tion enefits t e - MemberClicks · Beacon Hill Staffing Berry Coffee Company BillBLAST Bremer Bank...

Pg. 16Hiring, Retaining, and Paying Gen Y

Pg. 18How to Negotiate a Higher Salary, Even in a Conservative Economy

Pg. 22Healthy Outcomes: Incorporating Eating into Your Workplace Culture

Pg. 24411 for your 401(k)

"EE Benefits/Compensation"Oct/Nov 2014Vol. 2014, No. 5

Don't Miss:

BenefitsRetirement

Work / Life Balance

Compensation

2 THE VERDICT - October / November

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE VERDICT STAFF

EVENTS4 Calendar of Events11 ALA Webinars12 Leadership Breakfast

NEWS9 Know Your Legal Jargon

12 ALAMN Shining Star

MEMBERS 3 2014-2015 ALAMN Officers & Directors8 New Members9 Member Profile: Molly Elder10 Member Profile: Margaret “Peggy” Lahammer28 Get to Know Your Board

MORE INSIDE3 ALAMN Mission Statement 7 2014 Business Partner Sponsors 27 Advertisers in this Issue

COLUMNS5 President's Letter16 Hiring, Retaining, and Paying Gen Y18 How to Negotiate a Higher Salary,

Even in a Conservative Economy20 We are Stronger Together22 Healthy Outcomes: Incorporating Eating

into Your Workplace Culture24 411 for your 401(k)

REPORTS14 Community Service Committee -

September 2014

Letters to the EditorLetters to the Editor of The Verdict are welcome and can be e-mailed to [email protected]. In your letter, please include your name, firm name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and e-mail address. Letters that do not contain full contact information cannot be published. Letters typi-cally run 150 words or less and may be edited. Your letter can be on any topic. You will be contacted before your letter is published. Thank you.

Editor Tara L. Smith, JD Walling Berg & Debele PA612.335.3227 [email protected]

Advertising David R. AstrameckiMeagher & Geer PLLP612.347.9189 [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONSSarah L. Evenson, JD, MBA

Anderson Helgen Davis & Nissen PA

612.435.6354

[email protected]

EDUCATIONPamela Gerads

Merchant & Gould PC

612.336.4668

[email protected]

FINANCETracey Skjeveland, CLM

Merchant & Gould PC

612.371.5211

[email protected]

MEMBERSHIPSarah Didrikson

Nilan Johnson Lewis PA

612.305.7614

[email protected]

PRESIDENTDeborah O’Connor, CLM

Best & Flanagan LLP

612.339.7121

[email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECTKatherine M. Hubbard

Madigan Dahl & Harlan PA

612.604.2585

[email protected]

2014 - 2015 ALAMN OFFICERS & DIREC TORS

3THE VERDICT - October / November

ALAMN has adopted ALA's Mission Statement

To improve the quality of management in legal services organizations; promote and enhance the compe-tence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.

DIRECTORS

4

ALAMN CALENDAR OF E VENTS


OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

9 – Financial Management SIG* 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Moss & Barnett

15 – ALA Webinar: Change Management 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

16 – Small/Medium Group 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Town & Country Club, St. Andrew’s Room, St. Paul

23 – Fall Social 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Location: Windows on Minnesota, 50th Floor, IDS Center 80 South 8th Street, Minneapolis

3 – Legal Project & Knowledge Management, Pricing and Process Improvement SIG* 11:30 a.m. Location: Stinson Leonard Street

4 – HR Committee Meeting 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: TBD

5 – Speed Networking Event 7:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Location: Fredrikson & Byron

5 – Large Firm Administrators 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Winthrop & Weinstine

6 – Community Service 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Location: Bridging

6 – ALA Webinar: Financial Management

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

11 – Leadership Breakfast 7:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Location: Radisson Plaza Hotel

11 – ALA Webinar: Risk Management Considerations in IP Practice 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

13 – Financial Management SIG* 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Fredrikson & Byron

19 – Community Service Committee 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: TBD

19 – ALA Webinar: Microsoft OneNote, The Everything Bucket You’ve Been Looking For 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

20 – Small/Medium Group 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Town & Country Club

1 – Legal Project & Knowledge Management, Pricing and Process Improvement SIG* 11:30 a.m. Location: TBD

3 – Large Firm Administrators 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Lindquist & Vennum

4 – ALA Webinar: The Workplace Law Landscape: Trends and

Challenges 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

9 – Members Only Social Hour 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Location: TBD

17 – ALA Webinar: Problem Solving: Tips and Techniques 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Merchant & Gould

SU MO TU WE TH FR SA

28 29 30 1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31 1


26 27 28 29 30 31 12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930 1 2 3 4 5 6


30 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2020 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31 1 2

*Please Note: Special Interest Group (SIG) attendeesneed not be ALAMN members

SAVE THE DATE

February 18, 201525th Annual ALAMN

Educational Conference and Business Partner Expo

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Location: Hilton, Downtown

Minneapolis

March 19, 2015Volunteer for the Legal Career Fair

Location: Gray Plant MootyContact: Kathy Hubbard at [email protected]

Come connect with Business Partner Sponsors and

ALAMN members

ALAMN’s Community Service Committee will be collecting cash

donations for Bridging

Our Platinum Sponsor, Emergent Networks LLC, will hold a drawing for a $2,000 scholarship to a

2015 ALA Conference

Register Now @

www.ala-mn.org

One morning this week the tem-perature when I awoke was 39 degrees, a rude reminder we are entering the fall season. I actually enjoy fall, except for the inescap-able fact that winter always fol-lows, and the memory of last win-ter’s polar vortex is still fresh.

Fall for ALA has always meant the Regional Conferences were around the corner – a time when members from Region 3 would gather within our boundaries for educa-tion and camaraderie. But this changed this year with the demise of the “old” regional conferences. Instead, ALA rolled out the Business of Law Conferences (BLC). As with any change, the new BLC has met some trepida-tion, with many members taking a wait-and-see-how-it-goes approach to attending the conferences.

However, after attending the BLC in Chicago, I fully en-dorse ALA’s revitalized format: an old event concept has been given new life! The Conference Committee, chaired by Debra Elsbury, CLM, of Indiana, has really increased the value and quality of the event. Unlike the different educational offerings at previous conferences, the BLC content is the same in every location. In fact, besides the location, the only other difference between the confer-ences is the days of week each is held.

The final Business of Law Conference in 2014 will be held October 27th through 29th in Philadelphia. If you get a chance, I encourage you to attend. Need more incen-tive? Here are a few BLC highlights you may expect:

• New BOLD (Business of Law Discussion) Bites. These are 15 minute informal dialogues led by five different speakers in which each speaker presents a different topic. The topics are relevant and varied, so it keeps your interest. As a sidebar, for those of you who have been fortunate to listen to Michael Cohen speak, it was entertaining to watch him complete a whole subject within the 15 minute

time limit when he usually covers so much that presenting within the regularly scheduled hour is a challenge.

• The BLC Café. The BLC Café is modeled on the principles from the World Café. It is used to intro-duce the process to facilitate conversation. ALA combined the BLC Café with the networking re-ception for this event.

• Quality Speakers and Sessions. Great educa-tional sessions covering everything from firm profitability, HIPAA, employee handbooks, trends shaping the future of work, facilities and strategic planning. Learn the 13 characteristics of Excellent Law Firms, compare how many exist in your Firm, and, once defined, find out what steps you can take to become a Firm of Excellence.

• BHAG. That is, develop your own Big, Hairy, Auda-cious Goals.

• Networking. An opportunity to network in a smaller setting than the annual conference and with others from across the country since the con-ferences are no longer regional.

• City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia is a great place to visit, and what better way to do so than to combine it with an educational opportunity?

The past month has brought changes to the ALAMN Board. Two members are no longer on the Board. For different reasons, David Oxley, CLM, and Wendy Bartlett have stepped down. We will sorely miss their skills and talents and wish them the best. I hope I am able to serve with each of them in another role in the future.

Please mark your calendars and join us for the 2014 ALAMN Business Partner Fall Social. The Social will be held on Thursday, October 23rd starting at 4:00 p.m. at Win-dows on Minnesota. I look forward to seeing you there.

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF ALAMNBy Deborah O’Connor, CLM


2014 BUSINESS PARTNER SPONSORS


Alerus Financial

Associated Bank N.A.

BMO Harris Bank

Nuance Communications

Business Data Record ServicesComputex Technology SolutionsHenricksenLoffler Companies Inc.Marco, Inc.

Ricoh USA, Inc.The Gunlocke CompanyU.S. BankVerus CorporationWells Fargo Bank N.A.

Aramark Refreshment ServicesAssurity River Group, Inc.Beacon Hill Staffing Berry Coffee CompanyBillBLASTBremer BankCBIZ, Inc.cicaydaCITech Solutions, Inc.Coffee Mill, Inc.Complete Graphics, Inc.CORTCushman & Wakefield/NorthMarqDoherty StaffingEnventisFedEx ServicesFluid Interiors

FRSecureGreiner ConstructionHays CompaniesImaging PathIntegreonIST ManagementIVDeskJones Lang LaSalleKelly Law RegistryLexisNexisMerrill CorporationmilliCare by Facility Services, Inc.Minnesota Lawyers Mutual InsuranceMOTG - a Xerox CompanyMSpace/iSpaceNightOwl DiscoveryNorthland Business Systems, Inc.

Office DepotParametersRobert Half LegalRoskop Construction LLCS&T Office ProductsShred RightSolbrekk Business Technology SolutionsSovran, Inc.Special Counsel Stonebridge BankSUCCESS Computer Consulting, Inc.Thomson ReutersTW TelecomUPSVerizon WirelessWillis of Minnesota

ABA Retirement Funds ProgramADV Document Systems, Inc.Bertelson Total Office SolutionsCAPTRUST Financial AdvisorsClient ConnectionCrane Data Forensics

Depo InternationalEducation Partners, Inc.Erickson Marketing, Inc.Exceptional EngravingGardner BuildersMarsh & McLennan Agency LLC

Mercer Quality Resource Group, Inc.RJ Ahmann CompanyStudio Hive, Inc.Tower Legal Solutions

Emergent Networks LLC


NEW MEMBERS

Rebekah Anderson Chief Practice Officer Fredrikson & Byron 200 South 6th Street, Suite 4000 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612.492.7842 [email protected]

Jeremy Chambers Accounting Specialist Pauly DeVries Smith & Deffner LLC TCF Tower, Suite 900 121 South 8th Street Minneapolis, MN 55402 612.746.4785 [email protected]

Paula Donna Firm Administrator Donna Law Firm 7601 France Avenue South, Suite 350 Minneapolis, MN 55435 952.562.2460 [email protected]

Molly Elder Director of Office Administration Blethen Gage & Krause PLLP 127 South 2nd Street Mankato, MN 56001 507.345.1166 [email protected]

Margaret "Peggy" Lahammer Director of Strategic Intelligence Gray Plant Mooty 80 South 8th Street, Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612.632.3010 [email protected]

Please welcome the following ALA members who recently joined ALAMN:

All credit decisions subject to credit approval. © 2014 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (1170161_11041)

Growing your business is easier when you have a dedicated teamAt Wells Fargo, we take time to get to know businessesBy getting to know you and your business, our experienced business bankers can offer financing options tailored to meet your financial needs.

Visit us at a location near you or talk to a banker at 1‑800‑35‑WELLS (1‑800‑359‑3557).

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SECURITY: DISCOVERY TO SOLUTIONS

Join us for a free event @ Ruth’s Chris in Minneapolis

emergentnetworks.com612.213.2600

NOV.

19

SCHEDULE:11:30–11:45 Check-In/Networking11:45–1:15 Presentation/Lunch1:15–1:30 Questions/Wrap up

PRESENTERS: John Harmon, FR SecureDuane Priebe, Emergent Networks

REGISTRATION

ENTER CODE: LegalSecurity


ALAMN NE W MEMBER PROFILE - MOLLY ELDER GETTING TO KNOW YOU…

Quick facts about you: Home town? Littleton, Colorado

High school & mascot? Heritage High School - Eagles

College & major? University of Colorado – Boulder

Campus; Marketing major, Economics minor.

Family? Husband, Chad, and 2 great kids: Emden (6) and Avery (4)

Pets? 2 dogs: Mac and Maggie.

Hobbies? I enjoy doing active things outdoors: hiking, kayaking, even raking or mowing the lawn.

Quick facts about your firm: Size? 11 attorneys, 12 staffers.

Your main responsibilities: Everything but the law, including all HR duties, IT, facilities management, oversight of financial responsi-bilities, organization of firm events, marketing, etc.

Favorite(s)? I like most all of it. I enjoy wearing different hats throughout the day.

Most Challenging? Probably HR.

Why/how did you become a legal administrator? I started working as a legal administrator in April of 2012. The responsibilities of this position closely aligned with those of my previous positions (as the operations manager of a non-profit and as a bank officer).

What is a major issue you/your firm is/are facing today? We are in the process of relocating our office to a new building currently under construction. I’ve never been part of an office move or a construction project before so it’s definitely been a learning experience.

What is the best advice you have ever received? Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass away.

I joined ALAMN because… I think the group offers knowledge and experience essential to my role as a legal administrator that I couldn’t get anywhere else.

One thing I try to do each day at work is… to thank people for their work. Appreciation goes a long way.

Others describe me…. as efficient. I really enjoy trying to find better ways to do things.

Someday I would like to… hike the Appalachian Trail.

People would be surprised to learn that I… served in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa (1998-2000).

KNOW YOUR LEGAL JARGON - SPONSORED BY HCBAPro Hac Vice (proh-hock-vee-chay)

Latin meaning “for this particular occasion.” The phrase usually refers to an out-of-state lawyer who has been granted special permission to participate in a particular case, even though the lawyer is not licensed to practice in the state where the case is being tried.

ALAMN NEW MEMBER PROFILE - MARGARET “PEGGY” LAHAMMER GETTING TO KNOW YOU…Quick facts about you:Home town? St. Louis ParkHigh school & mascot? Oriole—not scary or offensive at all. College & major? I majored in Philosophy and Political Science at the U of M, Morris and attended Washington College of Law at The American University for my JD.Family? I have two college-bound boys and come from a large family. My youngest sister is a lively TPT reporter, about whom I’m frequently asked if I know. Pets? I have two large rescue dogs: Rex and Addy.Hobbies? I ski and garden and love to read. Quick facts about your firm: Size? My firm has about 150 attorneys, but I always find it amusing that these metrics are often measured by a single, albeit important, role in a firm. Your main responsibilities: I lead our Strategic Intelligence Department that in-cludes research support, research tools management, competitive and business intelligence, knowledge management and project management. Favorite(s)? Right now legal project management is both my favorite and most challenging, due to the changing nature of the practice of law and our significant com-mitment to this area.Why/how did you become a legal administrator? I’ve been leading teams for a legal vendor for some time, so the transition back to the law firm—this time as an administrator rather than as an attorney – feels like a natural career progression for me. What is a major issue you/your firm is/are facing today?Changing roles within firms and adjusting to the changing marketplace. What is the best advice you have ever received? Embrace change. If you’re not asked to expand your skillset or do more work each and every year, than

your employer is not invested in you and your position is at risk. I joined ALAMN because… I’m interested in the new legal proj-ect manager’s special interest group.One thing I try to do each day at work is… Provide superior client service, for both our internal firm clients and our external firm clients.Others describe me…. as a contradiction—I’m intense and highly focused at work but laid back and carefree in my personal rela-tionships. Someday I would like to… get my MBA.People would be surprised to learn that I… lived and studied in Spain for a year and once hitch-hiked through all of Eastern Europe, when those coun-tries were under Soviet control.



ALA Webinars can be viewed at no cost to ALAMN mem-bers at the office of Merchant & Gould each month. Sign up by registering online or by contacting Pam Gerads by phone at 612.336.4668 or email at [email protected]. In addition, ALA Webinars are available either live or on demand at no cost to subscribers of West Le-galEdcenter.

Webinar: Change Management Wednesday, October 15, 2014 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Central Time

Change is a constant, and if you can understand and manage it well, you can handle the challenges in your firm. But strategies for managing change depend on one’s role and level of seniority in a firm. Join this webinar to look at managing change from multiple perspectives. We will look at change theory, change psychology and practical aspects of managing change. Leave armed with new confidence in how you manage the challenges of change in your firm and in your life.

Webinar: Financial Management – It’s More Than Just Billing and Collection Thursday, November 6, 2014 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Central Time

No one would argue cash is king in the business of law. Managers and owners of the law firm need to implement best practices in financial reporting, monitoring and bench-marking their performance to ensure financial success. But there is no “one-size fits all.” Join this webinar to discover the keys to identify your firm’s specific needs and how to man-age these for long-term profitability for your firm.

Webinar: Risk Management Considerations in IP Practice Tuesday, November 11, 2014 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Central Time

What if there was a way for IP-related malpractice claims to cost less money, time, emotion and reputation? Join this webinar to discover how. You’ll look at several IP specific risk management considerations, such as: how to better formalize the relationship with foreign associates; how to manage the risks associated with IP attorneys working re-

motely; how to balance the risk/reward of maintenance fees and annuities. Help your IP practice thrive by reduc-ing the severity and frequency of its claims.

Webinar: Microsoft OneNote, The Everything Bucket You’ve Been Looking For Wednesday, November 19, 2014 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Central Time

In the age of all things digital, there is now OneNote: Mi-crosoft’s digital notebook solution that can make keep-ing track of “all the info you need” a simple thing to do. This recent addition to Microsoft Office may already be installed on your computer. Learn how to tap into it, take and share notes, and simply get more done.

ALA WEBINARS

ALAMN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST

Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Time: 7:45 – 9:45 a.m.

Location: Radisson Plaza Hotel 35 South Seventh Street Minneapolis, MN

Featuring: John Remsen, Jr., President, TheRemsenGroup

Do you ever wonder what your colleagues are doing that makes them so successful; what’s the most impor-tant characteristic of your firm’s success; whether your firm encourages your leaders to lead; or what’s the best strategy to position your firm in this increasingly com-petitive marketplace?

In this fast-paced session, participants will learn the 12 important characteristics of today's most successful law firms and have the opportunity to assess their firm’s performance in these critical areas. During the session, we will present the results of survey data collected at The Managing Partner Forum where 160 managing

partners and law firm leaders evaluated how their firms are performing. The results may surprise you. Along the way, attendees will be asked to rate their firm's perfor-mance in these critical areas and a compilation of the results will be distributed after the program.

We’ll also drill down on the increasingly important role of leadership and strategic planning in law firms in this increasingly competitive marketplace for legal services.

About the Speaker: John Remsen, Jr., is widely recog-nized as one of the country’s lead-ing authorities on law firm leader-ship, management, marketing and business development. After serv-ing as in-house marketing director at two major law firms, he formed TheRemsenGroup, a consulting firm that works exclusively with law firms to help them develop and implement long-term strategic objectives to improve cohesiveness, perfor-mance & profitability. Since 1997, he has worked with over 300 law firms and thousands of lawyers.

ALAMN invites all members and your lawyer leaders to join us


And the next ALAMN Shining Star is…James has made a big impact in his short tenure as an ALAMN member. Without hes-itating, James agreed to be part of our fledgling ALAMN Diversity Committee after joining only a few months earlier. He has provided great input and insight into ways in which our chapter can reach new segments of the community. James also joined the ALAMN Membership Committee and proved to be a go-getter once again. While that alone would be enough to make any chapter proud, he did not stop there. James is currently the co-chair of the ALAMN Membership Committee where they are do-ing great things to advance our membership reach, including ensuring that we con-nect with our incoming millennial members. James is a shining star example of taking full advantage of involvement and leadership opportunities. Thank you, James, for all you do for ALAMN!

James Fowler of Yost & Baill, LLP

Characteristics of Today’s Most Successful Law Firms and The Increasingly Important Role of Law Firm Leadership

HCBAConnectionOctober 2014

Updates for Legal Administrators and Law Office Managers from the Hennepin County Bar Association

Hennepin County Bar Association • Proudly serving legal professionals and the public • www.hcba.org • 612-752-6600

We’re Bringing the Bench to the Bar: Don’t miss this year’s Judges Social on October 23

The Hennepin County Bar Association invites the bench and bar to come together on Thursday, October 23, for this year’s Judges Social. The event takes place at the Radisson Blu Minneapolis (located at 35 South 7th Street, in downtown Minneapolis) and runs from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This always popular evening provides attorneys with a unique opportunity to meet, mix, and mingle with judges from the county, state, and federal bench, in a purely social setting.

The Judges Social is the bar association’s biggest event of the season. More than 300 attorneys and judges attended last year. Call Joy Hamilton at 612-752-6614 today to register your firm’s attorneys.

JUDGES SOCIAL

LaughListenLearn

MeetMix

Mingle

Looking for ways to lower your firm’s CLE expenditures? Encourage attorneys to make the most of their HCBA memberships by attending CLE programs at the bar association. During the 2014-15 bar year, HCBA members can attend nearly 80 hours of Section-sponsored CLE seminars at the HCBA office for no charge. Non-members will pay $40 or more for each of these sessions. If each attorney at your firm attends just six HCBA seminars during the year, each bar membership saves you $240 per attorney in CLE costs. If they attend more programs, you could save even more! See upcoming programs at www.hcba.org.

Chat ConverseConnect

Don’t Miss the HCBA’s

Biggest Event of the Fall. Make Sure Your Firm is a Part

of the Judges Social!

Reduce Your Firm’s CLE Costs with Free Seminars at the HCBA office

On September 11, 2014, ALAMN members and busi-ness partners served a delicious meal for 100+ guests at the Simpson Shelter in Minneapolis. Guests were served chicken noodle casserole, tossed salad, buns, pickles and olives along with chocolate chip cookie sundaes for dessert. The chicken noodle casserole was a hit and so highly complimented that we are provid-ing you with the recipe. (You may also find yourself with leftover turkey in late November.)

A very special thank you goes to the following volun-teers for making this another successful ALAMN Com-munity Services Committee event! These folks contrib-uted to not only preparing and serving this meal, but many hours went into both planning the menu and shopping for the groceries and paper products.Tom Millin Bowman & BrookeTracy Smith Smith Gendler Shiell Sheff, Ford & MaherCheryl Nelson, CLM Robins Kaplan Miller & CiresiDavid Elert Complete GraphicsRick Haman Complete Graphics

Pam Gerads Merchant & Gould Alexandra Tseffos Fluid InteriorsVicki Meyer Gislason & HunterJanet Tschida S&T Office ProductsMichele Brauch Frederickson & ByronMark Brauch Larkin Hoffman Daly & LindgrenChad Stout Facility ServicesTenille Meyer Verizon WirelessDave Hecker Gardner BuildersBret Roberts Emergent NetworksTim Larson Emergent Networks

The next 2014 Community Services Committee event will be Thursday, November 6 at Bridging in Roseville. We are looking for 12-15 volunteers to purchase and prepare “kitchen packs.” This event will begin at 4:00 p.m. and end at 6:00 p.m., including a tour of the Bridg-ing facility. You may sign up to volunteer for this event on the ALAMN website or by contacting Vicki Meyer ([email protected] or 763.225.6048) or Pat Stender ([email protected] or 952.525.6996). New members are always welcome!

COMMUNIT Y SERVICE COMMIT TEE - SEPTEMBER 2014

[ photos on page 15 ]



COMMUNIT Y SERVICE COMMIT TEE - SEPTEMBER 2014

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!If you have been looking for a way to get involved in ALAMN, with a short time commitment, here is your opportunity! Volunteers are needed to serve on the ALAMN Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee has the important responsibility of selecting and presenting a slate of officers for the 2015-2016 term of office. The Committee will meet 2-3 times between November and January, and have a few hours of work outside of the meetings. To be eligible for the Committee, ALAMN regular members must have at least one year of membership and cannot have served on the Nominating Committee last year.

If you would like more information on the Nominating Committee, please contact Deb O’Connor at [email protected] or 612.843.5838 by November 7th.

In addition, we are seeking nominations for the 2015-2016 ALAMN Board of Directors. If you would like to learn more about the Board or would like to nominate yourself or another member, please contact Deb O’Connor. Note: If you are interested in being considered for a Board position, you are not eligible to serve on the Nominating Committee this year. Thank you for considering these opportunities to serve ALAMN!

HIRING, RETAINING, AND PAYING GEN Y

When an industry colleague of mine was recently asked how his company was able to grow from three employ-ees in 2006 to 62 last year, his response was Gen Y profes-sionals. It was the ‘build it and they will come’ mentality. The company started by creating a place where people wanted to work and soon top professionals (from their competition) came knocking – and eager to perform.

While hiring and retaining Generation Y professionals is seen as one of the greatest challenges across industries, it is also one of the greatest opportunities for businesses.

Born in the mid-1980s and later, Generation Y profession-als are in their 20s and are just entering the workforce. Gen Y, also known as Millennials, is the fastest growing segment of today’s workforce with estimates as high as 70 million.

My generation may have “created” technology and un-derstands the intricacies of the Internet and networks, but Gen Yers have used it their entire lives and know how to make the most out of it. That’s valuable for businesses – no matter the industry.

So, what does it take to attract Gen Y professionals and keep them happy?

A fun place to work. Previous generations may have thrived in “cube farms,” but not Gen Y. From foosball ta-bles to Segways, businesses that are creating dynamic, engaging, and yes, entertaining work environments are attracting the top Gen Y professionals. It’s being called a “culture of happiness.” I have had to think about this as we developed plans for our new corporate headquarters. It changed the layout to foster collaboration and creativity, and requires us to invest in the “soft stuff” – like a fireplace and lounge space.

Don’t pay for time. Millennials buck the 8 to 5 system because they do not want to get paid for their time. It’s less about a guaranteed salary and more about their con-trol over paycheck. I often hear this from our top perform-ing Millennials, “Tell me what I need to do to make more

money and I’ll go do it.” This is not limited to sales. It may mean they get paid on project profitability or other met-rics specific to the job. We implemented a new pay-for-performance bonus last month for one of our divisions and we’re seeing Millennials completely blow it out of the water. Sure, businesses will need to pay more. But they also will make much more.

By Steve Knutson


[ continued on page 17 ]

Give a shout out – for the good things. Millennials want to be recognized - in front of their peers. Their per-formance enhances (as do others on the team) when they receive personal accolades for a job well done. They are looking for specific and consistent feedback on the work they do.

Some of the most successful, fastest growing companies are start-ups because they get to start from scratch. It may re-quire a dramatic shift for businesses that have been around for 10 or 20 years and are built around the traditional work environment, but it's time and dollars well spent.

Gen Y is the new workforce. They will be running the company someday, and today, their performance-fo-cused minds are driving top and bottom line growth.

Author Bio: Steve Knutson’s down-to-earth personality and "no geek speak" philosophy have made him a sought-after speaker on technology nation-wide. Steve graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1991 and joined Marco in 1999. Steve leads Marco's progressive IT strategy as

Chief Technology Officer and helps customers apply strategies based on their business goals as Vice President of Professional Services. This article is an authorized reprint as originally published at

www.marconet.com.


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HOW TO NEGOTIATE A HIGHER SALARY, E VEN IN A CONSERVATIVE ECONOMYBy Jessica Kuhl


You’d like to get paid more than your current salary as a legal administrator, but you’re aware the job market still isn’t spectacular. So what’s the best way to ask for a pay increase?

Although the nation’s economy is stronger than it has been in several years, it’s still not so robust that law firms have extra money to spend on company-wide raises. Still, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for the same salary year after year. Ask your manager for a pay increase, es-pecially if it’s been several years since your last one – but you have to be strategic about it. Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare and deliver your pitch.

Prove Your Worth. Before approaching your manager to negotiate a salary boost, think about recent instanc-es that demonstrate you’re worth more to the firm than what you’re currently being paid. For starters, ask yourself these questions:

• Do the firm’s lawyers see you as an indispensable team member with specialized knowledge? Jot down specific examples of how you’ve supported them in this capacity. Look through your email and written correspondence for thank you messages that describe a job especially well done.

• Have you recently completed courses that boost-ed your skills, such as tech training and continuing legal education?

• Have you helped the firm in gaining a new cli-ent or retaining an especially valuable one? How much was this effort worth?

• Have you saved the company time or money by implementing new practices? Write down how and how much.

• Have you recently taken on tasks that are not in your original job description?

These questions are just a springboard. With this exercise, you can determine your increasing worth to the firm and provide the tangible evidence that proves you deserve a higher salary.

Research the Market Rates. Before you ask for a raise, have an amount in mind. Find the latest salary range for your position and ZIP code by running the data through Robert Half Legal’s Salary Calculator. The Robert Half Le-gal 2014 Salary Guide, which includes information on current hiring trends, is also a great resource. (The 2015 Salary Guide will be available in mid-October.)


HOW TO NEGOTIATE A HIGHER SALARY, E VEN IN A CONSERVATIVE ECONOMY - CONT.continued from page 18

If your salary is below the market rate, you’ll have a very strong case, especially if you can also show how your val-ue has increased since your last raise or since you were first hired. Even if your pay is already at or near the high end, you can still ask for an increase. Focus on the fact that you’re worth more than your present salary based on your many invaluable contributions to the firm.

How to Make Your Case. There’s no doubt that asking for a salary increase can be nerve-wracking. That’s why it’s important to role-play the scenario with a friend before you walk into your boss’s office. Like a good litigator, an-ticipate possible questions and prepare your responses. In addition, document all the information you’ve gath-ered about your increased value to the firm and about the average regional salary for your position.

When you do sit down with your manager, start off the meet-ing by emphasizing how much you enjoy your job. Then go through all the reasons why you feel you merit a raise. Finally, present your desired salary and back it up with data.

Even though the economy is still recovering, it’s possible to successfully negotiate a pay increase. The keys are to do your research, gather the data, practice negotiating and make a watertight case for why you deserve a high-er salary as a legal administrator.

Author Bio: Jessica Kuhl is a division director at Robert Half Legal in Minneapolis. Robert Half Legal is a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of lawyers, paralegals, legal administrators and other legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal depart-ments. For more information, contact 612-349-2810 or www.roberthalflegal.com.

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WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER


Paul Ryan is credited with saying that: “Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together.” Love or hate his politics, he makes a very good point. So who do you consider part of your “community of persons”? Wise legal industry management professionals include their business partners in this definition. The ALAMN Business Partner Program consists of a wide array of professionals who provide services and prod-ucts to the legal industry. Our ALAMN business part-ners have continually expressed their desire to assist the ALAMN membership in improving their efficiencies and bottom line.There are many ways that our ALAMN business partners are able to meet this goal. The most often recognized way our ALAMN business partners are available as a part of our community is at our ALAMN annual confer-ence and expo in the exhibit hall where they will work to answer your questions regarding their area of exper-tise and/or schedule an appointment to meet with you to provide further information about their company. Secondly, our ALAMN business partners possess a wealth of knowledge regarding many of the areas we deal with in our day-to-day work lives. They are excited to be offered the opportunity to speak at one of our Special Interest Group (SIG) or Committee meetings. This is a service they are happy to provide free of charge to our chapter. In that same vein, our ALAMN business partners are working with our newsletter professionals to provide articles relevant to our industry and our work challeng-es. Our ALAMN business partners who have contrib-uted articles to the Verdict for 2014 include: ABA Re-tirement Funds Program, Complete Graphics, Inc., Crane Data Forensics, Doherty Employment Group, Kelly Law Managed Solutions, Marco, Inc., MSpace/iSpace, Robert Half Legal, Shred Right, Special Counsel, Inc., and Willis of Minnesota.These value adds are ways our ALAMN business part-ners go above and beyond their financial commit-ment to our chapter. The financial commitment of our ALAMN business partners cannot be over emphasized.

How does their financial commitment help you? Let me count the ways:1. Scholarships galore! We have more scholarship op-

portunities than many other chapters in the ALA.2. ALAMN membership dues are kept significantly

lower than they would be otherwise affording many more legal professionals the opportunity to join.

3. ALAMN annual conference and expo and ALAMN monthly general meeting fees. Again, without our ALAMN business partners' financial commitments, these fees would have to be much higher or the value of the educational offerings much lower.

I know some of you may still not be ready to hug a busi-ness partner yet, but I would challenge each of you to take a few more calls and respond to a few more emails

By Katherine M. Hubbard


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from our ALAMN business partners reaching out to in-troduce themselves. You do not know what may come of it and therefore can you really afford to not take ad-vantage of it?I provide you with a personal anecdote. One rainy day several years ago, a lovely and talented firm administra-tor took a call from a business partner offering shred-ding services – even though she was happy with the pricing and service of her current provider. This lovely firm administrator was rewarded for her kindness. After meeting with the business partner, she was offered a deal she could not refuse. She received the same great service at a 50% discount – all because she took a call. Remember, life is so much easier when we have partner-ships. FreeDictionary.com defines a partnership as, “A re-

lationship between individuals or groups that is character-ized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal”. I bet there is a picture of an ALAMN business partner right after that definition.

Author Bio: Katherine M. Hubbard is the Firm Administrator at Madigan Dahl & Harlan PA and President-Elect of ALAMN.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER - CONT.

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By J.C. Beckstrand

According to the CDC, over 69% of Americans are over-weight and over 35% are obese. The increase in obe-sity rates in recent years is startling and, with all that extra weight, comes corresponding health risks. Four of the ten leading causes of death have been directly linked to unhealthy eating patterns and obesity (heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes). Proper nutrition and weight management are serious issues that have become serious business issues. All employers can benefit from making environmental improvements at the worksite to support optimal health and from offer-ing ongoing initiatives that support healthful eating and healthy weight. Avenues to better nutrition in the workplace include healthful vending options, healthy meeting policies and nutritional counseling.

Healthful Vending Options. Workplaces can begin to promote healthier eating by providing nutritious op-tions in the vending machines, which are often a source of sugary, high calorie drinks and snacks. Develop con-tracts with food vendors that require specified percent-ages of healthy food in recommended portion sizes. Ideally, 50 to 100 percent of vending options should meet healthy guidelines. Often, the least healthy op-tions have the lowest price and the most compelling marketing. Use the same strategies to promote healthy options instead.

• Use education and marketing to promote healthy products. Advisory councils, wellness teams, and human resources can help with promotion.

• Work with your vendor to price healthy food and beverages at the lowest cost. Be sure to get every-thing in writing.

• Place healthy items at eye level, with the option to rearrange items as needed.

• Use signage to identify which products are healthy.

• A company-wide vending survey can help em-ployers gain a better understanding of snack pref-erences and ensure that the right items are of-fered. Reviewing the survey results will also assist in the creation of a healthy eating policy.

Healthy Meeting Policies. Policies support healthy eating habits and help ensure healthy choices are available whenever food and beverages are provided at work-related events. They can be formal or informal. Informal policies, such as providing water instead of soda at meetings and events, are not written into the Human Resource manual but are widely known and supported – and are voluntary. A formal policy, on the

HEALTHY OUTCOMES: INCORPORATING EATING INTO YOUR WORKPLACE CULTURE


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other hand, includes a statement of intent by the em-ployer and is applicable to all employees. Formal poli-cies may include lists of acceptable snacks and meals that are to be provided during work events.

A suggested resource for worksite healthy eating poli-cies is the Eat Smart Workbook developed by the North Carolina State Health Plan. It includes guidelines for pro-viding healthy food at meetings and healthy snacks and beverage guides for vending machines, sample work-place posters on nutrition, a sample healthy foods policy, and 42 examples of Eat Smart handouts for employees.

Nutritional Counseling. On-site nutritional counsel-ing is another effective way to support healthy eating at work. These sessions are private and one-on-one with a registered dietitian where employees can dis-cuss their nutritional concerns. Registered Dietitician’s (RD) can also assist in the creation of healthy meal plans that the employee can share with their family. While there is usually a cost associated with these sessions, some insurance carriers will cover nutritional counsel-ing. Carriers may also provide a wellness fund that can cover or help offset the cost of bringing an RD onsite. For more information on nutritional counseling, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.

Employers can use multiple approaches to incorpo-rate healthy eating into the workplace culture. Health-ful vending machine options are a great way to start. Healthy meeting and event policies encourage healthy behaviors and show employees that the company is committed to a culture of wellbeing. Nutritional coun-seling helps individuals acquire the skills and support each needs to improve his or her eating habits. Below are some additional resources to help employers sup-port healthy eating at work:

The American Heart Association: Another long-stand-ing community resource for health risk and prevention information. The Healthy Lifestyle section of their web-site contains a number of items related to nutrition and weight management, including Diet and Nutri-tion, Cholesterol Low Down, Managing Your Weight.

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Many free downloadable resources, including NHLBI fact sheets on lowering blood pressure and healthy eating, DASH recipes, NHLBI Heart Healthy Recipes, Obesity Education Initiative – Interactive Menu Planner. Also available, “AIM FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT” with infor-mation about assessing your weight and controlling your weight.

Fruits and Veggies Matter: Formerly the 5-A-Day Pro-gram, this site and their materials encourage people to eat the recommended servings of fruits and veg-etables each day. These programs are fun and easy. You can offer exotic fruit and vegetable tasting at lunch-and-learns, distribute fun fruit and vegetable shaped pens, offer pre-printed shopping lists that have check-off boxes for healthy items, sponsor reci-pe contests, etc.

Nutrition.gov: Provides easy, online access to gov-ernment information on food and human nutrition for consumers. A service of the National Agricultural Library, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Author Bio: J.C. Beckstrand is Senior Vice President and Law Firm Practice Leader for Willis of Minnesota, Inc. This article is reprinted from the September 2014 Willis Human Capital Practice HRFocus Newsletter and can be found at

www.willis.com.

HEALTHY OUTCOMES - CONT.

By the ABA Retirement Funds

As consumers around the country are getting orga-nized for back to school season, this is also an oppor-tune time to make a checklist to clean up your financial house and conduct an annual review of your 401(k) plan so that you are taking advantage of all the ben-efits it can offer.

If you are like most working Americans, your 401(k) plan is the cornerstone of your retirement savings. Fol-lowing the below eight tips can help you be ready to retire with the dignity and financial security you expect and deserve.

Tip #1: Establish a Retirement Plan for Your Firm. If you’re a small firm owner or partner, and don’t spon-sor a retirement plan for yourself and your employees, you should strongly consider it. Nine out of ten lawyers (90%) work for firms that have fewer than ten attorneys. The preponderance of small firms is a distinct charac-teristic of the legal community. Unfortunately, this also means that an employee’s access to a retirement sav-ings vehicle such as a 401(k) may be limited. A 2011 survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that access to an employer-spon-sored retirement plan is lower with smaller employers. As a matter of fact, only 17.3% of companies with fewer than ten employees sponsor a retirement plan. The first step to meeting your retirement needs is having access to a plan. It’s also a great way to attract and retain tal-ented employees. If you’re not sponsoring a plan today, think about establishing one.

Tip #2: Enroll in Your Plan. If you haven’t yet enrolled in your 401(k) plan, make it a point to do so now. People are living longer now than ever before. According to a 2011 report by the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. is pro-jected to have 9 million people above the age of 90 by 2050—this is up from 1.9 million in 2010…and 720,000 in 1980. This means our nation's 90-and-older popula-tion has nearly tripled over the past three decades…and is projected to quadruple over the next four de-cades. These longer life spans, coupled with spiraling healthcare costs, the uncertain future of Social Security

and the decline of public pensions means individuals are increasingly responsible for funding their own re-tirement. Contributing to a 401(k) plan can put you on the right track to be able to fund your retirement years. The money you contribute is tax-deferred from both federal and state income taxes, which means you don’t pay taxes on the contributions until you withdraw the funds, typically at retirement age. For example, if you are in the 28% tax bracket and you invest $5,000 a year, that’s $5,000 of your salary on which you are not paying

411 FOR YOUR 401(K)



taxes. This reduces your annual tax bill on that $5,000 by nearly one-third—$1,400 ($5,000 x .28). Furthermore, contributions to the plan are deducted automatically from your paycheck, making the process seamless for you. By contributing even a small amount on a regular basis, you can build substantial wealth over the long-term. Even just one or two percent can make a big dif-ference.

If you’re unsure about how much you should contrib-ute, take advantage of the many helpful online tools and resources available to you, such as Voya’s MyOr-angeMoney (Voya.com). These tools offer an easy way for you to determine how much you need to save to reach your retirement income goal, and how different contribution rates will impact your retirement savings.

Tip #3: Leverage Both Pre-tax and Post-tax Contri-butions. If your plan allows for both traditional pre-tax and after-tax (Roth) contributions, evaluate which is a better option with your individual situation. You also have the option to split the deferral types. While pre-tax contributions allow you to contribute to the plan on a pre-tax basis, Roth contributions allow you the op-portunity to grow these contributions tax-free. This is a valuable feature if you believe your taxes will be higher when you retire, since you will pay taxes on the contri-butions now based on a lower tax bracket and pay no taxes on the earning when you retire.

Tip #4: Take Advantage of Matching Contributions. If your employer offers a company match, take advan-tage of it! This is a valuable benefit where your employ-er will match your contributions—typically capped at a percentage of your pay. For example, a company may offer a dollar-for-dollar match up to 3% of pay, or, a 50% match up to 6% of pay. Find out what your employer will match and, at the very least, contribute enough to take advantage of the match.

Tip #5: Make Catch Up Contributions. If you are age 50 or older (or will be by the end of the calendar year) and your plan allows, take advantage of the "catch-up" provision. Legislation has made it easier for you to save more for your retirement with the permanence of the “catch-up” provision outlined in the Pension Protection Act of 2006. In addition to the general deferral limit of $17,500 for 2014, you can contribute an additional $5,500 for a total of $23,000. This means if you are 50 years old this year and haven’t started saving for retire-ment, you can contribute as much as $225,000 over the next ten years—tax-deferred—to your 401(k) plan. When you consider the potential of compound earn-ings, this can add up to significant savings.




411 FOR YOUR 401(K) - CONT.

NOT A DEPOSIT NOT FDIC INSURED MAY LOSE VALUE NOT BANK GUARANTEEDNOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY



411 FOR YOUR 401(K) - CONT.

Tip #6: Keep your Savings Working for You. Even if the plan allows you to borrow from your plan, think twice before doing so. While it may sound appealing, borrowing from your 401(k) reduces the benefit of tax-free compounding that is the key to building up sav-ings. Although sometimes unavoidable, before you make the decision to take a loan, there a few consider-ations to take into account:

• You will pay interest on the loan with after-tax dol-lars, thereby losing the tax advantage.

• You will pay taxes a second time when you even-tually withdraw the money in retirement.

• Interest on the loan is not tax-deductible, even if funds are used for a home purchase.

• Most loans must be paid back within five years, but if you leave your job, the loan must be paid back in full immediately or the amount becomes a taxable withdrawal.

Tip #7: Invest for the Long-Term. Once you set your investment allocations, be patient. Predicting the mar-ket is not like predicting the weather. There are no high-tech gadgets or radar systems to predict the highs and lows that may lie ahead. It’s critical to remember that what is important is time in the market, not timing the market. Discipline yourself to maintain your allocation through down markets as well as up markets. Having a properly diversified portfolio will help make any mar-ket swing easier to digest. Conduct an annual review of your plan to confirm your allocations still align with your life stage and economic circumstances.

Tip #8: Consider Spending Time with a Financial Professional. Research suggests that those who spend time with a financial professional are saving more than their peers who do not, with greater investment knowl-edge and confidence in their ability to enjoy retirement. If you have never received help from a financial profes-sional before, this is something to consider pursuing.

Information is power—knowing how to take advantage of these simple —but important —tips, can positively impact your ability to live comfortably in retirement.

About the ABA Retirement Funds: The ABA Retirement Funds, an affiliate of the ABA, is dedicated to helping lawyers with their retirement by providing fully bundled retirement solutions for law firms of all sizes. Established in 1963, the organization has nearly 3,700 law firm retirement plans, 37,000 participants, and more than $5 billion in assets in the ABA Retirement Funds Program (www.abaretirement.com).

The information in this article is believed to be reliable. However, this article is distributed with the understanding that the ABA Retirement Funds Program is not engaged herein in rendering legal, tax, accounting, investment management or other profes-sional advice.

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If you had one free day to do anything, what would you do?


GET TO KNOW YOUR BOARD

Sarah Didrikson Spa and shopping day

Sarah Evenson, JD, MBA Fly to New York and go shopping

Pamela Gerads Weather permitting, I would take my convertible out for a drive and perhaps stop at a spa for a few hours

Katherine M. Hubbard Sleep in, volunteer for a children’s or veterans’ non-profit during the day,

and then enjoy a great BBQ in my backyard with friends and family

Deborah O’Connor, CLM If it is warm weather, I would spend the time on a beach. If it is cold outside, there isn’t anything better than a library to pass the time.

Tracey Skjeveland, CLM Unclutter my house of toys the kids have outgrown…which would take more than one day

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