October 2018

Capital Connection is published monthly for members of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators to provide information for the education and benefit of legal administrators, law office managers, managing partners of law firms, and other law related associations. Capital Connection is not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or tax counseling or advice through this publication.  The contents of all articles, letters, and advertisements published in Capital Connection should not be considered endorsements by the Capital Chapter of ALA nor the opinion expressed therein of any products advertised.   Contributing authors are requested and expected to disclose financial and/or professional interests and affiliations that may influence their writing position. Articles and materials accepted for publication are subject to editing by the editorial team and become property of the Capital Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Links to Capital Connection may not be shared without permission from the Chapter. 
Editors: Cindy Conover; Valerie L. Williamson
Associate Editor: Paula Serratore
​Contributing Editors: Jenna Carter; Valerie L. Williamson; JK Moving; Jake Krocheski; Annie Malhotra; Richard Gibson; Robert Half Legal; Qeyana M. Hart; Howie Schaffer
Newsletter Designed By: Jessica Davis

In this issue:

• President's Message
• New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members
• Members on the Move
• Easing the Post-Vacation Blues
• September 2018 Diversity Observances
• Spotlight: JK Moving, Gold Business Partner
• The 10 Most Important Questions to Ask About Accounts Receivable Management
• September Diversity Spotlights
• Spotlight: Robert Half Legal, Gold Business Partner
• 3rd Quarter Community Service Initiative: Stuff the Bus
• Diversity Corner: Get Inspired!

 

President's Message

Jenna Carter

 

New and Returning ALA Capital Chapter Members

Gretchen Condy
Baker Hostetler
Office Manager
1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington Square
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
gcondy@bakerlaw.com
 
Maiko Price
Miles & Stockbridge PC
1500 K Street NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
mprice@milesstockbridge.com
 
Robin Walsh
Epstein Becker Green PC
Assistant Office Administrator
1227 25th Street, NW
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20037
rwalsh@ebglaw.com

Kevin Hough
Gilbert LLP
IT Manager
1100 New York Avenue
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
houghk@gotofirm.com
 
Paul Herrmann
Joseph Greenwald & Laake
Director of Marketing
6404 Ivy Ln Greenbelt
#400
Greenbelt, MD 20770
paulherrmann1000@gmail.com
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Members on the Move

Please join us in wishing the following member well in her new positions:

 Deborah A. Elliott
Vedder Price P.C.
East Coast Office Manager
1401 I Street, N.W.
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
delliott@vedderprice.com

 

Coworking and the Legal Sector

David C. Smith and Derek Daniels
 
The Rapid Rise of Coworking
While commercial real estate is not the fastest changing industry, there have been a number of trends that have started to evolve the industry in relatively short order. Of these, none is more notable than coworking. In the past three years the nationwide coworking inventory has doubled, and it is now well over 30 million square feet (msf). Most of this growth has been in major Gateway markets such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. However, the supply of coworking is now quickly increasing in secondary markets across the country. For example, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and Miami now each have over a million square feet of coworking space.
 
The attractiveness of coworking to freelancers, small businesses, and, increasingly, large corporations is multifaceted: there is greater lease flexibility, the space is turnkey and contains high-end, modern amenities, and there is a built-in community for freelancers and entrepreneurs who often work alone. Additionally, large coworking providers can utilize their scale to offer members discounted access to services and tools that small firms and individuals may not be able to leverage on their own. These services include accounting services, access to technology solutions for customer relationship management (CRM), virtual assistants, travel programs, and many more.
 
Coworking is no longer just the domain of freelancers, however. Corporations are looking at the flexibility and potential employee experience benefits as reason to incorporate it as a part of their global office portfolios. Coworking can give larger organizations the opportunity to quickly grow or shrink their portfolio size on the margins. It is also a tool for starting an office in a new market without investing in a full, traditional office location right at the start. Additionally, coworking locations can be used as “offices on the go” for employees who are traveling and may need a place to land for a day or a few hours.
 
A Solution for Law Firms?
With most trends once a concept is proven there are then a variety of similar variations on the original idea. With coworking, smaller players have followed the lead of the large providers, such as WeWork and Spaces, and have created niche offerings of the coworking experience. This has begun to seep into the legal sector as locations catering specifically to lawyers are popping up around the country.

​To date, the legal sector-focused coworking inventory is budding and is occupied by small boutique providers that have fewer than ten locations. However, there are currently over 30 such locations around the U.S. with concentrations in historically strong legal markets such as San Francisco, Washington, DC, and New York. There are a growing number of companies opening or already with multiple locations in different cities (e.g., Law Firm Suites on the East Coast and Pacific Workplaces in the West), and if development plans remain on track the total inventory could be near 50 locations by 2019. While this may currently be the domain of small providers focused primarily on firms with a handful of lawyers, there are reasons to keep an eye on the burgeoning trend:
 

• Precedent: The broader coworking movement began as a new—and wildly popular—working option for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small startups.  There was large demand for the increased access to high-quality workspace, community, and technology. However, large occupiers have begun to realize that there are also many benefits for them. Law firms may do the same.
  
  
• Youth: What differentiates “modern coworking” from shared spaces of the 1990’s is the dual emphasis on quality and community. By shrinking the per employee square footage allocations, coworking providers can offer a higher level of amenities—wood finishes, lighting, coffee, technology, etc.—while increasing the sense of community. Younger workers find this compelling and attractive. This is true of younger lawyers as well.

 

• Growth: One way that corporations—including large law firms—can utilize coworking is as a short-term solution when expanding into new markets. Coworking can provide a place to put a small team that is exploring expansion into a new city. The turn key space and short-term memberships allow for a quick and nimble bridge until the firm is ready to obtain a larger, traditional real estate lease.

 

• Flexibility: As law firm merger trends continue, commercial real estate portfolios will continue to expand. National firms with hefty footprints may want to look at coworking options as a hedge that allows for the quick and easy expansion or reduction of the portfolio when economic or hiring winds change.

 
It remains too early to say that coworking will be a wide-spread solution in the legal sector. There are certainly idiosyncrasies of the legal sector—confidentiality and client privilege, for example—that may make standard coworking’s emphasis on open floor plans and shared space less attractive. However, it is a significant and growing part of the corporate real estate landscape, and there are an expanding number of firms trying to figure how to leverage its benefits for the legal community. There may very well be lessons from coworking’s rapid growth that help law firms think through how to best leverage their real estate portfolios for the future.

 

October 2018 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.


Click here for the full list of October 2018 observances

 

Hilltop Consultants: Optimize Your PC

Jim Turner,
President, Hilltop Consultants, Inc.

One of the most common questions I receive from clients, is “How can they make their computer run faster?”  While businesses will spend thousands on servers, switches, and other infrastructure, the computers their staff work on are often an afterthought. 
 
Most computers purchased in the past few years should have plenty of memory.  Adding more memory alone may not speed up your computer.
 
Here are five tips to improve the speed of your computers.

1. Limit how many programs and services run at startup.  By default, some programs set themselves to run automatically when you boot log on to your computer.
   
   
2. Uninstall programs you never use.  Did your computer get shipped to you with programs you don’t use or need?  Remove them! 
   
   
3. Turn off Windows Animations.  For most users, they are unnecessary.
   
   
4. Run fewer programs at the same time.  Studies have shown that multi-tasking doesn’t necessarily save you time.
   
   
5. Restart your computer regularly.  Restarting your computer frees up memory, and may be needed in order for your computer to install the latest updates from Microsoft. 

 
For more information and suggestions, visit https://support.microsoft.com and search for “Optimize”.
 
If all of this seems like a little much for you, talk to your IT team or Managed Services Provider and ask about PC Optimization.

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How to Get Rid of Used Office Furniture (the Right Way)

Green Standards

EPA estimates 8.5 million tons of office furniture and equipment are sent to landfill each year in the US alone. By working with likeminded organizations, Green Standards keeps these items in use and out of the landfill. 

Sustainable Surplus Management
Green Standards provides businesses with a responsible, cost-effective way to redistribute surplus office furniture and equipment. Through a managed program of asset resale, recycling, and donation, we’re able to generate measurable value for your company and your community.  

Asset Distribution Plan
We use a dynamic approach to asset recovery and redistribution. With an extensive, international network of non-profits, resellers, recyclers, and commercial movers, we can deploy a sustainable, cost-competitive solution anywhere in North America.
 
Donation

• Donation of items to avoid waste and landfill costs while aiding and engaging the community.

 
Resale

• Resale of high-value furniture, equipment, construction materials, fixtures, and artwork to offset project costs and avoid landfill.

Recycle

• Recycling items with high-metal content to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and offset costs.

 
Social Impact
Every item is an opportunity to help a local non-profit while reducing waste. To date, we have coordinated $25 million worth of in-kind donations to community organizations across North America. 
 
A Triple Bottom Line Approach
We turn surplus office furniture and equipment into dynamic benefits for your business, your community, and the greater environment. Each project is an opportunity to optimize costs and streamline operations while enabling your company to do good.

Maximizing Return on Investment
Maximizing value recovery for each client is our top priority. We make this possible by using the largest resale network in North America, and by minimizing logistics, storage, and landfill fees. By developing a specialized process and supporting technologies, we have consistently saved clients more time, effort, and money than conventional solutions.
 
Protecting the Planet
We divert over 98% of your surplus assets away from the landfill through a unique combination of resale, recycling, and charitable donations, customized to fit every project. Each project comes with detailed environmental data to benchmark performance and complement waste reporting.
 
Benefiting the Community
We’ve made it simple for businesses to turn potential waste into valuable community donations. In-kind donations are as important to non-profit organizations as monetary gifts, allowing them to better focus their resources on their core mission, while making their workspaces safer, more functional, and more welcoming.
 
Data and Story-Telling Made Easy
Our cloud-based reporting is designed to help clients measure, manage, and share the impact of their work. Environmental reporting includes access to detailed metrics, including waste diversion and CO2e offsets. To demonstrate the impact of donations, social reporting includes testimonials and photos from benefiting organizations; these serve as a tool for transparency and share the positive outcomes with stakeholders.

In Summary
Our team of environmental stewards have worked with our clients on over 1500 projects and diverted 45,000+ tons of surplus furniture and equipment from landfill (a 98% diversion rate) while generating more than $25 million worth of in-kind donations to over 4,500 non-profits across North America. The 45,000+ tons diverted from landfill equates to more than 152,000 metric tons of CO2e reductions.
 
Our clients are typically leading brands from all sectors, including General Motors, Adobe, McKesson, Microsoft, Salesforce.com, OMERS/Oxford, United Airlines, Wells Fargo, KPMG, Manulife, Scotiabank, TELUS and many others.

Interested in learning more? 
Connect with Green Standards for their industry leading turn-key solution for a sustainable removal: info@greenstandardsltd.com

A better process. A better outcome. Anywhere in the US and Canada.

 

3rd Annual ALACC Catering Extravaganza

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

On September 18th, the Branch Section of the ALA Capital Chapter hosted its annual Third Annual Catering Extravaganza.  This year it was held at Pillsbury Shaw, with assistance of Kenia Garner and her team.  We were grateful to have seating this year, a first for this type of event.  The selection of 12 caterers included a small, specialty dessert company, various full-service caterers, and even a halal caterer.  There was something for every size firm and any kind of event.  Once again, the caterers pulled out all of the stops including beautiful tablescapes to present their food offerings, to-go containers and even a take home apple pie!  We also had SixPlus, a service provider available to explain their business of helping connect members with offsite event planning options.  Most of the caterers this year were new attendees to the catering event providing fresh catering options to the Chapter members.  

 

October Diversity Spotlight

Business Partner Spotlight: Gil Carpel, Washington Express Movers

​“E Pluribus Unum” the Latin quote on the dollar bill in your purse or wallet, is one of the founding principles of our nation and it means that “from  the many comes one”.  The founding fathers knew that from diversity can come unity ans strength. It is a concept that a smart business can also use to their benefit. Employees of various backgrounds, ethnicity, age and sex, bring their diversity and individual experience to the workplace and can make any business better, but only if a company takes advantage of this  diversity.  And this can only happen if a business consciously diversifies and  then makes an effort to listen to their staff. Companies can  make opportunities for the diversity of views in their midst  by surveying and asking specific questions to  their staff to illicit  their ideas and suggestions and then using these ideas to make smarter business decisions. Though diversity may be in fashion now as it  is a legal and  ethical standard in today’s marketplace, it  is also just good business.  It  allows management to use diversity to make the company smarter and better and more customer friendly. 
​

Member Spotlight: Astrid Emond

How do you try to bring diversity/inclusion into your workplace and everyday life?
I try to see the beauty and excitement of diversity. I am also convinced that we will find connectedness with those who are different from us, we just need to be open and look. I was in Johannesburg in 2015, and had the opportunity to spend a night as a guest of a family in Soweto. To set the context, Soweto was experienced serious riots in 1976, as a result of Afrikaans being used in African schools. Violence broke out and 176 students were killed and more than a 1000 were injured. This trip had an incredible impact on me. One experience I had stands out to me. I made a connection with a young man taking photographs of tourists in front of the Hector Pieterson Museum. Hector Pieterson, was a 12 year old schoolboy who was shot during the Soweto uprising when police started shooting protesting students. But, back to my story, on the surface, we looked different from one another in many different ways. He was probably 15-20 years younger than I am; he was a male, I am a female, he was a black South African while I am a white German-American. We immediately connected through our interest in photography – we were both taking pictures with professional cameras. After an incredibly short conversation, in minutes, I handed this stranger my camera. The significance of this moment was profound to me. We were standing at the place where Hector Pieterson was shot in Soweto, in the 1970’s. I am not sure I can adequately put into words how I felt; 50 years before, the act of a white woman and a black man swapping camera equipment would never have happened. It couldn’t have. In this place, a black child was killed under the apartheid regime in South Africa. But this day in 2015, I stood with the black man and I could see his thrill when he heard the shutter release sound in his smile, and it warmed my soul. It’s one of my favorite sounds too. The feeling I had when we connected that day will forever remain with me. That feeling is a reminder of being open to an experience with someone who is very different from me and how it felt when someone who was different from me was open to an experience with me. Together, we created connection, inclusion, and belonging.

What does diversity mean to you?
Diversity – there is the dictionary definition, “of the condition of having or being composed of differing elements.” I see differences in culture, religion, abilities, sexual orientation, thoughts and opinions, as examples of diversity, and so many others. Diversity, is what makes us unique and it is the lens we use to see and interpret the world. My “Global Diversity/Cultural Capacity” professor, Enrique Zaldivar, described this as our “unique culture lens” (UCL). He taught us to use our UCL as a way to deeply explore and get to know our own lens so we might be in a better position to interact with the world. Understanding how and why we see and experience life allows us to make a conscious decision to our biases, prejudice, and close-mindedness.
One particular layer of my UCL I explored was my nationality and immigration to the United States. In my mid-twenties I emigrated from Germany, into an English-speaking environment. In addition to my national identity, I have many other lenses that impact the way I see and interact with the world. The experience of having a brother with an intellectual & developmental disability, living with a brain tumor myself, working my way from secretary to management, being the first in my immediate family to graduate from college, being straight, white, a woman and so on. On the surface, I may look like a middle-class, educated white woman – but like everyone else, there are unique layers to my experience that differentiate me from you. I’ve learned to use these, my UCL, to be cognizant of and open to the rich diversity surrounding me every day.
 
What do you like to do outside of work?
​​I am easily excited to have new experiences and find new passions. My interests and passions change frequently. Over the last few years, my passions have included traveling, food, running and hiking. I am not a foodie/gourmet! I just love the adventure of tasting local foods when I’m traveling. A few years ago, I tasted mopane worms in Johannesburg. They were not something I would necessarily eat again; but, I am excited to have tried them. This year, I enjoyed Rosé, cheese, baguette and olive oil in Southern France, next year, if all goes well, I’ll get to taste something delicious in Patagonia – Chile. After all that food, I love running and hiking, I can’t sit still long. I completed the 2017 Marine Corps Marathon, hiked the ‘24ish Mile Grand Canyon Rim2Rim’ trail as a day-hike. I also love hiking in the Sierra Nevada, having summiting a pass at 11,760 feet. Now, I have my sights on a 14,000 foot mountain. Photography is a lens I love to use to see the world. My niche is mostly travel and landscape photography where I capture images of my travels and hikes. I am also active in the Organization Development community through volunteer work.

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Change Your Mindset: Service Not Sales

Katie Bryant, CLM
Executive Director,Udall Shumway PLC
Chair, ALA Business Partner Relations Project Team.

The way organizations buy has dramatically changed in recent years, creating the need for a consistent, resourceful approach to business development.  Nearly every ALA member is directly responsible or involved in the source selection process and having great business partnerships is critical to their firm’s success.  Relationships are the foundation for sustained revenue results.  It’s about being authentic, generous and intentional.  Your mindset as to how you develop these relationships cannot be one that comes from a desire to sell or the “get”.  By shifting the focus from selling to serving will give members what they need to solve their problems and build your credibility as a trusted resource and partner.  But how?

1. Listen – The average ALA member is responsible for nearly 100 business partnerships for their firm, so ditch the script or traditional sales pitch.  Establish and open dialogue with the goal of an authentic connections.  Ask good questions and listen to the answers.  Look for opportunities to offer help.
2. Seek to understand – let the member know they are being heard by becoming knowledgeable about their big picture situation (priorities, goals and objectives).  Reference other customers you have in similar situations.  ALA members rate member reference as a leading reason for their source selection, so create ALA advocates among your customer base.
3. Provide solutions – if a business partner listens to a member’s problems they can provide a range of possible solutions.  This range may or may not include the business partner’s product or service, but it might also include an introduction to another business partner or the sharing of insight that will help the member advance their goals.  By embracing this type of generosity in a targeted way, it creates a positive experience, builds your reputation as resourceful and client-focused, and will lead to referrals and sales down the road
4. Plant seeds – focus on the long game.  Some sourcing decisions can have 18-24-month decision-making cycles.  By establishing themselves as a resource, a business partner will be able to anticipate future solutions through conversations that engage members on a deeper level.  Abandon the “pain point” selling philosophy to create a quick purchasing decision.  This is rarely in the member’s best interest and creates those negative “vendor” stereotypes.  Rather, think service instead of sales which will create an experience that focuses on generosity and providing solutions to problems that need to be solved.  Become a student of ALA and learn the topics and issues our member firms are facing each day.  ALAnet.org and Legal Management magazine offer opportunities to get connected through social networks and subscriptions. 

Can you envision what your engagement with ALA members would look like under this different paradigm of service not sales?  It’s a game changer.  Your generosity will develop relationships with decision-makers.  You’ll learn about their challenges and goals.  You will build your credibility as you position yourself as a resource of information and expertise.  While these acts of generosity may not lead to immediate sales, they establish you as a source of solutions and as a person invested in the member’s success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Katie Bryant, CLM, serves as the Chair of ALA’s Business Partner Relations Project Team. She is the Executive Director of Udall Shumway PLC in Mesa, Arizona

 

2018 Trolley Tour

Janice Byrum-Jackson
Operations Manager, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Co-Chair, OOMS Community

On September 22, the Capital Chapter of the ALA had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the 2018 Trolley Tour hosted by the Office Operations Management Section “OOMS.”  This unique opportunity for law firms to showcase their newly constructed or renovated office space featured three Firms ranging in size from 26 to 65 attorneys.
 
We started the tour with a delicious breakfast catered by Toastique, a new woman-owned restaurant located on Water Street.  Treats from District Donuts and SWAG bags (courtesy of HITT Construction) were a pleasant surprise.  Fish & Richardson is the first law firm to move to the new Water Front neighborhood.  Their new office space, designed by Gensler, features single-size offices for all of their attorneys, with clear glass office fronts and ergonomic sit/stand furniture.  The two-story Reception area showcases breathtaking river views and incorporates a floating staircase above stone pebble flooring that mirrors the movement and sparkle of the water below.
 
Next we traveled to 20th and K Street to tour the headquarters of Bookoff McAndrews.  The build-out, designed by FormArchitects, features same-size offices for all attorneys and provides sit/stand furniture for both attorneys and staff.  In the conference area, the movable glass wall opens to make a large event space that includes the lunchroom/pantry and game room.  The attorneys and staff can relax by playing Pac-Man, shuffleboard and games on the video console.  Score is kept on a blackboard painted wall, which tracks the friendly competition between teams.
 
Our final stop was in the Dupont Circle neighborhood and is the headquarters of Bonner Kiernan.   The 36 attorney firm partnered with CRESA and Fox Architects to renovate the space in order to support the firm's open and progressive work style.  The design flipped the conference and amenity spaces for improved flexibility and flow.  They added a dramatic stone wall adjacent to the Reception desk and renovated the old lunch room to a natural, light-filled café. The space’s lively colors and modern furniture support collaboration and conversation, which come together to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
 
The 2018 Trolley Tour was a big success and gave us a peek at the contemporary office designs in the DC market.  The OOMs committee would like to extend a big thank you to our hosts at Fish & Richardson, Bookoff McAndrews, and Bonner Kiernan. 
 
Special thanks to our Diamond business partner, HITT Construction, and Gold business partners, CRESA and Gensler, for making this event possible, and for allowing us to see the valuable services they bring to our Capital Chapter members.

 

Ambassador Program Video

Check out our new video - starring Member Experience Committee Chair and Co-Chair Sarahi Estrella and Dot Mooney - to learn more about the Capital Chapter's Ambassador Program!

 

D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program – A Helping Hand: HR and Diversity & Inclusion Communities September Meeting Summary

James L. Cornell
Office Administrator - Washington, D.C.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. 

The D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program was established in 1985 to provide free and confidential assistance to lawyers, judges, and law students who experience problems that interfere with their personal lives or their ability to serve as counsel or officers of the court. This is an important mission given the challenges and pressures of practicing law, coupled with the many responsibilities of daily life. Denise Perme, the D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) Manager, understands these pressures as she has supervised clinical staff and managed the LAP since 2006.

On September 12, the HR and Diversity & Inclusion Communities of the ALA Capital Chapter hosted their September meeting at Bookoff McAndrews PLLC, and had the opportunity to hear Ms. Perme, and John H., discuss ways the Lawyer Assistance Program can assist in identifying actions to take in response to warnings signs of lawyers in crisis, as well as assist them with good mental health, and wellness. Denise shared these staggering statistics from recent surveys during her presentation:

• 22.6% of lawyers felt their use of alcohol or substances was a problem sometime during their lives (ABA-Hazelden study)
• 47.7 % of lawyers reported problematic use of alcohol and substance abuse started within the first 15 years following law school (ABA-Hazelden study)
• 28 – 45.7% of lawyers suffer from depression (ABA-Hazelden study)
• Of 28 occupations surveyed, lawyers are most likely to suffer depression (Johns Hopkins University study)
• Suicide is 3rd leading cause of death among Canadian lawyers (after heart disease and cancer)

​What these statistics don’t tell is the impact that substance abuse and depression can have on a lawyer’s ability to fulfil their responsibilities to their clients. Consider the following:

• Nationally, 40 to 70% of all disciplinary actions taken against lawyers are taken against lawyers with substance use or mental health problems
• 80% of Client Protection Fund cases involve chemical dependency or a gambling component

The definition of addiction is continuing a behavior after suffering negative consequences as a result of that behavior. The statistics support this definition, however the message from the presentation is that help is available, and the D.C. Bar LAP can make a difference to a member suffering with addiction by giving them assistance so they can return to living a normal and healthy life.

Depression among lawyers is also common, and the high prevalence may be due to factors such as increased competition for work and success, complexity of the law, distinctive lawyer personality traits and training such as thinking, and not feeling, as well social isolation due to job demands. Denise provided tips for recognizing that a lawyer may be struggling with depression and the tell-tale signs such as decreased productivity, absenteeism, morale problems, uncharacteristic lack of cooperation, complaints about always being tired, disruptive behavior, and substance abuse, as often depression and substance abuse appear together. Additionally, Denise stressed that talk of suicide by any one in our organizations should always be taken seriously, and we should encourage a colleague, who may be feeling that way, to get help through the LAP, family physician, or psychiatrist.

John H. gave testimony of his struggles with addiction, depression and mental health challenges in law school, and the toll it took on his life. However, John’s story is one of hope and recovery as he spoke about the window of opportunity that exists when someone, who is struggling with addiction, is open to making a change and seeking assistance. John found assistance in a window of opportunity, and through focus on his health and well-being has been able to practice law, and maintain good health in both his professional and personal life.
I greatly appreciated the topic of this educational presentation and the resources that the DC Bar LAP offers as I have personally seen careers and lives ruined by addiction and mental health issues. I am thankful for the information from Denise about what we can do to assist colleagues who are struggling, and John for having the courage to share his story. My only wish from the presentation was for there to be greater inclusion in the services offered by the LAP. I believe that many professional legal staff members that work daily with lawyers are susceptible to the same pressures and trappings of the legal industry, and would benefit greatly if similar assistance services were available to them. Perhaps this is something that ALA and other associations can partner with bar associations on so all members of our organization have the opportunity for a helping hand when the stresses of the profession so many of us love become too great?

Below is a list of links with more information on lawyer assistance and well-being programs. Please feel free to share them with your firm/organization.
​
American Bar Association Wellness Pledge: https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2018/09/aba-launches-pledge-campaign-to-improve-mental-health-and-well-b/
DC Bar Lawyer Assistance Program: http://www.dcbar.org/bar-resources/lawyer-assistance-program/. Members of the LAP are available for presentations at your firm or organization by calling 202.347.3131 or lap@dcbar.org. 
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: http://lawyerwellbeing.net/

 

October Diversity Tip Sheet: The Silver Anniversary of the ADA

Carianne Reggio, Orange County Public Schools

As the Americans with Disabilities Coordinator for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), I
have the pleasure of oversee the ADA program in the public school system here in Central Florida. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with and assisting disabled employees in the employment environment. With this, celebrating the anniversary of the ADA was particularly important to me.

The Silver Anniversary of the ADA
A quarter-century ago, America became the first nation to comprehensively declare equality for its citizens with disabilities through the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law presents the promise of equal opportunity, equal access, and equal treatment for every American by being designed to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities.

On July 26, 1990, the ADA became the law of the land when President George H.W. Bush signed this groundbreaking law. On that day he said, “With today’s signing of the landmark Americans [with] Disabilities Act, every man, woman and child with a disability can now pass through once- closed doors into a bright new era of equality, freedom and independence.” In his speech, President Bush hoped that the law would break down "the shameful walls of exclusion" that people with disabilities encountered throughout their lives.

July 26, 2015 marked the 25th anniversary of this law. Twenty-five years later, we celebrate that groundbreaking law and all that it has made possible.

Thanks to the ADA, millions of Americans with disabilities have had the chance to develop their talents, make their unique contributions to the world and share in the American dream. Schools, courthouses, workplaces, sports stadiums, movie theaters, buses and national parks now belong to everyone. The ADA has paved the way for these advancements and America is stronger and more impartial as a result.

There is Still a Great Deal of Work to Do
While the 25th anniversary is a time to celebrate this landmark legislation, it is also an opportunity to reflect on all that still needs to be achieved so that individuals with disabilities have the same access to the American Dream as every other citizen.

After a quarter-century, many disabled Americans still have not fully realized the American Dream of meaningful employment, personal independence, owning a home, financial independence through fair pay and full use of electronic technology. These continue to elude individuals with disabilities and be beyond their  grasp.

Employment Barriers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2014, only 17.1% of Americans with disabilities were employed. These numbers have remained relatively the same for the past 25 years.
Far too many Americans with disabilities are still unemployed, even though they are willing and able to work and have so much to contribute. In some cases, it involves a lack of access to skills training, while in other cases it involves an employer not being able to see all that a disabled candidate for a job has to offer, resulting in incredible talent going to waste. When hired, the large majority of supervisors rank disabled individuals as among their highest contributing and most loyal employees. More strides still must be made to ensure that people with disabilities, when employed, are paid fairly for their labor.

More strides must be made to ensure that children with disabilities receive every opportunity to learn and acquire the necessary skills that will last a lifetime. A large gap in education and degree attainment persists between students with and without disabilities.

Technological Barriers
Strides must be made to ensure that disabled Americans have access to technology that allows for their full participation in this 21st-century economy.

Technological barriers hinder disabled individual’s full participation in society, as they are significantly excluded from technologies that make life, education, employment and entertainment easier for most other Americans. Every day, blind Americans and many others with disabilities, encounter technological barriers in performing otherwise routine tasks, such as shopping for essentials, paying bills or booking a flight. These barriers can lead to a loss of productivity, lost educational opportunities, or even loss of employment. The need for accessible technology in the classroom is also an urgent need as we shape America’s future.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) signaled its intent in 2010 to issue regulations applying the ADA to the internet but five years later, although the regulations were drafted, they have yet to be issued.

Unconscious Bias
The important of education in assisting hiring managers to overcome these preconceived notions cannot be overstated. This is one of the keys to confronting and overcoming these biases in hiring disabled individuals.

What Can We Personally Do to Move the Cause Forward & Make a Difference?
The White House Summit on Disability Employment included their “25 for ADA25 — Suggestions for Employers on Improving Disability Inclusion.” These are 25 recommendations for actions you can take in the workplace.1

These suggestions that can assist you in the employment arena are as follows:
1.) Hire new people with significant disabilities by July 26, 2016 who:

• Receive Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Ticket to Work, Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment, or American Job Center services.
• Receive special education services in high school or disability-related services in college;
• Take part in the Workforce Recruitment Program;
• Work in sheltered workshops or other community rehabilitation programs; and/or
• Receive services from Centers for Independent Living.

2.)  Get  a  commitment  from  top  company  leadership.  Hold  a  disability  awareness event where the CEO or other senior managers speak openly about their commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting people with disabilities.

3.) Host a disability mentoring day at your company. Work with local schools, disability organizations, and VR providers to help plan the event. Encourage senior leadership to get involved.

4.) Connect with local disability advocacy organizations. Let them know your business needs and goals. Find out ways they can help implement or improve your disability employment program.

5.) Partner with a local service provider, independent living center, Vocational Rehabilitation agency, Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment program office, Employment Network, disability advocacy organization, high school special education program, and/or college disability student center for upcoming hiring needs. Let them know what jobs you have and find out how these partners can help you to recruit qualified job seekers with disabilities.

6.) Make sure your online job application process is accessible for people with disabilities.

7.) Develop paid internship, apprenticeship, and/or on-the-job training programs that are
inclusive of individuals with disabilities.

8.) Invest in the future. Keep the resumes of people with disabilities who you don’t hire. Reconsider those candidates for the next opening and share their resumes with your colleagues.

9.) Start or expand an employee resource group for employees with disabilities.

10.) Start a reverse or reciprocal mentoring program. Connect senior leadership with employees with disabilities to learn about and from each other.

11.) Develop  and   implement   a   mentoring  program   for   employees  with  disabilities.
Integrate this program into existing diversity mentoring programs.

12.) Stress the value you place on people with disabilities as employees and customers. Ensure that people with disabilities are included in your overall diversity strategy. Publicize this information on your external website, social media, and other company materials.

13.) Challenge stereotypes and change workplace culture  by  profiling  senior  staff members and managers who are people with disabilities. Doing so will create a workplace where employees with disabilities feel confident, open, and proud of who they are and what they contribute to your company’s bottom line.

14.) Educate and train human resource professionals, talent acquisition staff, and supervisory staff on recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting people with disabilities. Integrate trainings with existing employee and management staff development programs.

15.) Utilize services offered by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN). Both JAN and EARN provide free customized training and consultation services for employers.

16.) Develop and implement a reasonable accommodations process.

17.) Create a centralized fund for reasonable accommodation, which will allow supervisors to make determinations regarding accommodations without regard to budgetary impact.

18.) Train supervisors and human resource professionals on the benefits of using publicly funded supported employment services, such as job coaches.

19.) Develop a tailored on-boarding program for all employees that includes information  on topics such as reasonable accommodation procedures and ensure that orientation materials that are available in accessible formats.

20.) Ensure employee training and professional development programs – onsite and online
– are inclusive of people with disabilities. Make sure these programs are accessible and that reasonable accommodations will be provided if needed.

21.) Train Employee Assistance Program (EAP) staff to assist employees with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities in navigating work incentives planning, Medicaid, and other disability-related services.

22.) Mentor and learn from other companies about how to recruit hire, retain,  and  promote people with disabilities.

23.) Leverage your procurement process to give preference  to  disability-owned  businesses.

24.) Find out if your business contracts with sheltered workshops or other community rehabilitation programs paying subminimum wage. If they are, explore opportunities to incorporate those workers into your workplace or work with current contractors that operate sheltered workshops to develop other competitive integrated employment opportunities.

25.) Set and achieve measurable goals. Track and share your success  with  other businesses, industry liaison groups, disability advocates, and the federal agencies that are part of the Curb Cuts to the Middle Class Initiative.

In conclusion, I look forward to the next 25 years bringing increased equality and inclusiveness so that there is equal opportunity for all Americans. At the ADA’s silver anniversary, would you join me in the commitment to renewed collective action to tackle the barriers that still prevent far too many disabled individuals from living the lives that they want and deserve? Through this, in the future, perhaps we can assist in turning the dream of a society that values and includes all into reality.

Reference
1 “25 for ADA25 — Suggestions for Employers on Improving Disability,” US Department of Labor, August 31, 2015, http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/photos/slideshows/20150717- ODEP.htm.

​Reprinted with permission from the Association of Legal Administrators. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved. www.alanet.org

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Administrative Committees

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

Contact: Cindy Conover, Cindy.Conover@Shearman.com; Valerie Williamson, valerie.williamson@bassberry.com; Paula Serratore, pserratore@alacapchap.org

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

Contact: Ellen Clinton (Chair), ellen.clinton@kutakrock.com;  Cameron Gowan (Co-Chair), cgowan@jonesday.com

Salary Survey
The Salary Survey Committee is responsible for maintaining, updating and running the local survey each year. They review the positions listed, the job descriptions, and the benefits questions to ensure that the survey remains relevant to the end users. The members of the committee also promote the survey within the Chapter to stimulate participation. 

Contact: Julie Tomey (Chair), tomey@thewbkfirm.com; Sheri Shifflett (Co-Chair), Cheryl.Shifflett@saul.com 

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

Contact: Sarahi Estrella (Chair), sarahi.estrella@arentfox.com ; Dot Mooney (Co-Chair), dmooney@powerslaw.com​

Educational Communities

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

Contact: Jackie Thomas (Chair), jackie.thomas@agg.com; Anjanette Milladge (Co-Chair), amilladge@sandw.com 
Listserv: branch@lists.alacapchap.org
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Office Operations Management
The members of the Office Operations Management Community represent a cross section of legal expertise from functional administrators to branch office managers. The Office Operations Management Section (OOMS) meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month to discuss operations related hot topics. We welcome all members to join the section, especially if you are an administrator in a small law office and you have to wear multiple hats. We can provide you with many best practices to run your operation smoothly.

Contact:  Linda Padron (Chair), lpadron@curtis.com; Janice Byrum-Jackson (Co-Chair),  jbyrum-jackson@hunton.com
Listserv: ooms@lists.alacapchap.org

Intellectual Property (IP)
The Intellectual Property (IP) Community focuses on all aspects of legal management as it pertains to the IP Administrator. The group discusses the complexity of the ever-changing IP environment and how to effectively create and apply IP specific, non-legal procedures in both boutique and general practice firms. 

Contact: Astrid Emond (Chair), aemond@bakerlaw.com; Matthew Cichocki (Co-Chair), mcichocki@cooley.com
Listserv: ipadmin@lists.alacapchap.org



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

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


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

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

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

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