THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING #ALALMF23
October 13–14, 2023
Omni Parker House Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts
ALA’s Legal Management Fundamentals is a must-attend program for those in their first five years of their legal management career, or current role.
Please direct any additional questions about ALA’s 2023 Legal Management Fundamentals to [email protected].
Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities
ALA thanks its business partners who were involved at ALA’s Legal Management Fundamentals. If interested in future sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected].
THANK YOU TO OUR 2023 ALA LMF SPONSORS
Speakers
 Stacey A. L. Best, Esq. Stacey A. L. Best, Esq. is responsible for the strategic direction, daily operations and management of the staff of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP). Best represents and participates with key stakeholders at various agencies and committees of the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), including the SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well–Being, the Board of Bar Overseers (BBO) and the Standing Advisory Committee on Professionalism to improve the quality of the legal profession. Most recently, Best served as the Acting Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the BBO where she investigated alleged violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct and litigated all stages of the disciplinary proceedings including all appeals. |  Dustin Bolander Dustin Bolander has worked in cybersecurity and law firm consulting since 2007. Bolander focuses on solutions for small and midsize firms, including cybersecurity defense and being prepared for recovery from incidents. He owns multiple companies in the cybersecurity, IT, software and insurance industries.
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 Sean A. Carter Sean A. Carter was a corporate securities lawyer in private practice in large law firms and in-house counsel for a publicly traded financial institution. In 2002, he left the practice of law to become a full-time legal humorist. Carter has crisscrossed North America giving comedic legal educations to legal professionals at more than 400 law firms, state and local bar associations, law schools and corporate in-house legal departments. Carter’s programs run the gamut from legal ethics to diversity to constitutional law, but they all have one thing in common — humor and plenty of it.
|  David DePietto David DePietto left the investment management business to recreate Wall Street's prime brokerage offering for lawyers. For the past 15 years DiPietto has served as NexFirm’s CEO — helping attorneys strategically transition their practices out of large law firms to become founding partners, and offer ongoing strategic and operational services to maximize success. |
 Frederick J. Esposito, Jr., CLM, MBA Frederick J. Esposito is Chief Operating Officer of Rivkin Radler LLP. He has more than 30 years of law and accounting firm experience and has been a Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® since 2006. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Legal Sales & Service Organization and is the finance columnist for the ABA Law Practice Magazine. |  Shirley Laboy Shirley Laboy is the Director of Administration at Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP in Atlanta. Previously, she held management positions in Silicon Valley firms, ranging in size from 15 to 2,000 attorneys. She served on the ALA Silicon Valley Chapter Board of Directors for 10 years. While President of the Chapter, Laboy focused on local diversity issues. |
 Steven Merkel Steven Merkel serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Barnes & Thornburg. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the firm and its 20 offices, including finance, information technology, human resources, marketing and facilities. He draws on his long and distinguished military career leading over 4,000 subordinates. |  Joseph A. Samarco, MBA, ALPP Joseph A. Samarco is the Director of Revenue Operations at Hogan Lovells US LLP, an AM LAW 10 firm. Samarco specializes in the revenue side and focuses on streamlining processes to ensure cost savings and efficiency. He previously was on the International Board of ALA, served as President of the Philadelphia Chapter and is currently a member of ALA’s Professional Development Advisory Committee. |
 Geoffrey M. Williams, CLM, MBA, M.Div. Geoffrey M. Williams, CLM, MBA, M.Div., is Chief Operating Officer and CFO at Cunningham Bounds, LLC, on the Alabama Gulf Coast and serves as ALA’s current President. He earned the Graduate Certificate in Law Firm Management from George Washington University, and an MBA from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. An ALA member since 2004, he has served in several capacities at the national level and the chapter level including President of the ALA Mobile Chapter. Additionally, he has led ALA chapter board retreats, taught sessions at various chapters, and at national and regional conferences for ALA, SHRM, LMA and others. He has delivered keynote speeches as well. |  Tracey A. West, Esq. |
Friday, October 13, 2023 Show All SessionsHide All Sessions
8 a.m.
Registration Opens
Location/Room: Alcott Foyer
8–9 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
Location/Room: Press Room
Welcome and Conference Kick Off
Location/Room: Alcott Room
| Geoffrey M. Williams, CLM, MBA, M.Div. Chief Operating Officer Cunningham Bounds, LLC |
What Do I Need to Know About Revenue?
Location/Room: Alcott Room
In this introductory session, you’ll focus on the basics of revenue. You’ll examine the entire process, from entering a time card through receiving the cash. In addition, you’ll review what you need to know about advanced payments and the rules around retainers and trusts accounts.
Objectives:
- Explain the process of revenue.
- Describe what you need to know about time narratives (firm and client rules).
- Break down the billing process.
- Outline the collections process.
- Discuss the basics of bank accounts and GL accounts.
SHRM: 1.0 PDC
| Joseph A. Samarco, MBA, ALPP Director of Revenue Operations Hogan Lovells US LLP |
10:15–10:45 a.m.
Networking Break
Location/Room: Press Room
Strategies for Effectively Hiring, Managing Performance and Terminating Employees
Location/Room: Alcott Room
The hiring process is complex and requires several important elements to be successful. What are the key strategies and best practices for hiring, managing performance and terminating employees productively and legally? Find out in this interactive session. Whether you’re a seasoned HR professional or a manager responsible for personnel decisions, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to navigate these critical aspects of the employment lifecycle.
Objectives:
- Recognize the significance of cultural fit and diversity in the hiring process.
- Discuss performance management and develop clear expectations and goals for employees to drive their productivity and engagement.
- Identify and employ effective communication techniques for providing feedback and coaching.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal and ethical considerations when terminating employees.
- Model how to manage difficult conversations and terminate sensitively.
SHRM: 1.5 PDC
| Shirley Laboy Director of Administration Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP |
12:15–1:30 p.m.
Lunch
Location/Room: Rooftop Ballroom
Legal Ethics: Keep Yourself and Your Firm Out of Hot Water
Location/Room: Alcott Room
Join us for an engaging and enlightening session on legal ethics, designed to equip law firm administrators with
the knowledge and insights necessary to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct in today’s
legal landscape. Ethical considerations are at the core of the legal profession, and it’s not just attorneys
who are at risk. This session will highlight areas of administrative risk and empower newer administrators to stand
their ground if asked to do something unethical.
Objectives:
- Identify the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and their relevance to law firm operations.
- Discuss common areas of risk, including conflicts of interest, client confidentiality, ethical walls, and advertising dos and don’ts.
- Recognize potential employment law pitfalls and how to avoid them.
SHRM: 1.0 PDC
| David DePietto Chief Executive Officer NexFirm |
2:30–3 p.m.
Networking Break
Location/Room: Press Room
I Think, Therefore, I Am Biased
Location/Room: Alcott Room
The human brain is wired to recognize patterns and generalize — even those based on faulty or incomplete
information — and it does not require that we harbor ill will or animus toward others. Most often, our biases
are not even our own, but rather those that have been taught to us. In this eye-opening presentation, you’ll
examine videos and demonstrations to outline just how easy it is to form biases, how they manifest themselves in the
way we treat customers, clients and colleagues, and how we can reduce the effect of these biases by recognizing and
compensating for them.
Objectives:
- Identify your own biases and to the extent possible, eliminate them.
- Recognize how these biases affect your decision-making.
- Compensate for your biases to make better decisions.
SHRM: 1.0 PDC
| Sean A. Carter Humorist at Law |
Ask An Expert and Networking Reception
Location/Room: Stowe
Saturday, October 14, 2023 Show All SessionsHide All Sessions
8 a.m.
Registration Opens
Location/Room: Alcott Foyer
8–9 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
Location/Room: Press Room
See Something? Say Something: Integrating Wellbeing Values in our Workplace
Location/Room: Alcott Room
When attorneys are impaired, it’s often the support personnel closest to them who are first aware of it. While attorneys have ethical obligations when they observe another attorney’s impairment, support personnel are often without guidance — and worse — sometimes think they are helping by covering up the problems out of loyalty. This session will highlight some of the common “red flags” that administrators may be among the first to notice and discuss strategies for overcoming discouraging self–talk and barriers to intervention and support. The session will also touch on resources for all members of the legal community who may be struggling with addiction or mental health concerns.
Objectives:
- Recognize some signs of addiction and mental health challenges.
- Receive guidance on how to approach someone facing addiction or a mental health challenge.
- Identify resources for facing addiction or a mental health challenge.
SHRM: 1.5 PDC
| Stacey A. L. Best, Esq. Executive Director Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc. |
10–10:30 a.m.
Networking Break
Location/Room: Press Room
KPIs and the Performance Metrics Dashboard: A Powerful Management Tool for Profitability and Process Improvement
Location/Room: Alcott Room
Learn how to use performance metric dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics and other key data points relevant to your firm or practice group or a specific process, dashboard design and implementation. Discover how dashboards simplify complex data sets to provide at-a-glance awareness of current performance along with metrics for allocating firm overhead in determining firm and client profitability.
Objectives:
- Classify the different types of law firm KPls and how to use them in a dashboard to improve profitability and contribute to strategic initiatives.
- Develop dashboards using the Balanced Score Card approach to address financial, strategic and operational performance, including client satisfaction and other marketing KPls.
- Identify the prerequisites for developing and implementing dashboards and how to interpret dashboards using legal Lean Six Sigma and process improvement tools.
SHRM: 1.5 PDC
| Frederick J. Esposito, Jr., CLM, MBA Chief Operating Officer Rivkin Radler LLP |
Lunch Presentation: Building Cultural Competency: Getting To Inclusiveness
Location/Room: Alcott Room
As many strive to develop and encourage inclusive departments and organizations, defining what that means and identifying the steps to get there is important. This session will equip attendees with tangible tactics to support their learning, including addressing some of the barriers that impact many of us with our efforts to foster true inclusiveness in the workplace.
Objectives:
- Recognize the distinction between race and culture, and how our lack of awareness can influence how we interact with our colleagues and peers from different backgrounds.
- Examine why and how microinequities and microaggressions are harmful and impact the way we engage with others.
- Discover tips to enhance inclusive teams and departments.
| Tracey A. West, Esq. Executive Director Boston Lawyers Group |
Moving from Management to Leadership
Location/Room: Alcott Room
Hear a retired U.S. Army colonel share his surprising and profound perspectives on the similarities between the military profession and the legal profession. You’ll discover lessons learned about leadership and building high-performing teams that helped the speaker both on the battlefield and now in the offices of his law firm both of which will help you advance professionally. You’ll leave with a road map for transitioning from manager to leader along with tips to make that journey easier and more rewarding.
Objectives:
- Identify the fundamental differences between being a manager and a leader.
- Model the traits and skills that lead to effective leadership.
- Explain tangible tips for developing effective leadership characteristics.
SHRM: 1.0 PDC
| Steven Merkel Chief Operating Officer Barnes & Thornburg, LLP |
2:30–3: p.m.
Networking Break
Location/Room: Press Room
Preparing for When — Not If — a Breach Happens
Location/Room: Alcott Room
Examine the anatomy of a cyberattack, including how to prevent many (but not all) occurrences. You’ll dive into how to reduce the damage and downtime from a successful attack and how to be resilient when incidents occur. Leave with a better understanding of incident response planning and the difference between cyber liability insurance and professional liability insurance.
Objectives:
- Recognize the types of cybersecurity threats against a law firm.
- Prepare to use core security controls to protect your firm.
- Plan pre- and post-incident activities.
- Assess how to recover from an attack.
- Analyze how to leverage insurance to speed recovery and reduce costs.
SHRM: 1.0 PDC
| Justin Bolander Managing Partner/Chief Information Officer Clear Guidance Partners |
Things I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Back Then
Location/Room: Alcott Room
As an ALA leader, what do you wish you knew when you started? That’s the question this open forum will tackle. You’re encouraged to share insight into your own career. You’ll also benefit from lessons learned from ALA Ambassadors as well as participants in advance. Running concurrently with lunch, this session will be casual and conversational.
Objectives:
- Recognize the value of networking within ALA and how ALA members can support and help each other.
- Break down and understand law firm leadership roles, how leaders are elected and how much variation there can be from one firm to another.
- Differentiate the various types of law practice and the skill sets support staff in these areas need.
- Identify resources (besides ALA) to go to for help outside your area of expertise, including choosing a mentor outside of your firm.
- Set up resources to help you interview and select good candidates, provide performance feedback and address performance issues.
5 p.m.
Closing Remarks, Conference Concludes
Location/Room: Alcott Room
