October 2016

Capital Connection is published monthly for members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide information for the education and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers, managing partners of law firms, and other law related associations. Capital Connection is not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax counseling or advice through this publication.  The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection should not be considered endorsements by the Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any products advertised.   Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial an/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter. ​

Editor: Jacqueline Moline 
Associate Editors: Paula Serratore; Cindy Conover
Contributing Editors: Barbara Mannix; Qeyana M. Hart; Mary Bailey; Shera L. Berini; Claudia M. Baragano; Laura Anderson, MS AEP; Joelle Jach, AEP, LEED Green Assoc.; Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP; Newmark Grubb Knight Frank; Jenna L. Carter
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis


In this issue:

President's Message

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Since our last newsletter, we have had some wonderful events.  Our Business Partner Appreciation Event at Bobby’s Burger Palace was so much fun.  Great turn out, great food, and fun was had by all. Our Trolley Tour showcased some wonderful new office space, showing off the talent and value of our Business Partners and the innovation that some of our member firms are practicing.  I walked away with a serious case of space envy.  Most recently, the half-day educational seminar on Telework was very informative, and we all left with so much to think about - but more importantly, relevant information to draft a policy.  November should be my message of thanks, but there is just so much to be thankful for right now that I can’t wait.  The work and details that go into planning and executing these events can be daunting.  I am so thankful to the members who take leadership roles in these events and to Paula and Jessie, who make sure every detail is covered.  I am also very thankful for our members who take time from their busy schedules to attend.  The events cannot be successful without participation from our membership and Business Partners.  I hope you enjoyed and found value in the events you were able to attend.
 
Although I always want this message to be positive, I do need to take a moment to nag just a bit.  Commitments (i.e., speakers, space, food, etc.) to these events are based on registration as a way to confirm our anticipated participation.  Although we certainly understand emergencies that arise, I would like to ask that you please make every effort to fulfill your commitment to attend the events for which you register.
 
Soon you will receive a member survey to help us understand what you see as valuable to your membership. Our goal is to be responsive to the needs of our membership, and we would greatly appreciate your taking just few moments to complete the survey. We have made every effort to keep the survey relevant and succinct.
 
Thank you again, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming fall and winter events.
Barbara Mannix

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Kimberly A. Kenny
Assistant Office Administrator
White & Case LLP
701 13th St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 626-3668
[email protected]

Congratulations, Helen Woideck! 

The Chapter would like to congratulate Helen Woideck on her retirement on October 31!
 
Helen has been a member of ALA and the Capital Chapter since October 31st of 1981.  During her career in law firm management she has been with several firms and has served the Chapter in various leadership roles including Chairman of the Membership Orientation and Development (MODS) Committee, member of the Community Services Committee, Secretary-Elect and Secretary, and several terms as Vice President of Community Services.  Helen was also a two-time recipient of the Chapter’s President's Award for her dedication and commitment to the Chapter.
 
Helen has many longtime friends in the legal community and hopes to keep in touch with everyone as she starts the next phase of her life in Florida.  After November 1, she can be reached at [email protected]

October 2016 Diversity Observances

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This observance was launched in 1945 when Congress declared the first week in October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1998, the week was extended to a month and renamed. The annual event draws attention to employment barriers that still need to be addressed.October is also LGBT History Month, a U.S. observance started in 1994 to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history and the history of the gay rights movement.

October 3-4: Rosh Hashanah, a holiday recognizing the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, and is marked by abstinence, prayer, repentance, and rest.
October 10: Canadian Thanksgiving. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.
October 11: National Coming Out Day. For those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, this day celebrates coming out and the recognition of the 1987 march on Washington for gay and lesbian equality.
October 12: Yom Kippur. This holiday is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar and is a day of atonement marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance.
October 12: National Indigenous People’s Day, which recognizes 500 years of resistance and the continued existence of North American Indigenous people. This is celebrated in lieu of Columbus Day.
October 17-23: The Jewish holiday of Sukkot. It is a time of remembrance of the fragile tabernacles that Israelites lived in as they wandered the wilderness for 40 years. The first day of the holiday is celebrated with prayers and special meals.
October 20: The day Sikhs celebrate Sri Guru Granth Sahib who is their spiritual guide.
October 20: The Birth of the Bab, a holiday celebrated by the Baha’i recognizing the birth of the founder of the Baha’i faith. This celebration starts on October 19 and ends October 20.
October 22 marks the beginning of Dussehra (Dasera), a ten-day festival celebrated by Hindus to recognize Rama’s victory over evil.
October 23: Ashura, a holiday recognized by Muslims to mark the martyrdom of Hussain. It also commemorates the day Noah left the ark and Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God.
October 24: Shemini Atzeret, “The Eighth (Day) of Assembly”, which is the observed on the day following Sukkot.
October 25: Simchat Torah, the Jewish day for “Rejoicing in the Torah” which celebrates the conclusion of the public reading of the Pentateuch and its beginning anew.
October 30: Diwali, “Festival of Lights”, which celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. Recognized by the Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains, the holiday is observed with decorating homes with lights and candles, setting off fireworks, and distributing sweets and gifts.

Trolley Tour 2016: The Innovative Workspace

Qeyana Hart
Administrative & HR Assistant, Bracewell LLP
Co-Chair, OOMS Section

The Office Operations Management (OOMS) Section conducted a trolley tour on Saturday, September 24th. The tour featured four firms ranging in size from small to large. We had over 35 ALA members and guests attend. Representatives from several of our Business Partners - HITT Contracting Inc., rand* Construction, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, and Gensler - were in attendance and gave insight on the renovation and/or build-out process for their respective projects.  

The tour started at Arnold & Porter. Arnold & Porter’s space featured state-of-the art conference centers, a beautiful garden terrace and an employee cafeteria with indoor/outdoor seating. One of the most fascinating features was their vertically retractable wall that divides their largest conference room into two smaller rooms.

The second stop on the tour was Nixon Peabody. Nixon’s spaced was completed in June 2015. Their space was designed by Perkins and Will. Some of the highlights from their space were their single-sized offices and the three-story living wall that is adjacent to an internal staircase.

Haynes & Boone was the third location featured and the first interior build-out we toured. Their build-out was completed over a 12-week schedule. Their unique ornamental metal feature created by their design team with the initials “H” & “B” located throughout the design is a feature you will notice immediately as you enter their doors. Their design team also added features in their space to set Haynes & Boone apart from other law firms in the neighborhood. The open space and the glass divisions create an illuminated, collaborative space while also maintaining privacy for Haynes & Boone.

Our final stop on the tour was at Hogan Lovells. Hogan is currently in a “phased-in-place” renovation. As you would imagine, this process takes a while to complete. Their project is slated to be completed in 2018.  The highlight from this space is their rooftop terrace. Hogan Lovells’ design and construction team came up with the concept to cut through the exiting roof and add an additional layer to create a multipurpose room that leads to a private rooftop terrace that overlooks the National Mall.

Additional features that caught the eyes of many of the attendees were furniture, such as sit/stand desks, dual monitor options, coffee vendors, water filtration systems, and vending machines.

The tour was a great success. We received great feedback from all of our attendees.
Thank you again to all of the firms that participated, to Hogan Lovells for providing lunch, to our tour guides at each location, and to all of the design  and construction teams for supporting our event.

rand* Construction Spotlight: Material Management for Law Firm Construction

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Mary Bailey
Marketing Coordinator, rand* Construction

During preconstruction of a law firm office, it is vital to get all decision makers – the owner, contractor and designer – in the same room to agree on the project design intent and materials.  This early collaboration ensures that there is a clear and common understanding of the project design specifications, and the materials necessary to complete the project.   Material resources are a critical factor that directly impacts the project schedule, budget and overall quality.

Law offices are a reflection of the firm’s identity and culture in addition to being simply office space.  These projects feature complex architectural designs and custom features. Often times branding dictates the use of a particular material, or the development of a certain feature in the construction.   Many times the firm will choose a particular design style and material set to enhance or direct its work style or recruitment effort.  The installation of each product, from the rough framing, to the flooring material, to an individual light fixture, must be coordinated relative to its effect on the entire project. The fit of materials into a project schedule has a direct impact on the length and cost of the project.  Additionally, materials that arrive out of sequence can have a negative impact on quality unless properly planned for at the project outset.  In order to achieve all of the project goals, material management is crucial.

At rand*, we have an in-house procurement team experienced in law firm construction that specializes in material management.  This team’s work begins during preconstruction, continues in the bidding process, and stays with the project throughout the construction process. By working closely with the client and design team before construction begins, we are better able establish material specifications and build a comprehensive schedule that aligns with the project budget and design intent.  By participating in the bidding process and the subcontractor qualification and selection process, the team ensures that the materials specified are fully included in the cost estimate and the subcontractor's pricing.  By applying techniques such as bulk, or direct purchasing, the rand* team ensures that critical schedule deadlines are met, even if it means buying things in advance of the full final pricing.  Finally, by participating in the submittal and fabrication management effort during construction, the team facilitates proper delivery of the materials to the jobsite when the field team needs them, ensuring the highest quality construction.

Business Partner Appreciation Sock Hop

On September 15th, the Capital Chapter gathered at Bobby's Burger Palace to celebrate the dedication and support of our Business Partners. The 50's-themed event was inspired by the movie Grease, and our Executive Committee members sported "Pink Ladies" and "T Birds" jackets in homage to the film.

Guests enjoyed a selection of restaurant owner Bobby Flay's delicious burgers and fries, and ended the night with a sampling of miniature milkshakes to complete the 50's diner experience. To cap off the evening, five lucky Business Partners received copies of Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes cookbook, and one grand-prize winner received an autographed copy of Bobby Flay's Grill It cookbook.

Thank you to everyone who attended the event, to the team at Bobby's Burger Palace for taking such great care of us throughout the night, and most of all, to our Business Partners. We appreciate all that you do for us throughout the year, and we're Hopelessly Devoted to You!

2016 East Regional Legal Management Conference

Shera L. Berini
Accounting Coordinator, Robbins, Russell, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber
2016 Ed Ross Regional/Specialty Conference Scholarship Recipient

I recently attended the East Regional Legal Management Conference in Boston. The event was spread over two and a half days with a great blend of varying learning opportunities and networking. I met and connected with intelligent and experienced colleagues in various roles of law firm administration. We sure have a very diverse and inspiring group!

The sessions I attended were informative and insightful on their particular subjects. I particularly enjoyed several sessions that focused on law firm finance and business models. I had many takeaways from these sessions which I have shared with principals in our firm. I appreciated the fact that many of the sessions concentrated on growing trends within our industry as they relate to technology, leadership, and finance. I felt the experts in these fields did a great job in sharing innovative concepts and teaching us their strategies.

I would like to thank the Capital Chapter for the scholarship that afforded me this opportunity! I have benefited personally and professionally from this wonderful experience and will be forever grateful! I look forward to attending future ALA conferences.

2016 Holiday Giving “First Look”: Bright Beginnings

Claudia M. Baragano
Human Resources Manager, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Vice President-Elect Community Services
 
In addition to Safe Shores, the Community Services team has selected another local charity to partner with for our 4th Quarter Holiday Giving: Bright Beginnings, Inc.
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Bright Beginnings is a nationally-accredited child development and family services center that offers a bright start for homeless infants, toddlers and preschoolers and their families. Bright Beginnings serves 162 children annually whose families are living in crisis shelters or transitional housing. Our educational, therapeutic, health and family-stabilizing services prepare these children for kindergarten and help stabilize their families.

Bright Beginnings is dedicated to meeting the immediate needs of children and families living in homeless environments by:
  • Providing children with a safe, nurturing educational environment;
  • Preparing children to enter kindergarten ready to learn; and
  • Supporting homeless parents to stabilize their home lives and become self-sufficient.

At A Glance - The Need
Homelessness has a devastating impact on young children and their parents. In the District of Columbia, 33% of children live below the poverty line. There are 1,200 homeless children younger than 5 years old on any given day in Washington, DC. Bright Beginnings serves 25% of the homeless children younger than 5 years old in the District of Columbia.

“Bright Beginnings served 162 homeless infants, toddlers and preschoolers from 103 families during our 2015-2016 school year. Bright Beginnings has served over 2,500 homeless children during the last 25 years.”

Our Partnership
Through this new partnership, members will be able to “adopt”  approximately 190 children and their siblings currently homeless, in shelters or transitional housing.

http://www.brightbeginningsinc.org/

Beyond the Desk: Ergonomics and the Active Workplace

Laura Anderson, MS AEP
Associate Ergonomist, Humanscale,
Joelle Jach, AEP, LEED Green Assoc.
Workplace Strategist CallisonRTKL

The modern workplace is more than just a collection of desks – as the place where people spend as much as one-third of their lives, the workplace should function to support occupants and promote well-being and satisfaction. More than ever before, organizations the world over are realizing the strength of the link between the physical workplace and the workforce, leading many to explore employee-centered planning and design strategies.

The application of ergonomics into the workplace can have enormous individual and organizational benefits - but with advances in workplace strategy and design, the workplace as we know it is rapidly changing. As many organizations increasingly incorporate mobile, flexible, remote or unassigned work into their overall strategies, their physical workplaces will need to change to fit these new ways of working. More than ever before, ergonomics will need to be a key component of the workplace in order to support ways of working in these mobile and flexible work environments.

Beyond business and financial outcomes, incorporation of ergonomics in the workplace has direct effects on occupant health, wellness and well-being. Proper workspace configuration can help to promote safe working practices, thereby reducing the risk of stress, strain or injury. Through training and education, as well as provision of supportive furniture and equipment, organizations can demonstrate an ongoing commitment to protecting the health and well-being of their workers.

Activity-Based Work
While ergonomics has been a workplace mainstay for quite some time, activity-based work is a relatively new concept. Historically, work environments have been primarily enclosed, with private offices reserved for executives and high-ranking employees. The open office has also been a longtime part of the workplace model, but configurations have traditionally focused on maximizing capacity and encouraging output, with little concern for employee preferences or well-being.

In recent years, organizations have changed the way they think about the work environment. Research has shown that the physical environment has direct effects on occupant feelings and behavior, for better or for worse, and many organizations have sought to use this information as a tool to maximize well-being and productivity at work. By rethinking the traditional workplace model, organizations have been able to increase collaboration, mobility and flexibility, as well as realize measurable benefits.

While workplace strategies vary across organizations (and no two workplaces are alike), one of the most popular design and planning strategies is activity-based work, where work takes place in a variety of locations, each of which is chosen based on the activity at hand. Depending on what needs to be done during the work day, employees may have different needs for concentration, privacy, acoustics or aesthetics. By providing a palette of workspaces from which to choose, activity-based work provides an environment that truly supports ways of working. While not an essential component, remote work or working from home can also be included in an activity-based workplace strategy.

With the addition of alternative workspaces, activity-based work aims to supplement traditional work settings and provide more options for where and how to do work. Rather than replace the individual workstation, these work settings can serve as additional places in which to do work, depending on the privacy, concentration or collaborative requirements of the task at hand. With this in mind, the same ergonomic considerations given to the individual workspace should be extended to each and every space in the activity-based work environment.

Because the open office represents a dramatic shift from the closed environments of years past, moving toward a more open design is often met with significant backlash. It’s important to recognize that while activity-based work does offer a more open, flexible workplace configuration, it also relies on a combination of open and enclosed, formal and informal spaces in which to do work. Successful implementation of activity-based work also relies on education, tools and training to ensure comfort and proper space utilization.

While an activity-based solution might look different from organization to organization, its benefits impact more than real estate utilization and savings. As interest in workplace wellness has increased in recent years, activity-based work has emerged as a way to promote more movement and flexibility in the workplace. Employees in an activity-based environment are encouraged to move among different workspaces throughout the course of the work day, which can contribute positively to physical and mental well-being.

As organizations strive to promote workplace wellness, it can be easy to forget about mental and psychological well-being. As part of the activity-based environment, design and planning should incorporate places of respite, where occupants can relax and recharge, away from external stimuli. Inclusion of these areas into the work environment has been shown to improve memory, concentration and productivity on the job - proof that everyone needs an opportunity to get away from it all sometimes.

Let Go of Labels and Snap Judgments of Others 

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

"It is only by knowing what to let go of, that you know more clearly what to hold on to."
          - Maggie Bedrosian, Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever
 
The article below is based on the book, "Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere" by Arnold Sanow and Sandra Strauss
 
How do we judge thee? Let us count the ways! We judge people on the basis of what we think is true about them. Our thoughts, however, are subjective, influenced not only by past experience, but also by vague rumors, gossip, and the opinions of others. We absorb this information-filtering it through the lens of our own expectations, feelings, interests, needs, values, prejudices, and attitudes-and combine it to form a judgment about the person.
 
This process is how our mind understands people, putting them in frameworks that make sense to us: "Mary isn't doing much of anything today, and she seems distracted. Maybe she's tired, or worried about something." Problems arise when the judgments become rigid, and we attach too much significance to them. Instead of judging Mary's behavior, we make a judgement about Mary's character: "Mary isn't doing much of anything today, and she seems distracted. How lazy can you get?"
 
When repeated difficulties with the person "confirm" our judgment, we program ourselves to expect only certain behaviors. We tend to slap an invisible label on him or her, such as Grouch, Hothead, or Jerk. Once we have affixed the label, it colors our reactions with every exchange: "Watch out! Here comes Mr. Volcano! Wonder what he'll explode about today?" or "Oh, oh! Wanda the Whiner will be at the meeting this afternoon. I can always count on her to throw a wrench into my ideas."
 
When we label someone, we begin discounting any information that goes against the label. Often, we're not even aware of these labels, but they can dramatically color our responses to the person. We project past memories of their behavior onto our future expectations, and anticipate trouble. Although their behavior may truly be causing us problems, attaching labels only exacerbates the issue. They're stuck with our labels, and we're stuck in negative patterns of response that doom any possibility of authenticity or growth the relationship might have had.
 
Parents get into the labeling act, too, perhaps as a way to explain or justify a child's behavior to others or even to garner a little sympathy for themselves for dealing with their child's perplexing or vexing actions. They assign labels such as "Our wild child," "Our willful one," or "My shy little girl." Parents also attach labels to their offspring for "star" behavior: "Our smart one" or "The athletic one," which can affect the self-esteem of other children in a family, who may internalize the message that they do not measure up to their "star" sibling. Labels stick, and children often respond by trying to live up (or down) to them, or by justifying their
actions as a result of a label.
 
Our judgments put people in boxes and we may dismiss their behaviors, tune them out, or not give them enough credit or a fair chance. Labeling can get in the way; we might ignore the person we labeled, even if he or she truly does have a valid concern or is absolutely right, as in the classic fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf (who everybody ignored because of his
earlier misbehavior even when he really did see the wolf).
 
One of the challenges of responding to difficult people is breaking free from how we see and judge them. When we remove the labels, we're no longer restricted to seeing them in confining roles. By meeting them fresh with each encounter, we don't drag along our accumulated shared history. Therefore, greet each encounter with an open mind that is free of labels. Closed minds close off options.
 
Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP is communication and interpersonal relationship expert
who delivers keynotes, workshops and coaching sessions. He is the author of 6 books to
include, “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” and “Present with Power, Punch
Pizzazz.” Recently he was named by Successful Meetings Magazine as one of the top 5
“best bang for the buck” speakers in the USA. www.arnoldsanow.com – [email protected]

​Sustainability Tip of the Month

This month's tip is provided by Silver Business Partner Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

The foliage is beginning to turn – let’s save those trees!  Set your copier default to copy double-sided.  If employees complain, ask if they have ever read a hard-copy book before!  Not only will you save paper, but you may also be able to save real estate costs by shrinking the size of your copy/mailrooms.

To find out how to get the full value for real estate savings through greening your lease, reach out to Jennifer Tatum at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank at 202-312-5771.

Branch Office Administrators Section Update

Jenna L. Carter
Office Administrator, Ropes & Gray LLP
Chair, Branch Office Administrators Section

On Tuesday, September 13th, the Branch Section welcomed Events to Press, CEO Rachel Fulchiero to present on event planning. Rachel has over 12 years of experience in event planning, marketing, public relations and venue consultation.  
 
During the presentation, Rachel gave us several event planning tips and tricks that could save you money.  Tip #1: Everything in a contract is negotiable.  Everything.
 
Rachel also discussed some of the current and upcoming event planning trends in the area.  For example, Rachel recommends using raw space to hold your event.  “There is so much available space right now in the city [D.C.] and brokers are willing to let you rent space for events for a reasonable rate.”  Rachel also recommended having interactive stations as a part of your events to keep your guests engaged.  Rachel wrapped up by going through new and creative ways we could flip our regular conference spaces into an incredible holiday party that can easily meet any budget. 
 
Attendees left the meeting with a renewed sense of confidence and inspiration to bring bigger and better parties to their Firms.

Master Emotional Control

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Sanow Professional Development

​“We are being judged by a new yardstick: not just how smart we are, or by our training and expertise, but also how well we handle ourselves and each other”
          - Daniel Goleman, Working with Emotional Intelligence
 
Being in control of your emotions puts you in charge of your destiny and increases the trust and respect you earn from others. Mastering emotional control gives you power – when you “lose it,” you lose your power too.
 
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we decide every instant how to respond to the events of life, whether it’s an insult hurled our way, a rude gesture, or an embroiling conflict. While other people or situations may aggravate, irritate, instigate, frustrate, disappoint or dishearten us, ultimately we choose what to feel and how to respond. We’re completely in charge of our emotional responses. No one makes us feel anything; we do it ourselves. It’s our own thoughts that make us cross or us calm and centered.
 
When we feed ourselves anger- rousing thoughts, it activates a feedback loop, circulating more anger – all dependent on what we tell ourselves. If you think or say, “He’s acting like an idiot! He makes me so angry!” your body will respond to your verbal cues and kick the body’s defense mechanisms into high gear. Our thoughts and feelings create mental and emotional states which influence how we related to situations and people in them.
 
Our anger buttons might go on alert when a certain word is spoken, a particular tone of voice is used, or an eyebrow is raised in displeasure. Countless things activate anger based on how we believe others should be thinking, behaving or feeling.
When people behave in ways that conflict with what we want, need or value our anger heats up.
 
Anger isn’t a “bad” emotion, however it produces bad feelings if not effectively managed. It leaves behind a trail of bitter feelings with powerfully destructive consequences, such as fueling hostility, resentment, and a desire for revenge. Anger is a natural human emotion that is experienced by everyone; it can be safely expressed without being aggressive or obnoxious
 
Avoid heated discussions. When we feel pressured, stressed or threatened, effective communication is often compromised. We may talk faster, speak at a higher frequency, or interrupt or rattle on as a means of dominating the conversation. These behaviors put others on red alert and they’re more likely to strike a defensive stance, with less willingness to listen or negotiate wit us.
 
When emotions heat up, switch to “cool down” self talk. This sends different messages to your brain, reducing the intensity of emotional reactions. It helps by changing your physiological responses an corresponding emotional state; thinking “cool” brings down your internal emotional thermostat:
 
  • I use my energy for solving problems
  • Stay cool … I’m keeping my cool
  • I am focused on solutions
  • We can work this out
  • I can handle this calmly
  • My intention is to create connection
 
“When you live in reaction, you give your power away. Then you get to experience what you gave your power to”
          - N Smith

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (certified speaking professional) is a speaker, trainer, presentations coach and facilitator with over 2,500 presentations. He is the author of 6 books to include, “Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz” and “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” www.arnoldsanow.com – [email protected]  

Sign up for Arnold's 2 minute tips newsletter at [email protected]
Want to start your own speaking and training business?  Contact Arnold at 703-255-3133 

Administrative Committees

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

Contact: Jacqueline Moline, [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: Vanessa Partin (Co-Chair), [email protected]; Cindy Schuler (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: Sheri Shifflett (Chair), [email protected]; Emily Christianson (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [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: Barbara Kernus (Co-Chair), [email protected]; Cheryl Flynn (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: Jenna Carter (Chair),  [email protected]; Danita Ellis (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: Sharon Smith (Chair), [email protected]; Kimberly J. Potter (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: Carmen C. Barboza (Chair), [email protected]; Aryn Blanton (Co-Chair),  [email protected] ​
Listserv: [email protected]

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

Contact:  Kenia Garner (Chair), [email protected]; Qeyana Hart (Co-Chair), [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]

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

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


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Finance
Based on member feedback the Capital Chapter has formed a new Finance Section. We are seeking active members to helps us get this group up and running in 2016! As we get started, we will be focusing on what issues members are facing within their firms that we may be able to help address together. Topics may range from reviewing new time and billing systems to tax filings and matter budgeting solutions and anything in between. Your input is needed! Please consider adding Finance section meetings to your monthly educational schedule.
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Contact: Andy George (Chair),  [email protected]; Evan Kettig (Co-Chair),  [email protected]
Listserv: [email protected]
 
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]; Frank Schipani (Co-Chair),  [email protected]; 
Listserv: [email protected]