Legal Management Talk

Jobst Elster discusses the results of the 2015 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey, available at www.insidelegal.com.  Speaker Bio Jobst Elster is the Head of Content and Legal Market Strategy at InsideLegal. He brings extensive experience in market analysis, market research, public relations and product marketing to the legal industry. He has served as a legal market strategist for the last 15 years, advising companies entering the legal market, involved in mergers and acquisitions, and expanding operations overseas. His clear view of legal trending, market development and market perception uniquely positions him to advise companies, legal associations and law firms as they align their business strategies to reflect market realities. Jobst regularly writes and speaks on legal technology trends, technology innovations and futures, cloud computing, legal marketing and legal big data. He is a member of the ABA’s Big Data Committee. He can be reached at elster@insidelegal.com or via Twitter @InsideLe

ALA's Business of Law conference series kicked off this weekend in New Orleans. Get a preview of the speakers and sessions that are coming back to Atlanta and Las Vegas in October. There's still time to register at www.alanet.org/blc.  Valerie Danner is the managing editor of Legal Management magazine, produced here at ALA staff headquarters in Chicago.

Why are metrics so important for corporate legal departments, and what are the most useful metrics for driving results in the department? Hear from Corporate Law Department Symposium speaker Kris Satkunas for answers to these questions and more. Speaker Bio Kris Satkunas is Director of Strategic Consulting at LexisNexis, where she leads CounselLink's consulting efforts to advise corporate legal department managers on improving operations with data driven decisions. Prior to joining the CounselLink team, she honed her legal industry knowledge by advising and consulting with leaders in large law firms. As Director of the Redwood Analytics Think Tank, she partnered with a group of industry thought leaders to develop advances in analytics and best practices that improve law firm performance.

What are the key challenges in managing human resources in today’s workplace? What are the most common litigation issues when dealing with employees? Rachel Schaming offers answers to these questions and more in this episode, sponsored by CDW. Rachel Schaming is Director of Human Resources and a Corporate Coach at Radiology Ltd. Schaming is a senior human resource professional with more than 30 years of proven success in leading people, processes, systems and cultures in innovative change initiatives. Her career includes human resource and organizational development positions at NASA/Houston, the Texas Medical Center/Houston, two New York City law ?rms and a technology company. Schaming is a Past President of ALA and a Fellow in the ABA Law Practice Management Section. Her coaching practice centers on taming abrasive leaders through a co-partnering process.

How are profit and leadership connected? How can law firm administrators and legal managers engage their employees and provide better client service? Find out in today's episode of Legal Management Talk, and learn more at the Managing Partner / Executive Director Forum, October 19-20 in Orlando, FL. Judith A. Hissong, CLM, is the President of Nesso Strategies. She facilitates retreats, coaches individuals and groups, and consults with law firm leaders to develop their leadership skills. Her business is maximizing human potential. She is a frequent and highly rated presenter at ALA conferences. Hissong previously served in a variety of ALA leadership roles, including a seat on the ALA Board of Directors. Hissong has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and a master’s degree in sport management.

Dr. Jack Singer is a practicing clinical, sports and consulting psychologist, specializing in peak performance mastery and building permanent resiliency to stress. He has spent more than 27 years speaking for legal associations (including ALA and LMA) and Fortune 500 companies, and designing teambuilding programs for large legal practice re-TREATS. He has taught in the Psychology departments of seven universities, including an assistant professorship at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Dr. Jack is a renowned author of four books and more than 170 articles in legal, financial advising, medical, psychological, sales and sports periodicals. Dr. Jack’s most recent book is The Financial Advisor’s Ultimate Stress Mastery Guide. Contact information: www.developthemindsetofachampion.com     1-800-497-9880

Click here for information from Nesso Strategies about the Managing Partner / Executive Director Forum. Steve Wingert, CLM, is a principal at Nesso Strategies, a Past President of the Association of Legal Administrators, and a recognized coach, speaker and writer in the legal industry. He has more than 30 years of executive level experience in higher education and the legal industry, and focuses on leadership, management and communications tied to execution and accountability. He holds a BA from Creighton University, a MA from Truman State University, an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University, and has done extensive Ph.D. level work in leadership and organizational behavior in law firms. Wingert will be presenting at the all-new Managing Partner / Executive Director Forum, in partnership with Nesso Strategies, October 19 and 20 in Orlando, Florida. Registration is now open.

Dr. Brandi Stankovic is an organizational change expert and motivational speaker with a creative and results-driven approach to problem solving and planning. Stankovic is a senior partner of Mitchell Stankovic & Associates, a global strategic consulting firm. She spends her time consulting with CEOs and their teams, writing books and articles related to leadership and organizational health, and speaking to audiences from across the globe. She will be delivering the keynote sessions – about the impact of emotional intelligence in business today -- at ALA’s Business of Law Conferences, with three dates and locations across the nation. Visit the ALA website for more information.

Felix Oberholzer is the Andreas Andresen Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Dean’s Management Group and serves as the chair of the MBA program. His research and teaching are centered on competitive strategy and international competition. Oberholzer won numerous awards for excellence in teaching, including the Harvard Business School Teaching Award for best teacher in the core curriculum, and the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award for best teacher in the Wharton MBA program. He consults globally with law firms and corporations that seek a sharper competitive edge. He will be speaking at ALA's Large Firm Principal Administrators Retreat, August 6-8 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Kevin L. Cash is Chief Financial Officer at Baker Hostetler and a member of the firm's Operating Group. He is responsible for directing the operations of the firmwide finance department and overseeing the firm's financial systems to support strategic and operational business planning and growth. Among his many accomplishments, Cash developed the firm's profitability and cost model used in pricing negotiations, evaluation of alternative fee arrangements and in the analysis and evaluation of existing client relationships.

Thomas S. Clay is a principal of Altman Weil, Inc. With 30 years of experience consulting to the legal profession, he is an acknowledged expert on law firm management principles and is a trusted advisor to law firms throughout the U.S. and Canada. He heads consulting assignments in strategic planning, law firm management, organization, law firm mergers and acquisition, and is a thought-leader on the key issues of law firm practice group strategy and leadership. Clay is the co-author of Altman Weil's highly-regarded annual industry survey, Law Firms in Transition.

Verna Myers is on a personal mission to disrupt the status quo and she knows how to: she's lived it. Myers rose out of Baltimore's working class to become a Harvard-trained lawyer, entrepreneur, author and cultural innovator. Her dynamic, laugh-out-loud presentations inspire audiences to go further - to move beyond leveling the playing field to creating a new field altogether. Author of the best-selling books, Moving Diversity Forward: How to Move From Well-Meaning to Well-Doing and What If I Say the Wrong Thing? 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People, Myers has touched over 100,000 people through her speeches, appearances and transformative message of power and possibility. Listen to Verna's TED Talk, "How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them," on the TED website. 

Description: When it comes to compensation plans in law firms, one size does not fit all. How do you know if your organization is keeping up with current compensation trends to be competitive?  Is your compensation plan aligned with your business plan?  What if you have different geographic locations with vastly diverse market drivers? And does your compensation survey really provide you accurate data? Tune into this podcast with top compensation expert Edward Rataj and get actionable information for developing your compensation plan that will keep you competitive and profitable.  About Edward Rataj:   Edward R. Rataj, CCP, CECP, Managing Director of the Compensation Consulting Division of CBIZ Human Capital Services, has 19 years of experience in the area of human resources, focusing on designing innovative compensation programs. His core areas of expertise includes designing market-based and job evaluation-based compensation programs, pay structures, and compensation surveys, as well as developing poli

Description: The old ways of leading don’t work in today’s business culture. Tune into this webinar and learn new leadership skills based on motivation and passion. Explore new progressive and actionable approaches to leading and influencing others. Learn the limitations on some of the traditional approaches associated with success today, and how the future lies in effective leadership approaches that are centered on advanced personal and interpersonal communication tools. About Stephen Friedman: Stephen Friedman is a recognized executive coach, career coach, facilitator and trainer, working in the areas of leadership and management skills development, group and team development, organizational learning and human resource management. His experience spans more than 20 years. Friedman is on the Faculty at the Schulich School of Business at York University where he teaches Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management and Leadership at both the BBA and MBA levels. He also teaches custom seminars in grou

Description: Much of the work of advancing women in the legal workplace falls on the shoulders of women. Most firms have women’s initiatives run by and for women, and these initiatives have great value. But they are not changing the norms, attitudes and biases that govern law firm advancement, leadership and rewards. Little significant change is possible at the top of law firms, where it really counts, unless those with power – men – take the lead and are accountable for it.  Contact: Ida Abbott Consulting                  www.IdaAbbott.com About Ida Abbott: Ida Abbott helps employers manage, develop and retain legal talent, and serves as mentor and coach to high achieving individuals seeking professional success. A prolific author and speaker, she has long been a leader in the field of lawyers’ professional and leadership development, specializing in mentoring and sponsorship. Abbott is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management, and co-founder of the Hastings Leadership Academy for Women and t

  What do highly successful law firms know about retirement plans – that you don’t?  Tune into this podcast and learn how strategic retirement plans can make your firm more competitive and profitable. From designing and managing retirement plans to avoiding big mistakes along the way, learn the top secrets for successful law firm retirement planning.  About Dan Kravitz Dan Kravitz, President of Kravitz, Inc., is nationally recognized as a leading expert on retirement plans for law firms. He has been a featured speaker at numerous national retirement industry conferences, is the author of a popular book, Beyond the 401(k) and has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal and other major publications. Backed by his expert actuarial and technical team, Kravitz has helped thousands of law firms implement innovative, highly successful retirement plans.   Contact: http://www.kravitzinc.com/

Description: Recruiting and retaining top talent for law firms is one of the biggest challenges faced by business of law leaders today. Tune into top career expert Sally Calloway as she shares proven strategies for attracting and keeping the most qualified candidates in the job market. Learn how to optimize the talent search process from writing effective job descriptions, to posting in unconventional places to conducting compliant and cohesive interviews to determining if a candidate is the right culture fit.   About Sally Calloway: Sally Calloway is an expert resume writer, certified professional career coach, and best-selling author. She trains job seekers and HR professionals, revealing new rules and proven strategies to win the job, and employment trends of the 21st century job market. Calloway is also a career journalist who contributes to the Career Girl Network, honored by Forbes as one of the best sites for career advice, and to CNN.com. Currently an entrepreneur career coach and CEO of Sally Ca

  Description: Time is money, which is why all law firms could benefit from software data integration. Well-implemented integrations increase efficiency, reduce non-billable tasks and improve data accuracy.  That’s why taking on this type of low-budget technology project is mission critical.  Tune into Charles King as he shares cost-saving tips, tactics and strategies for a successful data integration in a law firm environment.  About Charles King    Charles King is the IP Technology Systems Manager at Arent Fox, where he guides decision making and      implementation of all intellectual property practice group technology. He has been working for more than 10 years in intellectual property law technology management. King has been a member of the management group for multiple IP docketing database conversions and has led and supported numerous systems integration projects for docketing data, accounting data, internal and external web-based data access.               Charlis t.  

Description: What if you could make each and every day victorious by focusing on daily activities rather than obsessing over results that you can't control? Based on author Ben Newman's popular program, Own YOUR Success gives you the power to make each day a triumph. The most successful people find great success when they focus on having a passion for the process. The key: make today victorious regardless of the obstacles that come your way. Figure out what fires YOU up without exception and ignite that passion so that you can routinely create your prizefighter day.   About Ben Newman Ben Newman is a best-selling author, international speaker and highly regarded performance coach whose clients include business executives, high-performing sales people and professional athletes in the NFL and PGA. His book, Own Your Success, was ranked by CEO READ as their No. 13 business book of 2012! Newman’s message has inspired tens of thousands of people at companies around the world to do great things each and every

Description: FBI Director Robert Mueller has said it best, when it comes to cyber-attacks “There are only two types of companies in the US; those that have been hacked and those that will be hacked.”  The victims of cyber- crime come in all shapes and sizes, not just the big companies like Target. The US National Cyber Security Alliance found that 60% of small companies shut down within six months of a cyber-crime attack.  There are ways to limit the severity of cyber-attacks that partners, attorneys and employees of law firms must know.  Listen to this podcast and learn what you can do to protect your firm from cyber breaches.   About Charles Bernier Charlie Bernier, Esquire, is principal professional liability consultant and in-house counsel at ECBM Insurance Brokers and Consultants. Bernier began his law career practicing insurance defense at one of the oldest law firms in the country. He then worked at one of the largest professional liability wholesalers in the country and in 2013 joined ECBM.