volume 11, issue 15 -...

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In This Issue

4 President’s Message

6 Meet Your 2018-2019 ALA First State Chapter Board

12 Bragging Rights

7 Cyber Risks & Liabilities: Securing Your Company’s Mobile Devices

9 Business Partner Spotlight: Becky, Sherm’s Catering

B L U E H E N N E W S

11 Behind the Desk: Pamela J. Groff

13 Beyond the Office

12 Certified Legal Manager (CLM) Pop Quiz

16 What Can ALA Membership Do for You?

17 First State Business Partners

www.FirstStateALA.org

Editorial Board

Shelly Daly Julie Dubreuil Lori Forsythe

Denise Frawley Susan Holton

Deborah McKinney Kellie Snyder-Roncace

Spring 2018 Issue Editor:

Susan Holton

First State Chapter Board

Rachel Nuzzi, President

Telephone: 302-472-1732

[email protected]

Garry Quell, CLM, President-Elect

Telephone: 302-674-0140

[email protected]

Elizabeth A. Danforth, Vice President

Telephone: 302-651-7700

[email protected]

Brian P. Lamb, Treasurer

Telephone: 302-429-4244

[email protected]

Pamela J. Groff , Secretary

Telephone: 302-300-3430

E-mail: [email protected]

Kellie Snyder-Roncace, Past President

Telephone: 302-651-7522

E-mail: [email protected]

Please forward all article submissions for future newsletters to:

Susan Holton, [email protected]


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President’s Message “Often, in a fleeting thought, I wonder ‘Where has the time gone?’”

This is a snippet from the first President’s letter when I began this journey last spring. So here I sit, literally thinking out loud

- “Where HAS the time gone?” This past year has been nothing short of educational, enlightening, exhilarating and FAST! Just when I was getting the hang of this being-President thing, it is time to pass the torch. As I do so, I invite you all on a short journey as we recap the last 12 months of the First State Chapter’s history!

The 2017-2018 year overflowed with education, networking, community involvement, and meetings of the minds of the undeniably brilliant team on the Board. As a result, below is a recap of how your Board dedicated their time to ensure your greatest benefits of membership:

Executive Board members traveled far and wide to attend various ALA conferences from Denver, to Minneapolis, to Las Vegas and Nashville -- throughout the year -- in an effort to learn latest trends, expand networking circles and become more deeply engaged in the legal industry. (Ah ... the perks of being on the Board!)

The Education Committee hosted seven luncheons on a variety of hot topics that included Identity Theft, Compliance Audits, HR Employment Updates, and more (let them know what you want more of!);

The Marketing/Communications Committee collaborated and produced four seasonal newsletters with helpful articles, personal testimonials and so much more, to keep our members and business partners well-informed (have something you’d like to contribute?), all the while maintaining the chapter website and social media outlets with current and relevant information for members;

The Membership Committee has been very busy with annual renewals as well as welcoming five new members, incorporating a very successful follow-up program to ensure the First State Chapter is meeting all their needs and wants (your feedback helps us stay in check!);

The Past Presidents, Business Partner and Social Committees hosted seven events this year, including the Leadership Event, an Escape Room experience, an evening of mildly competitive March Madness hoops, a retirement party, holiday social and a special evening to honor our esteemed Past Presidents (parties around every corner!);

The Social Committee, and many kind-hearted volunteers, participated in our favorite community outreach events including the Easter Bunny event at St. Michael’s School; and the Halloween party, Adopt-a-Child sign-ups and the very successful Annual Food Drive for Emmanuel Dining Room (we welcome new ideas from you!).

In addition to also brainstorming at the Board Retreat, the Board listened with intent as members made suggestions and submitted ideas, such as an online membership roster (under Contact Us when logged into

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U P C O M I N G

E V E N T S

May 3—6 2018

ALA Annual Conference

and Expo

National Harbor MD

June 12 2018

12:00—1:30 p.m.

Starting the Discussion:

Depression in the

Workplace

Richards Layton

October 16 2018

12:00 — 1:30 p.m.

Shifting From

Unconscious Bias to

Inclusion

Potter Anderson

November 13 2018

12:00 — 1:30 p.m.

Toxic Employees/Toxic

Work Environments

Morris Nichols


www.firststateala.org), an alternating calendar of education sessions and social events, placing an even greater focus on our valuable business partners relationships, and fine-tuning a very thorough new member process, all the while continuing to strengthen relationships within our membership!

If all of that was not indicative enough of the team effort to ensure the greatest return on your investment, we are very proud to have been recognized once again by ALA National with the 2018 President’s Award of Excellence! Congratulations to all on this achievement!

Thank you for taking a few moments to read my final President’s Message. It truly has been a pleasure collaborating with this entire Board, and developing stronger relationships with our members and business

partners. If you have not already given it some thought, I encourage you to consider getting involved with our Committees and/or the Board. It is a very empowering and rewarding experience!

Fondly ~

Kellie Snyder-Roncace First State Chapter President 2017-2018

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Meet Your 2018-2019 ALA First State Chapter Board

Deborah A. McKinney Reed Smith On March 20, 2018 the First State Chapter of the Association of Legal administrators held its annual election of officers. Please meet your new First State Chapter Officers. Congratulations to all on your board elections. Rachel Nuzzi President

Rachel is the Human Resource Director at Maron, Marvel, Bradley, Anderson & Tardy. She has been an ALA member since 2012 and has served as Vice President and President-elect on the First State Chapter’s board. Rachel’s busy home is in West Grove, PA with her husband, Luke, boys Miles (6 years) and

Bodhi (1 year!) and their two dogs.

Garry Quell President-Elect Garry is the Business Manager at Schmittinger & Rodriguez. Garry has been an ALA member since 2013 and earned his CLM Certification in 2016. Garry resides in Delaware with his wife, Jenny, and four children Molly, Jessica,

Sara and Luke.

Elizabeth Danforth Vice President Elizabeth is the Director of Human Resources at Richards, Layton & Finger. She has been an ALA member since 2001 and a First State Chapter member since 2015. Elizabeth has served as Educational Committee Chair of our First State Chapter and HR Committee Chair of the Dallas ALA chapter and is SHRM-CP certified. Elizabeth loves dogs, running,

healthy eating and entertaining at home in North Wilmington. She has an extensive shoe collection which will have their own closet in her newly built townhouse in

South Philly! Elizabeth lives with Emma, her Beagle/Bassett mix and is foster mom to various Bassett hounds through Tri-State Bassett Rescue. Pamela J. Groff Secretary Pamela is the Office Administrator at Barnes & Thornburg and has been an ALA member since 2014. Pamela resides in Landenberg, PA with her two children, Patricia (12) and Ethan (6). Brian P. Lamb Treasurer Brian is Firm Administrator at Bayard, P.A. and has been an ALA member since 1985 and a First State Chapter member since 2016. Brian served as a Business Partner Committee member in another ALA Chapter and is a CPA. Brian enjoys golfing, hiking and recently, ballroom dancing. He lives in Greenville, DE and also has a house in Minneapolis, MN. Brian’s wife, Cheryl, and two four-legged kids, Minnie (Bichon) and Lil’bit (Poo-Shi) are all running wild in Minnesota. His daughter, Kylie, lives in Pottstown, PA. Kellie Snyder-Roncace Immediate Past President Kellie is the Human Resources Administrator at Richards, Layton & Finger. She has been a member of the ALA since 2005 and has served on the First State Chapter’s board as Social Committee Chair, Secretary, Vice President, President-Elect and President. Kellie has also worked her magic on the Social Committee and the Marketing & Communications Committee. Kellie is a Pennsville, NJ resident along with her husband, Jeff, and furry friends Lovey, Bizzy and Kiki (cats) and Chloe, her dog.

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Because of the convenience they offer, smartphones and tablet devices have become a ubiquitous presence in the modern business world. As usage soars, it becomes increasingly important to take steps to protect your company from mobile threats, both new and old. The need for proper phone security is no different from the need for a well-protected computer network. According to computer security software company McAfee, cyber attacks on mobile devices increased by almost 600 percent from 2011 to 2012 with no signs of slowing down today. Gone are the days when the most sensitive information on an employee’s phone was contact names and phone numbers. Now a smartphone or tablet can be used to gain access to anything from emails to stored passwords to proprietary company data. Depending on how your organization uses such devices, unauthorized access to the information on a smartphone or tablet could be just as damaging as a data breach involving a more traditional computer system. Lost or Stolen Devices Because of their size and the nature of their use, mobile devices are particularly susceptible to being lost or stolen. According to a 2014 study by the Ponemon Institute, 46 percent of organizations experienced a data breach as a result of a lost or stolen mobile device. Since most devices automatically store passwords in their memory to keep users logged in to email and other applications, gaining physical possession of the device is one of the easiest ways for unauthorized users to access private information. To prevent someone from accessing a lost or stolen device, the phone or tablet should be locked with a password or PIN. The password should be time sensitive, automatically locking the phone out after a short period of inactivity. Most devices come with such security features built in. Depending on your cellphone provider, there are also services that allow you to remotely erase or lock down a device if it is lost or stolen. Similarly, it is possible to program a mobile device to erase all of its stored data after a certain number of login failures.

Malicious Attacks Mobile devices have the potential to be just as susceptible to malware and viruses as computers, yet many businesses don’t consider instituting the same type of safeguards. Less than 20 percent of mobile devices have antivirus software installed, which is practically an open invitation to a thief or hacker to pillage whatever information they want from an unprotected device. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter what operating system the devices use, whether it be Android, Apple’s iOS, Blackberry or Windows Mobile—all are vulnerable to attacks. As reliance on these devices continues to grow, so will their attractiveness as potential targets. Third-party applications (apps) are especially threatening as a way for malware to install itself onto a device. These apps can then purchase and install additional apps onto the phone without the user’s permission. Employees should never install unauthorized apps to their company devices. Apps should only be installed directly from trusted sources. Hackers can use “ransomware” to restrict a user’s access to their device’s data, contacts, etc., and then demand a ransom to get it back. Even if the user pays the ransom, there is no guarantee that they will get the data back. Employees should know not to ever pay the ransom if this type of software finds its way onto a company device.

A big difference between mobile devices and laptops and other computers is the ability to accept open Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals without the user knowing. Hackers can take advantage of this by luring devices to accept connections to a nearby malicious device. Once the device is connected, the hacker can steal information at will. To prevent this, make sure all mobile devices are set to reject open connections without user permission. Preventive Measures While the current mobile device security landscape may look bleak, there are plenty of ways to be proactive about keeping company devices safe from threats.


Cyber Risks & Liabilities: Securing Your Company’s Mobile Devices

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1. Establish a Mobile Device Policy Before issuing smartphones or tablets to your employees, establish a device usage policy. Provide clear rules about what constitutes acceptable use as well as what actions will be taken if employees violate the policy. It is important that employees understand the security risks inherent to smartphone use and how they can mitigate those risks. Well informed, responsible users are your first line of defense against cyber attacks. 2. Establish a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy If you allow employees to use their personal devices for company business, make sure you have a formal BYOD policy in place. Your BYOD security plan should also include the following:

Installing remote wiping software on any personal device used to store or access company data.

Educating and training employees on how to

safeguard company data when they access it from their own devices.

Informing employees about the exact protocol

they must follow if their device is lost or stolen.

3. Keep the devices updated with the most current

software and antivirus programs. Software updates to mobile devices often include patches for various security holes, so it’s best practice to install the updates as soon as they’re available. There are many options to choose from when it comes to antivirus software for mobile devices, so it comes down to preference. Some are free to use,

while others charge a monthly or annual fee and often come with better support. In addition to antivirus support, many of these programs will monitor SMS, MMS and call logs for suspicious activity and use blacklists to prevent users from installing known malware to the device. 4. Backup device content on a regular basis. Just like your computer data should be backed up regularly, so should the data on your company’s mobile devices. If a device is lost or stolen, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your valuable data is safe. 5. Choose passwords carefully. The average Internet user has about 25 accounts to maintain and an average of 6.5 different passwords to protect them, according to a recent Microsoft study. Obviously, this lack of security awareness is what hackers count on to steal data. Use the following tips to ensure your mobile device passwords are easy to remember and hard to guess:

Require employees to change the device’s login password every 90 days.

Passwords should be at least eight characters

long and include uppercase letters and special characters, such as asterisks, ampersands and pound signs.

Don’t use names of spouses, children or pets in

the password. A hacker can spend just a couple minutes on a social media site to figure out this information.


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Please provide some biographical highlights about yourself: title, primary responsibilities, number of years at Sherm’s Catering, the positions you have held there, what you did prior to working there, education, any other organizations you belong to or relevant industry affiliations.

Becky E., Office Manager. I have been with Sherm’s Catering for a little over a year. Initially I was hired to be an Office Assistant and help streamline some processes and help make calls to potential clients, but after a few vacancies opened, I became full time and took on my current role. I am the first contact typically with new customers, Corporate and Private Events, including Brides, in home gatherings, holidays and more! We have started growing rapidly, so we do now have another Office Assistant who helps with many customers as well. We listen to the customer’s needs for an upcoming event, meeting or delivery and ensure that the food being ordered will fit with their vision. We help with so much more than catering; including, rentals, linens, bartending services, bakery connections and more! Throughout the process I meet or schedule calls with customers to check in and get updates on the attendance of the event, any allergies that need to be kept in mind, etc. Ultimately, I am the ‘spoke’ between our departments of Kitchen, Logistics, Office and Customer. It’s my job to make sure that what the customer needs and intends to receive is in line with our company mission, as well as communicating requests, menu and all details to our other departments. I also assist in our marketing and design work. Prior to working for Sherm’s Catering, I previously worked in the construction field, and held various positions within non-profits.

I am a public community member of Attack Addiction and a Board Member of Hope Street DE, both which focus on advocacy, resources and awareness of the growing epidemic of addiction. Please tell us a little about Sherm’s Catering and the services you provide and how you think you stand out from the competition. Sherm’s Catering is a full service catering company, celebrating 10 years in June of 2018, known mostly for our delicious foods, professional and courteous service and prompt delivery. We feature both private events and corporate catering. Our company continues the vision and mission of creating the area’s finest food and memorable special event experiences. Sherm has a true passion for cooking and has created a team of culinary professionals who have continued to ‘WOW’ their customers with amazing culinary creations. Sherm’s true passion has been serving his customers with a great dining experience and he continues to instill that as a core value in the team he has assembled. Sherm’s initial mission was to only use the freshest ingredients and prepare each dish with an infusion of passion and creativity. The kitchen has exceeded all goals Sherm originally created for himself and now his team. Critics have been raving ever since, and guests agree – Sherm’s Catering is Delaware’s best, Readers’ Choice Winner 4 years running for Best Wedding Caterer! Imagine an affordable event with amazing food, an elegant atmosphere, friendly and professional staff to make your next event memorable. Your Pallet will be amazed. We specialize in professional, courteous and prompt service. Wedding and corporate catering, party and event planning – for any event; we’re your best choice in New Castle County. Let us help you take the stress out of planning your next event, meeting, luncheon, breakfast or dinner! You will not be disappointed.


Business Partner Spotlight: Becky, Sherm’s Catering

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Describe the accomplishment in which you take the most pride, with relation to your role in your company. Growing up in a large family, but the ‘youngest’ child raised by my grandparents….I helped to plan many parties! I’ve always said ‘wouldn’t it be fun to be a wedding planner’. When I joined Sherm’s Catering, that came true! I get to help make the vision of our client, become a reality! While we have many teams, a few departments and often you won’t see me at an event, I help to make sure all the t’s are crossed and the red is in fact red if you want that as your linen color! Have a gluten intolerance – we can accommodate that too! So while it can sometimes be stressful internally on a very busy week, we pride ourselves in making each event special and memorable. Each client or customer is treated with the care and quality they deserve. That is what I am most prideful of, our attention to clients – the quick response time and care to detail we take on every order, event and wedding. What trends, areas of focus or challenges do you foresee as most important to your customers? One thing our customers believe to be important is the quality and delivery of service. Both which we excel at. While it may be a very important meeting for a law firm, who’s nervous and eager to impress a client – we understand that. This is something we do everyday, we always strive to leave our customers with ease. When you hire Sherm’s Catering, you should come to expect prompt, courteous delivery, servers and chef’s onsite depending on the type of event. I think a reason that many corporate clients are always overly impressed, is because if you order from a local chain establishment that happens to offer ‘catering’ you get a drop off delivery. Where with us, our drivers come excited to work, and they setup the order to the clients’ needs and expectations before leaving the site!

We promise to help you wow your customers! A trend we are seeing currently is professionals who are in a sales capacity, using our services to wow a potential customer, or thank them for joining onto their services. Companies like this include Aetna Benefits, Payroll Services, Health Care service providers. It is always nice to hear back from our customers that their new client was highly impressed, and they got the gig! Working with law firms requires a unique approach

which differs from that of other corporations - how has your experience been working with law firms as opposed to non-law firm clients and traditional corporations?

We treat all customers the same, or of course try to! One thing I have found varies with law firms vs. other industries, would be they know exactly what they want. The order will be: ‘10 Sandwiches Turkey Sandwiches with 2 veggie OR 13 Salmon Yogurt Dill with Rosemary Potatoes’ vs. ‘Need to order for 10, thinking hot something, what do you have or suggest?’ We can accommodate either ordering style, but I do find the former is most popular with law firms. Why do you support the ALA? I am a firm believer that there is a reason for each of us in the world. We each have strengths and weaknesses, some of which we are aware of, and some which we have yet to figure out. As a manager of a Catering Company, I believe part of my mission is to provide the best quality of care to others. Law firms are great in a courtroom, drafting documents, writing drafts etc. – and our strength is deliciously memorable food, quality of service and prompt and courteous customer service. So I feel it’s a great fit to be a part of ALA to provide a service which is needed, that we excel in! Administrators helping Administrators.


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Mem

ber

Cor

ner

Bio I have worked in the legal field for 20+ years and in legal admin-istration for 5+. I have two children (Patricia is 12 and Ethan is 6). I grew up in NW Indiana and started my legal career in Chicago. In 2006, I moved across the country with my then-husband and since then, have been working at Wilmington, Delaware firms. My BBA is from Davenport University. Some of my extra-curricular activities include dancing, reading, running and photography.

Childhood Ambition Ballerina. I love the gracefulness of ballerinas and truly enjoy the expression of life through dance.

Favorite Outdoor Activity Barbeques/family gatherings

Historical Figure You Admire Abraham Lincoln

Memorable Moment in Your Life The birth of my children

Historical Event You’ve Experienced 9/11 is probably the one that will forever be burned into my memory

Your Proudest Moment Anytime I watch my children accomplish a hard earned reward or finish a difficult task that teaches a life lesson.

Your Biggest Challenge Raising two children in this day and age of social media, school violence, and online bullying

Your Perfect Day A relaxing day at the spa

Your First Job Little Caesars (Pizza! Pizza!)

The best advice I’ve received from a fellow legal administrator

Be careful with your words

An Accomplishment You Never Thought You Would Attain

Bachelor’s degree. PSA – don’t wait until after you start having kids to try to go to college!

Lunch with anyone, dead or alive.

My maternal grandfather. He died when I was a young girl and I did not know him well. Speaking with family members as an adult, I believe he would be a great source of knowledge both about our family history as well as life in general. I think I could have learned a lot from him.


Behind The Desk Member Spotlight On: Pamela J. Groff, Barnes & Thornburg LLP


If you have an item you’d like to contribute to a future column, please send it to Susan Holton at [email protected]

Congratulations to B&H Insurance, LLC on being awarded the Superstars in Business award by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. SSD Technology Partners was named to the Top 100 MSSP (Managed Security Services List) by CRN Magazine. Congratulations!


Bragging Rights

Certified Legal Manager (CLM) Pop Quiz

Thinking about taking the CLM Exam? Test your CLM knowledge with the questions below. Who knows – you may be the First State Chapter’s next CLM! 1. The right to appeal disciplinary actions. Also extends to privacy rights over such issues as substance abuse and drug testing, searches, personnel files and off-the-job behaviors. 2. This exists if the representation of one client will be directly adverse to another client; or there is a significant risk that the representation of one or more clients will be materially limited by the lawyer’s responsibilities to another client, a former client or a third person. 3. A set of guidelines and procedures to be used by an organization for the recovery of data lost due to severe forces of nature, such as earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, floods or hurricanes. 4. The portion of the insurance policy that describes the coverage purchased by the policy holder. 5. The process by which an organization delivers and sustains support services in a quality environment to meet strategic needs. (Turn to page 15 for the correct answers.)

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Beyond The Office

Let’s check in on some of the lucky few who have retired from this crazy business:

Don Parks Potter, Anderson & Corroon LLP I retired on June 30, 2015 at the age of 72. I worked until the age of 72 because I loved my job, I did not go to work, I went to a life experience every day. I had great people, and the best Chairman in 38 years of law firm administration. Retirement is wonderful. Before I retired, I learned of an opening for a volunteer position of Treasurer at my church which also has a school. I accepted this position and began on July 1, 2015. This takes me about ten hours per week. It is a great job for me.

Kendra and I have four now adult children and four grandchildren, ages 6, 5, 4, and 1. Three of our grandchildren live here in Baltimore County. We spend a lot of time visiting them. It is very enjoyable. Our daughter and her husband live in Kansas City with one of our granddaughters. Southwest has great flights at good prices to Kansas City. We go there several times a year. We have also traveled to the Caribbean. We really enjoy the Sandals Resort called the White House on the island of Jamaica. Every year we spend at last one week in Ocean City, Maryland. We have also been to Myrtle Beach a number of times. We especially like Myrtle Beach in the fall. I also enjoy spending time in my yard. I really enjoy my gardens. I still do most of my yard work myself although my three sons who live nearby are very generous in helping me mow my grass and do other more difficult chores. I no longer sail which I miss. Sailing is a younger man’s sport and I decided that I no longer fit into the younger man category. In the spring of 2014, I purchased a BMW 435i convertible sports car. Great vehicle, really enjoy driving it. Kendra asked me what I wanted for my 70th birthday. I told her that I wanted a new bicycle. We went to the bicycle store, I showed her the bike that I wanted. She asked me for my credit card and bought the bike for me. I ride it a lot more in the summer than the winter, but I really enjoy my bike. My old bike was a hand me down from one of my children. I think that it is really important in planning your retirement, in addition to financial planning, that you have an idea about what you will do with all your time. Volunteer work is an excellent option.

I do not miss the pressures and stress of working in a law firm environment. I do miss the people, especially the great people that I got to know at the First State Chapter of ALA. God bless you all!

Tom Ralston Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP I retired on June 30, 2015 after having been continuously employed for 52 years – so I had no second thoughts. I miss the daily interaction with lots of people, but that’s it. I particularly don’t miss getting up at five am to agonize with other ALA members about what to do when it’s snowing outside. I also don’t miss budgeting, insurance renewals and negotiating healthcare rates. It’s important to stay in shape so I play two squash matches and attend two yoga sessions a week. I also do morning calisthenics and get on the treadmill most days. Playing with my granddaughters is a great form of exercise. Donna and I plan to do more travelling this year. Since retirement, we’ve spent a week in Montreal and Quebec and took two treks to Florida, including Key West which was on my list. This summer we will take a river cruise down the Danube sandwiched between stays in Prague and Budapest. We also want to see Greece, Ireland and Portugal. And there is plenty left to see in the US, like Alaska, Yosemite, Muir Woods, Sonoma/Napa.


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My favorite part of retirement is having the time to do things you never got around to doing when working long hours. Like reading – I’m starting to put a dent in the books I’ve accumulated over the years. Like home improvement projects. Like cooking. And going back to school. The University of Delaware’s Academy of Lifelong Learning is something I had looked forward to for many years – and have not been disappointed. I’ve taken courses such as genealogy, using Photoshop, the British monarchy, Pompeii, Irish history, US history, Lewis & Clark, the human brain/memory, the science of flight, and a class on wine. And I have been learning to play the violin. Before I retired, I took my grandfather’s violin to David Bromberg’s shop on Market St. and had it restored to playing condition. I try to practice at least 45 minutes every day. As the weather warms up, I will be spending a lot of time in my gardens. As to volunteer work, I continue to be a mentor/tutor for students at Stubbs School in Wilmington one day a week. Young Conaway continues to support this program which is now in its eighth school year. Donna and I also participate in Appalachia Service Project which is similar to Habitat except it mostly involves repairs rather than new construction. We spend a week each fall in rural western Virginia and eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. I am also thinking about getting involved in a political campaign this year, something I haven’t done before. All the things I am doing in retirement are things that I was looking forward to doing long before I retired. It’s important to know what you will be doing before that day comes. If you wake up on day one of retirement and wonder, “Now what?”, you are in trouble. I am in downtown Wilmington at least two days a week – at the YMCA and Stubbs. I would be pleased to have lunch with any of my ALA friends on one of these days. Just send a note to [email protected] and we’ll find a date.

Dave Metzler Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. I retired at the end of June 2014. (Has it really been that long?). Since then Mary Theresa and I have been doing a lot of traveling. We took a cruise on the Rheine, a cruise on the Danube, a trip to France with friends to visit Normandy, and are heading to Alaska at the end of May. We have gotten into a routine of enjoying a week in the Caribbean in the winter and a week in New England in early fall. And fortunately we spend most of the summer in Fenwick. Most of all, we take many trips to Pensacola and Raleigh to see the rapidly growing grandchildren. We now have four with one more on the way in August. And we babysit one granddaughter, who lives locally, a few days each week. Quite a difference between raising your children and just outright spoiling your grandchildren! While I retired, my wife did not. She left her law firm, but started an arbitration and mediation practice. I have assisted her in that endeavor and provide HR insight to her cases. But, since she is still working, it makes planning our get-aways a bit difficult. My advice with that is to think through how you and your significant other will spend time together as well as apart. When I had first planned to retire, my wife was going to stay at her firm for a few more years. Her plans changed and I had to make some rapid unexpected adjustments.

The favorite part of my retirement is that I get to set my own schedule, each day is Saturday and no more commute. The bad news is that too often I found myself bored to tears. I don't play golf and I don't fish. It



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took me quite a while to break through that and get involved in other endeavors. The first year of retirement was very difficult for me. I sorely missed my co-workers (and still do) and the family feeling that existed in my department. While I did not miss the arduous commute, I miss the feeling of belonging somewhere and having a challenge nearly every day. You spend years getting an education, more years developing a career, having a place in the grand scheme of things, then suddenly all is quiet. It was not easy. The challenge is to reinvent yourself. (More easily said than done.) We just bought a home in a 55+ community in West Chester. (No more mowing, raking or shoveling snow!) I have gotten involved on a number of boards and have become more active in several associations. I would still like to take some classes just for the fun of learning.

With defined benefit pension plans disappearing, I would strongly advise folks to get as much into their 401(k)s as possible and to not take Social Security benefits until absolutely necessary. And lastly, don't retire until you are ready. In hindsight, I would have waited another three years.


Answers to CLM Pop Quiz from Page 12 1. Due Process 2. Conflict of Interest 3. Disaster Recovery Plan 4. Declarations Page 5. Facilities Management

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By Theresa Wojtalewicz, ALA Staff Sr. Manager of Content Strategy As a member of ALA, you have access to 18,256 Online Community threads, 136 files for use in the Reference Library, more than 95 hours of live education, 78 hours of online education, 10 issues of Legal Management with 83 pieces of original content and much more. Remind your fellow chapter members of these benefits, and renew your membership today to continue to receive these and other great advantages! Here's how to get the most out of your membership. Continuing Education: The Annual Conference & Expo offers nearly 100 sessions on legal industry trends and development and unparalleled networking for more than 3,000 legal management professionals, business partners and experts. Online, ALA provides webinars and e-learning to help law office staff stay up to date on their skills and earn continuing education credits. Certification: ALA's flagship credential is the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program, which enables legal management professionals to prove to employers and colleagues beyond the law office their mastery of 56 key competencies across several industry-specific disciplines. Coming soon! The CLM Study Guide is nearing completion and will be available in the next month. Thought Leadership: Published 10 times a year, Legal Management is ALA's award-winning educational magazine, providing insights from legal industry thought leaders about trends and challenges that lie ahead. The Legal Management Talk podcast delivers 15- to 20-minute episodes featuring interviews with leading speakers, authors and ALA leaders. BOLD Bites is a weekly informational newsletter distributed to members' emails (a print edition is mailed out every month).

Networking with Peers and Business Partners: Members are invited to join local or online chapters, connect with one another on social media and seek opinions and solutions via the Online Community forums. ALA's directories help you find members, suppliers and peer experts; the Legal Marketplace connects members with business partners, whereas the Value in Partnership (VIP) program provides exclusive discounts and benefits. Career Help: Members in search of a new position or exemplary candidates can consult the Job Bank, which posts ads for jobs ranging from legal secretaries to chief operating officers. The Career Center offers a variety of resources to help law offices in need of management and job seekers trying to find that next step in their career. Diversity Tools and Resources: Diversity and inclusion are considered critical elements in hiring and maintaining a dynamic, harmonious workplace. A collection of resources helps law firms measure their diversity and inclusivity and implement best practices for improving workplace culture. Research: Every year, the Association publishes the Compensation and Benefits Survey to make key data about legal management positions available to members and law offices. ALA also conducts additional surveys and occasionally creates white papers.

What Can ALA Membership Do for You?


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First State Chapter Business Partners


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The Blue Hen News and the First State Chapter support Green initiatives and this is an electronic newsletter. Please do not print this newsletter unless it is absolutely necessary.

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volume 11, issue 15 -...

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