathered at DBGB DC on Wednesday, February 27th for the Capital Chapter's first Quarterly Networking Lunch of the year. In keeping with this Chapter Year's theme of "a place where everyone knows your name," attendees played a networking game during the pre-lunch reception. Members were tasked with collecting as many business cards as possible during the networking period from both other members and Business Partners. Congratulations to our two winners, Marie Woods and new member Maiko Price!

During her remarks, Chapter President Jenna Carter took a moment to welcome the new Chapter members in attendance. She asked each of the 9 new members present to stand and introduce themselves to officially welcome them into the "Chapter where everyone knows your name." 

The Community Services team raffled off gift cards to benefit the Toni K. Allen Scholarship Fund. Congratulations to Aretha Larsen and David Campbell on their raffle wins! Vice President of Community Services Qeyana Hart also took a moment to thank Valerie Williamson, the 2018 Toni K. Allen Scholarship mentor, for her service as Aissatu Diop's mentor over the past year. 

Thank you to everyone who attended the lunch - we hope to continue to see plenty of both new and familiar faces at the rest of our Quarterly Networking lunches this year!

Building the Foundation of a Successful Career in Legal Administration: Sourcing the Right Educational Resources to Attain Your Goals

Amy Walkowiak
Office Manager , Wu/Grohovsky PLLC

Camden Miller
Strategic Projects Manager​, Wiley Rein LLP

It is no secret that the legal industry has been rapidly changing over the course of the last decade. Advances in technology have transformed the way that law is being practiced, and in turn, the business of law. The rise of social media, mobile technology, and the way in which we share and consume information has transformed legal marketing. Clients are increasingly demanding more say when it comes to pricing and how services are delivered. The emergence of alternative legal services providers has created growing competition in the legal services market as a non-traditional competitor. New generations of millennial and gen-z lawyers and non-lawyer staff have a different perspective on flexible schedules and teleworking, challenging old values of the traditional brick-and-mortar law firm. In the face of all of these changes, it is clear that now more than ever the legal industry needs sophisticated, specialized non-lawyer professionals to run the business. These professionals now have more and more educational resources at their disposal, including the Association of Legal Administrators, the Legal Marketing Association, the International Legal Technology Association, among others. Educational programs through these organizations present multiple opportunities for professionals to grow in their field, appealing to experienced professionals and the next generation of talent. In response to this growing need in the industry, one such program has emerged at the George Washington University: The Law Firm Management Master of Professional Studies.

The Law Firm Management (LFM) program is designed for professionals throughout all areas of the legal industry. Legal administrative professionals, business development professionals, legal pricing specialists, law firm leaders, managing partners, paralegals and more can all benefit from the knowledge and expertise derived from this program. Professionals across the country from law firms varying in size from 4 to 4,000 lawyers, and even some international professionals, have successfully completed the program since 2005. To summarize, it is an 18-month program which consists of five residencies at GWU’s Alexandria campus, with periods of distance learning in between. The residencies are between 4 and 9 days long. It is perfectly designed for the busy working professional, as the distance learning allows participants to complete program requirements around their schedule. The program is divided into four focus areas: Law Firm Management, Law Firm Leadership, Process Improvement and Project Management, and Legal Technology and Knowledge Management.

The Law Firm Management section focuses on law firm business strategy, management structure, partner compensation, pricing and profitability, and business culture. Law Firm Leadership is a comprehensive study on leadership and management, helping each student develop their skills and techniques in this area. Process Improvement and Project Management results in a yellow belt certification from the Legal Lean Sigma Institute. Legal Technology and Law Firm Management focuses on the ways in which information technology enhances the quality of legal services, increases client satisfaction and improves firm profitability. In addition to teaching students how to calculate profitability, the course teaches students how to utilize profitability data within a firm without causing disruption. One of the main recommendations for utilizing profitability data is that in order to avoid creating divides within the firm, particularly between practice groups, the course recommends using the same indirect costs (i.e., admin staff costs, office rent, marking expenses) for all practice groups as opposed to tracking those expenses by practice. The following are two examples of how this program has been applied by professionals at two very different organizations: a boutique law firm and an AmLaw 200 law firm.
 
At a boutique firm, the firm’s administrator is responsible for managing a broad range of duties including human resources, finance, billing, operations, and document management. The LFM program’s studies on strategy development and process improvement were critical in analyzing how each function contributed toward the firm’s common goals. Delegation of tasks and other processes were systematized to improve efficiency in all areas. For example, task delegation related to the new client engagement and intake process was streamlined, which helped improve internal intake management as well as client service. The program’s lessons on team leadership and project management emphasized the importance of employee involvement and collaboration. As a result, new-hire training and development programs for non-attorney staff were reconstructed to prioritize these principles. Also, team building activities for staff were developed to encourage collaboration and improve morale.

At an AmLaw 200 firm, principles from the LFM program were used to inform the firm’s position in the competitive DC market. The firm evaluated new entrants into the DC market, fluctuations in legal rankings, lateral moves, realization ratios and the position of its core practice groups. Those processes fulfill the “Conduct Situation Analysis” and “Define Strategic Choices & Vision” sections of Willie Pietersen’s “Strategic Learning Process.” Assumptions and internal data were also tested against a variety of external quantitative data and qualitative sources. This resulted in the firm having a new framework to utilize when evaluating it’s growth options and a repository of data and best practices to utilize when enacting new strategic priorities.  
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The Law Firm Management program at GWU presents opportunities for professionals in a variety of firms and roles to grow their careers. Additionally, when combined with the ongoing educational, professional development, and networking opportunities provided by other organizations, such as the Association of Legal Administrators, non-lawyer staff now have a comprehensive suite of tools at their disposal to enhance their value within their organization.
(For more information on the Law Firm Management Master of Professional Studies, visit https://cps.gwu.edu/law-firm-management-master-professional-studies) 

Member Diversity Spotlight

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Cindy Schuler
Office Administrator, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP

How do you try to bring diversity/inclusion into your workplace and everyday life?
In an effort to be inclusive in the workplace, I always try to make everyone feel comfortable and feel that they “belong.”  Greeting someone when you are standing in an elevator or when you pass someone in the hall is not only a common courtesy, but an effort to extend a “silent” hand to say “Hello.”  The impact a simple “Hello” has on people makes a difference in whether or not they truly feel “included” in your workplace.  In my everyday life, I also try to accept the fact that we all have biases, but that I need to make an extra effort in my own behavior to talk with people with an open mind because we all have a story – and we really don’t know anything about other people until we hear their story. 
 
What does diversity mean to you?
Diversity is what makes us different from the person to the right or left of us. Our life experiences are what make us unique.  I try not to think of diversity only in terms of the protected classes but in terms of what makes us different (i.e., Are you a twin? Where did you grow up? Are you an only child?  Did you grow up in the city or in the suburbs?)  If we take these unique experiences into account, the definition of diversity expands.  I embrace diversity in any fashion because I truly enjoy learning about others’ experiences and what makes us different.
 
What do you like to do outside of work?
Read, attend musical concerts, attend plays and other shows, visit museums, and travel.

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: Cindy Conover, Cindy.Conover@Shearman.com; Valerie Williamson, valerie.williamson@bassberry.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: Ellen Clinton (Chair), ellen.clinton@kutakrock.com;  Cameron Gowan (Co-Chair), cgowan@jonesday.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: Julie Tomey (Chair), tomey@thewbkfirm.com; Sheri Shifflett (Co-Chair), Cheryl.Shifflett@saul.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: Sarahi Estrella (Chair), sarahi.estrella@arentfox.com ; Dot Mooney (Co-Chair), dmooney@powerslaw.com​


Educational Communities

Branch Office Administrators
The Branch Office Adminsitrators Community focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local adminisraotrs who must coordinate with other officees of their firms. The Community'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: Jackie Thomas (Chair), jackie.thomas@agg.com; Anjanette Milladge (Co-Chair), amilladge@sandw.com 
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org
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Office Operations Management
The members of the Office Operations Management Community 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:  Linda Padron (Chair), lpadron@curtis.com; Janice Byrum-Jackson (Co-Chair),  jbyrum-jackson@hunton.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Community 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: Astrid Emond (Chair), aemond@bakerlaw.com; Matthew Cichocki (Co-Chair), mcichocki@cooley.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.alacapchap.org



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Small Firm Administrators
The purpose of the Small Firm Administrators Community 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 Community meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at host law firms.

Contact: Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Chair), wguido-chizhik@bomcip.com; Jo Jo Ruby (Co-Chair), jruby@btlaw.com
Listserv: smallfirm@lists.alacapchap.org


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

Contact: Jasmine Stribling (Chair), jstribling@bsfllp.com; Tiffany Montgomery (Co-Chair), tmontgomery@velaw.com
Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org

Next Generation Leaders
The mission of the Next Generation Leaders Community is to support our next generation of leaders and close the gap faced by our association and the legal industry as a whole by providing a community for Millennial legal managers and new managers in the legal field with a focus on mentoring, education, and networking. To accomplish this goal, the section hosts monthly meetings, pop-up events, and educational sessions, and provides 2-way mentoring opportunities. 

Contact: Danielle Smith (Chair), danielle.smith@hklaw.com; Tania Jose (Co-Chair), tania.jose@powerslaw.com
Listserv: nextgen@lists.alacapchap.org