What’s Happening Austin Chapter?
The Holidays are Happening! I can’t believe this will be my last What’s Happening Update for 2011. This year has flown by. It has been such a pleasure serving you in 2011. I hope you take time for yourself and reflect on your accomplishments this year because you have successfully conquered tremendous obstacles. Hooray for you! I wish you and yours a very blessed and happy holiday season.
Here’s What’s Happening in the Austin Chapter . . .
TONIGHT:
Please join us for our Business Partner Appreciation Event tonight from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm (come-and-go) at 401 Congress Avenue Frost Tower Suite 1160. Sample wines, enjoy tasty treats and thank our Business Partners for their sponsorship of the Chapter this year. Without their support we would not be able to provide the level of value in membership that we have enjoyed this year and in years past. This is such and important event for the chapter and your attendance is needed. Also, the business partner package registration for 2012 is now open and we need your help to encourage and empower our Business Partners to sign up again. Please take 30 minutes and stop in before you go home for the evening to say “Thanks.” You’ll be so glad you did! Invite below.
New Website:
Congratulations to Barbara Mullen, the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 Board and Website Committees for the successful launch of the new and improved Austin Chapter Website! Please check out to site, the Calendar of Events, the new Business Partner Listings, the Chapter Blog, the Committee Pages, and much much more by visiting: http://www.austinala.org/ It’s the same web address with a new Austin Attitude!
Next Chapter Meeting:
Our next Chapter Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26th at the Headliners Club. Please be on the lookout for information from Karie Rivkin on our speaker and topic.
Region 4 News:
Attached please find the minutes from the Region 4 Meeting in Kansas City. A few important highlights on the Regional and ALA levels are as follows:
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The ALA Board recently created a Membership Criteria Task Force to review the criteria for regular and associate membership in ALA looking at the new roles of administrators to determine if recommendations should be made to amend the membership criteria
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The ALA Board is looking at options to build strategic alliances with other legal organizations such as Legal Management Association and International Legal Technology Association (ILTA)
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Upcoming Conferences: 2012 Annual Conference is in Honolulu April 22-26 and the Region 4 Conference in 2012 will be held in Denver on October 4-6
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Scholarships: the Austin Chapter was awarded a scholarship to attend the Annual Conference in Honolulu for a first-time attendee. The scholarship will cover full registration and $400 in travel reimbursement. If you are attending the Annual Conference as a first time attendee, please send me your name for the Chapter drawing no later than December 31st.
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Professional Legal Management Week (PLMW) will be reworked as most chapters do not recognize this week. More information will come soon.
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Chapter Performance Objectives: a roadmap for Chapters’ success containing objectives including Chapters providing good education, advancing the visibility and profile of ALA in our local communities, focusing on involvement and diversity in our membership, and leadership training
Managing Partner Breakfast:
Attached please find a spreadsheet that lists the Managing Partner Contacts for each firm represented in our Chapter Membership. Please take the time now to review your firm Managing Partner Contact Information and reply to me with any changes by Friday, December 9th. We will be sending out Save the Date postcards to the Managing Partners this month.
Chapter Holiday Party:
What a blast! Thank you to Karie Rivkin and Committee for putting on such a fantastic event. The Malverde Room above La Contessa located in the 2nd Street District is a fabulous event space and I highly recommend you keep it in mind for your next firm event. The food was superb, the service was impeccable and the company was one-of-a-kind! A special thanks to Karie and Diana Stangl for making those mouth-watering desserts!
Chapter Newsletters:
The Chapter Newsletter Editor, Rose Sullivan rsullivan@pirkeybarber.com, needs your articles, pictures, and suggestions for the December 2011 Chapter Newsletter. Please e-mail her this week to be included in the nest Newsletter. You can earn $50 in cold, hard cash for your article contributions!
ALA Membership Renewal:
This year ALA has implemented an electronic only renewal application. You will no longer receive a renewal application in the mail. You can renew online now by visiting: http://www.alanet.org/members/duesindex.asp.
Remember to renew by January 31st to take advantage of the discounted membership renewal rate of $365.00. You must be an active member in good standing with ALA in order to remain a member of the Austin Chapter of ALA. Chapter renewals are due on March so be on the lookout for more information from Shary Gonzalez, Membership Chair.
Compensation & Benefits Surveys:
Austin Chapter: Please visit our website to order your copy of the 2011 Austin Chapter Salary & Benefits Survey: http://www.austinala.org/news-and-publications/compensation-benefits-survey/ or contact Elaine Nielsen at enielsen@gdhm.com for more information.
ALA: You can also purchase the ALA Compensation & Benefits Survey from the ALA Bookstore at: http://www.alanet.org/publications/issue/augsep11_an/ALAN-AugSept11-Browse.pdf#search=”salary survey 2011″
Happy Birthday ALA:
2011 marked the 40th Birthday of the Association of Legal Administrators. Happy Birthday ALA! Visit http://www.alanet.org/ala40/default.aspx and check out the history of “ALA Through the Decades.”
