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In ThIs IssueF E AT U R E D S P O N S O R :
mindSHIFT Technologiespages 2 & 3
President’s Messagepage 4
2013 IC Community Charity Donationspage 4
ALA–IC and Social Media page 5
Office Management in the 21st Centurypage 5
Save the Date! / Webinarspage 6
Board Members & Management Teampages 8 & 9
New Memberspage 9
Member Profile – Diane Wennerpage 9
Back to School Supply Drivepage 10
Employment Law Update page 11
Resolutions for the New Yearpage 11
Fall 2013
specIal RecognITIon2013 SponSorS
Chapter Diamond SponsorsMorgan Wentworth LLCmindSHIFT Technologies
Chapter Ruby SponsorsAdaptive Solutions & USI Affinity
Chapter Emerald SponsorsEBC Carpet Services,
All State Legal & Access Management
www.ala-independence.orgEmail [email protected]
Index to BusIness Partner sPonsors
mindSHIFT Technologies ......................... 3
Morgan Wentworth, LLC ....................... 12
BAR LIAISON SEMINARS 2013By Janet Molloy, Administrator, Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams, LLP
The 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 self-discipline, confidence and self-esteem. The
Chapter made a donation to each of the camps in the names of the Troopers who spoke to us. The Chapter is committed to providing educational programs that are meaningful and rel-evant, 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.
Trooper William Griffith
Brian Levinson
(top left) IC Members S. O’Donnell, J. Wean and C. Soto with Trooper Rosemary McGuire
Bucks County
Montgomery County
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S p o n S o r m e S S a g eMInDShIfT TeChnOlOGIeS MInDShIfT TeChnOlOGIeS
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
With 15 years of experience serving the IT needs of the legal community, mindSHIFT Technologies possesses an unparal-leled understanding of the unique technology challenges faced by law firms. As a respected IT services provider, mindSHIFT delivers customized technology solu-tions designed to tackle these law office computing challenges, including managed IT, cloud, data center and professional services. mindSHIFT’s local presence and commitment to personalized attention is reflected in its long-time partnership with the ALA Independence Chapter, including its support for member firms, such as Gad-sden Schneider & Woodward LLP; Ham-burg Rubin Mullin Maxwell & Lupin PC; Heckscher Teillon Terrill & Sager PC; Mannion Prior LLP; and, Sweet Stevens Katz & Williams LLP.
mindSHIFT continues to further its reach into the legal community, now serving more than 200 law firms across 30 states. In fact, last year, mind-SHIFT acquired another IT services company also committed to provid-ing law firms with highly secure data availability and reliable, hometown support. This latest addition to mind-SHIFT is in Texas.
Many clients, associates and partners of mindSHIFT are familiar with the company’s depth and breadth of involvement in the legal community, but it is not commonly known that the 650-employee company is also dedicated to supporting the
education community, enhancing the teaching and learning experience by empowering teachers and students with the latest technology. Currently, mindSHIFT helps more than 50 schools nationwide evaluate, implement and maintain their IT. Thirty-percent of these schools are K-12 urban charter schools whose mission is to prepare low-income students in educationally under-served communities for success in getting to and ultimately graduat-ing from college. Charter schools such as Uncommon Schools, Harlem Village Academies, Public Prep and Explore Schools utilize mindSHIFT as their end-to-end IT department, maintaining and supporting enterprise systems, back-end and on-premise infrastruc-ture, mobile device access and security, as well as providing strategic technol-ogy direction. The result? Advancing the teaching practices, learning oppor-tunities and overall quality of educa-tion for thousands of students.
mindSHIFT Facts at a Glance• Namedthe#1ITServicesProviderinthe
U.S.byMSPmentorfor4consecutiveyears
• UnrivaledportfolioofmanagedIT,cloud,datacenter,consultingand professionalITservices
• Certifiedengineersinthelatest, key technologies
• 144,000+usersmanaged
• 50,000+manageddesktops
• 13,000+managedserversanddevices
• 6.8+billionemails/year
• 140,000+mailboxesmanaged
• 2.8PBstorage
• 650+employees
• Geographicallydiverseenterprise-classdata centersandregionalofficesacrosstheU.S.
• AccreditedmemberoftheMSPAlliance®
• SSAE16compliant(formerlySAS70TypeII)
• 24/7/365live,U.S.-basedsupport
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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 fund-ed 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 sea-son, which runs from May to October. During this time, mind-SHIFT 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. mind-SHIFT’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
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.
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 [email protected] or (267) 852-3258; for the education community, contact Matt Kershnar at [email protected] or (212) 253-3576. For general information about mindSHIFT and its IT services offer-ings, visit www.mindSHIFT.com.
S p o n S o r m e S S a g eMInDShIfT TeChnOlOGIeS MInDShIfT TeChnOlOGIeS
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Change is in the Air… Many years ago, in my first job in the “real world,” my boss frequently quoted a French philos-opher. 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. 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 respon-sibility will be the organization and orchestration of these smaller, two-day 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! 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
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. 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 opportuni-ties. Change your routine and attend one of these gatherings. 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.
edItorIal PolIcy This newsletter is published bythe Independence Chapter of theAssociation of LegalAdministrators. Opinions expressed in articles and ad-vertisements contained herein are strictly those of thecontributors and advertisers, and do not necessarilyreflecttheopinionsoftheIndependenceChapteroritsmembers. Reprinting of any portion of this newsletterbyanymeansincludingphotocopying,recordingoranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,isprohibitedwithoutpermissionoftheEditorandAuthor.
anne l. paISley
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
I n D e p e n D e n C e C H a p T e r2013 Charitable Organizations Community Challenge Events
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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 invalu-able to businesses and organizations alike. We now have the ability to con-nect with people we have never met, to tweet what we are doing tonight, to estab-lish a professional network with peers and, to stay on top of the newest trends in our respective professions. 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 Face-book, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Our Facebook page is The Independence Chapter of the Associa-tion of Legal Administrators https://www.facebook.com/pages/Independence-chapter-of-the-association-of-legal-administrators/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.
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/Indepen-dence-chapter-6512216?gid=6512216&mostPopular=&trk=
tyah&trkInfo=tas%3aindependence%20chapter
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.
ALA – Independence Chapter and Social Media
By Karen D. Chellew, Firm Administrator, Weber, Kracht & Chellew
OMG… 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 commu-nication has never teetered on a precipice as narrow as today’s technology has created. What is appropriate verbiage and commu-nication 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 technol-ogy often times reduces their need of secretarial assistance to an almost moot point. Baby boomer dictation may still require a cas-sette and a dictation machine which keeps the “high-touch” con-nection between attorney and secretary firmly in place, while the millennial attorney will use his/her iPhone, Droid, or Dragon tech-nology 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. Besides being befuddled by acronyms and their misuses in busi-ness communications, an office manager may have some level of property management responsibility no matter what building struc-ture 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. 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)!
From a friend in the “office management” trenches!
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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 –3rdTuesday (Johnson Matthey, Inc.)
n Lehigh Valley – 3rd Wednesday (King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul)
Please check our website for additional details.
January 14, 2014 Quarterly education eventTBD
MarcH 26, 2014 Quarterly education eventTBD
EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS AVAILABLE ONLINE
The Ethics of Email & Social Media Presented by Thomas E. Spahn, J.D.
Saying the Hard Things with Aloha ...................................10/16/2013
Forecasting the Realistic Budget ...........................................9/18/2013
Financial Reporting Methods that Allow Intelligent Business Decision .................................................8/21/2013 Presented by Barry Jackson, Clm, CPa
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
Marketing (Mis)Alignmnet: Closing the Gap Between Marketing and Law Firm Leadership ....................................5/15/2013 Presented by marcie Borgal Shunk, michael B. Rynowecer
Leveraging Technology for Small Firms ...............................6/19/2013 Presented by Debbie Foster
Mentoring: It’s Deja Vu All Over Again ................................4/17/2013 Presented by michael moore, J.D.
Initiating Alternative Fee Arrangements .............................3/20/2013 Presented by Frederick J. Esposito, Jr., Clm
Profitable Law Firms – There’s No APP for That ..................2/20/2013 Presented by Karen Steinberger, Clm and Jim allen, Clm
Microsoft Office Tips & Tricks ................................................1/16/2013 Presented by Ben m. Schorr. Roland Schorr & Tower
Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace .............11/14/2012 Presented by lynn Hanks, mD, FaSam
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget ....................................10/17/2012 Presented by Sally Schmidt, Schmidt marketing
Of Foxes, Hedgehogs & Law Firm Profitability ....................9/19/2012 Presented by Vincent m. Bell, J. mark Santiago
Records Management...Information in All Media ...............8/15/2012 Presented by Dana C. moore
Change Leadership: A Boot Camp to Drive Organizational Change ................................................7/18/2012 Presented by Rachel Schaming
Technology Management: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ..........................................6/20/2012 Presented by Barron K. Henley, Esq.. Debbie Foster
Safe Stress! ...........................................................................05/16/2012 Presented by Judith a. Hissong, Clm
The Role of Legal Administrator in Legal Practice Management ..................................................4/18/2012 Presented by Pamela H. Woldow, Esq.,
The Art of Active Listening ...................................................3/21/2012 Presented by Debra l. Bruce, JD, PCC
Selling Blue Elephants: Client Marketing Retention and Loyalty ...........................................................1/18/2012 Presented by Dr. Howard R. moskowitz
ReMindeR – The following Webinars are Available to All independence Chapter Members on our Website through the Members Portal
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ALA Mission stAteMentThe 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.
Board Members
Anne is Firm Administrator at Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, P.C., in West Con- shohocken, 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 Com-mittees. Anne resides in West Chester with her husband, Willie, and three children, Katie, Alastair and Andrew.
ANNE L. PAISLEY PresidentHeckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager 610-940-4194
Sharon A. O’Donnell is the Office Adminis-trator of The Health Care Law Associates, Inc., in Plymouth Meeting, PA. She has been a member of ALA and the Independence Chap-ter since 1997. Sharon has served the chapter as Publicity Chair, Second Vice President, Co-Chair of Quarterly Dinner Meetings, Chapter Secretary, and Co-Chair of Education Com-mittee. Sharon resides in Harleysville, PA with her husband, Tom and son, Patrick.
SHARON O’DONNELL President ElectHealth Care Law Associates 610-828-3888
Conni is the Financial Manager at Heck-scher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, P.C., locat-ed 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 mem-ber since 2000. She has served on the Bar Liaison Committee as Committee Member and Committee Chair. Conni is a resident of Cherry Hill, NJ.
CONNI SOTA TreasurerHeckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager 610-940-2600
DENA DIBONA LYONS SecretaryGadsden Schneider & Woodward LLP 484-683-2626
Dena Lyons is Board Secretary and Co- Chair 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.
Joan is the Legal Administrator for HRMM&L. A very active member of ALA, she has dual membership in the Indepen-dence 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.
JOAN WEAN Vice PresidentHamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC 215-661-0400
Beth is the Office Manager at Mannion Prior, LLP, located in King of Prussia. She has been a member of the Inde- pendence 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.
BETH COLLINS Vice PresidentMannion Prior, LLP 610-265-7800
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WeLCoMe neW MeMBeRSeducation .................................... Chair: Sharon O’Donnell Committee: Lynn Denitz, Adelaine Williams, Barb Foley
Memberservices ....................................................Chair: Joan Wean Brown Bag: Chester/Delaware – April Fugate Montgomery – Joan Wean Bucks – Terry Lang Lehigh – Kathy Miller
technology .............................................Chair: Beth Collins Website Cristin Bucciaglia, Beth Collins Newsletter Linda Andrews, April Fugate community relations ............................Chair: Amy Coral 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
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
Janice Skrot ___________________ [email protected] – Begley Carlin & Mandio, LLP680 Middletown BoulevardPO Box 308Langhorne, PA 19047215-750-0110; Fax: 215-750-1679
JoAnn Konopka __________________ [email protected] Office Manager – Cozen O’ConnorSuite 400, 200 Four Falls Corporate CenterWest Conshohocken, PA 19428610-941-2376; Fax: 610-941-2350
Tracy U. Palovich ___________ [email protected] Director/Patent Agent – Howson & Howson LLPBuilding 620, Suite 210350 Sentry ParkwayBlue Bell, PA 19422215-540-9208
Margaret J. Forristall __________ [email protected] Administrator/ParalegalRoyer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld, LLCSuite 220, 101 W. Elm StreetConshohocken, PA 19428484-362-2620; Fax: 484-362-2630
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 responsi-bilities, 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 chil-dren 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,
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 fur-ther 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.
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I N D E P E N D E N C E C H A P T E R C O M M U N I T Y C H A L L E N G E E V E N T
Back to School Supply DriveBy 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 self-esteem 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
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S E M I N A R S / T R A I N I N G
THINGS THEY ARE A CHANGING –
EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE!
By Sharon O’Donnell, Office Administrator, Health Care Law Assoc. and Lynn Denitz, Office Manager, RatnerPrestia
RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR!By Dena Lyons, Law Office Administrator
Gadsden Schneider& Woodward LLP
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 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.
You write an all-firm memo describing the disgusting contents of sev-eral 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 re-move 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 reso-lutions 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.”
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 Mile-Stone 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 con- sidered 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.
(top) Sharon O’Donnell with Deborah Weinstein
(bottom) Co-chairs lynn Denitz and Sharon O’Donnell
Independence ChapterAssociation of Legal Administratorsc/o Linda Andrews, EditorLentz Cantor and Massey Ltd.460 E. King RoadMalvern, PA 19355
We’ll Help You Put the Pieces TogetherWhether 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!
We Value Our Partnership with ALA and Salute Its Service to Its Members
800 Penllyn PikeBlue Bell, PA 19422Tel: 610-783-0900Fax: 610-783-7940www.morganwentworth.com
PROFESSIONAL LEGAL
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