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Wednesday, August 20, 2008  
 
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This Month
Presidential Pencilings - Board Meeting Minutes
Section Meetings
Support Our Troops Overseas
Facilities & HR Meetings - Scrapbooks
General Meeting - Scrapbook
Confronting Substandard Behavior
Member Profiles - Tina Cunningham & Sandy Robertson
Summer Social - Scrapbook
New Members
Job Bank – Current Openings
2005 Annual Golf Outing
ALA Monthly Focus
Dallas Chapter Denim Shirt Order Form
2005 Salary & Benefits Survey
Book Review - Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers
Calendar of Events
Future ALA Conferences - 2006-2009

ALA Partners
Attorney Resource
Denitech
Legal Network
Merrill Corporation
Océ Business Services
Robert Half Legal
Special Counsel
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Advice to the Workworn

Dear Weary Administrator:

Your invitation struck a chord. A myriad of ideas came flying through my mind. One suddenly grabbed me. From time to time I have thought of a bit of advice for my friends still active in legal administration. Instinct tells me to accept this opportunity to render it.

A career in legal is all about your three well-chosen words, “achievements, challenges, rewards.”

Each time I think of a fourth word I realize it is already covered by one of those three.

I remember a smiling administrator saying goodbye and smugly announcing to some of us his happy news. He was about to escape the demands and stresses of the legal environment and begin a new position at “XYZ Company.” I sensed a degree of sympathy for those of us left behind. A few months later that same administrator attended a Chapter meeting, again smiling, and again employed within the legal community. More than once I have known a legal administrator to leave the profession, only to return.

Take pride in the knowledge that today you diffused a bad situation, salvaged a good plan, or solved a problem that most people would be unable to solve. I retired from what I often referred to as the best job in town. I hope most ALA Chapter members are fortunate enough to feel that their own job is the best job in town. It’s a great feeling.

I do enjoy retirement. I have enjoyed taking courses at local schools, travel, participating in Elderhostal programs such as a weeks study of the Dead Sea Scrolls in San Francisco, living for a week in a dorm at the University of Southern Oregon, studying Shakespeare and attending the Shakespeare festival in Ashland, playing bridge, and building closer bonds with my grandchildren. My son is a single parent. He told me I was a Godsend when I spent two weeks in his home while he was away for serious back surgery and rehab. I was glad I could relieve some of his concerns, although I did not enjoy nagging my grandson until he finally dragged himself from the bed and got ready for school. Neither did I enjoy constantly chasing the cat away from the kitchen cabinets. She seemed to win every race I had with her.

I am active in a 110-member woman’s club which raises money for charity and conducts organized bridge play. A former Chapter member told me she could not believe I would join a woman’s club. I did, and I enjoy it. But we have things to do and to talk about other than how our husbands like their eggs.

None of this sounds very bad. The simple truth is I miss working, and not only on the 1st and the 15th. I miss sharing ideas and solutions to common problems with members of ALA. One may grow weary, but legal administration is a challenging profession. We have the energy and ability to meet the challenge. Go ahead and dream of plans for retirement. Most of the fun is in the anticipation anyway. My advice to you is to consider the timing carefully. Retirement can be boring.

Eunice is a Life member of the Dallas Chapter. She served as Administrative Manager of the Law Department at Dresser Industries from 1959 to June 1985, when she became eligible for one of many early retirement offers made by Dresser prior to its acquisition by Halliburton. She joined Strasburger and Price as Human Resources Manager in January 1986, and retired once again at the end of 1995.

Next ALA General Meeting – September 8th.

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Presidential Pencilings Board Meeting Minutes
Board Meeting Minutes by Patty Stewart

It’s been a full quarter since the new Board took office so it seems like an appropriate time for an update of what’s been happening behind the scenes.
First, let’s review who makes up the “Board.” It’s the President (me), President-Elect (Joe Offutt), Vice President of Programs (Deborah Carlton), Secretary (Lily Bussey), Treasurer (Sandy Reinhardt), Director – Past President (De Lyla Alexander), Director at Large (Jeff Gill) and Director at Large (Brenda Homan). We meet the fourth Wednesday of each month to review the financials, approve new

members and make operational and other decisions on behalf of the Chapter.
At every Board meeting, we review the minutes from the past month as well as the Treasurer’s Report. The Board is also provided with a report on the monthly (or bi-monthly) meetings of the Sections. Each Section/Committee has a Board liaison and that individual typically attends the Section/Committee meeting and is available to provide guidance and/or assistance to the Section Chair(s). The Board liaison is also responsible for making the Section/Committee report to the Board. It is through this process that the Board considers and approves requests made at the Section/Committee level.

Here are some of the highlights of what’s been discussed or approved at Board meetings to date:

APRIL
 

2006 Budget was discussed but it is still a work in progress. Sandy has been in contact with the officers and section/committee chairs to get their input with regard to their individual budgets.

 

Gifts for guest speakers were discussed and approved.

 

An honorarium for Susan Koran (March speaker) and Sue Umbdenstock (May speaker) was approved. The honorarium is a $100 donation to FALA.

 

Guidelines and parameters for the Job Bank were discussed and approved.

 

The roll-out of the salary survey was discussed and fees approved.

 

A report was given regarding the Silver President's Award presented to the Chapter in San Francisco.

 

Patty Stewart gave a report to the Board regarding the Region 4 Council Meeting which was held at the Conference in San Francisco.

 

It was reported that the Chapter has been contacted by the Law Firm Financial Management Conference Committee to provide assistance in finding speakers.


MAY
 

Deborah Carlton reported on speaker suggestions for upcoming meetings: Dr. Helen Harkness is scheduled for the July 14 meeting. Dr. Harkness' speaker fee is $150 per hour (estimated to be two hours which includes travel time).

 

Approval was given to the Newsletter Committee to purchase a digital camera.

 

Jeff Gill presented suggestions for the Chapter's community challenge efforts. In July, Jeff will be presenting "Support the Troops" to the membership.

 

The Golf/Vendor outing was approved for October 6 at the Oak Cliff Country Club.

 

The website is still under construction.

 

A full scholarship to the Law Firm Financial Management Conference to be held September 29 – October 1 was approved. It will be awarded via a drawing at the July membership meeting.


JUNE
 

$4,000 was approved as the speaker’s budget for the 2005-2006 chapter year.

 

Logo gifts for the speakers were ordered.

 

Approved a Happy Hour to be held July 21 at Campisi’s.

 

Approved the location (Hotel Za Za) for the Holiday Party.

 

Approved offering the salary survey to employment agencies for purchase.

 

Approved distributing the newsletter via e-mail effective in July until the website is totally up and running.

 

Reported that the Bylaws, as well as the Policies and Procedures of the Chapter, are currently under review by Patty Stewart, Joe Offutt, and De Lyla Alexander. They will be presented to the Board for discussion in July and to the membership for approval in September.

 

A report was given by Joe Offutt and Patty Stewart regarding attendance at CLI in Denver. (Detailed information was provided to the membership via the President’s Report of the June newsletter.)

 

Discussion regarding the registered agent of the Chapter.

There’s never a dull moment at a Board meeting. We’re always hard at work for you but we have a lot of fun doing it. Thanks for the privilege.

EDITORIAL POLICY: The Lonestar Administrator is published by the Dallas Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators ("Dallas ALA"). The Editor welcomes articles, letters, suggestions, and comments. Reprint requests and articles should be directed to the Editor. Vendors interested in advertising in the newsletter should contact the Advertising Manager. Opinions expressed in articles and advertisements contained herein are strictly those of the contributors and advertisers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dallas ALA or its members. Reprinting of any portion of this newsletter by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, is prohibited without permission of both the Editor and the Author.

Newsletter Editor: Nita Starnes - Law Department Administrator,

Centex Corporation,
2728 N. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201-1516,

Voice:   214.981.6531,
Fax:     214.981-6849,
E-mail: nstarnes@centex.com.

Advertising Manager: Cindy Stanley - Office Manager,

Little Pedersen Fankhauser LLP,
901 Main Street, Suite 4110,
Dallas, TX 75202,

Voice:   214.573.2302,
Fax:     214.573.2323,
E-mail: cstanley@lpf-law.com

Article Deadline 11th of Every Month

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Section Meetings

All ALA Section Meetings are held at the Belo Mansion, unless otherwise noted.

Human Resources
Julie Bagby
   Tel: 214.999.6130
   Email: jbagby@mailbmc.com
David Stine
   Tel: 214.969.1292
   Email: david.stine@tklaw.com

Financial Management /Systems Technology
Chris Hills
   Tel: 214.220.7983
   Email: chills@velaw.com
Galen Evans
   Tel: 214.987.9600
   Email: galen@FletchSpring.com

Small Firm
Emily Carrington
   Tel: 972.960.3202
   Email: emilyc@texasatty.com
Robin Gavitt
   Tel: 214.273.2400
   Email: robin@momnd.com