Ahead of the Curve
August 2020
PURPOSE
The Professional Development Advisory Committee’s (PDAC) purpose in providing you this communication is to further its goal of periodically sharing topical information regarding the legal industry. Our hope is that one or more of the updates will provide a spark of insight to assist with your work on behalf of ALA as well as within your firm or legal department.
Past Issues
"2020 BUSINESS TRAVEL BUYER'S HANDBOOK"
BTN's Special Edition of the 2020 Business Travel Buyer's Handbook includes chapter-by-chapter introductory articles addressing the unique challenges of buying and managing travel. As always, the industry's annual answer book contains the rock-solid fundamentals for building or optimizing your organization's travel program.
Learn more.
Resource: Business Travel News
"PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS STARTS THIS WEEK. WHY SOME BUSINESSES AREN’T RUSHING TO APPLY"
The Small Business Administration opened the forgiveness portal for its Paycheck Protection Program loans this week, but companies may want to think twice before rushing in.
Learn more.
Resource: Dan Mercado, CFP, Your Money, Your Future, CNBC.com
"5 ETHICAL CHALLENGES EMPLOYERS WILL FACE AS THEY REOPEN"
How employers recover will shape the workplace for decades, writes Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law professor J.S. Nelson.
Learn more.
Resource: J.S. Nelson, HR Dive
"UK-BASED VIRTUAL FIRM LAUNCHES IN US WITH GRAND PLANS"
360 Business Law launched its U.S. subsidiary just before the start of the pandemic. Its leaders (Ben Lambert – General Counsel, and Robert Taylor – Chief Executive Officer) hope to build a firm with a presence in all 50 states. The U.K.-based virtual law firm 360 Business Law picked a tough time to expand operations into the United States. Founded in 2014 by veteran in-house attorney Robert Taylor, the firm now has lawyers in over 60 countries. But its formal move into the world’s largest legal market began in February, just before the onset of stay-at-home orders and the sharpest economic contraction on record.
Learn more (requires a free subscription).
Resource: Dan Packel, The American Lawyer
"HOW DO WE KEEP (OR CHANGE) CULTURE IN A PREDOMINANTLY REMOTE WORKPLACE?"
Want to maintain your current culture, or create a change in culture? Learn how to do so in this remote work environment, including helping leaders develop "remote" leadership skills.
Learn more.
Resource: Denise Gaskin, PhD, MS
"SECURITY FIRM UNEARTHS ESPIONAGE GROUP THAT HAS TARGETED LAW FIRMS FOR 'ALMOST A DECADE'"
The group known as the Deceptikons APT attempted to infiltrate law firms by deploying malicious PowerShell scripts to infect hosts, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
Learn more.
Resource: Hannah Roberts, LegalTech News (requires free subscription)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Teresa Walker, Chair — Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP
Terri Oppelt, CLM, SPHR, SHRM-CP, Vice Chair — Armanino LLP
Daniel Patrick Atcheson — Jenkins Wilson Taylor & Hunt, PA
Melissa Chambers — LawPay
Suzanne Koch — Fulcrum GT
Denise L. Gaskin, PhD, MS — RavenWork, Inc.
Teresa Reiner, CLM — Gislason & Hunter LLP
Valerie Williams — Pender & Coward, PC
ALA Board of Directors Liaison to Committee
Brian Gilman — Smith Debnam
ALA Liaison to Committee
Patricia P. Olejnik, CED — ALA's Associate Director, Experience Planning & Design
[email protected]; 847-267-1252