by Tony Rushin
Network 1 was delighted to participate in another successful E2E: Where Education Meets Expertise event last week. We always have fun at these AALA events, and come away with great insights as well. This one was, as expected, chock full of useful ideas and engaging discussions – and it was at the Georgia Aquarium. Who doesn’t love seeing old friends and fascinating aquatic fauna while learning new things at the same time?
Since we had three company representatives in attendance, the three of us split up so we could attend all the sessions between us. In case you missed some of the sessions (or weren’t lucky enough to be there at all), here is a brief recap of each session for your education and enjoyment!
Authentic Leadership: Ritu Bhasin gave an amazing presentation on accepting diversity in the workplace. She shared an interesting perspective on the way many of us conform to certain cultures to fit in, and explained how this can actually cause stress and lower performance.
Tech You Out: Michael Bumgarner presented tips for PowerPoint and websites… cool ideas and so much to learn!
Get Paid More, Faster: Shawn Hardister discussed how essential it is to keep detailed records of your time when you and your firm make your money hourly. Things can fall through the cracks during busy weeks. Setting a deadline for yourself to have all your time sheets recorded can help stop billable hours from being lost.
Legal Support Transformation: Shana Beldick shared how vital it is for legal administrators to delegate work to the appropriate person to ensure every person in the firm is as efficient with their time as possible. As interruptions are very frequent for a firm administrator, here are two strategies to limit them:
- Remove all other chairs from your office
- Set a time expectation as soon as the Partner, secretary, or another team member makes a request to you
Top Trends in Law Firms: Elena Lopez-Lee shared a few trends that many law firms are experiencing. The initiation of new security policies was a major topic of discussion. The placement of new policies can shift the culture of the firm drastically, but in some cases these changes are necessary to protect your castle.
Personal Safety: Greg Norred shared important tips on safety. If you’re ever placed in a situation where someone is threatening you with a weapon for your money, GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY. If that same person then asks you to get in a van, RUN AWAY. If you cannot run away, FIGHT, SCRATCH, GOUGE, BITE, KICK and YELL your way up out of there.
YOU Are the Magic: Debbie Leifer ended E2E with an uplifting session. The world has a tendency to be negative. Many people, including me, can let it bring them down at times. Keeping a positive attitude is not only vital to your professional career, but also to your personal happiness. Be kind to yourself; you deserve it.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of attending an AALA E2E event before, I heartily encourage you to check out the next one. You’ll be glad you did, and I’ll look forward to seeing you there!
