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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 1 MARCH / APRIL 2012 INSIDE: Trends Jessa Baker: Tip-Offs & Buzzer Beaters: What’s Happening On & Off the Court 14 Data Security Bob Gaines: Data Security Matters 18 Marketing Patrick Johansen: Four Trends To Improve Your Marketing Budget 28 Printing Solutions Cheryl Ferguson: Managed Print Solutions: Best Practices: Developing A Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Efficiency and Lower Costs 34 Workplace Andrea Brandt: What Today’s Law Firm Leaders Need to Know 36 Legal Industry Issue The MINISTRATOR’S VANTAGE
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March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

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Page 1: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 1

MARCH / APRIL 2012

INSIDE:

TrendsJessa Baker: Tip-Offs & Buzzer Beaters: What’s Happening On & Off the Court 14

Data SecurityBob Gaines: Data Security Matters 18

MarketingPatrick Johansen: Four Trends To Improve Your Marketing Budget 28

Printing SolutionsCheryl Ferguson: Managed Print Solutions: Best Practices: Developing A Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Ef�ciency and Lower Costs 34

Workplace Andrea Brandt: What Today’s Law Firm Leaders Need to Know 36

Legal Industry Issue

The

MINISTRATOR’SV A N T A G E

Page 2: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

2 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

RECORDS MANAGEMENT | DATA PROTECTION AND RECOVERY | SECURE SHREDDING

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For local service call

630-936-8174.

www.ironmountain.com

800-899-IRON

IS RECORDS MANAGEMENT ALWAYSTHE LAST PRIORITY?

You’ve always known that how well your firm manages its records, performs

discoveries and produces evidence directly impacts client service, risk mitigation

and operating costs. Now, you can prove it with Iron Mountain’s cost-effective

eRecords Management and Digital Archive services. Secure storage keeps your

valuable records protected and compliant, while fast, easy, web-based document

search and retrieval capabilities deliver the information you need, when it’s

needed. For over 50 years Iron Mountain has been helping law firms reap the

rewards of effective records management. Shouldn’t your firm be one of them?

ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT

Page 3: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 3

Legal Industry Trends Articles Tip-Offs & Buzzer Beaters: What’s Happening On & Off the Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14By Jessa Baker

Data Security Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18By Bob Gaines

Four Trends To Improve Your Marketing Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28By Patrick Johansen

Managed Print Solutions: Best Practices: Developing A Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Ef�ciency and Lower Costs . . . . 34By Cheryl Ferguson

Workplace Trends: What Today’s Law Firm Leaders Need to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36By Andrea Brandt

Features

Editor’s Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Legal Levity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Bi-Monthly Recap ( Creating an Engaging Workplace ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Business Partner Pro�le . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Welcome New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

The Administrator’s AdvantageMarch/April 2012

Newsletter Editor: Nanine Schweda [email protected]

Newsletter Committee: Patsy Carey312-630-1211 [email protected]

Jane [email protected]

Mary Lynn Wilson, CLM 312-332-8497 [email protected]

Advertising Space: Karin Jackson 312-782-7606

Printing: Elk Grove Graphics 847-439-7834

Design:Heiniger Design, Inc. 219-838-0243

Cover photo: Millenium Park by Paul Klenck

The Administrator’s Advantage is published on a bi-monthly basis by The Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. The newsletter is published as a service to The Greater Chicago Chapter members and others interested in law �rm management. Any article or advertisement published here should not be considered to be an endorsement by The Administrator’s Advantage of the opinions expressed in the articles or of the products or services advertised. Contributing writers are asked to disclose af�liations or interests that may in�uence their writing positions. Anyone interested in contribut-ing an article or otherwise participating in the production of the newsletter is most welcome and should contact the editor.

© Copyright 2011 by The Greater Chicago Chapter of ALA International. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechani-cal, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Association of Legal Administrators. Requests for permission to reprint any part of The Administrator’s Advantage should be directed to the Newsletter Editor or the Newsletter Committee.

ALA Mission Statement: The Association of Legal Administrators’ mission is to promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of all members of the legal management team; improve the quality of management in law firms and other legal service organizations; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.

The

MINISTRATOR’SV A N T A G E

RECORDS MANAGEMENT | DATA PROTECTION AND RECOVERY | SECURE SHREDDING

©20

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serv

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mou

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inar

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trad

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ksof

Iron

Mou

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inIn

corp

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For local service call

630-936-8174.

www.ironmountain.com

800-899-IRON

IS RECORDS MANAGEMENT ALWAYSTHE LAST PRIORITY?

You’ve always known that how well your firm manages its records, performs

discoveries and produces evidence directly impacts client service, risk mitigation

and operating costs. Now, you can prove it with Iron Mountain’s cost-effective

eRecords Management and Digital Archive services. Secure storage keeps your

valuable records protected and compliant, while fast, easy, web-based document

search and retrieval capabilities deliver the information you need, when it’s

needed. For over 50 years Iron Mountain has been helping law firms reap the

rewards of effective records management. Shouldn’t your firm be one of them?

ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT

Page 4: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

4 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Business Partner Sponsors and AdvertisersAdvertisers Index: ABA Retirement Funds ................................................................. 46

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause ........................................................... 46

Beacon Hill Legal .......................................................................... 38

Bridges Court Reporting .............................................................. 39

CallOne ......................................................................................... 27

Canon Business Solutions ........................................................... 22

Cintas Document Management ................................................... 17

Clarity Imaging Technologies, Inc. ................................................ 46

CMS Management Solutions ....................................................... 41

Coffee Unlimited ........................................................................... 39

Des Plaines Of�ce Equipment Co. ............................................... 11

Document Technologies, Inc. ....................................................... 23

Elk Grove Graphics ....................................................................... 22

Equitrac Corporation ................................................................... 41

Federal Record Storage ............................................................... 41

FirmWise ......................................................................................... 7

Garvey’s Of�ce Products ............................................................. 45

Gregg Communications ............................................................... 45

Humanscale .................................................................................. 44

IKON/Ricoh Legal ......................................................................... 33

Iron Mountain ................................................................................. 2

IST Management Services, Inc. .................................................... 41

Jones Lang LaSalle ...................................................................... 13

Keno Kozie Associates ................................................................. 16

Lower Electric LLC ....................................................................... 39

Meetrix Communications, Inc. ..................................................... 31

Merrill Corporation ........................................................................ 43

M.G. Welbel & Associates, Inc ..................................................... 43

Miller Bros. Engravers Co. ............................................................ 46

National Of�ce Furniture ............................................................... 25

Next Day Toner ............................................................................. 48

Océ Business Services ................................................................ 33

Omega Legal Systems ................................................................. 39

Pitney Bowes Legal Solutions ........................................................ 5

Project Leadership Associates ..................................................... 45

Rentacrate a HiTouch Co. ............................................................ 13

Robert Half Legal .......................................................................... 12

Steelcase Inc. ............................................................................... 31

Swiss Post Solutions ................................................................... 33

The Classic Group ........................................................................ 31

The Horton Group ........................................................................ 43

Tuttle Printing & Engraving ........................................................... 43

UPS .............................................................................................. 47

Warehouse Direct ......................................................................... 11

Williams Lea, Inc. ......................................................................... 17

Business Partner Sponsors

The Greater Chicago Chapter wishes to thank all of our sponsors for their generous contributions and support:

Platinum Sponsor: Next Day Toner

Gold Sponsors: Document Technologies, Inc. Iron Mountain UPS

Silver Sponsors: Call One IKON/Ricoh Legal Rentacrate a HiTouch Co.Warehouse Direct

Copper Sponsors: Des Plaines Of�ce Equipment Co. Jones Lang LaSalle Pitney Bowes Legal Solutions Project Leadership AssociatesWilliams Lea, Inc.

Bronze Sponsors: ABA Retirement Funds Baker Tilly Virchow Krause Beacon Hill Legal Bridges Court Reporting Canon Business Solutions Cintas Document Management Clarity Imaging Technologies, Inc. CMS Management Solutions Coffee Unlimited Equitrac Corporation Federal Record Storage MDMC Garvey’s Of�ce Products Gregg Communications Humanscale IST Management Services, Inc. Lower Electric LLCMeetrix Communications, Inc. Merrill Corporation M.G. Welbel & Associates Miller Bros. Engravers Co. National Of�ce Furniture Océ Business Services Omega Legal Systems Robert Half Legal Steelcase Inc. Swiss Post Solutions The Classic Group The Horton Group Tuttle Printing & Engraving

Website Sponsors: FirmWise Keno Kozie Associates Maverick Maven

Page 5: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 5

Business Partner Sponsors and Advertisers Editor’s Cut

For more information contact: Ann Herringann.herring pb.com(312) 729-1420www.pb.com

Nanine SchwedaExecutive Director Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff

This economic recession has forced many law �rms to look closely at their cost structures and the ef�ciency of their processes.

The two highest expenditures for most law �rms consist of employee compensation and of�ce space rent. We have all witnessed and, unfortunately, many of us have experienced lay-offs and downsizing. In this issue, we explore the trends in of�ce space design as large corner partner of�ces and palatial lobbies have begun to disappear.

Innovation, best practices and the use of technology have become ever more critical to streamline work �ows and to adopt more ef�cient processes. In this issue, we present some emerging trends. We have seen technology reduce the attorney to secretary ratios but new roles are appearing that focus on hiring individuals with speci�c specialized skills and replacing employees with technology.

As always, we hope this issue provides educational and practical information that you can implement at your �rms to achieve these

goals.

Page 6: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

6 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Board Members and Chapter Advisors

The Greater Chicago Chapter Board of Directors

President

Jena Neisler, CLM, Sedgwick LLP

[email protected]

Vice President / President Elect / Region 3 Representative

Cinthia LeGrand, CLM, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

[email protected]

Vice President Elect / Secretary

Deborah O’Donnell, Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury,

Hilliard & Geraldson LLP

[email protected]

Treasurer

James D. Beavers, Hall Prangle and Schoonveld

[email protected]

Membership Director

Susan M. Gerovasil, CLM, Coplan & Crane, Ltd.

[email protected]

Professional Development Director

Laura W. Thompson, Gould & Ratner LLP

[email protected]

Newsletter Director

Nanine Schweda, Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff, P.C.

[email protected]

Business Partner Relations Director

Karin Jackson, Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush,

DiCianni & Krafthefer, P.C.

[email protected]

Communication/Website Director

Betsy Amaya Kopczynski, Howe & Hutton, Ltd.

[email protected]

Small Firm Director

Deborah A. Kuchta, CLM, Hinkhouse Williams Walsh LLP

[email protected]

Mid-Size Firm Director

Patricia E. Wagner, Dykema Gossett, PLLC

[email protected]

Large Firm Director

Patrick Johansen, CLM, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

[email protected]

Survey Director

Benjamin C. Shames, Valorem Law Group

[email protected]

CLM Director

Karen Hammersmith, CLM, Levin Ginsburg

[email protected]

Community Relations Director

Sherry L. Gini, Goldberg Kohn Ltd.

[email protected]

Past President / Historian

Carol McCallum, CLM, Roetzel & Andress

[email protected]

Chapter Advisors

Finance Advisor

John T. Podbielski, Jr., Ungaretti & Harris, LLP

[email protected]

Human Resources Advisor

Gina Ciaccio, Perkins Coie

[email protected]

Marketing Advisor

Deborah A. Guth, Henderson & Lyman

[email protected]

Facilities Advisor

Maureen T. Feltman, CLM, Brady, Connolly & Masuda, P.C.

[email protected]

Special Events Chair

Mark Bridgeman, CLM

Page 7: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 7

Page 8: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

8 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

President’s Message

Jena M. Neisler Director of Administration Sedgwick LLP

The Chapter achieved many successes this past year, and all to the credit of those who served the Chapter. . .

Time Does Fly. . .I have said it several times to colleagues: I cannot believe how quickly 2011 �ew by. I especially cannot believe how quickly my year as President of the Greater Chicago Chapter of the ALA �ew by. It seems just a couple of months ago that I began my journey as President of the Chapter and led the year’s �rst Board meeting. I knew at that �rst meeting that the Chapter would have a great year. The year’s overall theme was “People with a Purpose and a Passion to meet that Purpose will lead us on the Pathways to Success.” The Chapter achieved many successes this past year, and all to the credit of those who served the Chapter, either by serving on the Board or serving on a committee, with great passion and purpose.

The Chapter held numerous educational events from Brown Bag Educational Sessions to a full day conference. We increased communications with our Business Partners by forming a Business Partner Liaison Program. We also began a Business Partner Advisory Committee to give our Business Partners an additional vehicle to voice their ideas and to have a more active role in the planning of Business Partner sponsored events. We started a Diversity Committee to really look at how we can better focus our Diversity efforts. We added a service aspect to our Community Challenge efforts, in addition to our fundraising event, to include an event that focused more on service to the community. We changed our fundraising event to provide a greater outreach. We updated our mission statement to more clearly re�ect the goals of the Chapter and to be more in line with the National goals of the ALA. We developed a slogan to de�ne our Chapter and give it more visibility. All of these things were made possible because of the members of the Chapter who had the Passion to meet a Purpose. I would like to thank everyone who helped lead the Chapter down the Pathways to Success this past year.

Thank you to all of the members who gave their support, whether it be by showing up at the events, answering fellow members’ questions on the listservs, or volunteering to participate on a committee. Thank you to all of the committee members, who put in hours of time assisting with the planning and implementation of various events and tasks. And last but not least, to the Board members, who were so dedicated to making the Chapter the success it was:

CINTHIA LEGRAND - Vice President, President Elect – volunteered to sit next to me at all Board meetings and draw a happy face with an open

mouth on my notebook if I talked too much at meetings (she never had to actually do that, just for the record!). Cinthia tirelessly co-chaired and participated on the various committees, kept the Chapter Calendar up to date and made sure that I met all of the deadlines!

Outgoing Board of Directors for 2011-2012

Page 9: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 9

President’s Message

DEB O’DONNELL – Vice President Elect/Secretary – Kept things running smoothly at Board meetings, and kept very accurate minutes. Deb has a way of putting herself in someone else’s shoes and being able to come at problems from several angles, always keeping things grounded and all of us on track. Deb was also instrumental, along with her committee, in the creation of the Chapter’s new slogan.

JIM BEAVERS – Treasurer – took his �duciary responsibilities seriously, just the way one would expect of a treasurer. Jim also contributed to the Chapter by looking for ways to do things ef�ciently but still provide the kind of quality educational and social events the Chapter members expect. When he discovered how expensive meals were going to be during a conference for Chapter leaders, he was willing to eat the fries from the burger and fry plate and let his other three traveling companions share the burger. Have to stick to that budget!

SUSAN GEROVASIL – Membership Director – did a terri�c job in a down economic market and came up with some great ideas to encourage Chapter membership including promoting the 2011 Conference and membership at the same time by offering free membership for the remainder of the year for non-members who registered for the conference.

LAURA THOMPSON – Professional Development Director – brought us quality educational sessions throughout the year. Along with the committee, Laura also coordinated the speakers for the October Chapter Educational Conference and Business Partner Exhibition.

NANINE SCHWEDA – Newsletter Director – worked with a committee to give The Administrator’s Advantage a fresh, new layout, giving us an updated version of an already excellent quality newsletter.

KARIN JACKSON – Business Partner Relations Director – worked to help build better relationships with our Business Partners by participating in the formation of the Business Partner Liaison Program and the “Meet the Board” social event, designed to help Business Partners learn about how the Chapter works and what the real bene�ts of sponsorship are.

BETSY KOPCZYNSKI – Communications/Website Director – kept everyone up to date and informed about the Chapter itself, upcoming events and what’s going on in the world of ALA.

DEBORAH KUCHTA - Small Firm Director; PATTY WAGNER - Mid-Size Firm Director and PATRICK JOHANSEN - Large Firm Director led the monthly group meetings and encouraged discussions and idea exchanges amongst the members.

Continued

Incoming Board of Directors for 2012-2013

Page 10: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

10 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

BEN SHAMES – Survey Director – provided the Chapter with invaluable information, to assist with the planning of educational events and other Chapter initiatives, by way of various surveys conducted throughout the year.

KAREN HAMMERSMITH – CLM Director – led Chapter members in their efforts to gain knowledge in various areas of the legal profession and to further their personal and professional goal of becoming a Certi�ed Legal Manager.

SHERRY GINI – Community Relations Director – worked very hard to �nd a Community Service Project for the Chapter and arranged for Members and Business Partners to work with the Jobs for Youth Program. This was a very rewarding program that allowed Chapter Members and Business Partners to work together to give back to the Chicago Community. Sherry, along with her committee, also planned a very successful Casino Night, the Chapter Charitable Fundraiser. Proceeds of over $26,000 were divided between two Children’s Charities.

JOHN PODBIELSKI – Finance Advisor, GINA CIACCIO – HR Advisor, DEBORAH GUTH – Marketing Advisor and MAUREEN FELTMAN – Facilities Advisor, all worked together, with Laura Thompson, to provide speakers for the various educational sessions including the Brown Bags and Bi-Monthly lunches. Their assistance ensured that members had access to quality educational sessions on a variety of topics.

MARK BRIDGEMAN – Special Events Chair – worked with a great team to put together a very successful 2011 Greater Chicago Chapter Educational Conference and Business Partner Exhibition. Well over 100 members attended and 6 educational sessions were offered along with two keynote sessions. 62 Business Partners also exhibited at the event. Mark also chaired the newly formed Diversity Committee. The committee worked to put together Diversity programs and discuss ways to promote Diversity within the Chapter.

CAROL MCCALLUM – Past President/Historian – who provided unlimited support to the entire Board and worked on numerous committees. Carol was an invaluable resource to the membership and the Board. She assisted with everything from working with Mark on the Educational Conference to printing and cutting apart drink tickets for social events. The Chapter could not have accomplished everything it did this past year without Carol’s knowledge and support.

This year �ew by. And it could not have been more rewarding. It was an honor and a privilege to serve as your President for the 2011-2012 Board Year. It was an honor to work with a group of people with a purpose and a passion to meet that purpose and to take that journey down the pathways to success. I wish the 2012-2013 Board that same success on their journey.

By: Jena Neisler, CLMDirector of AdministrationSedgwick LLP

President’s Message

This year �ew by. And it could not have been more rewarding.

Page 11: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 11

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Page 12: March/April 2012 - (ALA), Greater Chicago Chapter

12 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Upcoming Events

May 16: 1:00 – 2:00 Webinar: Safe StressBarack Ferrazzanon 200 West Madison Suite 3900

May 17: 12:00 – 1:00 Joint Meeting of Small and Midsize FirmsMuch Shelistn 191 North Wacker Drive Suite 1800

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June 13: 12:00 – 1:00Small Firm MeetingMichaels & May, P.C.n 300 South Wacker Drive Suite 1800 June 20: 1:00 – 3:00Webinar: Technology Management: The Good, the Bad and the UglySmithAmundsenn 150 North Michigan Avenue Suite 3300 June 21: 12:00 – 1:00 Midsize Firm MeetingShefsky & Froelichn 111 East Wacker Drive Suite 2800 June 27 – 12:00 – 1:00Large Firm MeetingDrinker Biddlen 190 North Wacker Drive Suite 3700

July 11: 12:00 – 1:00Small Firm MeetingFunkhouser Vegosen Liebman & Dunn Ltd.n 55 West Monroe Street Suite 2300 July 18: 1:00 – 3:00 Webinar: Change Leadership: A Boot Camp to Drive Organizational ChangeMuch Shelist n 191 North Wacker Drive Suite 1800 July 19: 12:00 – 1:00Midsize Firm MeetingDuane Morris LLPn 190 South LaSalle Street Suite 3700 Jul 25: 12:00 – 1:00Large Firm MeetingMuch Shelistn 191 North Wacker Drive Suite 1800

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 13

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14 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Legal Industry Trends

Tip-Offs & Buzzer Beaters:What’s Happening On & Off the Court?

Ah, the end of March Madness. Kentucky won the NCAA college basketball tournament, of�ce pools

paid out their bracket prizes, “March Madness widows” reclaimed their signi�cant others, and water cooler talk about last-second buzzer beaters slowed to a trickle. As a self-proscribed “fair weather sports fan”, this year I attempted to proactively understand the game of basketball. Interestingly, I learned �ve lessons that parallel current trends in the legal industry.

1. Recognize When it’s Time to Readjust

the Game PlanIf law �rms learned anything during the recent �nancial crisis, it is that they must examine how they operate in the current climate. The old playbook doesn’t work anymore. Demand for legal services has been relatively stagnant since the deep plunge of 2008, and while many �rms raised pro�ts per partner by cutting legal capacity, in general, revenues haven’t experienced the gains we witnessed a few years ago. It’s time to adjust the game plan. Economic performance has propelled change, and although most �rms have returned to economic stability and even modest growth, a strong buyer’s market for legal services continues to permeate the industry. Clients have grown increasingly sensitive about price and perceived value given that even the most complex legal matters include routine or low-value tasks.

Document review, which accounts for one-half of all litigation costs, is an excellent example. As the shift from a seller’s to a buyer’s market evolved, clients demanded the increased use of contract attorneys and outsourcing for routine eDiscovery. According to Gary Buckland, Vice President and Product Leader for the Legal Staf�ng Brand and Solutions Group of Kelly Services, “In today’s legal market, cost and value of

services are paramount. We have seen an increase in our corporate clients reaching out directly to us to learn more about our outsourcing solutions and how we can integrate and work collaboratively with their outside counsel to deliver savings. Corporate legal departments will continue to be faced with delivering strategies to cut cost of services without sacri�cing quality.” One thing is clear: Clients are calling the shots.

2. It Starts With Talent: Get the Right Players

on the TeamSimilar to the battle to recruit top coaches and players, the war for talent in the legal industry is heating up. In an attempt to gain market share from competitors, law �rms are “putting their money where their mouth is” to recruit lateral partners. Not unlike collegiate basketball coaches turning down sizable salaries to remain with their current schools, lateral lawyers are looking for more than hefty compensation packages before they change teams.

Increasingly, lawyers are focused on long-term career growth, stability and cultural �t as they consider lateral moves.

According to Shannon Davis, Senior Legal Recruiting Manager at Seyfarth Shaw, “Lawyers looking to make lateral moves are better informed than ever before.  Beyond cursory due diligence on the economics of a transition that affect them immediately, we have found candidates to be focused on substantive differentiators like technology, innovation and legal specializations. Laterals want to become part of a team that can not only provide better service to their clients today, but that offers a meaningful long-term opportunity to elevate their practice and their career”. In response, innovative �rms are developing comprehensive lateral integration plans to consistently introduce and acclimate new lawyers to �rm culture and business development expectations.

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 15

Legal Industry Trends

On the defensive, �rms now realize that recruiters’ cold-calls, often unanswered in the past, are now being taken in hushed tones. As a result, �rms are renewing emphasis on mentorship, succession planning, associate achievement, new partner coaching and performance evaluations. Increasingly, �rms are taking a proactive approach to identify the policies, practices and behaviors shaping lawyer engagement through focus groups, surveys and interviews.

3. Once You Assemble the Team, Put Players in the Right

PositionsJust as good coaches put the right players in the correct positions, law �rms are rethinking the way they match talent with work processes. Innovative �rms continue to rethink how to utilize associates, staff attorneys, temporary attorneys and paralegals in ways that align talent with core work functions. In order to create a talent advantage, innovative �rms ask the following questions:

1. How do we match the right people to the right processes?

2. How do we connect our pipeline of client work with a pipeline of legal talent?

3. How do we shift staf�ng models to match the requirements for our �rm’s work?

4. How can we use talent to position our �rm for a sustainable competitive advantage?

Successful �rms create a competitive talent advantage by aligning staf�ng models to promote ef�ciency, employee satisfaction, and client value.

4. Never Give up on the Play: ReboundNow that clients are calling the shots, rebounding in the legal industry requires that �rms develop a sophisticated positioning strategy. In order to grow in the current legal economy, successful �rms will need to

take market share from competitors. Successful �rms focus on the following questions:

1. Which new clients should the �rm target?2. How can the �rm enrich and expand

relationships with current clients?3. What markets offer opportunity to leverage the

�rm’s unique strengths?4. What practice areas present the greatest

competitive advantage for the �rm?Just as there isn’t a “one-size-�ts-all” game plan for basketball teams, the answers to these questions will be different for each �rm.

5. Teamwork & Intelligence Wins ChampionshipsAccording to Michael Jordan, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” In addition to having the right players, successful teams put the right processes into place. What does that mean for law �rms? In response to the current buyer’s market, successful �rms are transforming key parts of the legal model and rethinking the way they deliver services. Delivery strategy includes several key questions:

1. What processes drive ef�ciency and client satisfaction?

2. How will services be priced?3. How do the �rm’s internal processes

maximize client value?4. What kind of infrastructure helps the �rm add

value for clients?

Pre-recession strategy is out of date, driving the need for a new approach. Embracing a new legal model requires abandonment of the “herd” mentality and the rethinking of your law �rm’s approach to how the game is played.

Jessa Baker is a Senior Consultant with LawVision Group LLC, and a member of LawVision’s strategy practice. She advises law �rms on talent strategy, associate and partner compensation systems, mergers, governance, crisis management and �nancial matters. She is based in Chicago and can be reached at 312.466.5649 or [email protected].

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16 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 17

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18 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Data Security Matters

Legal Industry Trends - Data Security

How secure is your data?That question leaves many law �rms trembling in their collective shoes while they waf�e about for the best answer that will give the appearance that they effectively answered the question without actually committing them to anything.

The unfortunate truth is that many law �rms do not truly understand how to answer that one important little question. Data security is the elephant in the middle of the room that can no longer be ignored. With the threat landscape changing on a daily basis, it is time for you and your law �rm to take responsibility for learning about the risks that threaten your client data. Once you understand the current and future trends regarding risks, you can assess your business to identify your current security strengths and weaknesses and then stage remediation to shore up defenses.

The times have changedTen years ago the threat landscape was simple; viruses were created to make a statement—not to make money—and antivirus software and �rewalls were the only defenses any business needed to prevent attacks. At the time, mobile devices were limited, and remotely connecting to the of�ce was done through modems or VPN over a DSL connection, so the only avenue of access a company would have had to protect was through the internet connection.The current threat landscape is completely different and always changing. Malware is created to generate illegal funds by taking over corporate information systems or stealing corporate intellectual property. (According to Symantec, a company that provides popular antivirus solutions, cybercrime now generates

more money than drug traf�cking.) Businesses need overlapping security systems at least 6 layers deep just to defend against even the most simple of internet threats. Add to malware risks the prevalence of mobile devices and the ease of remote connectivity and it becomes exceedingly dif�cult to keep track of data.

Five different battle�eldsThe current threat landscape is complicated by the evolved nature of the different risks. Your business is caught in the middle of �ve different battle�elds with their own unique sets of parameters. Each battle�eld

has a distinctive set of players, attacks, and motivations—your business

must face the challenge of defending against each

and every one of them in order to keep its information systems secure and running in order to remain competitive.

1) The I n s i d e r - I n s i d e r threats are

g r o w i n g . According to

CERT, in 2011, 21% of attacks

were from insiders with the average loss

to a business estimated at $123,000.00. Insiders are de�ned as current and former employees, contractors, and business partners. Insiders present a unique threat because of their speci�c knowledge of your business’s information systems and their access to its information. Current technology has increased the damage that an insider can do because the presence of USB drives and laptops has become part of the accepted business culture—the use of portable storage and computers won’t arouse suspicion which makes it easy for an onsite insider to steal signi�cant amounts of data without detection. Add to that the reality that many users have remote

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 19

Legal Industry Trends - Data Security

access capabilities to all company data through a secure VPN or web portal, and the potential for data loss increases exponentially.

2) The Organized Crime Syndicate- Most malware and spam is created by professional hackers that belong to organized crime syndicates. Organized crime will try to make money off your businesses information systems by stealing identities and �nancial data or renting out captured computer resources for illicit purposes such as distributing spam, bot-nets, and denial of service attacks. Crime syndicates will also uses cyber versions of their street activities for fraud and extortion by attacking your corporate websites and critical services which your company needs to stay competitive.

3) The State- While no “state players” have of�cially acknowledged sponsoring any sort of cyber threat, it is widely accepted that China, North Korea, and other countries are actively campaigning to steal intellectual property, monitor communications with non-government organizations (NGOs) and other state players, and attempting to in�ltrate most industries. To date, it is estimated that value of intellectual property stolen from state players is in the tens of billions of US dollars. In many countries, large portions of the economy have been established to support data gathering from this cyber espionage; collected data is analyzed for usefulness and then implemented in state sponsored industries.

4) The Middle-men- There is an increase in small organizations acting as middle-men for cybercrimes. These organizations steal everything they can, then divide up and sell whatever they can to the highest bidder; typically, �nancial data is sold to organized crime groups and intellectual property sold to state players. The middle-men are pro�t-motivated and very likely to attack small �rms such as retail corporation franchises and other small businesses. They use low risk, automated attacks that enable them to reproduce low-volume thefts again and again with little fear of being caught. An attack from one of these groups can occur within a few hours of a newly detected vulnerability. Most attacks are after-hours to avoid detection and often originate from nations such as Nigeria, Thailand, and the Philippines.

5) The Hacktivist- 2011 was the year that the hactivists made themselves known as a large-scale threat. Hacktivists were responsible for signi�cant data breaches at Sony, Amazon, and Epsilon as well as several breaches at defense contractors. Of the 177 million records stolen by hackers over the last year, 100 million were taken by hacktivists. Data theft and publication are now major tools of hacktivism, with most records stolen being used to publicly embarrass companies and individuals. Hacktivist attacks are often very sophisticated and the attacks often originate through a 3rd party organization which is used to gain access to the primary target’s resource. In the case of Sony, hactivists used a complex denial-of-service attack to hide a more sophisticated attack that ultimately breached their security. In close to 75% of reported cases, hactivist targets were warned ahead of time that they would be attacked.

What this means for your businessYour organization is under surveillance 24/7 by other organizations that are highly motivated to gain access to your systems. Automated scans against your corporate �rewall are occurring almost every hour—and in most cases, your employee’s home �rewalls since almost any system connected to the internet is being passively probed—and any �aw or miscon�guration in any �rewall, router, or any application that faces the internet can be the gateway to a full-�edged security breach.

While direct attack from the internet is the most obvious way to attack your corporate information systems, it is not the most common way that systems are breached. Internet browsing has been identi�ed as the most common method for unauthorized access to corporate systems. Generally, this occurs when a user visits a legitimate website that has been hacked; the compromised site can quickly infect the user’s computer which can then spread through your entire corporate IT environment. Almost all malware is now “network aware” and is programed to seek out other vulnerable devices within the infrastructure. Typically, once a machine has been infected, the malware will “call home”, and give a remote user the ability to

Continued

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20 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

either install more nefarious programs or take full control of the machine. One of the more damaging pieces of malware, a Trojan virus can hide undetected on a computer for months while it captures data, usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and other business account information.

Your company’s computer users that access corporate computing resources away from the of�ce at home, in hotels or cafes, etc. add another layer of risk to your information systems. Remote users have more limited security resources for defending their networks but face the same threats that your business does. If they are connecting into your business environment through a VPN or web portal, their system could be a weak link that is exploited to gain access to your corporate information systems.

Defend your information systemsThe best way to defend your company’s data is through regularly scheduled proactive information systems security assessments. A detailed security assessment will determine where your business’s defenses need to be placed and also identify where to shore up the strength of your current IT security investments. On at least an annual basis, your company should have a third party security �rm assess all security systems to ensure that all established security devices, applications, etc. are capable of preventing attacks. Defenses must be in overlapping layers to ensure that if a breach occurs, an unauthorized user is blocked by another layered defense to prevent access to critical data.

Because most breaches take advantage of vulnerabilities in software and operating systems, it is imperative that everything is patched to current levels,

including applications such as Adobe, Java and Flash. Patch management is an important step in securing your corporate IT infrastructure and needs to address laptops and tablets, mobile devices, and also home users systems.

It is also important to remember that your staff is critical to ensuring that corporate data is secure. Your business should provide yearly security awareness training so that your staff understands how to safely work with computing resources and data. Experts advise that an educated work staff is one of the best security defenses your business can have.

Remember that as mobility expands within the of�ce space, it is important to control access to your data. Your business needs to know where all of its important data resides; do this by monitoring system access, and when possible, encrypt all your sensitive information. As a last line of defense you monitor outbound information �ow through the �rewall (ex�ltration).

The next stepThe only way your business will truly be able to protect its data is to identify its particular data security risks through a security audit. To choose the best third party security �rm to audit your corporate information systems, ask for recommendations from others in your industry, and verify that the recommended �rm has experience assessing your industry, and that the auditors have certi�cations from ISACA and ISC.

Bob Gaines has almost twenty years of experience working with information technology.  For the past �ve years he has been specializing in security, consulting with small businesses on security compliancy, incident response and forensic investigations.  Bob has been recognized as a subject matter expert in the IT security �eld and has been interviewed by trade magazines such as Processor Magazine, Information Week, and Inc. as well as multiple technology news sites such as: foxbusiness.com, businessnewsdaily.com, darkreading.com, esecurityplanet.com, tcbmag.com, and infusionmag.com.  Bob holds multiple top-tier security certi�cates including CISSP, CRISC, CSFA, and ACE.

Legal Industry Trends - Data Security

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 21

Member Spotlight

My Name is: Steve Wingert

I work for: Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP

The �rm’s practice is: Intellectual Property.  We have 90 plus attorneys and patent agents who do prosecution and IP litigation.

My title is: Executive Director

Before becoming an administrator, I was: The director of business services for Marquette University School of Dentistry; a grant proposal writer; and the Vice President and Dean of Students for Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio.

I entered the �eld of legal administration because: A posting caught my eye and seemed like a good �t with my HR, business and facilities management experience.

I have been working in the legal �eld for: Almost 17 years.

I have a: MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio, a MA in Human Resources from Truman State University, and a BA in Psychology from Creighton University.  I also worked on a PhD. in Educational Leadership at Marquette University, completing everything but the dissertation.  If I hadn’t needed to start paying on student loans, I could have easily been a professional student.  I also obtained my CLM in 1995.

I joined ALA because: I thought it could help me bridge my business background and experience in higher education, to the legal industry.  While faculty at a university and lawyers at a law �rm have similarities, there was a lot more to learn about managing a law �rm.  ALA helped provide me easy access to a network from whom I could learn, and the education and resources to fall back on when needed.

Steve WingertTo be successful in legal administration: You have to be able to wear many hats well.  And, the ability to prioritize, deal with challenging situations and people, and tell your attorneys what they needed to hear, not what they want to hear.

The thing I like best about being a legal administrator: The ability to have in�uence on the direction of my �rm.  While it may be subtle, I �nd all that I do helps to shape not only the here and now, but the future as well.  This has developed as a result of establishing credibility and respect among the attorneys and staff.

One of the challenges of being in legal administration is: Being able to juggle the multitude of tasks and issues that come up each day, and dealing with strong personalities and egos. 

The best advice I’ve received is: Maintain a sense humor, and while it is dif�cult to do sometimes, separate the issue from taking it personally.

The best advice I would give to someone just entering the legal management �eld is: Join ALA, learn from others in the profession, and take advantage of all the resources and education available.  It helps to fast track the learning curve, and is a great complement to on the job training.

I try to motivate my staff by: Involving them in the development of the �rm’s strategic planning so they understand the big picture and vision; by giving them autonomy to do their jobs and manage their areas; by giving feedback, good or bad; by encouraging and providing learning opportunities and new experiences; and, by recognizing them for their accomplishments.

Three things that I do well are: Give time to the attorneys and staff and recognize the contributions of others.

Continued

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22 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Member Spotlight

If I weren’t a legal administrator, I would be: Doing a number of things:  going back to school, running a bed and breakfast, consulting, traveling.  I have a big bucket list.

I recommend membership in ALA to others: Because of the networking, access to resources and education available – the learning opportunities that will bene�t you, and your organization are endless.  Not to mention the friendships that will develop.  ALA helps you to be better at what you do. 

The last good book I read was: Making A Difference, by Steve Gilliliand

The last good movie I saw was: The Help

The last vacation I took was: Family trip to Ireland to visit my son who was �nishing up a semester abroad. The Guinness is really good there.

The one appointment that I never miss is: Well, I would like to say my dentist or the trainer, but I have had to reschedule appointments from time-to-time.  Flexibility in life is key.

In my free time: Like to spend time with my family, travel, workout, bike, build things (we are �nishing our basement at the moment), yard work, garden, cook, read, an occasional movie, go out with friends, dance.  It seems like I never have dif�culty �lling up my free time, although I have been known to plant myself on the sofa and just watch mindless TV (or sports) as well!

Helping to make your workday feel more like a vacation day.

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 23

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24 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Legal Levity

I’m going to Honolulu!!!  But before I go, we are celebrating my grandson Michael’s �rst birthday!!  Carol McCallum, CLM Rotzel & Andress

Pushing son to get resume out to get a job so he does not move back home after college! Also going to Hawaii!Maureen Feltman, CLM Brady, Connolly & Masuda, P.C.

Going to Cabo San Lucas and will be drinking golden margaritas while relaxing at Land’s End Beach looking out at the Arch of Poseidon in the Sea of Cortez.Karin Jackson-Long Ancel Glink

My husband and I are “kicking” off Spring by going to visit our son, Andrew, at Indiana University over Easter weekend. Then off to Hawaii for the ALA National Conference from the 18th of April to the 28th of April. Back to work for one week and then back to IU to move our son home for the summer … at which time we will probably be counting the days until he goes back on August 15th!Susan GerovasilCoplan Crane

I’m grabbing my grass skirt and heading to the ALA National Conference in Honolulu.  Very excited as this is my �rst trip to the magni�cent islands and my second National Conference.  Malamapono a hui  hou,Lisa Van SantShoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg

Going diving in Kona on a liveaboard so I can dive with the manta rays and turtles!Sherry GiniGoldberg Kohn

Running the Palos Park Southwest Half Marathon the �rst week of May.Patsy CareyStamos & Trucco LLP

Lunchtime strolls along the Chicago River to catch a little sun. Window shopping along Michigan Avenue to check out the latest spring fashion. Walks along the lakefront biking paths to explore the lakefront park areas. Hanging out at

cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating areas. Enjoying the colorful tulips and other �owers that have popped up early this spring along the major downtown streets.

Linda L. Hsu, CLMChico & Nunes, P.C.

I will be joining my cousin Sheila and her 13 year-old daughter Emily on a spring break vacation in San Diego.   We are spending a day at the Wild Animal Park where we will get plenty of exercise checking out all of the exhibits as well as going on a safari tour and zip lining.  We are spending another day at Sea World and we are having dinner with Shamu!  We also have plans for the San Diego Zoo as well as a sunset hot air balloon ride in Temecula.  We are spending our last day at Hotel del Coronado.  I’m looking forward to having a camp�re on the beach and making s’mores with family!Laura ChorvatTroutman Sanders

Early spring has gotten me working in my �owers beds to clean them up and start planning for future planting.  Just walking to and from my house to the train has been more enjoyable as I get to admire all the blooming �owers along the way.  Easter will be celebrated at my home with my family. Diane BrummelSmith Amundsen LLC

Studying for the CLM!  Nancy Nelson Walinski & Associates, P.C.

Spending weekends at the lake house in Michigan. Can’t Wait! Sally MendozaBryce Downey

I spent Spring Break in Boston watching my 12 year old daughter compete in the USTier 1 National Hockey Championship. Her team took 3rd overall in a heartbreaking overtime loss. Megan was one of the top scorers for the tournament.Patti WagnerDykema

What Are Your Colleagues Doing to Kick Off Spring?

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 25

Legal Levity

Recipe:Luscious Carrot CakeIngredients4 eggs1 ¼ cups vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder2 cups white sugar ½ teaspoon salt2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon2 cups all-purpose �our 3 cups grated carrots2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Icing½ cup butter, softened8 ounces cream cheese, softened4 cups confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and �our a 9x13 pan.2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in �our, baking

soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in nuts, if desired. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

SPRING FEVER

Four high school boys af�icted with spring fever skipped morning classes. After lunch they reported to the teacher that they had a �at tire.Much to their relief she smiled and said, “Well, you missed a test today so take seats apart from one another and take out a piece of paper.”Still smiling, she waited for them to sit down. Then she said: “First Question: Which tire was �at?”

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26 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Bi-Monthly Recap

The March Bi-Monthly featured Judy Hissong, CLM, of Nesso Strategies. Judy’s topic, “Creating an Engaging Workplace,” attracted a record number of Chapter members and guests.

Employee engagement is getting a lot of attention these days, and with good reason. As our economy steps past “hunker down” and into “the right �t” our employees are looking for what environment they thrive in. That’s right, I said THRIVE. Where our Baby Boomer generation takes on a job as a career, and has loyalty for their employer, the Millennial and GenY employees are interested in growing and learning, advancement and feedback (for their own sake, not necessarily for the �rm’s sake).

Engagement is a big commitment, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. Consider the lengths we go to as we proceed to the engagement stage of our personal relationships, and understand that there is a similar level of commitment to your �rm from those who are engaged employees. We know that the way we treat our colleagues is the driving force for the loyalty of our clients, and the loyalty of our clients drives the success of the �rm. In other words, if we want to maximize pro�tability, we must maximize employee engagement.

You can identify your engaged employees – they are the contributors in your �rm. They participate in creating solutions to everyday challenges; their day to day happiness draws attention and interest from partners and others around them. They are invested in retaining and securing good employees and clients for the �rm, and go the extra mile in serving the needs of those they work for, and the clients who call on them.

Is there a cost to disengagement? You bet! In a recent Gallup and Wright Management study, it was reported that $370 billion dollars is lost annually to actively disengaged employees. Additionally, 70% of engaged employees indicate they know how to meet client needs; only 17% of the disengaged say the same.

So how do you raise the level of engagement in your �rm? It’s an investment. An investment of time, and sometimes money. As more and more technologically

savvy Millenials saturate your workplaces, you must move away from the desk-related training programs and into the relationship-related skills - communication and con�ict skills, teambuilding (think practice group or client teams), and coaching skills (for your managers). Teambuilding isn’t the rah-rah event that comes to mind with the word, rather, it should be fun learning through participation in the process of growth and expansion that brings out individuality and the team. Our youngest generations in the workplace are adept at texting and Facebook updates, and have less and less personal interaction skills. They are beginning to ask for it, and expect this trend to continue, in subtle ways. Communication and con�ict skills training develops personal relating skills, and there isn’t a price tag on our ability to relate.

Do you have a wellness program? More than 75% of employees now believe their employer should encourage employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Wellness programs continue to demonstrate an amazing return on investment of 4:1 – for every one dollar you invest, you receive four dollars back. That’s a statistic that has been true for over a decade now – in good times and in bad. Wellness programs don’t require a �nancial investment – there are many, many free resources available to you that offer you initiatives so complete you only need roll them out to your employees (check out welcoa.org), and small investments yield big returns. (If you’d like wellness articles you can distribute to your staff, let me know, I have plenty I can share with you.) Employee engagement rises when people feel cared for and when there are resources which stretch them beyond their day to day work responsibilities.

Another way to raise engagement is to create non-work related activities and events. Consider putting together a volunteer opportunity which closes the of�ce for an afternoon and gathers everyone into the local community for an activity-based event. And, even simpler than that, create ways for people to connect that are social in nature. The monthly pot-luck, the birthday cake, or happy hours are all ways to foster higher levels of engagement. And, if you choose any of these, be sure that at least a few of your top-tiered (Managing Partner, Executive Committee members, etc.) employees are

Creating an Engaging Workplace

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 27

present and engaged as well. Remember that we all want to belong, and feel a part of the whole, and when the leaders of your �rm aren’t present (this means YOU too!), there is a high risk of disengagement.

In general, the higher levels of engagement are found in the workplaces where higher levels of communication are found. When employees understand the goals of the �rm and the direction and impact of �nancial situations and client satisfaction, there is more buy-in to the �rm. Providing suggestion boxes and continual feedback and feedforward are also opportunities to increase engagement. Are your leaders in the habit of offering feedback upon completion of projects? Are you also offering feedforward, where the employee can see where they have growth potential and opportunities?Employee engagement is a contact sport! Create visible shifts in your culture with a focused approach to retain and engage your personnel. Consider training

in soft skills, developing opportunities for wellness and connecting in social settings. Now is the time, and your �rm is the place. If I can help in any way, please consider me your ally and resource in making your �rm the very best it can be.

Judy Hissong from Nesso Strategies, I am passionate about performance. I partner with law �rms who are looking to improve communications, reduce con�ict, and improve their bottom line through employee engagement. I coach attorneys and non-lawyer managers

for performance improvement in administration and leadership, including accountability in marketing and business plans. Follow my blog at www.nessostrategies.com/blog.html. Contact me at [email protected] or 619.546.7885.

Bi-Monthly Recap

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28 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Four Trends To Improve Your Marketing Budget

Legal Industry Trends - Marketing

Industry studies continue to tell the same story: the percentage of revenue dedicated to marketing

activities remains steady at 2-3% of �rm revenue (de-pending on �rm size). However, a new twist is emerg-ing when you look at how those dollars are being al-located. In recent years, the legal industry has slowly evolved from the land-scape of ‘branding’ to the landscape of ‘busi-ness development.’ This trend can—and will—impact �rm budgets. Administrators need to be aware that forward-thinking law �rms are shifting dollars away from traditional mar-keting communications into four key areas: business development, client feedback, pro-cess improvement, and technology.

Business Development. Just as branding became ‘the’ legal marketing trend ten years ago, business development (BD) has become the latest strategic initiative. Look no further than the March 2012 cover story of ALA’s Legal Management; how to create ‘rainmakers’ is the quintessential question of BD. Otherwise known as ‘sales,’ BD is the strategic identi�cation, cultivation, and conversion of prospective clients into clients; it also includes efforts to retain and grow work from current clients. Identi�cation is driven largely by research (“intelligence”). This creates opportunities for the �rm’s Librarian to add additional value, but it also requires a greater investment in research tools. Cultivation is driven largely by ‘touches’ (including entertainment and education), which is why marketers always look for ways to communicate with �rm contacts and to get attorneys out of their of�ces. Conversion almost always occurs one-to-one, which is why relationship building—with prospective clients in order to gain their business and with current clients for

new matters—is the key skill to develop in attorneys. More and more, law �rms are investing in attorney coaching to improve their relationship skills. (For more on attorney coaching, see the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of The Administrators Advantage.)

Action: Smaller �rms should talk with their legal research vendors about company research and competitive intelligence solutions. Larger �rms need to be thinking about adding personnel with BD skills and shifting (or adding) budget dollars to BD-speci�c resources, such as databases and coaches. (N.B. Marketing skills are different than BD skills, and BD skills are dif�cult to train.)

Client Feedback. The concept of client feedback has been around for many years. In fact, progressive �rms (often the largest) have been focusing on client feedback – client satisfaction, client surveys, client interviews – for more than a decade. They understood during the good ol’ days that client retention was a key indicator of successful �rms. The rest of the industry learned this lesson during the economic downturn. The last four years crystallized two lessons for law �rms: �rst, �rms need to keep existing clients happy; and, second, �rms need to make time to do nonbillable activities. Even today, ‘client feedback’ continues to be a hot topic at legal conferences. For example, at the 2012 Legal Marketing Association’s Annual Conference, Keynote Speaker James Kane warned attendees that ‘satis�ed’ clients will stay with a �rm only until a better offer comes along (assuming the �rm meets client expectations). Your �rm needs to be vigilant about its client relationships, speci�cally an awareness of your clients’ level of satisfaction. If you have not directly

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Lessons Learned in Dallas

continued

Legal Industry Trends - Marketing

asked each of your clients for an honest evaluation of your services, you’d better get started today. (For more, see the November 1995 and December 2003 issues of Harvard Business Review.)

Action: Smaller �rms need to think about instituting a simple, cheap online survey. Larger �rms should be coordinating with the managing partner and an outside provider to create a rotating calendar of onsite client visits, in addition to regular survey tools.

Process Improvement. As corporate legal budgets fell during the last four years, in-house counsel

The Legal Marketing Association recently held its annual conference in Dallas. Three Greater Chicago Chapter members share their key observations.

Mary Ann Rojas, Pugh Jones & Johnson“Touch points” refer to each time your �rm impacts or touches a client, through your billing statements, your work product (a brief with typos), even an encounter with your staff.  One negative touch point is not that impactful; your client assumes someone is having a bad day. A second negative touch point (a billing error), and they start to wonder about your �rm’s capabilities. A third negative touch point (passed into voicemail quickly), and the client starts to consider looking for new counsel. It is imperative that you train your staff in their role in in�uencing your client relationships and the “touch points.”

Karen Hammersmith, Levin GinsburgThe day-long session entitled Quick Start – Legal Marketing Core Competencies was just what I needed! The entire day was devoted to presenting legal marketing best practices to people with �ve years or less experience in law �rm marketing. Helpful sessions included Navigating the Politics and Economics within

a Law Firm (that alone was well worth the trip); Building Business Development Plans that Motivate Your Lawyers to Act; Better Marketing through a Better Understanding of Ethics; and Tuning in or Turning Off: Do Your Communications Convey Knowledge or Noise?  Every session was presented by experts in their area and every session was interesting and loaded with information that I could put to use immediately.

Gina Ciaccio, Perkins CoieThe most valuable session for me was “Success Through Collaboration: GCs and Law Firms Working Together.” My favorite quote came from Jeffrey W. Carr, General Counsel at FMC Technologies: he wants to be his lawyer’s most important and least signi�cant client. All the GCs were very direct with the audience. Here are four highlights: 1) GCs hate pitches and they throw away �rm brochures; 2) Bigger is not better, so don’t tell GCs how many locations you have; 3) Quality is not the differentiator, it’s the price of admission; ef�ciency and effectiveness speak volumes; and 4) GCs want lawyers to keep them informed about changes and trends in the marketplace, which includes how lawyers can provide value to the GC’s companies.

began to question the value of their law �rms, which centered on pricing. Law �rms began ‘discounting’ and in-house counsel began suggesting alternative fee arrangements (AFAs). But, how do you create alternative billing arrangements? You start by knowing your �rm’s current work�ow (processes) for each type of matter, then by looking for ways to improve each process. Savvy law �rms saw an opportunity to differentiate themselves and to add value to their clients. A ‘process improvement’ (PI) cottage industry developed almost overnight. Suddenly, law �rms are trying to understand Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO), Legal Project Management (LPM), and Legal Lean

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30 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Patrick Johansen, CLM is the Director of Business Development at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione. He has been a sales/marketing professional for 20 years, which includes four law �rms, a law school, a university, and a Catholic high school. He recently served on the ALA Greater Chicago Chapter Board of Directors and previously served on the LMA Chicago Chapter Board of Directors. In 2002, he served as the LMA National Education Committee Chair. In 2011, he joined the Advisory Board of the LegalBizDev Legal Business Development Quick Reference Guide. In 2012, he earned a White Belt in Legal Lean Sigma. He holds a B.A. from DePauw University and a M.A. in Communication from Purdue University.

Sigma (three of the growing tools that help attorneys improve their delivery of services). Here in Chicago, Seyfarth Shaw began in 2006 what has evolved into SeyfarthLean, “a different way of thinking about and executing on the delivery of legal services…while providing budget predictability and value.” Chicago also is home to RainDance, the Legal Sales and Service Organization’s (LSSO) annual conference. Last year, its agenda included ‘Using Process Improvement to Drive Millions in Revenue.’ This year, the annual Law Firm Marketing & Business Development Leadership Forum in New York City includes a panel entitled ‘Project Management: The Core of Every New Business Pitch.’ This movement has led to a proliferation in books, articles, seminars, consultants, and even professional staff dedicated to this niche. In the near future, your �rm will need to budget for someone skilled in PI (whether training current staff, hiring new staff, or hiring a consultant).

Action: Smaller �rms should identify a basic set of routine procedures, or a small practice area, that it can use as a pilot group to introduce the concept within the �rm. Larger �rms need to train personnel on process improvement skills and allow them to attack the inef�ciencies of the business. Both endeavors should allow �rms to create better pricing for their services.

Technology. Marketing tools have come a long way in the last 20 years. In 1992, law �rms were still adapting to advertisements, client relationship management (CRM) software was in its infancy, and the World Wide Web was launched (without a graphical browser). Today, the largest �rms have full-

Legal Industry Trends - Marketing

time personnel dedicated exclusively to these types of resources. Marketing Technologists, Data Stewards, Web Specialists, and others share a spot on �rms’ Marketing Department organizational charts. Their growing presence inside law �rms foretells a shift: �rms need highly skilled personnel to maximize their investment in marketing technology. Because �rms of all sizes have made investments in some kind of marketing technology (e.g., CRMs, proposal generators, web content solutions, event tools, competitive intelligence databases), all need to be thinking about the maximum contribution these tools can make to the �rm. More and more, the answer is to hire a dedicated professional, someone who is part marketer—to understand why you need the technology—and part technogeek—to understand how to use the technology. Don’t forget the whole world of web analytics. Your �rm’s website is a 24/7, global marketing tool, the only 24/7, global marketing tool your �rm has. How well is it performing for you? At the very least, you should take advantage of Google Analytics, a free resource that tracks visitors. Beyond that data, consider other useful tools, such as Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, and—if your attorneys use social media—Social Media Optimization.

Action: Smaller �rms should begin tracking web visitors today; software as simple as Google Analytics—free and intuitive—is only a few clicks away. Also, they should review the available marketing software to improve their outreach. Larger �rms need to consider investing in full-time staff to maximize the potential of the �rm’s technologies.

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32 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Business Partner Pro�leMy name is: Ann Eisenreich

I work for: Beacon Hill Legal, a division of Beacon Hill Staf�ng Group

The company’s product or service is: Beacon Hill Legal offers customized staf�ng solutions across the broad and diverse legal marketplace. We staff paralegals and legal support candidates on both temporary and direct-hire opportunities. Additionally, we provide contract attorneys for small and large scale document reviews, multi-lingual, and practice speci�c needs.

The company has: Recently been named one of America’s fastest-growing private staf�ng �rms by Staf�ng Industry Analysts, Inc. for �fth year in a row. Additionally, one of Beacon Hill Legal’s of�ces was recently named #1 Legal Staf�ng and Recruiting Firm and Best Document Review Firm in the Daily Report’s “Best Of Attorney Survey.”

My Title is: Division Director

Before becoming a vendor to the legal market, I was: A teacher! I taught English Language & Literature to high school sophomores.

I entered the legal market because: Honestly, it was accidental, but the best move I’ve made in my professional career. I worked for a short time in my previous employer’s accounting/�nance staf�ng team and was one day asked to develop the legal support line of business within the company’s legal staf�ng division. I took on the challenge and never looked back!

I have been working the legal market for: September 2012 will be my 13th anniversary in legal staf�ng!

I have a degree in: English Language & Literature and Secondary Education

I support ALA because: At �rst the ALA provided a way for me to introduce my business. Through the years, however, the group has become so much more. They provide the knowledge and support I need to fully understand their challenges, hiring needs, industry trends, etc., which in turn allows me to provide the best service to them while still growing professionally. I have gained not only clients, but great friendships. It has truly been a pleasure being part of such a great group!

To be successful in the legal market, one has to:Understand clients’ needs and challenges, understand the market, be honest, straightforward, friendly, and assertive.

The thing I like best about being a vendor to the legal market is: The opportunity to meet with professionals, both clients and candidates and to successfully match the clients’ expectations with the career goals of candidates.

One of the challenges of being in the legal market is: More recently, as with many industries/markets, the economy has proved to be challenging and the legal market has gone through extensive changes. Keeping up with and understanding those changes has proven to be both a challenge and great learning experience.

The best advice I have received is:“Ask! The worst they can say is no.”

The best advice I would give to someone just entering the legal market is: Understand the industry, know your clients, be patient, be present.

I try to motivate myself and/or my staff by: I am motivated by my competition and regularly remind myself of the success I’ve had through the years as a recruiter in Chicago’s legal market. I motivate my staff by being positive, leading by example and reminding them of the rewards that stem from successful candidate and client relationships.

Three things I do well are: Developing trusting relationships with my clients and candidates, communicating, prioritizing.

While I love my current job, my dream job would be: To own a yacht and charter it along the southeastern U.S. coast.

The last good book I read was: Hemingway’s Boat

The last good movie I saw was: Sarah’s Key

The last vacation I took was: Folly Beach in Charleston, S.C.

In my free time, I: Enjoy boating, photography, and recently took on tennis.

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For over 30 years, Océ Business Services (OBS) has been providing outsourcing solutions for the legal industry. Today, law �rms across the country and in all practice specialties trust OBS to manage their critical support functions.

The evidence is overwhelming:

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34 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Managed Print Solutions Best Practices:Developing A Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Ef�ciency and Lower Costs

Legal Industry Trends - Printing Solutions

During this extraordinary recession, with budgets under pressure, �rms are looking for every means

to reduce costs and increase productivity. The message is clear … “Do more with less.” … “No stone left unturned.” Firms look to all departments for savings.

In some cases, reducing costs and increasing productivity might mean an investment in new technology. But in many cases a focused Managed Print Solutions (MPS) Strategy can deliver signi�cant savings with the reallocation of current assets and minimal short term investment in new equipment.

MPS marketing intelligence �rm Photizo Group predicts that the global MPS market will double between now and 2014. Photizo’s CEO, Ed Crowley says …

“In a non-managed environment, companies would typically have four to eight vendors represented within their �eet. We also found that companies often have one imaging device for every two employees. So if you’re a company of 500 people, you’d have 250 imaging devices scattered around. It’s chaos.”

The purpose of this article is to dig deeper into the cost and ef�ciency potential of a Best Practices approach to developing a comprehensive Managed Print Solutions Strategy.

INFRASTRUCTURE ACQUISITION WITHOUT A STRATEGY: As related by Mr. Crowley, without a focused strategy, some �rms acquire technology through different departments … sometimes, one asset at a time.

Infrastructure technology has traditionally been procured via IT/MIS and document technology via operations, facilities or department managers. With disparate procurement points and in some cases the one asset at a time syndrome, many organizations end up with a hodgepodge of fragmented devices and technologies. The result can be unnecessary costs of deploying assets without a strategy.

In fact, many organizations have seen these misalignments of assets creating excess network traf�c and help desk intervention leading to increased costs and reduced ef�ciency.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEFINED: We are talking here about printers, copiers, scanners, multifunction machines, faxing, digital document �ling and storage, service, network structure and software solutions to track and allocate printing costs and billing.

We are also talking about how this �eet of assets and services is managed for the most ef�cient �ow of documents including creation, publishing, distribution, archiving, networking, retention and retrieval.

Finally, we are talking about an infrastructure that uses expensive consumables … paper, toner, parts, supplies and maintenance … and a way of deploying the assets for the most ef�cient use of those consumables.

START WITH AN RFP: An MPS Professional, with access to a broad manufacturer portfolio including machines, software and services, will work to develop a customized strategy. Interview multiple MPS vendors. Provide an RFP that lays out your infrastructure in detail, machine by machine, network structure, software and service history. Provide access to print counts and individual machine users. Ask for references and speak

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Legal Industry Trends - Printing Solutions

to them. Look for work that has been done for �rms similar in size and structure to yours.

Among the important points here, you will notice an emphasis on “… access to a broad portfolio of manufacturers, machines, software and services …” The reason for this is simple. Access to multiple manufacturers provides the opportunity to explore a broader array of features, bene�ts and innovations that allow greater customized solutions that can be applied to your �rm’s speci�c needs.

THE COST OF A DOCUMENT: Your RFP should speci�cally ask for a strategy and a way to measure results on a cost per document basis. Do you know how much you are currently spending on print related expenses? Studies by InfoTrends/Cap Ventures suggest that actual costs are often double the estimates of operations executives. On average, upwards of 3% of enterprise total revenue is spent on hard copy imaging and output, with much of it wasted due to fragmented print management. You should note that this study was conducted across a range of business entities, and that because of the nature of a law �rm and the degree to which its business is driven by documents, 3% is probably a very modest number for ALA Members. The cost of a document is developed once the true printing behavior and asset deployment of a �rm is completely understood and analyzed.

MANAGED PRINT SOLUTIONS STRATEGY: A fully developed Strategy can reduce overall print costs by up to 30%.Start with knowing true printing costs; the MPS Strategy will start with the redeployment of current assets, matching speed, features and consumables with individual station usage and needs. Once this is accomplished, planning can begin to specify and measure objectives as follow:1. Reduce Operating Costs a. Establishment of consumable cost parameters b. Optimize consumable procurement pricing c. Longer term asset standardization2. Increase Productivity a. Reduce downtime and user / help desk

interaction b. Increase document output speed c. Increase document distribution ef�ciency3. Reduce Risk / Increase Accountability a. Better tracking of assets

b. Track printing behavior to support asset redeployment as your organization evolves

c. Employ and communicate parameters for ef�cient usage of individual assets

4. Improve the delivery of asset service and technical support

a. Limit downtime / monitor multiple printers / manage service calls and receive alerts of low supply levels from your desktop

b. Look for technicians certi�ed across a broad range of equipment manufacturers

c. Look for a vendor infrastructure that can monitor assets digitally and remotely

d. Look for vendors that carry a complete rolling stock of parts on every call

5. Return on Investment a. Documentable savings are seen almost

immediately b. Dramatic long term expense reduction is more

easily documentable c. Aggressive improvement goals are achievable d. Align operations with industry best practices e. Maintain awareness of new technology and

evaluate how advancement can or should be employed for even further ef�ciencies

MANAGED PRINT SOLUTIONS SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:1. Identify and set priorities for �rm needs2. Effectively assess, manage and optimize �rm

document output 3. Ensure reliable delivery of critical documents4. Improve �rm process ef�ciency and reduce risk5. Plan for technology refresh6. Simplify output, improving productivity and

easing new employee introduction to the system7. Reduce total cost8. Improve IT manageability and service quality9. Standardization increases productivity and reduces

cost by process streamlining10. Create a framework for future growth plans

Cheryl Ferguson, CDIA+Certo, is one of our top certi�ed MPS Professionals and can be reached at 847 631 7414 or via email at [email protected] or contact your Warehouse Direct Representative for any questions.

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36 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Law �rms, emerging out of the economic down turn, are shifting to a dynamic and �uid workplace. This

shift is integral to support the business plan and to increase the �rm’s productivity and functionality, in a cost effective manner. Reviewing real estate is now on the �rm’s yearly agenda, because the growth and contraction of the �rm’s needs comes at a much faster pace. How can the law �rm set up a solid strategy that will put them in front of the curve when it comes to maximizing their workplace? What does the future of law �rm workplace look like?

Top Eight Drivers In�uencing Law Firm Workplace Trends:

• CultureandBrand• StaffRatios• SupportEffectiveWorkProcesses• MaximizeSpaceUtilization• MultipleGenerations• Technology• Sustainability/Environmental• HealthandWellness

Culture and BrandThe traditional law �rm culture is being challenged and rede�ned. For the new de�nition of culture and brand, it is important that time is spent upfront in a planning mode looking towards an innovative model. It will take careful thought and strategic planning to determine a law �rm’s speci�c culture and brand. Start early on with communication, search out those that will help elevate the discussions, solicit feedback from all, listen, work out solutions, and respond. This will set the groundwork for an effective approach to how the workplace can support work styles that build and promote culture and brand to be perceived by the employees and clientele. Spend time listening to the feedback from this question: “We are sitting here 3 years from now, what does the �rm want to see regarding how the culture and brand was de�ned as it relates to the work environment?”

Workplace Trends: What Today’s Law Firm Leaders Need to Know

Legal Industry Trends - Workplace

Staff RatiosThere have been many changes in the dynamics and ratios of support staff. Firms of the past saw Attorney-to-Secretary ratio of 2:1, it is rapidly approaching 4:1 and depending on the area of practice and work style, may be 5:1. This is due to changes primarily in technology; support staff are not generating documents and transcribing dictation as before but are now proo�ng, assembling, and electronically �ling documents. Paralegals are increasing in demand, growing in staff counts, and moving into interior of�ces. As �rms are

competing more and more for market share, �rms are seeking to increase marketing staff. Technology integration and software use have added staff and/or consultants for technology rollouts. One way to look at the regularly changing ratios and work styles is a more �exible module for the work area. Making minimal component moves can accommodate for support staff, paralegals, �ling, and collaboration needs. In turn, these components can immediately be repurposed for a �uid shift to a different use. The changing composition of the law �rm staff requires a workplace that can adapt to its new functions.

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Support Effective Work ProcessesAs the law industry has become more specialized, the work style has become more collaborative. A shift toward fee based billing, versus hourly billing, has created a greater need to support �exibility and provide a space that is productive and collaborative. The future workplace is people centric and should encourage interaction, sharing and mentoring. To accomplish this, collaborative spaces, shared/visitor of�ces, coffee bars, and case rooms are the spaces being added. These types of spaces allow employees the mobility to work anywhere, anytime, untethered from the traditional desk.

Maximize Space UtilizationIncorporating �exibility with workplace functionality can be a cost effective approach to maximize space utilization. Currently �rms are striving for a ratio of 600-650RSF per lawyer. In the next three to �ve years, �rms will most likely target a ratio of 500RSF per lawyer. The private of�ce is moving toward a standard layout and a reduced footprint size. This gives more �exibility and recaptures space for other purposes such as case rooms or more open space. Also, the creation of a client facing space with central conferencing and reception, along with the required support functions, focuses dollars on the design/branding of the “front-of-house” space for client interaction, while the general of�ce space can be built out on the standard tenant allowance. Moreover, document storage is being consolidated on and offsite; storage is looked at as anticipated, active, and archived. The traditional library is being eliminated or reduced, remaining as purely an aesthetic feature or combined with another function. The café/pantry is centralized for access and often includes additional features such as specialty equipment, lounge areas, concierge, etc. This in turn

promotes a collaborative environment and creates a more productive and stronger community within the �rm, while increasing the value of the �rm’s real estate.

Multiple Generations With recruitment, retention and the retiree, �rms are facing multiple generations with a multitude of work styles. Potential recruits are technology savvy and value �exibility. As a result, �rms need to look at what makes their �rm stand out from the competition and incorporate the needs of the younger generations into their strategic plans. Firm retention is more important than ever as keeping the knowledge and investment in-house is critical to the growth and succession plan. Firms are starting to face the retirement of the baby boomers, and this will change space needs along with Partner/Associate ratios. How will all this impact space? Concepts that are emerging: policy changes on of�ce sizes, collaboration areas, freedom of where

and when to work, visitor of�ces, etc. All of these will reshape the work environment and allocation of space.

TechnologyTechnology has been the driving force behind changes in law of�ce design and will continue to play a vital role in the future evolution of law of�ce design. Take a walk through the workplace and you will

notice a plethora of personal computers, tablets, video devices, smartphones, and headsets. With that said, technology will always be running in the background. Technology gives us the freedom to work anywhere, anytime, to be more ef�cient and converse globally. The �rm workplace needs to re�ect and take advantage of the bene�ts of technology. With �exible strategies for space, the workplace will support the changing requirements today, while anticipating the future.

Legal Industry Trends - Workplace

Continued

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38 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Legal Industry Trends - Workplace

Sustainability/EnvironmentalPromoting sustainability and reducing negative environmental impact is often part of the �rm’s brand, values, and global stewardship. Looking at local sources, Cradle-to-Cradle products, certi�ed wood, low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and Greenguard rated furniture, all create an environmental story for the workplace. In addition to this, the infrastructure such as �ltered water, intelligent lighting/shading systems, energy ef�cient �xtures and appliances, and Direct Digital Controls (DDC) are all environmental initiatives that can save money over the long term of a lease. All of this both helps the environment and reduces utility costs long term.

Health and WellnessHealth and Wellness is a growing topic, which relates to indoor air quality, access to daylight, connection to the outdoors and health care costs. Whether it is �exible hours, health club incentives, or shower facilities, �rms today are seeking more of a work life balance. It is in all our best interest to encourage healthy living and wellness. Studies show that a healthy work environment leads to greater productivity and less time off related to illness.

Whether the goal is to redesign an existing facility or acquire a new space, this is an opportunity to rede�ne your �rm’s culture and brand, while incorporating more ef�cient methods and systems. The legal industry is revising its work processes at a faster pace than perhaps any time in history. Moving forward, it is clear

that the legal industry workplace will be one that is more �exible and demands higher productivity. Many �rms are already breaking the traditional models and implementing these trends with great success. There are some exciting and revolutionary things happening in the law �rm workplace right now. Challenge your �rm to be a part of it!

Andrea Brandt is a Principal at Torchia Associates Inc., an award winning Design and Architectural �rm located in Chicago. She leads Torchia’s Legal Workplace Strategy Team and has overseen design work for more than 50 law �rms totaling over a million square feet of legal o�ce space. She is a member of IIDA and is LEED

ID + C accredited. She can be reached at 312.664.3346 or via email at [email protected].

Ann EisenreichDivision Director | BH Legal111 W. Washington, Suite 1410 Chicago, IL 60602p 312.759.1500, ext 1220f 312.759.1555 [email protected]@beaconhillstaffing.com

www.beaconhillstaffing.com

AtlantaBoston

ChicagoMiami

MinneapolisNew York

WWashington, D.C.

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 39

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 41

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44 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

Welcome

Welcome New Members

The Greater Chicago Chapter wishes to welcome our new members:

Christopher CulverFirm Wide Supervisor of Conference ServicesMcDermott Will & Emery227 W. Monroe StreetSuite 4400Chicago, IL 60606Tel: (312) [email protected] Attorneys Patricia A. D’AnnaFirm AdministratorJeffrey M. Goldberg Law Of�ces, P.C.20 N. Clark StreetSuite 3100Chicago, IL 60602Tel: (312) 236-4146Fax: (312) [email protected] Attorneys

Ony Ternipsede, PHRRegional HR ManagerBryan Cave, LLP161 N. Clark StreetSuite 4300Chicago, IL 60601Tel: (312) 320-6052Fax: (312) [email protected] Attorneys Natalia MazzucaExecutive DirectorTribler Orpett & Meyer, P.C.225 W. Washington StreetSuite 1300Chicago, IL 60606Tel: (312) 201-6400Fax: (312) [email protected] Attorneys

Katherine J. McCartneyAssistant Of�ce ManagerLeydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd.Two Prudential PlazaSuite 4900Chicago, IL 60601Tel: (312) 616-5600Fax: (312) [email protected] Attorneys Mike DiMattinaTrial Practice ManagerMcDermott, Will & Emery, LLP227 W. Monroe StreetSuite 4400Chicago, IL 60606Tel: (312) 899-7144Fax: (312) [email protected] Attorneys

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March/April 2012 The Administrator’s Advantage 45

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46 The Administrator’s Advantage March/April 2012

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Who’s Really WatchingYour Firm’s 401(k)?And, what is it costing you?

To learn how to keep a close watch over your 401(k), contact me at the ABA Retirement Funds Program.

The American Bar Association Members/Northern Trust Collective Trust (the “Collective Trust”) has filed a registration statement (including the prospectus therein (the“Prospectus”)) with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the offering of Units representing pro rata beneficial interests in the collective investment fundsestablished under the Collective Trust. The Collective Trust is a retirement program sponsored by the ABA Retirement Funds in which lawyers and law firms who aremembers or associates of the American Bar Association, most state and local bar associations and their employees and employees of certain organizations related to thepractice of law are eligible to participate. Copies of the Prospectus may be obtained by calling (800) 826-8901, by visiting th website of the ABA Retirement Funds Programat www.abaretirement.com or by writing to ABA Retirement Funds, P.O. Box 5142, Boston, MA 02206-5142. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or thesolicitation of an offer to buy, or a request of the recipient to indicate an interest in, Units of the Collective Trust, and is not a recommendation with respect to any of thecollective investment funds established under the Collective Trust. Nor shall there be any sale of the Units of the Collective Trust in any state or other jurisdiction in whichsuch offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. The Program isavailable through the Association of Legal Administrators, an ALA Value In Partnership Program Provider as a member benefit. However, this does not constitute an offerto purchase, and is in no way a recommendation with respect to, any security that is available through the Program.

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Baker Tilly’s Law Firm Services practice provides a full complement of tax, accounting, assurance, and advisory services to law firms throughout the country, in addition to providing comprehensive forensic, litigation, and valuation services. Count on us inside and outside the courtroom.

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