BAR LIAISON SEMINARS 2013

Fall 2013
www.ala-independence.org
Email alaindependence@gmail.com
Special Recognition
2013 Sponsors
Chapter Diamond Sponsors
Morgan Wentworth LLC
mindSHIFT Technologies
Chapter Ruby Sponsors
Adaptive Solutions & USI Affinity
Chapter Emerald Sponsors
EBC Carpet Services,
All State Legal
& Access Management
In This Issue
F E AT U R E D S P O N S O R :
mindSHIFT Technologies
pages 2 & 3
President’s Message
page 4
2013 IC Community Charity Donations
page 4
ALA–IC and Social Media
page 5
Office Management in the 21st Century
page 5
Save the Date! / Webinars
page 6
Board Members & Management Team
pages 8 & 9
BAR LIAISON SEMINARS 2013
T
By Janet Molloy, Administrator, Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams, LLP
he Independence Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators hosted its annual lunch and
learn educational series through the summer. This widely popular event is co-hosted by the Bar
Associations of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and Montgomery counties, and is held at each
of the Bar Association locations.
This year’s topic was Personal Safety: How to Protect Yourself in Everyday Situations. Community
service officers from the PA State Police presented in five counties, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh
and Montgomery. We are very grateful to the time these Troopers put into their presentations. Each one
was a little different, but each had the same message: to be aware of your surroundings, take notice of
anything or anyone who seems out-of-place and to protect yourselves at all times. Each went into some
detail about personal safety at the gas pump, ATM machines, what to do if an unmarked “police” car is
trying to pull you over on the highway. Each also talked about safety in the work place, stalkers, and also
what to do in an active shooter situation.
We extend out thanks to Troopers William Griffith and Marc Allen from Troop M, Troopers Rosemary
McGuire and Morgan Crummy from Troop K and Trooper Corey Monthei from Troop J. In our
conversations with the Troopers we found that each of them are very committed to and excited about their
participation in the Camp Cadet programs that each of their Troops
support. The program is for children (boys and
girls) ages 11-13 to attend free of charge. The
activities include swimming, canoeing, zip
line, pistol range, bomb squad demonstration,
K-9 unit, police helicopter, SWAT demonstration
and much more. Cadets, live in an atmosphere
modeled after the State Police Academy,
where emphasis is placed on improving selfTrooper
William
discipline, confidence and self-esteem. The
Griffith
Chapter made a donation to each
Bucks
of the camps in the names of the
County
Troopers who spoke to us.
New Members
page 9
Member Profile – Diane Wenner
page 9
Back to School Supply Drive
page 10
Employment Law Update
page 11
Resolutions for the New Year
page 11
Brian
Levinson
Montgomery
County
Index to Business Partner Sponsors
mindSHIFT Technologies.......................... 3
Morgan Wentworth, LLC........................ 12
(top left) IC Members S. O’Donnell, J. Wean
and C. Soto with Trooper Rosemary McGuire
The Chapter is committed to
providing educational programs
that are meaningful and relevant, but cannot do so without
financial support. We would like
to thank Brian Levinson, Managing
Partner of Alevistar Group LLC for his
sponsorship, which allowed us to bring
this very timely topic to our membership.
If you have not participated in one of
the Chapter’s lunch programs, please be
on the lookout for future mailings for the
2014 series.
min dsh i f t t e c h no logi e s
S p o n s o r m e ss a g e
mi n dsh if t tech n ologies
A Trusted Technology Advisor to Law Firms,
ALA Business Partner mindSHIFT Technologies Also
Demonstrates Its Support for and Commitment to Education
Since 2002, my firm has trusted ALA Business Partner, mindSHIFT Technologies
with the management and support of our IT needs. Recently, when speaking with a member
of our mindSHIFT team, I learned some interesting information about the assistance that
mindSHIFT provides to K-12 schools in communities across the country.
I felt their story was compelling, and asked them to share how mindSHIFT is helping
to change the daily lives of students, teachers, administrators and staff in inner-city schools.
Joan Wean, Legal Administrator, Hamburg Rubin Mullin Maxwell & Lupin PC
Many clients, associates and partners of mindSHIFT are
With 15 years of experience serving the IT needs of the legal
familiar with the company’s depth and breadth of involvement
community, mindSHIFT Technologies possesses an unparalin the legal community, but it is not commonly known that the
leled understanding of the unique technology challenges faced
650-employee company is also dedicated to supporting the
by law firms. As a respected IT services provider, mindSHIFT
education community, enhancing the
delivers customized technology soluteaching and learning experience by
tions designed to tackle these law
empowering teachers and students
office computing challenges, including
mindSHIFT Facts at a Glance
with the latest technology. Currently,
managed IT, cloud, data center and
• Named the #1 IT Services Provider in the
mindSHIFT helps more than 50 schools
professional services. mindSHIFT’s
U.S. by MSPmentor for 4 consecutive years
nationwide evaluate, implement and
local presence and commitment to
• Unrivaled portfolio of managed IT, cloud,
maintain their IT. Thirty-percent of
personalized attention is reflected in
data center, consulting and
these schools are K-12 urban charter
its long-time partnership with the ALA
professional IT services
schools whose mission is to prepare
Independence Chapter, including its
• Certified engineers in the latest,
low-income students in educationally
support for member firms, such as Gadkey technologies
under-served communities for success
sden Schneider & Woodward LLP; Hamin getting to and ultimately graduatburg Rubin Mullin Maxwell & Lupin PC;
• 144,000+ users managed
ing from college. Charter schools such
Heckscher Teillon Terrill & Sager PC;
• 50,000+ managed desktops
as Uncommon Schools, Harlem Village
Mannion Prior LLP; and, Sweet Stevens
• 13,000+ managed servers and devices
Academies, Public Prep and Explore
Katz & Williams LLP.
•
6.8+
billion
emails/year
Schools utilize mindSHIFT as their end mindSHIFT continues to further
to-end IT department, maintaining
•
140,000+
mailboxes
managed
its reach into the legal community,
and supporting enterprise systems,
now serving more than 200 law firms
• 2.8 PB storage
back-end and on-premise infrastrucacross 30 states. In fact, last year, mind• 650+ employees
ture, mobile device access and security,
SHIFT acquired another IT services
•
Geographically
diverse
enterprise-class
data
as well as providing strategic technolcompany also committed to providcenters
and
regional
offices
across
the
U.S.
ogy direction. The result? Advancing
ing law firms with highly secure data
the teaching practices, learning oppor•
Accredited
member
of
the
MSPAlliance®
availability and reliable, hometown
tunities and overall quality of educasupport. This latest addition to mind• SSAE 16 compliant (formerly SAS 70 Type II)
tion for thousands of students.
SHIFT is in Texas.
• 24/7/365 live, U.S.-based support
2
min dsh i f t t e c hn o l ogi e s
S p o n s o r m e ss a g e
mi n dsh if t tech n ol ogies
spend more time fulfilling their mission. This objective is a key
reason why mindSHIFT opened its doors in 1999, and one that
holds true across all of the organization types that the company
is fortunate to support today, including law firms.
Additionally, mindSHIFT is a certified E-Rate provider.
E-Rate is the largest federal funding source for K-12
schools and libraries for Internet connectivity, and provides
discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and
the equipment needed to bring affordable connectivity into
financially challenged schools to support digital learning. As
a certified E-Rate provider, mindSHIFT works with schools to
assess their IT needs, introduce and employ eligible and funded technologies, provide ongoing maintenance, strategy and
support, and apply for the relevant funding (a difficult process
to navigate).
As you can imagine, the busiest time of year for mindSHIFT’s
dedicated team of education IT specialists is the summer season, which runs from May to October. During this time, mindSHIFT assists in building out and on-boarding new schools as
well as expanding capacity or re-building infrastructure and
systems at existing schools. This past summer, mindSHIFT logged
42,000 hours helping to ready its school clients for the upcoming
academic year and create strategic plans for future years. mindSHIFT’s ultimate goal is two-fold: to assist schools in delivering
a comprehensive education enhanced by technology, and to
eliminate the burden of IT management, enabling them to
Tommy Rotunno (left) is the PA/NJ Sales Director with mindSHIFT
Technologies, and Matt Kershnar (right) is mindSHIFT’s Education
Services Manager. For additional insight into mindSHIFT’s work with
the legal community, contact Tommy at Tommy.Rotunno@mindSHIFT.com or (267) 852-3258; for the education community, contact
Matt Kershnar at Matt.Kershnar@mindSHIFT.com or (212) 253-3576.
For general information about mindSHIFT and its IT services offerings, visit www.mindSHIFT.com.
3
a n n e l . pa isl ey
Change is in the Air…
opportunity to increase your knowledge in one or more areas of
law firm management. The agreement between ALA headquarters
and West also extends discounts to lawyers in your firm.
Many years ago, in my first job in the “real
world,” my boss frequently quoted a French philosopher. At that time, the quote, “The only constant
in life is change,” was an indirect dig aimed at a
group of historic property conservationists who objected to his plans
to demolish a deteriorating building in Harvard Square. Since then,
when confronted with change, I remember Mr. D’s use of those words
of wisdom.
2014 promises to be a good year for our organization, on
both a local and international basis. Your membership in ALA is an
invaluable tool, and you should make a change in your routine in 2014
to utilize the many resources headquarters provides to its members.
The educational conferences and webinars are just a few of the many
benefits of membership. On a local, more tangible level, are the many
educational and social events organized by your Officers and Board
throughout the year. Keep an eye on your inbox for more information
on how you can register to attend these learning and social opportunities. Change your routine and attend one of these gatherings.
Let’s face it – no one likes change. I am probably the worst offender.
Just ask my husband.
However, change is inevitable. Change can be good. In fact,
change is good.
Many of you have received emails over the past few months
alluding to the many changes happening at the international level of
ALA. For instance, the regional conferences we all enjoyed will now be
replaced with Fall Conferences not specifically organized by the various
regional councils, but rather by special committees whose sole responsibility will be the organization and orchestration of these smaller, twoday conferences. This change will allow more members to volunteer
on a regional level. Stay tuned for more information on the 2014
Fall Conferences. Registration is now open for the 2014 Annual
Conference to be held in Toronto, Canada in May. If you plan on
attending, make sure your passport is up to date!
The Officers, Board and I would like to extend our heartfelt wishes
for a happy and health holiday season and best wishes for the new
year. Rest assured – this is one thing that will never change.
Also new for 2014 is the outsourcing of webinars to West
Legal Ed. The annual subscription to this program is $450.00
(compared to over $1,000 for last year’s series). You can earn all the
credits needed to apply for the CLM exam through this program. The
Independence Chapter will purchase a license and will hold monthly
gatherings in a variety of locations throughout the counties to air the
monthly webinars. Keep an eye on your email for a location near
you! In addition to the monthly webinars, there are many hours of
pre-recorded webinars that touch on a number of topics relevant to
our daily lives in the legal industry. Take advantage of this wonderful
I N D EPEN D EN C E
C H AP T ER
2013 Charitable Organizations
Community Challenge Events
Crime Victims Center of Chester County, Inc..................................... School Supplies
Safe Harbor of West Chester..............................................Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Meals on Wheels..........................................................................Speaker Honorarium
PA State Police............................Troop M Camp Cadet of Lehigh and Buck Counties
PA State Police.............................................................Camp Cadet of Chester County
PA State Police........................................................Montgomery County Camp Cadet
Speaker Honorariums
Cradle to Crayons........................................................................ Clothing for Children
4
Editorial Policy This newsletter is published by
the Independence Chapter of the Association of Legal
Administrators. Opinions expressed in articles and advertisements contained herein are strictly those of the
contributors and advertisers, and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the Independence Chapter or its
members. Reprinting of any portion of this newsletter
by any means including photocopying, recording or any
information storage and retrieval system, is prohibited
without permission of the Editor and Author.
ALA – Independence Chapter
and Social Media
By Karen D. Chellew, Firm Administrator, Weber, Kracht & Chellew
OMG…
There is no denying the effectiveness of the
latest marketing tool that is social media.
Building awareness through technology
based word of mouth, has proven invaluable to businesses and organizations alike.
We now have the ability to connect with people we have
never met, to tweet what we
are doing tonight, to establish a professional network
with peers and, to stay on
top of the newest trends in
our respective professions.
Office Management in
the 21st Century!
By Anna Sorenson, Regional Office Manager
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
Have you received an email with an “lol,” or an “omg,” or an “idk?”
I have and my immediate response was “NO” (no acronym to be
applied here)! The transition from personal to business communication has never teetered on a precipice as narrow as today’s
technology has created. What is appropriate verbiage and communication in the work place versus our personal lives could not be
further from each other at times. From baby boomers to millenials,
we are in as vastly different a management space as there has ever
been. Along with the “omg” and “lol” acronyms, we also see a
much more independent work force whose utilization of technology often times reduces their need of secretarial assistance to an
almost moot point. Baby boomer dictation may still require a cassette and a dictation machine which keeps the “high-touch” connection between attorney and secretary firmly in place, while the
millennial attorney will use his/her iPhone, Droid, or Dragon technology to see immediate results, make corrections and complete
the work product without the use of secretarial support. How will
this independent work mentality affect the law firm work place in
the next five years? I will have to follow-up on that question in
five years.
At this point, the majority of
businesses and organizations are
marketing through social media – and of those that aren’t, 69% plan to
do so within the year. This is a growing trend that we need to be a part
of. In realizing this, it is our pleasure to announce the Independence
Chapter’s implementation of a social media presence through Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Our Facebook page is The Independence Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators https://www.facebook.com/
pages/Independence-Chapter-of-the-Association-of-LegalAdministrators/454195598030125?ref=hl. Make sure you
stop by to ‘Like’ the page; and follow us for the latest on
upcoming events, member specials, chapter announcements,
training sessions, and educational opportunities.
Besides being befuddled by acronyms and their misuses in business communications, an office manager may have some level of
property management responsibility no matter what building structure they reside in. Ensuring the grass is cut, trees are trimmed,
and…oh…that that rodent doesn’t come back again all fall in the
proverbial “lap” of an office manager. To say “no day is the same”
is clearly an understatement! We must constantly “think outside
the box;” meet budget cuts while tackling rising vendor costs;
research and try to understand new health care policies and the
list goes on.
Find us on Twitter for information on events we are hosting,
as well as photos, articles, and chapter updates. Our handle
is @Independence ALA.
Make sure you join our group on LinkedIn, as well; it is a great way
to hold discussions and get feedback from your peers. Our
LinkedIn profile is the Independence Chapter. When you
find the page, scroll to the bottom and you will see the link
to the group. http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Independence-Chapter-6512216?gid=6512216&mostPopular=&trk=
tyah&trkInfo=tas%3Aindependence%20chapter
Approaching all aspects of the job with a sense of humor and
smile is how I choose to tackle the day-to-day game of Yahtzee that
happens to be played without end! “I hate to tell you this, but…”
No matter where the end of that line goes, we’ve all been there,
survived, and lived to tell each other about it. As the pendulum of
responsibilities, technology, health care, and law firm structuring
continues to swing, we are ever adapting to the needs of the firm
and those we manage. Oh no, I’ve got to run, there is a copy
machine emergency (again)!
We are so excited to be a part of this technology based movement and
hope that all of our members see the need to be a part of it and are
looking forward to the growth this will bring to the chapter.
From a friend in the “office management” trenches!
5
January 14, 2014
Quarterly Education Event
TBD
march 26, 2014
Quarterly Education Event
TBD
MONTHLY –
Brown Bag Lunch/Breakfast Sessions:
n
Bucks County – 1st Wednesday (Antheil Maslow & MacMinn, LLP)
n
Montgomery County – 2nd Wednesday (Hamburg Rubin Mulin Maxwell & Lupin)
n
Chester/Delaware County – 3rd Tuesday (Johnson Matthey, Inc.)
n
Lehigh Valley – 3rd Wednesday (King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul)
Please check our website for additional details.
EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Reminder – The following Webinars are Available to All
Independence Chapter Members on our Website through the Members Portal
The Ethics of Email & Social Media
Presented by Thomas E. Spahn, J.D.
Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace..............11/14/2012
Presented by Lynn Hanks, MD, FASAM
Saying the Hard Things with Aloha....................................10/16/2013
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget.....................................10/17/2012
Presented by Sally Schmidt, Schmidt Marketing
Forecasting the Realistic Budget............................................9/18/2013
Of Foxes, Hedgehogs & Law Firm Profitability.....................9/19/2012
Presented by Vincent M. Bell, J. Mark Santiago
Financial Reporting Methods that Allow
Intelligent Business Decision..................................................8/21/2013
Presented by Barry Jackson, CLM, CPA
Records Management...Information in All Media................8/15/2012
Presented by Dana C. Moore
Negotiate the Lease: Maneuver the Maze
of Real Estate Options............................................................7/17/2013
Presented by Mike Kennedy, SIOR,
Burke Kennedy, J.D., Chrissy Cornelius, CCIM
Change Leadership: A Boot Camp to
Drive Organizational Change.................................................7/18/2012
Presented by Rachel Schaming
Marketing (Mis)Alignmnet: Closing the Gap Between
Marketing and Law Firm Leadership.....................................5/15/2013
Presented by Marcie Borgal Shunk, Michael B. Rynowecer
Technology Management:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...........................................6/20/2012
Presented by Barron K. Henley, Esq.. Debbie Foster
Leveraging Technology for Small Firms................................6/19/2013
Presented by Debbie Foster
Safe Stress!............................................................................05/16/2012
Presented by Judith A. Hissong, CLM
Mentoring: It’s Deja Vu All Over Again.................................4/17/2013
Presented by Michael Moore, J.D.
The Role of Legal Administrator in
Legal Practice Management...................................................4/18/2012
Presented by Pamela H. Woldow, Esq.,
Initiating Alternative Fee Arrangements..............................3/20/2013
Presented by Frederick J. Esposito, Jr., CLM
The Art of Active Listening....................................................3/21/2012
Presented by Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC
Profitable Law Firms – There’s No APP for That...................2/20/2013
Presented by Karen Steinberger, CLM and Jim Allen, CLM
Selling Blue Elephants: Client Marketing
Retention and Loyalty............................................................1/18/2012
Presented by Dr. Howard R. Moskowitz
Microsoft Office Tips & Tricks.................................................1/16/2013
Presented by Ben M. Schorr. Roland Schorr & Tower
6
7
Board Members
anne l. paisley President
Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager 610-940-4194
Anne is Firm Administrator at Heckscher,
Teillon, Terrill & Sager, P.C., in West Conshohocken, PA. She has been a member
of ALA since 2005. She has been a Board
member since 2008 and has served on the
Education, Publicity and Bar Liaison Committees. Anne resides in West Chester with
her husband, Willie, and three children,
Katie, Alastair and Andrew.
SHARON O’DONNELL President Elect
Beth collins Vice President
Mannion Prior, LLP 610-265-7800
Beth is the Office Manager at Mannion
Prior, LLP, located in King of Prussia.
She has been a member of the Independence Chapter of the ALA since
2007 and serves currently on the
Publicity Committee. This is her first
year as an Officer. Beth resides in
Chestnut Hill with her husband,
Daniel, and their five children.
Joan Wean Vice President
Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC 215-661-0400
Joan is the Legal Administrator for
HRMM&L. A very active member of ALA,
she has dual membership in the Independence and Phila. Chapters and was honored
with the prestigious Region I Volunteer of the
Year Award in 2005. She lives in Wynnewood
with her husband and two standard poodles.
Joan is the Newsletter Editor/Coordinator for
Bacchus’ Band – a wine appreciation group,
and is an avid supporter and participant of the
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Dena DiBona lyons Secretary
Gadsden Schneider & Woodward LLP 484-683-2626
Dena Lyons is Board Secretary and CoChair of the Business Partners Committee.
Dena’s work experience spans various
positions with The Hay Group, Drinker,
Biddle & Reath, LLP and Gadsden
Schneider & Woodward LLP where she
currently is Firm Administrator. Dena enjoys
entertaining and gourmet cooking, travel,
and the outdoors spent with her family and
friends. She is married with three adult children
and lives in Lansdowne.
Conni Sota Treasurer
Health Care Law Associates 610-828-3888
Sharon A. O’Donnell is the Office Administrator of The Health Care Law Associates,
Inc., in Plymouth Meeting, PA. She has been a
member of ALA and the Independence Chapter since 1997. Sharon has served the chapter
as Publicity Chair, Second Vice President, CoChair of Quarterly Dinner Meetings, Chapter
Secretary, and Co-Chair of Education Committee. Sharon resides in Harleysville, PA with
her husband, Tom and son, Patrick.
Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager 610-940-2600
Conni is the Financial Manager at Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, P.C., located in West Conshohocken, PA. The firm
specializes in trusts and estates along
with estate litigation and special needs
trusts. Conni has been a member of ALA
since 1997 and has been a Board member since 2000. She has served on the Bar
Liaison Committee as Committee Member
and Committee Chair. Conni is a resident of
Cherry Hill, NJ.
ALA Mission Statement
The Association of Legal Administrators’ mission is to improve the quality
of management in legal services organizations; promote and enhance the
competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members
of the management team; and represent professional legal management
and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.
8
Welcome New MemberS
Education..................................... Chair: Sharon O’Donnell
Committee:.Lynn Denitz, Adelaine Williams, Barb Foley
Janice Skrot____________________ jskrot@begleycarlin.com
Administrator – Begley Carlin & Mandio, LLP
680 Middletown Boulevard
PO Box 308
Langhorne, PA 19047
215-750-0110; Fax: 215-750-1679
Member
Services.....................................................Chair: Joan Wean
Brown Bag:
Chester/Delaware – April Fugate
Montgomery – Joan Wean
Bucks – Terry Lang
Lehigh – Kathy Miller
JoAnn Konopka_ __________________ jkonopka@cozen.com
Regional Office Manager – Cozen O’Connor
Suite 400, 200 Four Falls Corporate Center
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-941-2376; Fax: 610-941-2350
Technology. ............................................Chair: Beth Collins
Website Cristin Bucciaglia, Beth Collins
Newsletter Linda Andrews, April Fugate
Community Relations.............................Chair: Amy Coral
Tracy U. Palovich_ ___________ tpalovich@howsoniplaw.com
Executive Director/Patent Agent – Howson & Howson LLP
Building 620, Suite 210
350 Sentry Parkway
Blue Bell, PA 19422
215-540-9208
Committee Beth Ruggiero
Publicity Karen Chellew
Bar Liaison:
Chester – Susan Silenzi
Bucks – Janet Molloy
Montgomery – Conni Sota
Delaware – Janet Molloy, Cristin Bucciaglia
Lehigh Berks – Kathy Miller
Margaret J. Forristall___________ mjforristall@rccblaw.com
Legal Administrator/Paralegal
Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld, LLC
Suite 220, 101 W. Elm Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428
484-362-2620; Fax: 484-362-2630
Business Partner
Relations........................Chairs: Dena Lyons, Janet Molloy
Legal Expo: Joan Wean, Sue Cressman,
Faye Hunsberger
Business Partners: Dena Lyons, Pat Tuman,
Joan Wean, Janet Molloy
2013, she obtained a position as Assistant
Office Manager at Gawthrop Greenwood
PC, in West Chester, and is very happy to
be back in the legal community. Diane’s
position currently concentrates in the area
of human resources – just in time to get further involved in the many changes in health
care! She feels that she is “home” and is now comfortable in a firm
where she enjoys working with the professionals and staff members.
She is happy to get to work each day and thoroughly enjoys her new
job opportunity.
Her weekends are full – spending family time with her two terrific
daughters, their husbands and two wonderful grandchildren keep her
quite busy. In addition, she loves to garden, cook and entertain.
She thanks her ALA friends for continuing to support and encourage
her over the years, when she was both in and out of the legal field, with
their tireless and ongoing encouragement and never-ending support.
Diane is delighted to return to the ALA family.
SHE’S BACK!!! We are pleased to let you know that Diane Wenner
has returned to the legal community.
Diane started her legal career in 1996. She started as an Assistant
Office Manager and three years later, moved into the position of Office
Manager for Grim, Biehn and Thatcher in Perkasie. She joined ALA
and states that it was a great support system for her. Diane attended the
seminars, and lots of Brown Bag meetings, and felt that it was always
a great resource for her. Diane left Grim, Biehn due to family responsibilities, and when she was able to return to work, she obtained a position
in a non-profit company (and, as she says, “What a different animal!”).
Diane worked in a private school for special needs and typical children and learned a brand new set of rules – that of budgeting with the
government for funding, grant writing and got more involved in the
essentials of holding fundraisers. She also found the importance of
attorneys serving on the board and volunteering for non-profits.
When the cuts occurred in government funding for education, she
found herself looking for a new job. To Diane’s delight, in October,
9
INDEPENDENCE CHAPTER COMMUNITY CHALLENGE EVENT
Back to School Supply Drive
By Amy Coral, Office Manager, Pepper Hamilton LLP
This was the 12th anniversary of our Back To School Supply Drive. Lawyers, paralegals and staff
employees from a number of our member firms and also several business partners generously donated
over 100 backpacks, pencils, paper, crayons, glue, gift certificates, etc. . . to benefit children of clients of
The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. and other social service agencies in Chester County.
In addition, we were able to give those agencies over $2,000 dollars that had been donated, so that the
social workers of these agencies could buy new shoes, jackets or items they felt necessary to get a child
off to a good start to their school year. Studies show that a good selfesteem sets the tone for how well a child does in school. Imagine how
these children feel walking into school with new supplies!
In addition, several of our member firms are working with a young
mother and her three children after they lost all of their personal
belongings by being victimized. These firms are partnering with a
service fraternity from West Chester University to provide furniture,
household items, clothes and toys to the mother and family.
Representatives from the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc.
with some IC members.
See list of 2013 charitable contributions from the Independence Chapter on page 4.
1.800.892.8826
www.gljbenefitconsultants.com
10
seminars / training
RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR!
By Dena Lyons, Law Office Administrator
Gadsden Schneider& Woodward LLP
THINGS THEY ARE A CHANGING –
EMPLOYMENT
LAW UPDATE!
Do you make New Year resolutions? How successful have you
been in the past? Why not make some resolutions that will make your
workweek fun! Here are a few pointers:
Copier is out of paper and you are notified…
As you replenish the paper, you mention the good old days when there
was no copier and you had to type with carbon sets. You mayneed to
By Sharon O’Donnell, Office Administrator, Health Care Law
Assoc. and Lynn Denitz, Office Manager, RatnerPrestia
explain what a carbon set is!
Refrigerator badly needs a clean out and you are the only one
with eyes and a nose for the job.
On Wednesday, May 22, 2013, the Independence Chapter, ALA,
held its quarterly educational event at the Plymouth Country Club
in Plymouth Meeting, PA. Our sponsor for the morning was MileStone Bank represented by Esther Hughes. Deborah Weinstein,
Esquire, founder and President of the Weinstein Firm, presented
attendees with an in-depth update on recent changes in employment
law. It is no longer simply ‘sexual harassment’ any more. Deborah
stressed upon the audience the importance of keeping up to
date on the latest federal, state and local legal developments
concerning protected classes, reasonable accommodations,
diversity, discrimination, retaliation, hiring, background checks,
anti-harassment efforts and recent changes to our roles
and responsibilities as legal professionals. She walked us through
several examples of situations
that she had encountered as a
coach to many different firms
and organizations (of course,
the names were changed
to protect the innocent),
which prompted many lively
discussions. I believe we
all came away with a new
understanding of what is
considered ‘harassment’ and
what steps we can take
to prevent it from occurring in
our firms. The list of what is considered a ‘disability’ is constantly
growing as well. Though the task
may seem daunting, it is our
responsibility as Administrators to
stay on top of these changes.
You write an all-firm memo describing the disgusting contents of several baggies and plastic containers and ask if anyone at the firm is
contending for a Nobel Prize for their efforts in bacteria research.
Do you think everyone will get your point!
The front door won’t open…can you fix it?
You take a look only to find out that the knob lock is pushed in and is
actually locked. When you “fix” it, do you instruct everyone on how
the mechanism works? ( In the meantime, your project to complete
the professional liability application pushes into the night!)
The coffee maker drips too slowly….can you see what can be
done about this….
You redesign the Keurig machine and develop your own brand of
one-cup coffee maker, apply for a patent and become a millionaire
overnight as your product sells out at QVC… or you decide to remove the Keurig machine and reinstall the Bunnmatic drip coffee
maker. As an astute leader concerned about your firm, you increase
the terms of your property insurance for fire damage knowing that
you will be dealing with a future fire claim.
Resolve to keep your mouth shut; grin and bear all; and toast
yourself when you get home with a nice glass of Chianti!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
This year I have a new approach… I have made resolutions that will change others. For
instance, when a partner complains
that the coffee drips too slowly at the
Keurig machine, remind them of days
of old when you had to put a filter in a
basket, measure grinds, pour water
in the housing and wait!
Or, when a secretary says
the copier is out of
paper, your retort will
be… “I remember when I
had to make corrections on
every carbon copy when the boss
changed his draft.”
(top) Sharon O’Donnell with
Deborah Weinstein
(bottom) Co-chairs
Lynn Denitz and Sharon O’Donnell
11
We’ll Help You Put
the Pieces Together
Whether you’re looking for a new position
or searching for the “right” candidate,
we work hard to facilitate the perfect match.
Call us today to find out how easy it is for you!
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Tel: 610-783-0900
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We Value Our Partnership with ALA and Salute Its Service to Its Members
Independence Chapter
Association of Legal Administrators
c/o Linda Andrews, Editor
Lentz Cantor and Massey Ltd.
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Malvern, PA 19355