2012 ALA Annual Conference - Idea Exchange

At the upcoming ALA 2012 Annual Conference in Honolulu, ALA National will again host an idea exchange for ALA members in the personal injury plaintiff practice areas. Click HERE to view a flyer announcing that session with an invitation from the moderator, Susan Gerovasil, CLM, to participate in that idea exchange and to meet other personal injury plaintiff law firm administrators for dinner.

Law Firm Financial Management Conference Slated for August 2012After a two year hiatus, the Law Firm Financial Management Conference is back! Mark your calendar for August 9-11, 2012 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago for the must-attend conference for administrators and financial specialists.

February Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  The Langham Hotel

Performance Measurements:
You Can’t Play The Game If You Don’t Know The Score

John G. Iezzi, CPA

One of the key elements of planning, whether it be in the area of strategy, financial management, marketing, etc., is to incorporate some level of measuring performance.  It serves no purpose to prepare and execute a plan if there is no method of evaluating whether the plan is meetings its goals and objectives.

In this session, Mr. Iezzi will review the various performance measurements that are utilized to make certain that interim and then final goals and objectives are met.  If not, then methods will be described to make mid-term corrections as necessary.

When completed, the participant will:

•Know the types of information that are measured
•Have guidelines for various measuring tools
•Receive an understanding of corrective measures to take in order to put plans back on target.

John G. Iezzi, CPA, President
Iezzi Management Group

Mr. Iezzi has a wide breadth of experience in all areas of law firm management and administration.  In addition to his extensive experience working in private law firms, his consulting assignments have been many and varied, including engagements in strategic planning, partner compensation, executive director recruiting, technology planning, financial management reviews, partner and shareholder buy-out agreements and client satisfaction surveys.

Author of over 90 articles on law office management related topics and speaker in over 500 seminars and conferences through the country, he is also the author of the book Results Oriented Financial Management – A Guide to Law Firm Financial Performance.

Small Firm RoundtableJoin Small Firm Administrators for lunch at noon and a lively discussion of topics.  The meeting is scheduled to be held at One Beacon Street, Lower Level (next to Rebecca's dining room), Boston.

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Employee Handbooks for Law Firms - Careful, Careful!
Date:  Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Littler Mendelson, P.C., One International Place, 27th Floor, Boston 

We don’t need no stinking handbook! Yes . . . we do. In today’s litigious environment, employee handbooks are essential for all employers. Join this session to discuss the important dos and don’ts in drafting a handbook for your law firm without creating employee contracts.

Boston Chapter Annual Meeting and March Monthly Luncheon

12:00 - 12:30 - Networking

12:30 -  2:00 - Annual Meeting, Lunch and Presentation

Location:  The Langham Hotel

Presentation: Evaluate Your Evaluations - The Importance of Performance Appraisals
Michael S. Cohen

Now more than ever, letting the people who report to you know how they are performing is one of the most important aspects of any attorney’s and manager’s job. Whether the employee is performing far above expectations or is in need of significant improvement, it is critical that those who draft appraisals know how to document appropriately the employee’s performance and realize the consequences of not carefully drafting the appraisal, both from an employee relations and a legal point of view. This training seminar will explain why appraisals are important, describe the drafting process and identify common mistakes made in the preparation and delivery of appraisals. The seminar also will identify the legal risks associated with a drafter’s late, rushed or poorly worded appraisal.

Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.  Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling. He has trained and counseled employers throughout the country on subjects including harassment prevention; workplace diversity; discipline and discharge; hiring and recruiting practices; performance evaluations; FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance; leave of absence policies; performance management; workplace privacy; sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace; substance abuse testing; workplace violence; records retention; conducting background checks; teens in the workplace and managing attendance problems. Michael also has conducted investigations into claims of harassment and discrimination and has drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and post-termination agreements. He has represented clients throughout the country in EEO and other administrative proceedings.
 Michael has been cited as a national authority on employment issues by The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today, MSNBC.com, HR Magazine, SHRM On-Line, Employment Law 360, Inside Counsel Magazine, as well as many other publications.  Michael is a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and a 1993 cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

HR RoundtableJoin Administrators and HR Managers for lunch at noon for a lively discussion of HR topics.

Location:  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meaher & Flom, LLP, One Beacon Street, 31st Floor, Boston. 

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  The Art of Active Listening
Date:  Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

Listening makes up more than half of the communication process, and to be successful you must know what to listen for. Learn to manage upset people, and improve cooperation and understanding in your workplace simply through improving your own active listening skills.

April Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD

 

Small Firm RoundtableJoin Small Firm Administrators for lunch at noon and a lively discussion of topics.  The meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at One Beacon Street, Lower Level (next to Rebecca's dining room), Boston.

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  The Role of Legal Administrators in Legal Project Management - Unprecedented Opportunities & Current Challenges
Date:  Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

In most law firms, lawyers – and legal administrators – know how to manage a case. Legal Project Management (LPM) is becoming an essential tool in today’s economically challenging legal landscape – a tool that can, among other things, help you estimate how long different tasks should take based on historical benchmarks and then calculate a combined time estimate for the entire case.

2012 ALA Annual Conference - Ignite Your Future!

The 2012 ALA Annual Conference is taking place in Honolulu, HI.

The Conference begins on Sunday, April 22, with leadership meetings, the Leadership/Newcomers Reception and the Welcome Reception. Monday, April 23 through Wednesday, April 25 is full of educational sessions and networking opportunities, as well as the ALA Exposition. The Conference ends on Thursday, April 26, with morning educational sessions and the Closing General Session.  For more details please visit http://www.alanet.org/conf/2012/.

Please take a moment to view some highlights of the upcoming conference at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JLT_JQ1q4c.

May Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD

 

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Safe Stress!
Date:  Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

You are evaluating a new billing system, working under a tight deadline for an attorney, a good employee quits, and suddenly the road you drive every day closes for construction. How does an administrator handle all of the stress? Discover tools to identify the factors that cause stress and effective coping mechanisms.

Finance RoundtableJoin Administrators and Finance Managers for lunch at noon and a lively discussion of finance topics.  

Location:   Tentatively scheduled to be held at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meaher & Flom, LLP, One Beacon Street, Boston.

June Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Marketing on a Shoestring Budget - Sally Schmidt

Location:  TBD

 

ALA Boston Chapter Annual Golf TournamentThe ALA Boston Chapter Golf Tournament is being held at The Spring Valley Country Club in Sharon, Massachusetts.  The tournament is a scramble format that has been designed to include all levels of golfers.  The shot-gun start will begin at 1:00 p.m. so plan to arrive at noon to register, have lunch and warm up.  Your entry fee of $50 will cover the entire day's activites, including lunch, greens fees, cart, gifts, cocktails and dinner.  Play is rain or shine.  If golf is not an option, cocktails and dinner, which begin at 6:00 p.m., will provide you with the opportunity to thank our Business Partners for their support.  There is no charge for dinner only. Please contact Paul Masuret at 617-426-5900 if you have any questions.

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Technology Management: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Date:  Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

Managing technology is a challenge in every law office. In this session, we will cover a wide variety of topics related to technology, including:

- Technology Audits: Is your firm a candidate for an Audit?
- Technology Plans: How to create and manage them
- Technology Investments: How to Obtain Return on Investment
- Technology Tips and Tricks

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Change Leadership: A Boot Camp to Drive Organization Change
Date:  Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

Leaders today recognize the imperative to change –only a small handful have the right tools and techniques to create effective change within their teams and organizations. Join this Webinar to discover how to apply critical change leadership concepts and tools. Through assessment tools, case studies, questions and participation we will learn how to embed the learning and ensure skill development with this critical leadership skill.

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Records Management: The Bermuda Triangle
Date:  Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

The right steps are essential to successfully implement a firm-wide paper and electronic records management program. Consider how to plan the program, manage the project, and more. Learn some of the key components of migrating your physical records to e-records and how to deal with the management of documents, records, e-mail and risk management policies.

September Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD

 

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Of Foxes, Hedgehogs and Law Firm Profitability
Date:  Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

While reducing costs can stave off disaster, it rarely leads to being a leader. Join this program to explore ways to use an economic challenge as an opportunity for future success.

October Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD

 

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Date:  Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

A challenging economy and client pressures have highlighted the importance of marketing and business development efforts for every law firm. This practical session will focus on how your firm can employ a range of cost-effective strategies to gain exposure, differentiate itself, and generate new business.

November Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD

 

Boston Chapter ALA Webinar

Webinar:  Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace
Date:  Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Time:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by:  TBD

How do you know if a lawyer is impaired? What does an administrator do when the odor of alcohol is detected on the job? Can staff report suspected impairment without fear of retaliation? Review the conditions that cause impairment, myths surrounding them and how they manifest in the workplace with specific behavioral indicators.

December Monthly Luncheon

12:00 – 12:30 – Networking

12:30 – 2:00 – Lunch and Presentation

Location:  TBD