November 2015

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. 
Editor: Jacqueline Moline 
Associate Editors: Paula Serratore; Cindy Conover
Contributing Editors: Beth L. Fowler, CLM; Frank Schipani; Rita Trehan; Monique Terrell; Zina Motley-Weaver; Connie Summers; Carmen Weissbratten; Emily Christianson; Pheobe Boger-Smith; Jenna Carter; Peter Bails; Barbara Mannix; Amy Pluebell; Lance Breger
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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The holiday season is officially upon us!  Is it just me, or do they start putting Christmas stuff in the stores after the 4th of July?!  For most of us, no matter what holidays we celebrate, the season often means more stress.  It’s a time to be with family and friends, and for many of us, shopping, baking, planning menus, readying our homes for guests, or trying to find a reasonable airfare so that we can travel to be with family.  And since we work for law firms, this time of year also brings budgeting, collections, planning holiday events, charitable activities, evaluations, partner comp, and of course, your entire support staff is requesting leave!  No matter what area of management you are responsible for, you have more to do and balance at year end. 

It is important to remember that we are no good to anyone if we don’t take care of ourselves.  What makes many of us good at our jobs is that we try to be all things to all people.  This is difficult under any circumstances, but particularly tough at this time of year.  Below are some things you can do to help reduce stress during this busy season:

  • Acknowledge your feelings. If something is making you feel sadness and grief, it's OK. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
  • Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events.
  • Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect. 
  • Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed.
  • Don't abandon healthy habits. It’s easy to ignore your regular exercise routine when you are busy and stressed, and to console yourself with treats – but don’t!  Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt.
  • Get plenty of sleep and incorporate regular physical activity into each day.
  • Take a breather. Make some time for yourself.  Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Some options may include:  taking a walk at night and stargazing; listening to soothing music; getting a massage; reading a book.
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And remember, you have a huge community of Capital Chapter members and Business Partners who understand what you are going through and can offer you help and friendship.  There is always a fellow member who has experienced what you are experiencing, or a Business Partner who has the knowledge or product that will help get you through your crisis.
My sincere best wishes to everyone for a happy Thanksgiving and stress-free holiday season.

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Robin McKinney
Staff Recruiting Manager
Finnegan
901 New York Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202) 408-6076
robin.mckinney@finnegan.com

Shera L. Berini
Accounting Coordiantor
Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP
1801 K St., NW
Suite 411L
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 471-3882
sberini@robbinsrussell.com
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Stephanie Sanders
IP Training Manager
Finnegan
901 New York Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 216-5087
stephanie.sanders@finnegan.com
.Tonya Spears
Director, Human Resources & Administration
Norris, Tysse, Lampley & Lakis, LLP
1501 M St., NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 629-5635
tspears@ntll.com
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Dewanna D. Planter
Manager, Legal Operations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
4000 Jones Bridge Rd.
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 215-8835
planterd@hhmi.org
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Congratulations, Deidre Moore!

The Capital Chapter would like to congratulate Deidre Moore on her promotion to Director of Administration at Morrison & Foerster LLP! Please join us in wishing her well in her new position!

Deidre C. Moore
Director of Administration
Morrison & Foerster LLP
1650 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 400 | McLean, VA 22102
DeidreMoore@mofo.com
 

The Importance of Relationships

Frank Schipani
Director of Information Technology, Gilbert LLP
Vice President-Elect, Business Partner Advisory

I recently met with Jim Turner of Hilltop Consulting, a managed IT services firm, to discuss his experience as a Capital Chapter business partner.  I wanted to know what had been working well for him and how we could make it even better.  And I also wanted to find out how the Capital Chapter could make the relationship between business partners and members even more beneficial for both.

From Jim: “As the CEO of a Managed IT Services firm, I often have to make choices about how we invest money in marketing.  There are many ways to spend our marketing dollars, and each of them comes with its challenges.  We can invest more money in our website, but what happens if nobody visits?  We can spend money on SEO optimization, but what if nobody is searching for what we are selling?  We can spend money on Google AdWords, but what if our competitors spend more?  In the world of online marketing, there is no sure bet, and no sure way to connect with qualified prospects.  We can send out marketing emails, but often our prospects just send them to junk mail.  In the end, all of these methods of marketing, bring us leads, but they don’t bring us relationships.

“There are many organizations designed for sales and marketing professionals to network with each other.  Organizations like the Chamber of Commerce are great for introducing us to other vendors, but we would rarely meet anyone that wasn’t trying to sell something right back at us.  These events also did not have attendees that were focused on law firm technology and operations, which are Hilltop Consultants primary areas of expertise.  These networking events may allow us to collect business cards, but again, they don’t often result in relationships.
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“By joining the ALA Capital Chapter, Hilltop Consultants was able to find a pool of professionals that are interested in the same things we are interested in.  The way that the events are structured, we don’t have to deal with a bunch of salespeople walking around like so many piranhas in a lake.  Members of our team are able to talk to people and cultivate relationships.  The ALA Capital Chapter is more about learning than selling.  Business partners get to learn about members, and members get to know our representatives and our businesses.  The investment that Hilltop Consultants has made in our Gold Sponsorship of the ALA Capital Chapter has allowed us to make many friends, and many of those friends have become our clients.“

One of Hilltop’s new member relationships is with Denise Sloan, accounting manager at Sherman Meehan Curtin & Ain, P.C.  Denise was very happy to have found a partner to fill a need at her firm through her membership in the Capital Chapter.  “We have been with Hilltop for about two years and are extremely satisfied with their service, professionalism and response time.  And we were absolutely ecstatic when Pete Sinclair came aboard, as we have a long history with him.  The whole staff is ‘top of the line.’  It doesn’t get much better!!!”
The experience of Jim and Denise is proof that, whichever side of the sales process we are on, we cannot do our jobs effectively without strong relationships.  As a law firm management professional, I seek out and constantly invest in relationships with the business partners I work with, because I need to trust the people I bring in to work on my behalf.  And what better forum to build relationships between members and business partners than ALA events and forums!

2016-2017 Slate of Officers

​The 2016-2017 Nominating Committee of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators has met and is pleased to submit the following nominees for the 2016-2017 slate of officers:
Online voting for Chapter officers and the proposed 2016 budget is now open. Please click here to review the proposed budget, then click here to cast your vote. 

Why Onboard Strategy Matters

Reprinted with permission from The Washington Post
Rita Trehan
Published: Jul 29, 2015

After all the hard work, time, and money expended to select the right candidate, nothing secures the return on your investment like a robust onboarding strategy. According to a report by The Society of Human Resources Management, 1 in 25 people leave a new job because of poor onboarding, and the costs can be far-reaching; lost productivity, ongoing recruiting costs, and potential damage to the employer brand are all the ill effects of a poorly executed onboarding strategy.
Notice I used the word “strategy,” and not “process.” Most companies, if you were to ask them, will tell you that they have an onboarding process, but dig a bit deeper and you’ll discover there isn’t much strategy involved past the management of the paperwork. The only way to protect your investment in your new hire is to create a connection from the very start, which is why onboarding should be a longer-term strategy rather than a checklist of paperwork and administrative details.
Let’s talk about the difference between an onboarding program and an onboarding strategy. An onboarding program does a good job of making sure that the basics are covered for a new hire: HR and corporate paperwork are completed, a workstation is secured, IT needs are fulfilled, and all general details of the first day are pretty much covered. If that’s as far as your onboarding goes, you might be coming up far short of what’s needed to connect this individual to your company correctly. Creating an onboarding strategy that goes further than that one day can reap rewards far past your original investment:
  1. All of the details germane to the first day in any onboarding process are still vital. Ensure all the paperwork is ready to sign, but create a welcome packet with branded materials that help convey the message of the company along with a warm personal welcome to all who will be connected with the new hire. Don’t leave them to sit aimlessly at their workstation their first day, unsure of where things are and who anyone may be. Help them get acclimatized.  Doing so signals their value.
  1. Create opportunities throughout the first day through the first week or so to inculcate them into the corporate culture. Team lunches, coffee meetings, facilities visits, informal gatherings – all of this will help your new hire acclimate faster and will jump start their corporate connection for what we all hope is a long career. Make onboarding specific by function and goal past the larger set of overall corporate orientation so employees can connect more quickly to their division.
  1. Craft a 30/60/90-day plan that covers everything from onboarding meetings with colleagues and other functions to key performance milestones and expected deliverables. Take the uncertainty out of the equation, and create a roadmap for success.
  1. Provide a mentor for all new hires. The ability to ask a more seasoned employee questions when they’re unsure can be the difference between a long-term connection and a short-term seat filler. Create a program that involves responsible, kind, savvy employees connecting brand-new employees to the company’s mission, vision, and values. Not only does it make the learning curve faster, but it also connects the new hire with others and fosters better work relationships in the company.
  1. Focus on growth early in your new hire’s career with your company. One of the main reasons employees leave is a lack of career development. Start the conversation immediately about desired skills and experiences to move forward. It’s not only motivating, but it also demonstrates the company is committed to the long-term development of its people.
  1. Ensure consistent engagement. Managers who participate early with their new employees are likely to witness a higher level of productivity and engagement. Regular interaction helps familiarize a new employee with the protocols and processes, and it’s a great opportunity to give/receive feedback and resolve any issues or questions.
If it has been a while since you last looked at how you onboard new hires, now might be the perfect time to reassess. After all, why would you want to risk losing individuals in whom you invested so much effort to find?

Diversity & Inclusion: National American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month

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

The ALACC continues its commitment to diversity and inclusion by sharing resources that celebrate our differences.  November is National American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month.  Click here to read President’s proclamation.

Konica Minolta Spotlight:
Technology Trends in the Legal Sector

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Zina Motley-Weaver
Legal Marketing Manager, Konica Minolta Business Solutions
The golden rule for every businessman is this: “Put yourself in your customer’s place.”
– Orison Swett Marden

More than ever, organizations are keenly aware that they can have cutting-edge products, superior customer service and the best talent but, if they are not keeping pace with their customers’ needs, they don’t have a working formula for success. In the legal industry, technology trends are rapidly changing. So, all aboard! The train has left the station and keeping pace is more paramount than ever.

Cloud Computing
There used to be great hesitancy in the legal industry over moving documents to the cloud. That has given way to major law firms moving at least some of their applications and data to the cloud to improve efficiency of business processes and to reduce IT costs. Now, the concern is the documents that are not in the security of the cloud.

A firm must now perform due diligence to ensure that a cloud platform's security measures meet the client’s requirements. Cloud activity routinely occurs even when the firm’s primary network doesn’t operate in the cloud, such as transmitting files with Google email or sharing files with Dropbox. Law firms must therefore implement a risk-management program for cloud platforms in addition to their own internal security measures.

Security and Compliance
Requirements are changing rapidly and account for an increasingly large portion of a law firm’s IT budget.  These requirements generally mean that security risks must be identified in a way that can be demonstrated to clients, business partners and regulators. These issues have traditionally been afterthoughts in the IT department, but they’re now considered to be primary initiatives.

Law firms need to deploy advanced security and compliance measures that identify and mitigate risks to their clients’ assets. It’s no longer just about being secure. Law firms need to be secure in a demonstrable way. Hackers are gaining easier access to big corporate data through less-secure routes, such as outside counsel, and no firm wants to make the headlines as the hole in a client’s infrastructure.

eDiscovery
Another recent trend is the increasing use of electronic discovery, or eDiscovery, which involves the exchange of information in electronic format. The handling of this data is subject to regulation and agreed-upon processes. eDiscovery has resulted in the development of many tools to streamline the process.
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Client relationship management (CRM) software is also becoming an essential requirement. CRM software manages a firm’s interaction with its current and prospective clients, including the automation of customer service, marketing and technical support. The ability to capture data from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter is one of the most significant trends in CRM software.

Managed review is a significant emerging trend in eDiscovery. This process specifies a framework of accountability that encourages the desired treatment of discoverable information, including its creation, storage, deletion and valuation. It also includes metrics, standards and roles to ensure the effective use of discovery. Managed review is a new discipline that’s ready to implement security solutions that have been optimized for the cloud.

Through a managed review offering, eDiscovery vendors can address up to 80 percent of the electronic discovery reference model, or EDRM, in order to provide clients with efficient routes to significant savings of up to 40 percent on their current eDiscovery spend.

By keeping the customer front and center, law firms can adapt to every market change and trend that comes along.

Please check out Konica Minolta Legal TV for Legal Industry Specific trends and best practices.
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Chris Farmer
Senior Account Executive - PSS
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
7500 Greenway Center Dr - Ste 1200, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Office: 301-623-2473
Mobile: 443-742-5672
Visit us: Count on Konica Minolta

9 Work Habits of Successful People

Reprinted with permission from The Washington Post
Published: Oct 22, 2015

Ah, the sweet smell of success. You’ve come across individuals who have the air of it at some point in your working career, and the sensation is powerful. They radiate a certain élan, capturing your attention, standing out from the rest of the pack with people gravitating toward them.
You may have even asked the golden question: were they born that way, or is success something they learned?
The truth is that it is something that can be learned through hard work and determination. Successful people work at being successful, and the tactics they employ are quite useful. Take a few notes from their book, and get some of that winning formula for yourself:
They are resolute and determined when it comes to achieving their goals. Successful people spend time defining what’s important to them, then set out a plan on how to get there. They’re also incredibly adaptable; they acknowledge when things change and adjust their goals accordingly. The concept of giving up is not in their DNA.
They don’t care what you think of them. In other words, they don’t seek approval. They are comfortable in their skin, believe in themselves, and are more likely to focus on the work than the perception of others. They care about building relationships, but they’re not obsessed with public opinion. They want results, not heaps of praise.
They invest in building relationships that matter. They understand they can’t do it all on their own, so you’ll find successful people cultivating relationships with people of all levels, expertise and skills. They believe in creating a powerful network that can serve them in all aspects, and they engage and nurture it regularly.
They accept failure and do not fear it. Success-oriented individuals recognize pushing boundaries and taking some calculated risks can result in failure, which they view as an opportunity to learn and improve their game. Let’s use a sports analogy: they’d rather risk getting hurt in the game than stand on the sidelines.
They do not engage in gossip or office politics. They know gossip is a downward spiral of negativity, and they actively avoid it. They keep their finger on the pulse of company culture, but they never engage in information trading. They understand the power of information and their image.
They take responsibility. As actively as they accept accolades, they do not shy away from taking the hit when things go wrong. They face up to consequences with confidence and don’t pass the blame to others.
They pay attention to their personal wellbeing. Successful people are often associated with brutal work schedules, but they live the mantra of “work hard, play hard.” They know that to be at their very best, they need to look after their mental and physical wellbeing and carve out time to do so. They’re comfortable saying no to anything that stands in the way of crucial recharging time.
They’re not envious of other’s successes. Rather than being envious, they view other successful people as an opportunity to gain insights and learn. They acknowledge wins and recognize there is much to be learned from watching and working with others. They stick with other winners to surround themselves with success.
Lastly, successful people seek opportunities and have also been known to make them. Any chance to increase their success and achieve their aspirations is avidly sought and seized.  They value any opportunity to grow and challenge themselves. They never rest on their laurels.
If you’ve ever wanted to know how you can be more successful in your career, refer to the list above and apply these traits to your daily working life. Remember, it is never too late to implement these strategies,  and you may find they’ll take your career to a whole new level.

October HR Retreat - Maximize your HR Strategy: Talent, Training, and Teams

Connie Summers & Carmen Weissbratten
HR Section Chair & Co-Chair

In October, the HR Section and Education Committee co-hosted the Chapter’s first HR Retreat:  a three-prong approach to Maximize Your HR Strategy:  Talent, Training and Teams.  During this half-day retreat, Tom McCally presented on the Pitfalls of Hiring and Firing Talent, Including Social Media Concerns.  The presentation focused on hiring and firing, and everything in between, including various employment laws and regulations that can expose employers to significant liability.  Further complicating these issues is social media and what may or may not constitute “concerted activity”.  The presentation not only featured some of the major new legislative developments that impact all employers, but also provided us with steps we can take to reduce the risk of exposure with respect to employment-related claims.  Deborah E. Bouchoux, Adjunct Faculty, Georgetown University, presented on Training Your Team To Be Client Service All Stars.  Her presentation focused on pragmatic and practical ways to train teams to deliver excellent client service, both to external and internal clients.  She provided five critical skills to becoming a client service all star and guidance on ensuring that teams know how to follow through on assignments; development of strategies on training teams to be proactive; techniques to overcome the “it’s not my job” mentality; and training teams on crucial communications skills.  Marguerite Ham, a trainer, facilitator, business coach, memory expert and author, presented on The Blueprint for a High-Performing Team.  Her presentation was geared toward teaching us to supercharge our minds for increased organizational performance resulting in improved effectiveness and greater individual productivity.  She provided helpful tips on team assessments, insights on the four stages of team development, ways to overcome dysfunctions of a team, and the means to determine the strengths and challenges of each team member.   Please visit the Capital Chapter website to view the presentations.

Baker Tilly State Tax Seminar

Emily Christianson
Office Manager, Relman, Dane & Colfax, PLLC
Small Firm Section Chair
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On Tuesday, October 27, the Small Firm Section hosted a presentation by Baker Tilly on state taxes. Bill Apple and Jessica Mastropietro educated the group on nexus, apportionment and sourcing of revenues.  The group asked many questions, and the session was very interactive and informative.  The attendees left the session with an understanding of how to determine when their firms might have a tax filing requirement in other states.     

2016 Business Partner Program Rollout

Pheobe Boger-Smith
Manager, Administrative Services, Loeb & Loeb, LLP​
Vice President, Business Partner Advisory

The Business Partner Sponsorship Program Rollout was held on November 3 at Sidley Austin.  In attendance were many of our Business Partners as well as members of the Capital Chapter Executive Committee. The rollout event was an opportunity to review the sponsorship program, introduce changes to the program for 2016, and gather feedback from Business Partners. 

For the 2016 sponsorship year, we are excited about the addition of a social media component to the benefits package, as well as the expansion of allotted white paper posts per month at each sponsorship level. Popular program features returning in 2016 include the ALL IN incentive game and the discretionary event ticket system, both of which give Partners flexibility to use the program to help them meet their individual marketing and networking goals. Despite the addition of new benefits, sponsorship pricing will not increase for 2016. The Capital Chapter prides itself on offering a robust Business Partner program, and the 2016 sponsorship program promises to be the most value-filled benefits package yet. 

We would like to thank all of our Business Partners for a magnificent year, and we look forward to working with you in the coming year!

​How Practicing Basic Human Skills Build Capacity

Reprinted with permission from ritatrehan.com
Rita Trehan, Founder and Principal of Rita Trehan LLC

When it comes to building capacity in an organization, effective leadership is crucial to success. The ability for those in charge to motivate, lead, and manage the ranks delivering the work cannot be understated in importance, yet according to a recent article in the Huffington Post, few managers have these skills.
Citing a recent survey (and handy graphic) in the Harvard Business Review, the article goes on to highlight the shortcomings most employees feel their bosses exhibit. For your review:
The good news, if you can call it that, is there are endless workshops, coaches, training programs and educational endeavors that have been created at a variety of prices to infuse these skills into the management team. You can bring in Leadership Development Coaches, you can send them to workshops where they learn to trust and fill notebooks with notes on how to related to their people.
In my forthcoming book Unleashing Capacity: The Hidden Human Resources, I speak about the need for HR to get out in front of their company’s day-to-day operations and build strong cases for how the company can move forward. I can think of no better starting point than this survey’s results to craft a discussion around two points: 1) do your employees feel the same way, and 2) how does this affect the capacity of your organization?
Because the answer is really quite simple: you need to train your management team to act like human beings.
Harsh, I know, but the skills above speak to plain bad manners. Not recognizing achievements mean less of them or those talents will be recognized elsewhere. Lack of clear directions means you’re essentially operating at half speed due to poor communication. Go down the line, and not knowing employee’s names seems a crucial point to creating an environment of collaboration. “Hey, you, whatever your name is,” isn’t very motivating. These are not complicated requirements that need hundreds of thousands of dollars in training. This is the management of common sense.
Use this article as a means to begin discussions on how these management mistakes might be affecting your organization. Capacity is the key to the future, and without these crucial skills your company could fold faster than you think.
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Rita Trehan is the Founder and Principal of Rita Trehan, LLC, a change management and leadership advisory firm focused on corporate leadership, emerging technology, and cutting-edge organizational design. As a seasoned top executive that has successfully transformed organizations at the Fortune 200 and beyond, she has extensive experience working with CEOs and top corporate management on process and organizational improvement for maximum profitability. A soon-to-be published author, Rita regularly speaks at industry conferences around the world. You can contact Rita on twitter at @rita_trehan and connect with her via LinkedIn. Rita’s blog can be found at www.ritatrehan.com.

Fall Happy Networking Happy Hour and Silent Auction

Jenna Carter
Office Administrator, Husch Blackwell
Vice President Community Services

The ALACC Networking Happy Hour & Toni K. Allen Scholarship Fundraiser Silent Auction event was held on Thursday, November 5th, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The event was held in the 14K Restaurant at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza hotel. Guests enjoyed the open bar and an assortment of delicious appetizers while they mixed, mingled, and bid on the auction items of their dreams. 
Thank you and congratulations to our Silent Auctions Winners:
  • Private Tour of the Ford's Theater - Julie Tomey & Karen Gallagher
  • W Hotel Suite with Breakfast - Joy Newton Grubb
  • Keurig from Miller's Supplies at Work - Elaine Gregg
  • Seamless Gift Basket - Kristi Miller
  • HITT Contracting Handyman for a Day - Beth Fowler & Donna Williams
  • Graffiato gift card - Barbara Mannix
  • Jose Andres Think Food Group gift card - Beth Fowler
  • Dinner for 2 at 14K - Greg Fudge
  • One night stay at The Hamilton Crowne Plaza - Barbara Mannix

We would like to extend a special thanks to Joy Newton-Grubb and Barbara Mannix for making additional donations above the amounts of their winning bids, as well as Ford's Theater for donating a second tour and HITT Contracting for donating a second Handyman for a Day. Thanks to all of the generous donations made, we were able to raise $2,895. All proceeds go to fund the Toni K. Allen Scholarship Program. As always, we appreciate your support of Our Community, Our Kids!

Additionally, the Chapter would like to thank The Hamilton Crowne Plaza for graciously donating the entire happy hour – including the restaurant space, an assortment of incredible heavy hors d'oeuvres, and a full open bar – as well as 2 auction items: dinner for two at 14K and a one-night stay at the Hamilton. The hotel staff's generosity and hospitality were greatly appreciated.

Check out event photos and photos of the Hamilton below! For more information about hosting an event at The Hamilton Crowne Plaza, please contact Annie Gaye:

Annie Gaye Sales Manager  
1001 14th Street NW | Washington, DC 20005
d: 202.218.7514 h: 202.682.0111 f: 202.218.7601
hamiltonhoteldc.com

IT Section Update

Frank Schipani
Director of Information Technology, Gilbert LLP
Vice President-Elect, Business Partner Advisory

​The IT section hosted a presentation on how a firm can measure its financial performance by looking at the key performance indicators in its financial data.  Jay Erdman of Rippe & Kingston gave an overview of about 30 different statistics that can be pulled out of any firm’s financial data and used to give partners a realistic and accurate picture of the firm’s performance and where they should direct resources to increase profitability and financial health.
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Here’s one example to give an idea.  Look at revenue by the year that the client was first brought into the firm.  What does it mean if the majority of revenue is coming from clients you first started working with over five years ago?  It could mean that the firm needs to look closely at its new business development, because any newer clients aren’t going to carry the load if and when the older clients phase out.  Overall revenue numbers may look good and the number of new clients may be consistent year over year, which may mask this otherwise hidden issue.  Perhaps business development efforts need to be tweaked to target a slightly different client base.
​This is just one example of many that Mr. Erdman covered in a fast-paced and informative 90 minutes.

DTI Spotlight:
Proactive vs. Reactionary: Lessons Learned from the Great Recession of 2008

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Peter Balis, Director of Sales

7 years have passed since “business as usual” became “business unusual” and nearly all business segments have remained in continual flux ever since. Doing more with less has become a standard operating procedure and to quote the band Van Halen, “Nothing stays the same but change”. The concept of perpetual change would appear to be recognized by all as the way of the world, but for many still unclear reasons, human nature tends to lean in the direction of status quo. Inertia has an ability to creep back into the decision making processes of many organizations, and in numerous cases, to their own detriment.

The legal industry and law firms specifically, have experienced stark change during these years that has been unprecedented. General Counsel have dramatically changed the way they acquired legal services from their outside firms and began asking for things like alternative fee arrangements, document review being conducted by lower cost contract attorneys, and increased requirements for the outsourcing of legal services. As a result of these changes to the law firm and their relationship with the corporation, profit per partner (PPP) has been impacted in a negative way. It has been my experience that nothing forces reaction quicker than declining profits.

The result of all the unusual change and impact to profits understandably has led to difficult decisions. Many firms have merged, been acquired, or have simply closed their doors and are no longer in the business of practicing law. Attorneys and support staff have been let go in numbers that seemed impossible to fathom. A new survey conducted by Altman Weil indicates law firms are still a bit unsteady since the financial collapse and have not yet fully recovered. When law firm leadership was asked whether or not their firms have taken steps to alter strategic approaches that govern efficiencies, 36.9 percent of respondents said that they had. That’s down from 39.4 percent who answered that they had in 2014, and down even further from 44.6 percent in 2013. The interesting point made through this survey is that although the recession is clearly still in the minds of law firm leadership, the desire to become more efficient and cost effective has faded as the years have passed.
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Two of the largest expense items law firms are challenged with are real estate/infrastructure and labor. The graphic below from Studley, Inc., currently known as Savills Studley (a New York based real estate company), helps explain what the law firm real estate market in Washington, D.C. used to look like and how it was impacted post-recession. As you can see, many firms have decreased their real estate footprint, and as lease cycles came to term, the size and frequency of these transaction has increased since 2012.
Given the current nature of the law firm real estate market and the costs associated with housing people and technology, we must accept there will be no going back. That being said, the questions that should be explored in a very proactive way include: Why is office space being dedicated to litigation support and word processing functions? Should we continue waging a battle for investment in software/hardware technology obsolescence for areas that are not core to our ability to be profitable and serve clients in this new age? Does the new millennial workforce need the same infrastructure and support mechanisms that used to be the standard? Should law firms be in the business of hiring, firing, and training, hourly employees that perform office support services functions when those functions are not core to the practice of law?  Have we adopted a strategy for becoming much less paper intensive? Are we exposed in the areas of records management and information governance and how much risk do we want to assume?

These are just some of the questions that firms should be proactively investigating. Many forward thinking firms have embarked upon an “outsourcing voyage of discovery” and are finding new strategies that help refine and reposition their business models. The business climate will continue to be challenging, but it is incumbent upon firms to remain proactive and prepare themselves with options. Referring back to the Altman Weil survey, despite self-reported efforts of firms to tighten up efficiencies in a manner that would make them more competitive, clients still think they could be doing more. When the survey asked how serious law firms are about changing their legal service delivery model to provide greater value to clients, 61.2 percent of the chief legal officers polled gave their efforts a “low” rating.

To that end, LPO companies like DTI enable law firms to explore these possibilities in a consultative way, without the traditional hourly fees that are the norm in the consulting industry.  Law firms must do more to remain competitive in this market.  We would welcome the opportunity to engage with your firms on their “outsourcing voyage of discovery”. We can help you assess your business model and what is possible in a future state.  The deliverable DTI focuses on is improvements in efficiency, identifying tangible ROI, converting fixed operating costs into variable expenditures that are easier to manage, and ultimately, helping firms increase their PPP!

November Lunch n Learn: Infinity Wellness 7 Tips for Office Productivity and Health

Barbara Mannix
Director of Operations, Fish & Richardson
President-Elect

Of all the things I thought we might learn at the Infinity Wellness 7 Tips for Office Productivity and Health, I am not sure I ever thought of alternate nostril breathing as one of them. This and many other useful tips where entertainingly and thoughtfully explained to us by Brendan Herbert of Infinity Wellness Partners.
 
Brendan and his co-worker, David Rosenbaum started with a choice of energizing or calming aromatherapy which set the tone for the rest of the session.  Sharing some rather alarming but not surprising statistics: Americans sit on average 13 hours a day; sitting most of the day has the same risk for heart attack as smoking and 65% of us, site work as a top source of stress, with only 37% saying they manage it well.  Explaining the link of productivity and employee engagement and well-being, Brendan explained the need for programs such as Infinity Wellness that focus on fitness, nutrition, mind/body and ergonomics.  With the use of wellness challenges, personal and group health coaching and programs tailored to individual companies and people, the return on investment along with value on investment, are brought to the forefront.
 
The enthusiastic group happily joined in for some breathing exercises, stretches you can do at your desk, learning how a simple tennis ball can be used to find those tension spots in your back, mindful eating with a Hershey’s kiss, and yes, alternate nostril breathing which helps bring air to both sides of your brain.  These and many other tips where expertly brought to us during this productive lunch-n-learn.  Thank you to Infinity Wellness Partners for their presentation and HITT Contracting for sponsoring them.
 
For more information on Infinity Wellness Partners please visit their website at www.infinitywellnespartners.com.

Royal Cup Coffee Spotlight:
Put Some Sparkling In Your Workplace

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Amy Pluebell
Senior Account Executive, Capital Region

Most employers realize the benefits of providing coffee in the work place. Coffee is and always will be a very important “perk” to continue to offer employees and caffeine is always a great way to jump start the day!  However, recent studies show water is the most popular beverage in the workplace, followed by coffee and tea.
 
Employee Wellness
With employees spending 60% of their awake time at work, it is imperative employers offer healthy choices and promote well-being in the office. Swapping sugar-sweetened beverages for low or no-sugar options is an easy way for employers to promote a healthy environment.
 
The Benefits of Water
Not drinking enough water isn’t just bad for health; it can affect behavior as well. Studies have shown that even slight levels of dehydration can have a negative impact on mood and energy level. Obviously, people who are feeling irritable are less likely to get along with co-workers or get their work done.  Offering access to plenty of water can drastically improve people’s moods and make the office a more pleasant and productive environment.  Keeping everyone hydrated not only improves the quality of employees’ work, but also the quality of their lives outside of work. 
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Water coolers and sparkling water
With sparkling water popularity on the rise, Royal Cup Coffee has the ability to offer a filtered water cooler system that delivers exceptional sparkling water, chilled water, and hot water in one machine. This system is available both in a floor and a counter top model.  
 
Office water coolers have a reputation for being the place where employees go to gossip and waste time.  In truth, statistics show that offices with water coolers are more productive than those without. Water coolers also have the advantage of serving filtered water, without any of the pollutants and chemicals often found in tap water. Another benefit to water coolers? They reduce the expense of purchasing water bottles while promoting a more environmentally-conscious work place.  
 
Here are some other benefits to our sparkling water coolers systems:
  • In-tank Ultraviolet light purification kills bacteria in the cold water reservoir
  • BioCote Technology – antimicrobial protection to reduce the spread of germs
  • Recessed spigot cuts down on the transmission of germs
  • Carbon filtration

Choices are always an important part of creating a productive work environment and help to foster positive employee morale.  Water and sparkling water will always be recognized as an added benefit in your office!
                       
If you would like more information on our sparkling water cooler system or our other equipment options, please contact me at amypluebell@royalcupcoffee.com or by phone: (202)510-6131. ​

HR Section Update

Connie Summers & Carmen Weissbratten
HR Section Chair & Co-Chair

​The approaching holiday season and the end of another year present an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and goals.  As Chair and Co-Chair of the ALA Capital Chapter HR Section, we have attempted this year to provide our members with information, speakers and lively roundtable discussions to enhance human resources knowledge, skills and abilities.      
 
Looking back, we hosted a seminar where Tom McCally with Carr Maloney P.C. presented updates and materials on new DC employment laws.  We also arranged for Tina Maiolo with Carr Maloney P.C. to address Bringing Foreign Workers to the U.S. and the non-immigrant work visa process:  H-1B Visa 2015 Webinar Series:  How to Beat the Odds and The Ins and Outs of the L-1 Visa.  Thanks in large part to the joint efforts of our section members, we presented a robust collection of materials for a roundtable discussion on the appraisal process. 

To close out 2015, on November 18 the HR and Office Operations Management Sections will co-host mindfulness training  with Dr. Amanda Skowron, a licensed clinical psychologist with the Casey Health Institute.  On December 15, the HR and Branch Office Sections will co-host a meeting where Jean Efron Art Consultants will make a presentation on law firm artwork.
 
Looking forward to 2016, we are excited to present speakers at our monthly meetings on matters such as Hiring Millennials  and Orientation Basics; Essentials of Employee Coaching, Counselling and Discipline;  Policies, Procedures and Handbooks;  Recordkeeping; Benefits Basics; Effective Mentoring; and much more.  We will continue to search for ways to educate and keep the HR Section members current on critical topics affecting the workplace.  As always, we welcome suggestions for productive, meaningful meetings.       

10 Tips for Deep Sleep

Lance Breger, Executive Wellness Coach & Founder of Infinity Wellness Partners

Sleep is the single greatest and cheapest form of rest, repair and rejuvenation for the human body and mind, but often the very first thing sacrificed by today’s high performing professionals. Our 24/7 access to work, light and carbohydrates has completely deteriorated the quality and quantity of sleep, leaving corporate America running on fumes. Caffeine and sugar are the artificial energy sources of choice for the sleep deprived, which only worsens sleep due to the havoc created on the hormonal system responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles.
 
During the 1950’s the average person was sleeping 8 hours per night and by 2013 that number has dropped to 6.5 hours per night. Interestingly enough, individuals that get less than 7 hours of sleep are 3x more likely to get an illness! To make matters worse, lack of sleep puts us into a chronic state of stress, increases hunger hormones leading to obesity and prevents the removal of cellular waste from the brain linked to depression. Not only are we not getting the recommended amount of sleep, but we are not sleeping during the most optimal times either. 
 
During the 8 hours of sleep, we are supposed to go through full repair of the mind and body. The time we go to bed and awake also has a significant impact on that restoration. Specifically we experience physical repair between the hours of 10:00pm and 2:00am. Our mental repair occurs between the hours of 2:00am and 6:00am. It’s important to note that these hours do not change just because our deadlines, lives, schedule and work do. As an example, a professional that is regularly going to bed at midnight is missing 50% of their physical repair which leads to aesthetic, energetic, health, medical and pain challenges!
 
These 10 Tips for Deep Sleep are going to target moving you towards getting the recommended 7.5-8 hours of sleep from 10:30pm to 6:00am to improve your energy, focus, health, mood, stress and even weight!
 
1. Breathing  
Slow breathing helps sleep and repair hormones to elevate because it suppresses stress hormones, which cause us to be up and alert. The mind also mirrors our breath, so the slower we breathe the slower our mind thinks.  Focus on five to ten second exhalations.
 
​2. Journal  
Stressful thoughts and to-do lists race through the mind of many professionals preventing sleep. Writing down all the thoughts currently on your mind before bed is an effective strategy for putting those thoughts aside until tomorrow. Also journaling what you are thankful about or any positive, uplifting experiences from the day helps one fall asleep with a peaceful mind. 
 
3. Light 
Dimming down, unplugging, and limiting lights and screens are essential to lowering stress hormones before bed. Light stimulates arousal and alertness through the release of cortisol that competes with sleep. Begin darkening your home and minimizing screen time starting at 9:00pm to 9:30pm.
 
4. Sugar 
A very common, yet overlooked cause of sleep disruption is having a blood sugar crash in the middle of the night. Carbohydrate rich meals, desserts, alcohol and late night sugary snacks can all cause the blood sugar to rise quickly and crash during sleep. Since sugar is one of the brain and body’s primary fuel sources blood sugar instability and crashes release stress hormones that make more blood sugar available and keep us up. Also notice what you do eat if you wake up in the middle of the night hungry.
 
5. Caffeine  
Having too much caffeine and drinking it too late in the day both affects sleep primarily because caffeine has a four-hour half-life in the body. That means the amount of caffeine you consumed in your coffee, tea, and energy drink will be half that four hours later. Here’s an example of what the standard cup of drip coffee at 3:00pm does to circulating caffeine in the bloodstream:
3:00pm – 300mg of caffeine
7pm – 150 mg of caffeine
11pm – 75 mg of caffeine (average shot of espresso is 70 mg!)
3am – 32.5 mg of caffeine
 
6. Yoga 
The ‘legs up the wall’ yoga pose is very effective for calming the nervous system and mild cases of insomnia. By lying on your back and elevating your feet on a wall, the blood and lymph that accumulates in the legs flows back to the heart and head. Perform this pose for 5-15 minutes right before bed with eyes closed, slow breathing and any other relaxing elements.
 
​7. Stretch 
When the brain goes into fight or flight during a stress response the body tightens up to get ready to spring into action. Unfortunately, today’s professionals are stressed and sedentary which doesn’t allow the muscles to release their resting tension. This chronic resting tension in the muscles sends a reverse signal back to the brain indicating the body is under stress as well. By performing gentle, long stretches before bed for the major muscles of the body this resting tension can dissipate resulting in a relaxed body and mind before bed.
 
8. Tea 
A good choice of beverage before bed besides water would be an organic non-caffeinated herbal tea. Many herbs like lavender and chamomile have a soothing influence on the mind and body. Experiment with Yogi brand Bedtime tea and other sleep teas to add to your evening routine.
 
9. Oil  
Another natural stress reducer and sleep improver would be organic essential oils. Calming scents like lavender can be combined with slowing breathing techniques, put on pillowcases or rubbed directly onto the body to improve the ability to fully relax.
 
10. Routine 
One of the keys to reestablishing new sleep patterns is to keep the same daily routine.  Maintaining the same sleep-wake times throughout the week and weekend is important for body adaptation. Staying up late and sleeping in late throws off your routine. Start by moving your bedtime back at 15-minute increments on a weekly basis until you are going to sleep between the hours of 10:00pm and 10:30pm.
 
Take the Deep Sleep 21-Day Challenge
 
Now that you have ten new sleep tips to help improve your bedtime routine, it’s time to let them work for you! I challenge you all to take at least one of these new habits (you can choose up to all four at once) and apply it every day for the next 21 days in a row. Repeating new behaviors on consecutive days for 7-21 days creates entrainment or habit formation.
 
I wish you all a very restful and energizing 21-Day Challenge! Please think of me as your personal Executive Wellness Coach and I invite you to share your questions or comments with me at lbreger@infinitywellnesspartners.com.
​
Lance Breger is an Executive Wellness Coach and the Founder of Infinity Wellness Partners, a comprehensive corporate wellness company that prepares legal professionals and law firms for the most productive and healthy work-life. Lance has led online/on-site training programs with hundreds of legal administrators and attorneys through his company’s four pillars of wellness: fitness, nutrition, mind/body and ergonomics.
Lance is also a Master Instructor for the American Council on Exercise and the recipient of the IDEA Health & Fitness Association Program Director of the Year Award.

Copyright © 2015. Infinity Wellness Partners. All Rights Reserved.  www.infinitywellnesspartners.com

Administrative Committees

Communications and Media Relations
As members of the Newsletter and Media Relations Committee, Chapter members participate in producing the award-winning Capital Connection. Members gather to brainstorm new ideas for editorial themes for upcoming editions. The newsletter reports Chapter business activities such as Section and Committee news and provides information about upcoming educational and other events. It also includes articles of interest to members and other legal management personnel, collected, authored and/or edited by members of the committee. This committee also works with other legal associations and the media to ensure that ALA and the Capital Chapter are represented in the legal industry. The Newsletter Committee welcomes new members.

Contact: Jacqueline Moline, jam@carmaloney.com; Paula Serratore,pserratore@alacapchap.org

Diversity & Inclusion
The Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is a professional organization comprised of administrative managers from private, corporate and government legal organizations in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland areas.  ALACC embraces and encourages diversity within the legal profession. We value diversity and those initiatives that promote it and look to partner with affiliated professional legal organizations to advance diversity. We not only strive to raise awareness, but to increase our sensitivity in the area of diversity and more closely reflect the diversity of our community at large. Having a more inclusive and diverse legal community will improve the quality of our organizations workforce and respond to our client’s requirements for diversity. As a committee we are very interested in your thoughts, comments, and suggestions about achieving greater diversity in our Chapter, our profession, and in our firms. 

Contact: Monique Terrell (Chair), mterrell@stradley.com; Vanessa Partin (Co-Chair), vanessa.partin@kirkland.com
Salary Survey
The Salary Survey Committee is responsible for maintaining, updating and running the local survey each year. They review the positions listed, the job descriptions, and the benefits questions to ensure that the survey remains relevant to the end users. The members of the committee also promote the survey within the Chapter to stimulate participation. In addition, the committee is tasked with selling the license to the survey software to other chapters within ALA for use in their locales. They also provide technical support and logistical guidance to those chapters who purchase and utilize our survey software.

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


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

Contact: Kenia Garner (Chair), kenia.garner@pillsburylaw.com ; Barbara Kernus, (Co-Chair), bkernus@gsblaw.com


Educational Sections

Branch Office Administrators
The Branch Office Adminsitrators Section focuses on a broad range of topics of interest to local adminisraotrs who must coordinate with other officees of their firms. The Section's monthly luncheon meetings, held on the second Tuesday of the month, provide a venue for members to discuss issues of common interest, share ideas, and network. Members are encouraged to raise topics and to recommend speakers.

Contact: Richard Gibson (Chair),rgibson@nixonpeabody.com; Wendy Iversen (Co-Chair), iversen@ballardspahr.com
Listserv: branchofcadmin@lists.firmseek.com


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

Contact:  Jeffery Cole (Chair),jeffery.l.cole@squirepb.com; Jamaine Yarborough (Co-Chair), jyarborough@mckoolsmith.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.firmseek.com
Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Section focuses on all aspects of legal management as it pertains to the IP Administrator. The group discusses the complexity of the ever-changing IP environment and how to effectively create and apply IP specific, non-legal procedures in both boutique and general practice firms. The Section's monthly meetings, held the third Tuesday, are primarily lunch meetings and every third month is a dinner meeting. 

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

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

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

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

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

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