Message from the President (ALA Gateway Chapter) April 2022
Posted by admin6 on Apr. 23, 2022 / Subscribe 0
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Message From the President
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Jill M. O'Connell, SHRM-SCP, SPHR During spring, dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground, and hibernating animals awake. What a perfect time for ALA Gateway’s new Board of Directors to kick off its 2022-2023 term! Each year around this time, ALA Gateway holds a Board Retreat, which is a time for the officers and team chairs to strategize about the upcoming year, bond with one another, and rejuvenate their spirits in preparation for the coming term. With the help of our facilitator and leadership coach, Judy Hissong, and our sponsoring Business Partners, IST and iSolved, the Chapter was able to hold a 2-day Retreat at the end of March. Thanks to the ingenuity of our amazing volunteer leaders, we came away full of ideas and implementation strategies to enhance our current initiatives and create some new ones. We have now burst out of our collective pandemic hibernation with renewed energy and enthusiasm, connected to our mission and committed to making this another successful year for our Chapter. Scroll to the bottom of this letter for a listing of our 2022-2023 officers, team chairs, and team member volunteers. Feel free to drop us a note. We would love to hear from you! Community Connections Speaking of volunteers, thank you to all the volunteers that participated in Special Spaces’ decoration of 2-year old Emma’s new bedroom on March 19. Emma has been battling cancer for far too much of her young life, which means a lot of other things had to be put on hold—like decorating her bedroom in a way that reflects her beautiful personality. We had a lot of fun, the room turned out great, and our efforts meant the world to Emma and her parents. The smiles on their faces were priceless! I also want to give a shout out to those that volunteered to put Easter baskets together at the annual Bunny Hop. I don’t know for sure, but I think they set a record this year! In less than an hour, these incredible volunteers assembled baskets for each of the following organizations supporting children and families in our area:
That’s a lot of hopping right there. Great job, everyone! As a reminder, PurpleStride is April 30. This important fundraising event benefits the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network® and brings awareness to pancreatic cancer and the need for more effective treatment and prevention. We encourage our members, Business Partners and the rest of the legal community to sign up and walk together in remembrance of Steve Wingert, a longtime member, dear friend and Past President of the ALA, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Click here for more information and to register. Business Partner Relations In case you haven’t heard, ALA Gateway has rolled out a new Business Partner Referral Program! Any current member or Business Partner who successfully brings in a new Business Partner will receive a $250 gift card. Talk to the businesses providing goods and services to your firm. If they aren’t already an ALA Gateway Business Partner, ask them why. Share with them the benefits of being an ALA Gateway Business Partner, and provide them with our 2022 Business Partner Packet. There’s no limit to how many gift cards you can receive! Just be sure they mention your name when they sign up. To show our Business Partners how much they mean to us, ALA Gateway will be hosting its “Bingo de Mayo” Business Partner Appreciation Event at Tilles Park on May 4. In case you’re wondering why we make such a fuss about our Business Partners, let me share a few fun facts.
Whether or not you’re able to make it to the May 4 event, please show your appreciation to our Business Partners by taking that call, watching that demo, and reaching out to them when their offerings align with your firm’s needs. They want to help you succeed, so…well, you know…let them! Strategic Alliance On April 14, Gateway members that have their JDs participated in a panel discussion with St. Louis University law students through Career Services. The discussion was facilitated by Sherry Hurst and Julie Logan, and the topic was “What Can I Do With a JD?” The panelists described the various career opportunities in legal management as an alternative to practicing law. Professional Development The ALA Annual Conference will be held in Kissimmee, Florida, May 15-18. If you’re on the fence or if you’ve never been, the Annual Conference is jam-packed with great educational and networking opportunities. But you need to act now. You only have ONE MORE DAY to register! (Note that there will be no ALA Gateway monthly educational meeting in May due to the Annual Conference.) Membership Before I leave the subject of volunteerism and community connections, remember that it’s always a great time to explore volunteer opportunities with the Gateway Chapter! Please reach out to me or any other member of the Board if you are interested in volunteering. Opportunities range from long-range commitments such as serving on a committee, to micro-opportunities like writing a blog or making a few phone calls. Volunteering is a great way to give back to the ALA, and the relationships you will form with fellow volunteers are priceless. I also welcome your feedback on how the ALA Gateway can better serve you. Please contact me any time at [email protected] to share your ideas, struggles or successes. We want this to be your year!! Legal Management Magazine – Spotlight If you haven’t been regularly reading Legal Management magazine, you’re missing out on a terrific member resource. Stay informed on all the latest content by signing up to receive notifications about new and bonus content. Legal Management wants to hear from you! They are looking for 75 words or less that describe what you do to promote your own health and self-care. For details and to contribute, visit the “Tell Us How You Do Self Care” article in the April issue of Legal Management. I recently changed firms, and almost immediately I learned that my new firm, like my last, also struggles with time tracking. In fact, I don’t think I know of any firm that hasn’t faced that problem to some extent. If you share this concern (or if you want to learn why you should), check out the article “How to Ease Time Tracking Struggles” in the April issue of Legal Management. ALA Career Center If you haven’t already, I highly recommend that you check out the Career Center on the ALA website. The Career Center is a one-stop shop that includes the ALA Job Bank (for both employers and job seekers), useful information about Hiring a Legal Management Professional, and a variety of Career Resources and Articles. ALA Legal Marketplace If your firm needs goods and services—and I’m pretty sure all firms do—be sure to check out the ALA Legal Marketplace. The Legal Marketplace can help you connect to Business Partners based on your needs, and by connecting you are also showing support for Business Partners that support the ALA. ALA Resources for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Don’t forget all the great DEIA resources on the ALAnet.org website. The DEIA Committee has developed an ALA Diversity Toolkit, helpful information on Becoming an Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion, and a series of roundtables and webinars to assist you in your efforts. For additional information, keep an eye on the ALA Gateway Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility page of the ALA Gateway website. The Fine Print As a reminder, whether at a roundtable, educational meeting, or just shooting the breeze at a social event, please be mindful about our obligations under the ALA Code of Professional Ethics. Among other things, the CPE requires us to refrain from any discussion which could be construed to be in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, particularly with respect to price fixing. It’s easy for a seemingly innocuous conversation between two or more administrators to inadvertently veer into dangerous territory in this respect. If you haven’t done so already, please take the time to familiarize yourself with the ALA Gateway Antitrust Guidelines to ensure that you know what can and cannot be shared with your colleagues at other firms. The Wrap Up In closing, I want to thank you for your continued participation in the ALA Gateway Chapter. We are only as strong as our membership, and we want you to know that we are committed to bringing you the professional development, collaborative peer communities, strategic operational solutions, connections to Business Partner, and representation in the community you need to thrive in your career as a legal management professional. Happy Spring!
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“April prepares her green traffic light, and the world thinks: Go!” –Anonymous
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