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  Capital Connection

May 2021

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: Amy Walkowiak; Emmanuel Adedigba
​Contributing Editors: Robert J. Bieber; Miller's Supplies at Work; Ana Sobalvarro
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:
  • President's Message
  • New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members
  • Spotlight: Miller's Supplies at Work, Gold Business Partner
  • Diversity Spotlight: Ana Sobalvarro
  • May 2021 Diversity Observances
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President's Message

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Robert J. Bieber
 

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Crystal D Guy
Office Coordinator
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
1155 F St., N.W.
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20004
crystal.guy@mto.com
Laura Wickliff, PRH, SHRM-CP
Director of Human Resources
Arnold & Porter
601 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-3743
laura.wickliff@arnoldporter.com
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Reconfiguring the Workplace: 4 Ways to Rethink the Post-COVID Office

Miller's Supplies at Work

Reopening a law firm during the pandemic can be a daunting process requiring serious consideration for how staff can be brought back safely, how client concerns will be addressed, and how business will resume in a way that allows the company to survive financially. To create a comprehensive reopening plan, consider these four imperatives.

REEXAMINE OPEN FLOOR PLANS: Find ways to break up office space and keep people apart
Workstations and desks will need to maintain the proper distance, along with separation barriers like Plexiglas shields and partitions. Enforcing safer distances can be supported by controlling building entry points, reconfiguring lobby areas for social distancing, communicating building protocols through signage, and providing sanitizer and PPE as appropriate.

REVIEW COMMON AREAS: Signage will play an important role to communicate building safety measures
Signage will advise and remind staff and visitors of new safety measures. Other precautions that employers may want to take in common areas include providing hand-washing facilities, offering hand sanitizers when regular facilities are not available, and removing magazines and newspapers from reception areas and common rooms.

RECONSIDER A HANDS-OFF APPROACH: Touch-free is the new black, from faucets and hand dryers to self-flushing toilets, to reduce the opportunity for disease transmission
Forget about sealing a deal with a handshake or patting a colleague on the back. With social distancing, touch-free will be the order of the day throughout the workplace. That includes touch-free faucets, touchless towel dispensers, automatic-flush toilets, and touchless hand-sanitizing stations not only in the bathroom, but in the break room as well.

RECOMMIT TO CLEANLINESS: Maintaining cleanliness is essential, including increasing the frequency and thoroughness of sanitizing measures
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers significant guidance for cleaning and disinfecting facilities. Those recommendations include routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces, putting wipeable covers over electronics when possible, and using soap and water first to clean, and then using a disinfectant.

How COVID-19 is Transforming Workspaces
Keeping a sense of community while also creating the separation that people will need to feel safe is a guiding transformation principle that will rely on technology, safety protocols and hygienic materials.

Near-term Implications
  • Adding sanitation stations and signage
  • Marking off social distancing lines
  • Installing dividers between workstations
  • Decreasing shared spaces as well as conference room capacities
  • Increasing the height of workstation dividers
  • Turning workstations that face each other
  • Reducing the number of chairs and spacing out tables in common areas like breakrooms

Longer-term Considerations
  • Replacing soft fabric upholstery with wipeable materials and adopting hard surfaces where possible
  • Improving air circulation systems with an emphasis on fresh air intake and enhanced filtration
  • Reconfiguring wider hallways and larger bathrooms and kitchen spaces
  • Installing automatic doors, faucets and hand dryers to reduce shared surface touch points
  • Investing in UV lighting to disinfect offices overnight
  • Utilizing voice command technology in place of push-button operations

Additional Points of Consideration

Each firm will have unique issues to address based on the needs of their employees and the demands of their clients. These include protecting employees against risks associated with third-parties entering the workspace, daily health checks for everyone entering the workplace, manipulating work schedules to reduce crowding, and managing common areas like elevators and break rooms.
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How to Get Started
Miller’s has solutions for your workspace, PPE for your people, cleaning and sanitizing solutions for your facility and more. Our experienced team can work with you on all areas of your facility and share the latest innovations, products and solutions. We can help you prepare the work place for a clean, safe and effective return for your employees. 
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Diversity Spotlight: Ana Sobalvarro

The Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee is excited to feature members and business partners in video segments highlighting their unique stories.
 
For the month of May, we are proud to feature Ana Sobalvarro, Chair of the Next Generation Leaders and member of the DEI Committee. Please take a moment to view the video, as you will undoubtedly benefit from her transparency and resiliency.
 
We are looking for members and business partners to share their stories in future newsletters. Please contact Denise Verdesoto at deniseverdesoto@eversheds-sutherland.com if you would like to share your story with our members
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May 2021 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 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.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month (or Mental Health Month), which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses.
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Click here to view the full list of May observances
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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 Community 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.

Contact:  Amy Walkowiak (Chair), awalkowiak@perkinscoie.com; Emmanuel Adedigba (Co-Chair), EAdedigba@zuckerman.com
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The mission of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is to advance the concepts of inclusiveness and acceptance in every organization by providing all Chapter members with information so that they can merge these concepts with their firm's policies, procedures, culture, and relationships to be more equitable and inclusive.  We not only strive to raise awareness, but also to increase our sensitivity in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion 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’ workforces and respond to our clients’ requirements for diversity. The DEI Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month and we welcome all members to join us for discussion on how to further our mission in our firms and in our Chapter.  
 
Contact: Denise Verdesoto (Chair), deniseverdesoto@eversheds-sutherland.com; Angela Tyson (Co-Chair), atyson@axinn.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: Herb Abercrombie Jr. (Chair), HAbercrombie@jenner.com; Valerie Williamson (Co-Chair), vwilliamson@foleyhoag.com



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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. If you would like more information and/or are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please contact the Chair or Co-Chair.

Contact: LaVerne Anenia (Chair), LaVerne.Anenia@dbr.com; Kim Santaiti-Potter (Co-Chair), kim.potter@alston.com


Educational Communities

Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators
The Small Firm and Branch Office Administrators Community focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local administrators who must coordinate with other offices of their firms, as well as 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 Community's monthly luncheon meetings, held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:30 pm, 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: Starr Pratt (Chair), spratt@ftlf.com; Lodora Barnes (Chair), lbarnes@sheppardmullin.com
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org and smallfirm@lists.alacapchap.org
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Legal Operations
The members of the Legal Operations Community represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Community meets on the second Thursday of each month at noon. 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:  Janelle E. Rynes (Chair), janelle.rynes@arentfox.com; Giovanni DiLuca (Co-Chair), gdiluca@zuckerman.com;
Listserv: legalops@lists.alacapchap.org

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: Brenda Simoes (Chair), bsimoes@reedsmith.com;  Julie Hooper (Co-Chair), jhooper@gibsondunn.com
Listserv: hr@lists.alacapchap.org

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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. 
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Contact: Ana Sobalvarro (Chair), asobalvarro@bomcip.com;  Catalina Mejia (Co-Chair), cmejia@wiley.law
Listserv: nextgen@lists.alacapchap.org
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ALA Capital Chapter Headquarters
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Suite 100
Westford, MA 01886
Phone: (978) 364-5134
www.alacapchap.org

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