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Members on the Move
ALA members are on the move! The following members have new positions:

Debra Baltzell, CLM, a member of the Houston Chapter, joined Coats Rose, PC as Director of Administration and Finance for all six of its offices.

Suncoast Chapter and Cyber Chapter member Kim Newberry has joined the firm of Williams Law Association, PA as its new Firm Administrator. She is located at the Tampa, Florida office, but is the principal administrator for all three of the firm's branches.

Orange County Chapter member Dee Ramsey joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, an international firm, in their Irvine, California office as the Office Administrator.

John Sweeney, member and Past President of the Downeast Chapter, recently started as a Paralegal / Firm Administrator at Libby O'Brien Kingsley and Champion, LLC in Kennebunk, Maine.

Patricia Williamson, CLM, a member of the Dallas Chapter, is now the Chief Financial Officer for Strasburger & Price, LLP.

Have you switched firms or do you have a new job title? Please let us know by emailing Associate Editor Kelly Zimmerman at kzimmerman@alanet.org.

Appointments to IP Retreat Planning Committee
Jim Crosset, CLM, member of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter and Director of Administration for Wood Herron & Evans, LLP, has been named Chair of the 2013 Intellectual Property Retreat Planning Committee. LaVerne Anenia, member of the Capital Chapter and Office Administrator with Millen White Zelano & Branigan, PC, has been appointed as the committee's Vice Chair. Congratulations to these two ALA members in their new leadership positions!

This year's Intellectual Property Retreat will take place September 19-20 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Registration will open in June, but be sure to mark your calendars now so you don't forget to sign up.

Support the Foundation of ALA
Donations are now being accepted for the annual Silent Auction benefiting the Foundation of ALA. The auction will be held April 15-17, during the ALA Annual Conference & Exposition. Donate now and get involved!
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MS^® Office Tips & Tricks for Law Firms
In our January 16 Webinar, MS^® Office Tips & Tricks for Law Firms, learn how to take the Microsoft Office Suite — Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint — to the next level of productivity!
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January Book of the Month
Facebook recently topped 1 billion users. Understanding this market is a must for those in the law profession. January's Book of the Month, Facebook^® in One Hour for Lawyers, will help you apply Facebook strategies to market legal services, grow the practice and expand your legal network.
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A Note from the 2013 Annual Conference Committee
Have you had a chance to review and explore the online brochure for the 2013 Annual Conference & Exposition? If not, you can find the PDF, an interactive brochure flipbook and everything else you need to know on the conference website. The Annual Conference & Exposition, "Effective Leadership Through Changing Times," takes place April 14-17 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

Although there is still a lot of planning for the committee, we are very excited about our educational events, exhibitors and venue, and we encourage you to take a look at what we have planned. Remember to register by the early bird deadline of February 4 to save $200 on your registration fee.

New this year is a Conference Blog where committee members have been posting news and information about the Conference and related events. We also look forward to guest blog postings by members, business partners and speakers. Don't miss all the excitement leading up to the Conference!

In addition to many carefully planned educational sessions, the Conference programming also includes an initiative called Sessions in Series and some new tracks: Seasoned to Perfection and Future Law Firm. Sessions in Series focus on topics such as Profitability and Project Management, Excel Techniques, and Managing Records. The Seasoned to Perfection track includes sessions on Strategic Leadership, Partner Acquisitions and Profitability, and the Future Law Firm track includes sessions on Retention, Industry Trends and Office Lease Options.

The Conference also features fun networking events geared toward this wonderful and historic area. We will begin at Sunday's Welcome Reception (April 14) with a journey through America's past and the sights and sounds of yesterday. On Monday, April 15, you will have a chance to show your chapter pride at the very popular Chapter Awards Program, and Tuesday's Networking Reception (April 16) in the Exhibit Hall will continue the American experience with our business partners in the Jazz and Blues Alley of U Street. On the evening of Wednesday, April 16, we will venture into Washington, D.C. and enjoy an exclusive event at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, which will include a full buffet dinner and open bar.

Of course, you won't want to miss visiting the Exhibit Hall and the popular Business Matters! Sessions throughout the conference. Our business partners offer solutions to all the current legal industry needs and challenges, and one of the highlights of our conference is reconnecting with our sponsors and taking new ideas for products and services back to our firms.

We are thrilled to have two very exciting general sessions to complete your Conference experience. Don't miss both the Keynote Address on Monday with Peter Sheahan, "Fl!p — Turn Challenge into Opportunity and Change into Competitive Advantage," and the David W. Brezina Memorial General Session on Wednesday with Andrés Tapia's presentation of "The Inclusion Paradox." The session, once again, is sponsored by the Foundation of the Association of Legal Administrators.

Until we meet in April, we hope you will join the 2013 Annual Conference Committee on the blog and participate in the posts and discussions. Start the New Year by beginning to plan and prepare for a truly fantastic Conference experience. Explore the interactive flipbook and all the other helpful information on the ALA Conference webpage. Our work continues, and the Committee can't wait to join you in National Harbor!