Special
Event
Grand
Opening Breakfast
Monday,
May 05, 2008 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Co-sponsored
by Interwoven, Inc.
The Opening Breakfast is
a wonderful way to begin the 2008 Annual Conference! Enjoy this special
sit-down breakfast and networking opportunity and music by Geoffrey Castle, an
accomplished musician who brings a new meaning to Northwest fusion. His New World
music (acoustic violin and six-string electric violin) appeals to all ages and
styles and has been highly acclaimed by national and local critics.
GM10
- Communications and General Management
Keynote
Address—Explore Leadership: The Art and the Adventure
Monday,
May 05, 2008 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
In his thought-provoking
talk on leadership, Steven Sample explodes romanticized views of leadership and
demonstrates how leaders can free themselves from the shackles of conventional
wisdom. He contends that thoughtful leaders think differently from the people
around them … they think, he argues, not in black and white, but in gray.
Vendor-Hosted
Workshop
The
Attorney Dashboard—Reports in One Place—On Demand: How Microsoft SharePoint is
Transforming the Dissemination of Firmwide Information
Monday,
May 05, 2008 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Learn how the scheduled
delivery of bursted reports to the attorney portal will streamline the
dissemination of important information while lessening the burden on staff.
Reports with drill-down and charting capabilities, including information such
as; cash reports, working attorney analysis and ad hoc key performance
indicators are delivered directly to the attorney portal; no emails, no
additional effort required.
Vendor-Hosted
Workshop
Automating
Your Staff Time and Attendance
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
As in the case most
everywhere, all areas of cost-cutting must be explored. An often-overlooked
area for improving efficiency and reducing overhead is the non-billable staff
time and attendance process.
LI10
- Legal Industry
21st
Century Legal Trends and Issues in Law Firm Strategy
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
The 21st century has
brought with it unprecedented opportunities and threats for all law firms.
There is always the concern about economics, mergers, laterals, talent,
salaries and billing costs. Now, however, there are entirely new, high-level
issues in law firm strategy and management to contend with.
GM11
- Communications and General Management
Taking
on the Associate Marketing Challenge
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Getting associates to
market themselves is like the old saying: You can lead a horse to water but you
can’t make it drink! Law firms invest thousands of dollars annually on
seminars, resources and expensive training programs, yet so many associates
still won’t market themselves or the firm. Where are we going wrong?
GM12
- Communications and General Management
The
Secrets of Team Success
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Effective teamwork is
critical for law firms. The greater complexity and size of legal matters
requires more frequent collaboration and sharing of resources. Firms themselves
have evolved from loose collections of individuals to a more unified structure
in which groups of lawyers run management teams, compensation committees and
client and industry teams.
HR10
- Human Resources Management
Managing
a Multigenerational Law Firm
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Our generational
differences in values, attitudes and behaviors which we bring to the workplace
add enormous potential to organizations—and some headaches. With four
generations now working together, what steps can you take and what processes
can you create that will help us understand each other and function as
collegial and effective teams?
HR11
- Human Resources Management
Heroic
HR: The Strategic Value of HR Technology
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Human Resource
technology applications offer significant opportunities for HR professionals to
provide strategic information to higher ups and can eliminate (or reduce)
endless hours of clerical tasks, allowing them to focus on other critical
responsibilities. However, adopting this technology can represent a steep
learning curve for HR professionals and legal administrators already facing
time constraints, budget concerns and heavy workloads.
DVIE
- Idea Exchange
Diversity
Idea Exchange
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
With the increasing
demand from our clients to be more focused on issues of diversity, do not miss
this opportunity to discuss diversity ideas with your peers and how they impact
the legal environment. Learn how workforce diversity affects your organization
and how we can work better together. Within the 75-minute session, each topic
will be discussed twice.
FM10
- Financial Management
Financial
Systems: Capabilities and Integration
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
This session will focus
on the features, capabilities and integration of systems to enhance your firm’s
efficiency, thereby increasing profitability. The panel will discuss the
integration of financial software and making accounting data accessible via applications
such as digital dashboards, CRM software, etc.
FM11
- Financial Management
Control
and Analyze Outside Costs By Integrating e-Billing and Matter Management
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Systems that integrate
e-billing with matter management offer firms new strategies to control and
measure outside legal spending and performance. This session will deal with the
nuts and bolts of deploying various strategies and provide examples of bottom-line
measurements to evaluate their efficacy.
OM10
- Office Operations Management
Vendors
are NOT the Enemy: Managing and Building Relationships
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Your vendors are a
valuable resource to help you do your job. In this session, participants will
hear how a panel of ALA members and vendors build successful relationships and
offer advice for maximizing vendors by recognizing them as business partners.
Everything from RFPs to responding to sales calls will be addressed.
OM11
- Office Operations Management
Is
the Law Library an Anachronism in the 21st Century?
Monday,
May 05, 2008 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
This program will
explore how advancements in technology impact all aspects of the law
library—from staffing to facilities.
Special
Event
Grand
Opening Luncheon
Monday,
May 05, 2008 Noon - 2:00 PM
The Exhibit Hall is one
of your most valuable resources at the ALA Annual Conference, so join the
exhibitors for the festivities and buffet lunch. Discover innovative ideas,
products and solutions to help you manage your legal organization, and use this
opportunity to meet potential new business partners!
Vendor-Hosted
Workshop
The
Seven Deadly Sins of Outsourcing
Monday,
May 05, 2008 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
A panel of legal
administrators and attorneys will discuss the most common incorrect assumptions
attorneys make about outsourcing and how to overcome them. They will share
actual outsourcing experiences. Sponsored by LawDocsXpress.
Vendor-Hosted
Workshop
Rules-Based
Calendaring with WestLaw Legal Calendaring
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Introducing one of
West’s new products, this easy-to-use, Web-based calendaring system
automatically calculates litigation deadlines based on applicable federal,
state and local court rules, and then adds the information to Microsoft®
Outlook.
Vendor-Hosted
Workshop
Capture
More Billable Hours with Zero Clicks
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Time capture is not time
entry. Element55 offers the Legal55 Time Capture System. Passive Time Capture
helps firms capture more billable hours with zero clicks. Legal55 has helped
firms of all sizes capture an additional six billable hours per month per
billable timekeeper since 2003.
LI11
- Legal Industry
Diversity
Initiatives: Show Your True Colors Online
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
In this session,
participants will explore the effectiveness of current, innovative strategies
utilized by law firms to highlight diversity initiatives on their Web sites and
how these initiatives can translate into positive outcomes for firms’ recruiting,
business development, client retention and job satisfaction.
LI12
- Legal Industry
Practice
Group Leadership: Model or Reality?
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
The new generation of
associates expects collaboration and teamwork, while many practice leaders were
mentored in a different era. How do you ensure that practice groups are managed
to be effective, not divisive—and can it be done profitably, but without being
a profit center? What is the critical role of the administrator on this team?
OM12
- Office Operations Management
Changing
Your Firm's Direction
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
You say you want a
revolution? This session is a practical look at how to change a law firm.
Administrators are often the first to see that their firms are not headed in
the right direction—warning signs can include flat or declining partner
incomes, lethargic recruiting and getting bogged down in internal problems when
you talk about long-term strategy.
OM13
- Office Operations Management
Top
Trends Breaking with Traditional Technology
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Technology’s future lies
in mobility and in the Web. Increased mobility will allow access to data
anytime and anywhere. In this session, explore what’s happening in Web
applications, business intelligence marketing and management.
OM14
- Office Operations Management
Office
Space: Leasing
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Acquiring new office
space or negotiating a lease renewal doesn’t happen very often, yet it can be
critical to the success of an organization. This session will focus on the
basics, including what factors should be considered in determining whether to
rent, lease or buy office space, and how to identify which space is
appropriate.
This session is part of
a series which includes:
OM23 - Office Space:
Planning and Construction Management
OM33 - Office Space:
Managing the Move
FM12 - Financial Management
Outstanding
401(k) Plan Features
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
The Pension Protection
Act provides new and enhanced opportunities for designing tax qualified
retirement plans. Discussion topics will include several plan design
alternatives, including automatic enrollment, Roth 401(k) plans and automatic
contribution arrangements for 401(k) plans. In addition, the presenters will
address the role of plan consultants and record keepers in creating and
promoting the best plan design to accommodate the needs of partners and staff.
IPIE
- Idea Exchange
Intellectual
Property Idea Exchange
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Each Annual Conference
provides an exciting opportunity to meet with fellow Intellectual Property (IP)
administrators, both experienced and new to this area of law. This forum allows
you to network and discuss current issues that IP administrators face, as well
as to share information, ideas and best practices in an informal setting.
CGIE
- Idea Exchange
Corporate/Government
Idea Exchange
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Join your peers for an
open discussion of the concerns, challenges and issues facing administrators in
corporate and government law departments. This popular idea exchange will focus
on best practices and topics of mutual interest to both corporate and
government sectors, submitted by participants prior to the Conference.
CLMIE
- Idea Exchange
CLMSM
Preparation Idea Exchange
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
This session is
specifically designed for administrators seeking CLMSM certification. Join
CLM-certified administrators as they present successful individual study
practices and offer tips on how to prepare for the certification exam. This
setting is designed to encourage both formal and informal information sharing,
and to create a network of support in preparation for the CLMSM exam.
HR12
- Human Resources Management
Flexible
Work Schedules
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Child care, elder care,
and illness are some of the issues facing your staff. How can organizations
ease the burden of those struggling to balance their work and their lives? In
this focused, interactive session, professionals will learn about industry best
practices and share experiences to arrive at practical strategies for helping
staff meet their personal responsibilities without sacrificing the business
needs of the organization.
HR13
- Human Resources Management
Grief
in the Workplace
Monday,
May 05, 2008 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Death, divorce, terminal
illnesses: How do successful law firms manage interpersonal crises in the lives
of employees and still maintain productivity? How can firms minimize the impact
of such events while supporting employees? This presentation explores the
techniques used to build a resilient workplace by responding effectively to
grief and loss—before it negatively impacts your staff and your bottom line.
HR14
- Human Resources Management
Managing
Risk: Harassment and Retaliation
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Not surprisingly,
harassment and retaliation claims constitute a high percentage of the
employment cases that go to court. Employers have strong affirmative defenses
available to them, but these defenses can easily be lost if employers fail to
implement effective and meaningful policies and practices.
HR15
- Human Resources Management
Advancing
Women Lawyers
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Law firms need strong,
successful women lawyers to compete in the legal arena. But, after many years of
trying to recruit and retain women lawyers and promote them to the partnership
ranks, there are still far fewer women partners and leaders than there should
be. What do firms—and women—perceive to be the stumbling blocks to success?
GLIE
- Idea Exchange
Gay
and Lesbian Workplace Issues Idea Exchange
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
This idea exchange is
designed to provide an opportunity to discuss gay/lesbian workplace issues. As
with all aspects of diversity, matters such as gay rights and sexual
orientation can become an issue on the job. This idea exchange will provide an
informal format to discuss those concerns, share ideas and pose solutions.
FM13
- Financial Management
Building
Buy-in for a (Fair) Partner Compensation System
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Changes to partner
compensation systems are challenging. When the partners agree a change in the
current compensation system is needed, the administrator is challenged to help
them develop a “fair” system, one in which the partners feel that they are
being compensated in relation to their contributions.
OM15
- Office Operations Management
Technological
Solutions for File Management: Has Anyone Seen My File?
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Is crisis management
your business model when it comes to locating physical files? Learn about the
technology that will enable you to locate any file at any given time. See how
automated file management systems can save time, reduce costs and allow your
employees to focus on more productive work. During this session, participants
will discuss the software available for law firm records management and
identify the components of records management software that support firm
operations.
OM16
- Office Operations Management
Intranets
and Extranets: Getting the Most Out of Your Portal
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Intranets and extranets
have been around for a while, and during this session, we’ll discuss what we
have learned—the best practices of creating useful intranets and extranets, and
common mistakes that cause them to be unused or cumbersome. Learn how to create
a truly useful solution and consider issues such as what to—and what not to—put
on an intranet or extranet site, the difference between intranets/extranets,
portals and the concept of the digital dashboard.
LI13
- Legal Industry
Business
Insurance Nuts to Bolts: Are You Covered?
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
You say insurance is
boring? But it is vital to a firm’s well-being. This session will focus on the
types of management liability and professional liability insurance a firm
should consider, as well as terminology, how much coverage is necessary, the
renewal processes and how to get a good deal on coverage.
LI14
- Legal Industry
Answering
the Challenges of Globalization
Monday,
May 05, 2008 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
You’re in the global
marketplace, whether you’re ready for it or not, and that raises some important
questions for your firm. Do you need to go abroad? How do you determine the
right locations for new offices? Can international networks be an alternative?
Are there—or will there be—firms that are truly multinational?
Special
Event
Chapter
Awards Reception
Monday,
May 05, 2008 5:45 PM - 7:15 PM
Sponsored
in part by Quill Corporation