May 2018


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: Cindy Conover
Associate Editors: Paula Serratore
​Contributing Editors: Jenna Carter; Montserrat Miller; JK Moving; Jo Jo Ruby; Jackie Thomas; Sarahi Estrella; Wilmara Guido-Chizhik; Danielle Smith; Royal Cup Coffee; Spencer X. Smith; Howie Schaffer; Judy Hissong
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

Jenna Carter

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Natasha Farrah
Reisman Karron Greene LLP
Firm Administrator & Paralegal Manager
1700 K Street, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
[email protected]

Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following member well in his new position:
James Norton
​Director of Accounting and Financial Systems
Van Ness Feldman LLP
1050 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
[email protected]

How Can Small Businesses Comply with Increased Immigration Enforcement?

Montserrat Miller
Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

It seems the potential for increased immigration enforcement is on business leaders' minds these days. Since the new administration came into power at the end of January, quite a bit has happened to back up President Trump's tough talk on immigration enforcement. The administration has issued multiple executive orders aimed at tougher enforcement of our immigration laws, the Department of Homeland Security has sought to reinvigorate a program that deputizes local law enforcement to assist immigration officers, and the administration is doing a top-to-bottom review of temporary worker programs looking for fraud and abuse. Meanwhile, officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have stepped up community raids, there is a push at the federal and state level to end or penalize so-called "sanctuary cities,"  the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is being phased out, and there continues to be talk of expanding E-Verify to all employers. Finally, ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan recently stated that he has ordered Homeland Security Investigations to increase worksite-enforcement investigations by four to five times starting this fall, focusing not only on the prosecution of employers that hire undocumented workers but also detaining and deporting undocumented workers from the United States. Here's the bottom line: If you're at all unsure of whether your employment verification processes are doing the job of screening out people who are ineligible to work legally in this country, now's the time to take a hard look and start making any changes or corrections as necessary.

Preparing for Increased Immigration Enforcement
How can businesses prepare for increased immigration enforcement?  From a compliance perspective, start by making sure your Employment Eligibility Verification forms (the "Form I-9") are in order.

First, review your recruiting and hiring practices to ensure they consider immigration compliance from beginning to end. Train around compliance and compliance gaps. For instance, one compliance gap may be around the hiring of remote employees and proper completion of the Form I-9. Another may be that the Form I-9 isn't fully completed or not completed within three business days of hire. And finally, another gap may be what is called over-documentation, meaning that as an employer you require all or certain new hires to present additional documents when completing section 2 of the form. This action can lead to claims of discrimination, which is enforced by the Department of Justice's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.

Second, consider an internal or self-audit of your company's Forms I-9 using outside legal counsel to ensure that (a) you have a Form I-9 for all current employees and (b) that they are fully and properly completed. Certain deficiencies can be corrected but they must be done properly so as to not compound the problem.

Third, have written policies and procedures in place regarding the company's Form I-9 completion as well as the company’s use of E-Verify. Maintain the Form I-9 and supporting documents separately from other personnel records and separate current from terminated employees. The law allows employers to destroy the Form I-9 and supporting documents once an employee has been terminated, and after the requisite amount of time has passed. 
Immigration law requires that all businesses, regardless of size, complete the Form I-9 for all new employees in a non-discriminatory manner and within three business days of hire. Furthermore, certain businesses may need to participate in E-Verify, which is the electronic employment eligibility program run by the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that verifies the employment eligibility of employees. Participation in E-Verify is voluntary unless a business is a federal contractor and the contract requires participation in the program, or if the business is in a state that mandates use of the E-Verify and ties it to issuance or renewal of a business license. States where E-Verify is mandatory include Arizona, Georgia, the Carolinas and Alabama.

Trends
While immigration practitioners such as myself have heard that worksite enforcement will increase starting in the fall, what does that mean and where does immigration enforcement stand today?

Worksite enforcement is when agents from the Department of Homeland Security, specifically from ICE, present themselves at a workplace and issue a Notice of Inspection requiring a business to turn over their Forms I-9. As with any government investigation it is important to have a plan in place to react to the presence of government officials seeking to audit or inspect the company. With Homeland Security agents, unless it is a raid, they will generally issue a Notice of Inspection that must be signed by the business to acknowledge receipt. Sometimes they will begin to ask questions, which may seem innocent enough, but are likely intended to gather additional facts. Have a plan in place when federal, state or local inspectors appear to acknowledge their presence, have them wait in a conference room, do not waive any rights, and call management first and your attorney second. With a Notice of Inspection, once a business signs this document it has three business days to present its Forms I-9 for inspection by ICE.

What does the current immigration enforcement trend look like? 

With respect to personnel, Homeland Security Investigations announced during a May 2017 liaison meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association that they have 6,000 enforcement officers and 6,000 special agents and they are working on a hiring plan to add the additional 10,000 officers and agents mandated by the President's Executive Orders. Their worksite enforcement strategy and verification related to Form I-9 inspections remains focused primarily on businesses in national security and critical infrastructure industries and sectors. Their target for FY 2017 is approximately 1,200 Form I-9 inspections.

Regarding civil penalties assessed for non-compliance with the Form I-9 requirements and the employment of unauthorized workers, according to the Department of Homeland Security the trend over the years has been going up. Having said that, it is also important to keep the numbers in perspective:

FY 2013  – Immigration and Customs Enforcement served 3,127 Notices of Inspection and 637 Final Orders, totaling $15,808,365.00 in administrative fines (of which they collected about $9 million)

FY2014  – Immigration and Customs Enforcement served 1,320 Notices of Inspection and issued 637 Final Orders, totaling $16,206,022 in administrative fines (of which they collected a little over $7 million)

In conclusion, immigration practitioners are gearing up for increased enforcement actions by Homeland Security in the coming months investigating employers' compliance with the Form I-9 requirements, including whether they are hiring or maintaining undocumented workers as part of their workforce.
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Montserrat Miller is a partner at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, where she advises organizations on employee onboarding issues such as employment background screening and compliance with immigration law requirements when hiring employees. She can be reached at [email protected]. 

May 2018 Diversity Observances

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants.

May is also Older Americans Month, established in 1963 to honor the legacies and contributions of older Americans and to support them as they enter their next stage of life.

​In addition, May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture.

Click here for the full calendar of May 2018 Observances

JK Moving Spotlight: 10 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Move

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  1. Beware of the low bid. The low bid always looks good on paper. But you don’t move on paper. A cheap bid that’s $5,000 lower from a discount mover could end up costing you 10 times that in downtime when they don’t show up when they’re supposed to, when they damage valuable computers, furniture and intellectual property, or when they start adding on additional charges on moving day. 

  2. Saving starts with planning—and clear communication. Surprises can cost you money, so value starts with clear and open communication. Ask your moving company about their process, about their chain of communication, and whether you’ll have a dedicated point person all day on moving day. If they can’t promise you that, hang up the phone!

  3. Don’t move what you don’t have to. Start early with a plan to recycle and archive old files. Remember, storage costs much less per square foot than office space. Top-quality moving companies, including JK Moving, can offer you climate-controlled storage and secure digital archiving that can save you thousands on moving day, and every year thereafter.

  4. Consider your new space layout.  The architecture of the modern workplace is always changing. Take the layout of your new space into consideration as you plan your move. We know one company that paid their mover to move 200 desks to a new space that had built-in desks in every workstation. Plan ahead, and take advantage of your qualified business mover’s experience and expertise.

  5. Ask about a spider crane. Many companies will require you to unload every file cabinet before moving. This costs you multiple hours of staff time, and result in lost/misplaced intellectual assets. Do not end up paying twice for cabinets and for crates, too. Ask your mover if they have a spider crane, which can lift entire file cabinets with the files still intact.

  6. Ask who will be moving your business. It might sound basic, but the #1 cause of mistakes on moving day is human error. Ask the moving companies you’re talking to about their training programs. Ask if they ever use temporary or day labor (and don’t take “yes” for an answer). Training matters at your company, and it should matter for your moving company, too. 
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  7. Make sure you’re bidding apples-to-apples. It’s always fair to compare prices, and you should insist on value. It’s not fair to ask service-oriented professional moving companies that invest millions in equipment and training to compete on price against discount moving companies that rent trucks, use temps, or that won’t be around next year. Ask for references—from companies like yours—and check them carefully before you decide on a bid.

  8. Think about where your biggest investments are—and then protect them. Do you have lab equipment? Valuable artwork? Expensive computers? Proprietary equipment? It’s one thing to move boxes; it’s another thing to move fragile items that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. A good moving partner will have a plan in place for every single item you want to move, including your most expensive assets.

  9.  Size matters. Even with all the best planning, things can go wrong. During one move, an ice storm hit. During another, the new space wasn’t ready when it was supposed to be. A good moving partner will have the capacity, resources and resilience to add trucks, add staff, provide storage, and do whatever it takes to meet your deadline, without adding unreasonable costs to your move.

  10. Don’t go at it alone. Remember, you aren’t just bidding on trucks and strong backs when you hire a business mover. You’re looking for expertise. A good moving partner will be there to   walk your property, ask questions, and make suggestions that can often save you money long before your move even begins. They should also have the strength and stability to support you (and save you money) not only on your first move with them, but on your 10th.
 
Of course, price is important. But value matters more. Choosing the right moving partner, and opening up clear communication long before moving day, is the best way to ensure your expectations will be met. It’s also the best way to save money!

JK Moving. what matters most.
 
Call or email us today!    703.260.4282 or via email at [email protected]

April Networking Happy Hour

On April 18th, the Capital Chapter hosted its first Networking Happy Hour of the year at Cuba Libre. Members and Business Partners mingled over Cuban-inspired appetizers and cocktails. The Community Services Team raffled off two incredible prizes - a spa gift basket and gift card donated by Gold Business Partner Hilltop Consultants and a $250 gift certificate for dinner in the Grill Room at the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown. Congratulations to Helen Fiori on winning the spa basket (thanks to Cindy Conover for accepting it on her behalf!) and to Astrid Emond on winning the gift certificate! Thank you to everyone who purchased a raffle ticket - we raised $460 for the Toni K. Allen Scholarship Fund.

2018 ALA Annual Conference

John Quiñones Keynote

Jo Jo Ruby
Office Administrator, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Co-Chair, Small Firm Administrators Section

​John Quiñones of  ABC News'What Would You delivered a brilliant keynote at our ALA Conference!  From migrant farm work and poverty to more than 30 years at ABC, John broke barriers, won the highest accolades, and became a role model.  The word “no” was not in his vocabulary.  We were especially moved by his story about the bias he experienced as a young child and early on in his career. 
 
John’s presentation focused on his odds-defying journey, the life-changing power of getting an education, and achieving the Latino American Dream.  He inspired each of us to look at human and ethical behavior a bit differently.  We connected with him -- he left us inspired, uplifted, and ready to always “do the right thing”!  Now, what will you do?   
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Friday General Session: Driving Diversity Deep into the DNA of Your Organization 

Jackie Thomas
DC Office Administrator, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Chair, Branch Office Administrators Section

On Friday morning former United States Marine Corps Officer and first African-American female combat pilot Vernice Armour captivated the ALA Annual Conference crowd with an energetic presentation full of audience participation and great takeaways on how to drive diversity deep in your organization and be a gutsy leader. 
 
As a former Diversity Officer for Headquarters Marine Corps and liaison to the Pentagon, Vernice was tasked with doing just that.  She could have allowed the challenges of being a gay, African-American woman to be an obstacle for her, but she didn't.  As she says, everyone has challenges and obstacles in their lives; the key is to acknowledge the obstacle but not give it power. 
 
Vernice's live-by phrase from her grandmother is "something good is going to come out of this." It may be hard to see what good can come out of certain difficult situations, but we can choose how we overcome it together and the mentality under which we operate every day.  How you engage with your employees, your clients, etc. every day is a choice.  How do people feel when you walk into a room? 
 
Vernice also encouraged the audience to stand up and be counted, because without action, you get nothing; all you have is a thought. If we are expecting top-notch effort out of our employees, we need to give top-notch effort as well.  You must have courage, power and grit to transition from where you are to where you want to be, but you also must leave leeway for failure.  Be able to flex and adapt to get back on course, and give yourself permission to engage. 

Who needs a runway? Take off from where you are.  Get gutsy, live gutsy and lead gutsy!
#FLYGIRLVA #GOTGUTSY #CLEAREDHOT
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What Would You Do?

Sarahi Estrella
Senior Human Resources Manager, Arent Fox LLP
Chair, Member Experience Committee

Through my position as the Chair of the Capital Chapter Member Experience Committee, I had the opportunity to attend this year’s ALA National Conference on May 3. I have been to many conferences in the past, but this was my first time attending the ALA Conference.

My day began with the keynote speaker John Quiñones, ABC News Correspondent and host of the show “What Would You Do?” Listening to John relate his personal journey to success and the many obstacles and opportunities he encountered along the way was inspiring. He laced his story with humor and kept a very large audience enraptured for the entire length of his presentation. Through his recounting of not just his story but also of situations he has presented on his show, he challenged all the attendees to think critically about fairness and inclusion. He gave some very extreme examples he had used on his show to illustrate that we must be brave in confronting issues that come up in our everyday lives both personally and professionally. He dared us to speak up against injustice because, as he stated, “character matters”. It is the things we do when no one is watching that define our character. Those who remain silent in the face of injustice, he says, are complicit. He said we have to keep fighting for equality with faith, and that having faith is taking the first step in the direction we want to go. I found his speech very relatable and a perfect way to start my conference experience.
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After John’s presentation I attended other sessions throughout the day on topics of professional interest to me. In addition to the educational component, I appreciated the opportunity to network and interact with colleagues from across the US who deal with the same challenges I face every dat. My day ended with a visit to the Exhibit Hall to meet with the Business Partners whose products and services make our jobs easier.

I wish to thank the leadership of the Capital Chapter that I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of a Leadership Team scholarship to attend this year’s conference. It is opportunities such as this that provide clarity when asked “What Will You Do?” The simple answer: participate and get involved in the Capital Chapter, for it is a worthwhile investment.​
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First-Time Attendee

Wilmara Guido-Chizhik
Director of Firm Operations, Bookoff McAndrews PLLC      
Chair, Small Firm Administrators Section

I have really enjoyed serving on the leadership team for the past year and I was so thankful to learn that scholarships were available to help cover the costs of attending the conference.  What a great added perk! 
 
As a first time conference attendee, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I can tell you that it was informative, thought-provoking and fun!  There were so many great sessions to choose from, that it was hard to pick just one during each time slot.  I came away with some “action items” that can be put to use in my day-to-day.  I enjoyed meeting ALA colleagues from other Chapters and it was excellent to be able to connect with our Business Partners and fellow ALACC members.  I’m already looking forward to next year! 
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Outstanding Education

Danielle Smith
Office Manager, Holland & Knight LLP​  
Chair, Next Generation Leaders Section

​The opportunity to attend Friday’s session of the 2018 ALA National Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center proved to be quite informative.  With sessions covering a wide assortment of topics that were both timely and educational, attendees were left with the challenging decision of selecting which sessions to attend.  Access to session handouts via the app for iPhones was extremely useful in obtaining a sneak peek at what each session had to offer, and providing an overview of the information from sessions that attendees were unable to attend.  
 
The session on Preventing Workplace Violence – Managing the Troubled Employee provided thorough information on topics such as the Administrator’s role in changing how firms prevent and respond to both domestic and workplace violence, as well as how the laws surrounding workplace bullying have changed.  Particularly enlightening was the session time dedicated to identifying the troubled vs. troubling employee; red flags (depression, cognitions, and behaviors); and varying levels of violence.  The speaker’s vibrant delivery of the subject matter and factual examples kept attendees engaged and receptive to this invaluable information.
 
Bold Bites Session 20: The Termination Event: Don’t Screw it Up offered a snippet into the scenario of terminating an employee.  In a dynamic and fast-paced format, the speaker utilized every minute of this short session to offer guidance on topics such as processes leading up to the event; when and where it should occur; documentation; and what should and should not be said and or done during the event.
 
It was invigorating to have the opportunity to meet with Chapter members and establish connections with peers from across the country.  The exhibit hall proved to be a great place to interact with vendors your firm utilizes on a regular basis and informally meet with new vendors.  I look forward to future nationwide conferences, as well as those offered by the Capital Chapter.

Royal Cup Coffee Spotlight: You Asked, We Answered. Announcing Royal Cup’s New Ready-to-Drink Cold Brew!

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It’s time. We’re letting the lion out of the cage. It is with great pleasure and excitement we announce that on April 2, 2018, we released our first-ever line of shelf-stable, ready-to-drink cold brew coffees! This brand-new line will be available in single-serve bottles, with no setup or brewing required.
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An addition to our esteemed Signature Brand, the line features three delicious flavors: French Roast, French Roast Lightly Sweetened and Rain Forest Bold, a Rainforest Alliance (RFA) Certified cold brew. Each flavor profile carefully was selected through extensive tasting research and testing of multiple cold brew blends and competitive products.
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Last year, we acquired Richgood Gourmet LLC, the manufacturer and distributor of Icebox Coffee, one of the nation’s first shelf-stable, cold brew coffees. With the incredible demand for ready-to-drink and cold-brew beverages, we jumped at the opportunity to join forces with Icebox Coffee so that together we could create products of the highest quality that our customers would certainly love.
 
Following the acquisition, Bebe Goodrich, the founder and former president of Icebox Coffee, joined our team as director of liquid product innovation where she now leads Royal Cup’s liquid-manufacturing vertical. She, along with an amazingly talented team of experts, spearheaded the development of our new cold brew line.
 
If your eyes were immediately drawn to the vibrant yellow bottles, that’s because our cold brew line is the first to feature our revamped branding. Now is the perfect time to introduce a bold, refreshing new look as we continue to develop innovative products and progress into different markets. In the coming months, we also expect to announce the launch date of a new line of shelf-stable, ready-to-drink teas, available in sweetened, unsweetened and peach flavors.
 
The release of our ready-to-drink cold brew line also marks our first significant move into the retail market after 50 years operating exclusively with a B2B business model. Stay tuned, as these products will soon be available for sale direct to consumers in select stores later this year!
 
So please, join us by raising a bottle of deliciously refreshing Royal Cup ready-to-drink cold brew and toasting to the (new) newest member of the Royal Cup family!
 
If you’re ready to bring cold brew to your business, click here or contact your local Royal Cup representative.

Want Your Staff to Share Your Firm’s Social Media Posts? You Must Do This First

Spencer X Smith

LinkedIn is often credited with coining the term “employee advocacy” as the active promotion of your firm by the people who work for it.
 
Sounds easy enough…just tell your staff that they need to share good news about your firm, practice areas, or services, and you’re done, right? If this is your strategy, say hello to limited engagement and mundane, template-sounding social media posts from your employees.
 
If you already have an amazing firm culture, this strategy might work because your staff want to brag about the awesome firm for which they work. But for those firms looking to earn the respect of the tremendous social media force they have within their own walls every day, you’re going to have to work for it.
 
There is an old adage that states, “We love our parents, because they loved us first.” For those of us as parents, this is both straightforward and inherent. But taking this lesson and applying it to your business is also the best way to make employee advocacy actually work. If you try to implement an employee advocacy program before you’ve shown your staff that you truly care about them, it might not be very well received. You’re essentially asking your staff to love you before you love them.
 
Let’s think about a service-based organization that’s been around for a while. I bet you’ve seen one of those plaques hanging on the wall of a McDonald’s - usually over the counter, but still visible enough for customers to notice. McDonald’s has been naming an “Employee of the Month” long before social media existed. They do this to show appreciation to an employee that has recently gone above and beyond in their position. This strategy has merit, but it also has drawbacks such as limited reach and a finite amount of real estate on the wall where they can display this act of kindness.
 
Fast-forward to 2018: every firm in the world has an unlimited amount of space on their digital and social media platforms. Businesses have the opportunity to create an endless amount of content focused on their staff and their lives inside and outside of the office - what they’re passionate about, their hobbies, their goals. This is the kind of authentic engagement and appreciation that will make an impact in their minds and, more importantly, their hearts. These are the types of posts that make staff want to share things about their employer, because they feel appreciated and cared for by the boss.
 
Are you doing this for your staff? If not, consider advocating for your staff first before you ask them to advocate for you. Give your staff a reason to care.
 
What Should Your Employee Advocacy Strategy Look Like?

Outline an Approach:
Pick the platform on which you’ll focus first. I recommend LinkedIn since it’s business-centric and doesn’t blur business/personal lines like Facebook. Then create a content calendar that includes an appropriate amount of posts highlighting someone/something else three-quarters of the time. Think charitable organizations, entities for which you provide pro bono work, etc. Use the other one-quarter to say something about yourself or your firm.

Get to Know your Staff:
Spend time getting to know your staff. Have a conversation with them focused around what it is they do outside of work or what they are passionate about in their free time. Maybe they volunteer at the humane society or take care of elderly adults on weekends. It’s important to both hear and understand their stories. If you want them to tell yours, tell theirs first.
 
Creating Content:
Once you have the information about the employee that you’d like to share, decide the media that best suits their personality and story - video, image(s), simple text or anything else that effectively conveys the message.
 
Define Success:
Employee advocacy can radically extend your reach and awareness. Since employee shares are seen as more genuine because of their very personal approach, more people are going to engage and take part in the content. This expanded network could eventually mean better business development. A firm’s online visibility has never been more crucial, and a huge factor in modern-day business includes your social media presence.
 
The long-term success of any firm relies on its work force, and your staff are the only component that make your firm - by definition - unique. Recognize each employee’s impact on your entire employee advocacy program. It shouldn’t be just the top performers - each person in your firm contributes to a larger cause. Congratulate and recognize their contribution regardless of size.
 
And finally, let your team have a say in choosing material that truly resonates with their careers and personal lives. By doing so, you make them part of the entire curation process, and this will result in drastically more authentic engagement.
 
Have you instituted an employee advocacy program at your firm yet, whether in name or in practice? Are you sufficiently shining the spotlight on your staff before you’re asking them to publicize you? 

Diversity Corner: Understanding the Emotional Demands of Leadership

Howie Schaffer
Chief Inclusion Officer, Bonanza Communications

Let's state the obvious. People have feelings. Those feelings are brought to work. Feelings are also felt at work. Happiness. Anger. Jealousy. Excitement. You name it. If it is a human emotion, it will show up at work. It is a continuous challenge for leaders to identify and manage their emotions, and the emotions of others in the workplace.
 
The most successful leaders are emotionally stable over the long haul. Anyone can have a bad day or week. Emotionally stable leaders tend to demonstrate consistent mastery of emotional ups and downs. Why? According to Daniel Goleman, the founder of emotional intelligence (EQ), your emotions at work are contagious (https://www.kornferry.com/institute/emotional-intelligence-emotions-contagious). Your bravery and inclusiveness are infectious. And so is your neurosis and resentment.
 
Emotionally stable leaders:
  • Can feel insecurity like anyone else, but have a strong sense of self-esteem at their core. They know who they are and what they contribute and the gaps in their knowledge and ability
  • Create psychologically safe teams and workplaces. 
  • Behave predictably and demonstrate the calm during change, uncertainty, or crisis
  • Articulate the source and degree of their stress to normalize the impact of demanding work situations
Emotionally volatile leaders:
  • React unpredictably and create drama, unhealthy competition, and winners/losers.
  • Have quick triggers forcing people to tiptoe around them, resulting in poor communication and withholding information.
  • Overreact frequently and lack empathy
 
The best leaders aren’t always easy going. Infrequent yet strategically timed expressions of strong emotion can catalyze the effort and performance of individuals and teams. But consistency, stability, and respect can always be found at the bedrock of emotionally stable workplaces and organizational cultures.

What kind of leader are you?

You Plus Me = Team?

Judy Hissong, CLM
President, Nesso Strategies
 
Together
Everyone
Achieves
More
 
Likely you have heard this acronym spelled out before.  How many assumptions are made when we decide that somehow as soon as you claim the team there is a gain in productivity and performance?  If only it were that easy! When it comes to developing a high performing team, there are many considerations and performance measures to know when the next step is ready to be delivered.
 
Let’s walk this though with an athletic team, the realm in which the word “team” is used (and perhaps overused) the most. Each off season we follow along as our favorite team (professional) has personnel changes. We also experience a change in teams at the university level with the graduation of some and arrival of others. This means each season requires the development and improvement of the team.  The best coaches are those who recognize the motivators of the individuals on their team, and communicate in a way that guides all players toward the desired outcome (in many cases this is a championship of some kind). This means the development of a common goal, and evaluation measures along the way.  There is a strong feedback mechanism to review performance, and compare/contrast to established metrics, while addressing necessary changes (for instance, in basketball, this could be the adjustment of an elbow for a shot, or footwork for a layup) and rewarding successes.
 
Sticking with the basketball theme, consider the multiple coaches that assist the team.  In fact, there are multiple teams inside the named team.  A shooting coach will work with point guards and perimeter players to develop their prowess.  A post-player coach will work with the players nearest the basket to rebound, box out, and move through plays. The head coach will bring everyone together to develop the synergy of the whole.
 
Synergy. What a wonderful word! What does it mean? Dictionary.com offers this definition:
“The interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc.”
 
Now, if we considered how our offices operate as teams, or multiple teams, every single day, what does it mean to find synergy?  How many teams are working under your roof? Practice groups, established committees, ad hoc task forces, and then the teams we know as layers and levels – administrative assistants, paralegals, associates, partners, of counsel, and of course, non-lawyer leaders. The complexity of “team” is much greater in the law firm setting than it is for an athletic team. It is also much more nuanced.  The common goal seems less easily identified, or at least more amorphous.
 
What would it take to align the various teams to that common purpose? Your first step is to establish the values of the team.  This can be as large as firm values, or as small as your management team values.  The benefit of this first step is to build accountability in the team, which helps to secure the seven “C’s” – commitment, contribution, communication, cooperation, conflict and change management, and connections.
 
That commitment I mentioned earlier is the common goal.  Starting with a values conversation makes the flow easier into establishing what the common goal is for the team, and then establishing how team members can contribute to the goal. This contribution becomes an accountable trust-building component for all, and as you work in your team to develop action items, be mindful of the cooperation required to “achieve more”. Consider this – innovation and creativity are accentuated in communication and collaboration and teams thrive when innovation and creativity are embraced and fostered. 
 
Communication is essential to the team development, critical to change and conflict management. We are experiencing a rapidly increasing amount of evolution (change), and understanding how we process change is important to the success of the individual and the team. Once you understand the necessary change, and you have clearly and concisely communicated it, expect some conflict to emerge. Change is an individual process, and where one person accelerates and another one puts on the brakes, conflict can emerge. 
 
The success of the team comes from the ability to manage the conflict, to have honest and direct communication which is focused on the problem, not the personalities. Conflict can catapult the team to a higher level of performance - - or to the doldrums of despair - - hence the need for very specific and focused mechanisms to communicate about conflict.  In fact, I encourage teams to establish “ground rules” to operating in conflict.  This prevents emotional energy from taking hold in the conversation, and damaging connections which have been so powerfully formed in the team.
 
As the leader of a team, have mental notes to build in each of these seven, which also provides you a benchmark to measure against during the feedback moments with your team.
 
For more information and further reading on Leadership, visit our online library.

It's a Three-Peat: The Capital Chapter Wins ALA's 60 Seconds of Fame Video Contest for the Third Consecutive Year!

The votes have been counted, and the Capital Chapter remains the reigning champion of ALA's 60 Seconds of Fame Video Contest! Our "three-peat" victory was announced on Saturday evening at the ALA Conference at the National Harbor - a perfect end to a fantastic conference held in our backyard! Thank you to everyone who voted - your support made this possible!
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The Capital Chapter would like to thank Jenna Carter for her hard work, creativity, and commitment to producing yet another incredible video submission of which we can all be very proud. We'd also like to thank Lori Bernstein, Kim Potter, and Tonie Davis for lending their likenesses to this fun and innovative project, as well as the members of the video planning committee: Valerie Williamson, Tracy Morris, Adrienne Corrothers, Pamela Christian-Wilson, Tania Jose, Deidre Moore, Cameron Gowan, Dot Mooney, Mary Randolph, Wilmara Guido-Chizhik, and Donna Williams!

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, [email protected]; Valerie Williamson, [email protected]; Paula Serratore, [email protected]

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), [email protected];  Cameron Gowan (Co-Chair), [email protected]
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), [email protected]; Sheri Shifflett (Co-Chair), [email protected] 






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), [email protected] ; Dot Mooney (Co-Chair), [email protected]​


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: Jackie Thomas (Chair), [email protected]; Anjanette Milladge (Co-Chair), [email protected] 
Listserv: [email protected]
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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:  Linda Padron (Chair), [email protected]; Janice Byrum-Jackson (Co-Chair),  [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
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: Astrid Emond (Chair), [email protected]; Matthew Cichocki (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]



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

Contact: Wilmara Guido-Chizhik (Chair), [email protected]; Jo Jo Ruby (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]


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Next Generation Leaders
The mission of the Next Generation Leaders section 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 section meetings, pop-up events, and educational sessions, and provides 2-way mentoring opportunities. 

Contact: Danielle Smith (Chair), [email protected]; Tania Jose (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
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: Jasmine Stribling (Chair), [email protected]; Tiffany Montgomery (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
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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), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]