Summer in the City –with ALANYC!

By Nellie Lefteratos

Flowers are blooming, people are strolling and tourists are sightseeing – summer in New York City – such a magical time!

On June 22, 2017, our Chapter hosted its annual summer event at the Marriott New York East Side.  A spacious hotel suite led to two expansive and beautifully appointed terraces where our guests enjoyed delectable food and libations. The weather was in our favor as perfect temperatures and a light breeze accented a delightful outdoor evening. Members and Business Partners re-connected as they enjoyed the views from the terrace. The sound of laughter and abundant conversation reinforced the special connection between our members and Business Partners. The elegant ambiance was accented by large lanterns that were scattered throughout the space and provided pleasant lighting as the sky darkened. Further complimenting the evening was Bill Wurtzel and his Jazz Trio whose lovely music served as an elegant and understated backdrop to the lively party chatter.

Many thanks to Brian Gertler of LDI who always captures the wonderful memories of our ALANYC events with spectacular pictures. Members of our newly formed Communications Committee spread the love by posting captioned pictures of the event on the Chapter’s social media pages.

Great food, great drinks, great weather and, as always, great company made for a spectacular and memorable evening.

Casino Royale – Honoring our Business Partners in style!

By Tina Carter
In May at Chelsea Piers, members had a terrific time at the “Casino Royale,” this year’s Business Partner Appreciation event. It was the perfect occasion for members and BPs to get to know one another better over dinner, games, and prizes.

We celebrated their many contributions to our chapter – from providing high-level education sessions to our members to going to extraordinary lengths to help organize and execute our many events – their contributions go far beyond their sponsorship dollars.

We also shared tips on how to improve our communications with BPs, including the all new members and business partners discussion forum on the Members Only portal – check it out!

Members Only Luncheon

In April we enjoyed a terrific Members Only Luncheon at Morton’s Steakhouse as we got to meet our new Chapter President, Tanya Duprey, and the 2017-2018 Board of Directors.  We heard and provided feedback on the many plans for the chapter including the new website, member discussion boards, committees and our communications plan to help elevate the visibility of the chapter.

Congratulations to our Regional Conference winners:

Frances Vuolo-Romani, Administrator, Goldfarb & Fleece and Vaneat Bellizi , Controller & Director of Firm Administration, Kreindler & Kreindler

ALA Annual National Conference & Expo – A Mile High in Denver, Colorado!

By Stephanie Ransom

Wow! I could not believe it when they called my name and that I actually won a scholarship to attend the 2017 Annual ALA conference in Denver Colorado.

My Firm, Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, values the educational benefits of the ALA and graciously allowed me attend. I was beyond thrilled, not only because I would be going to Denver to the Annual Conference, but I would also be attending with four other Administrators from the Firm.  It had been seven years or more since I last attended an ALA Conference so you can imagine that I felt like a new member all over again.  However, I can honestly report that my insecurity was a wasted emotion as the New York City Chapter embraced not only me but all of the members who attended and made all of us feel like we were one big family.

This was a different ambiance where you have the opportunity to network with not only your chapter members, but all of the chapters within the ALA.  It was a large event, yet felt very intimate and allowed for deeper bonding experiences. For me, I found the sessions were so informative and truly worth attending.  Attendees had a choice of about five classes per time frame and it was often a difficult choice choosing which class to attend.  It was obvious the event planners put a lot of effort into making the Annual Conference a success.  The speakers were dynamic. There were events planned throughout the day and Business Partners planned functions during the evening hours.

If you like your sleep as much as I do, be prepared to be sleep deprived as you do not want to miss a thing!  The networking opportunities were unlimited. The forum for the Business Partners  was fantastic as you were able to not only see new technology for law firms in one setting, but you also were able to have  in-depth conversations with the business partner at the same time.  Additionally, the food was delicious.  They accommodated all with the variety of choices offered.

The morning classes stimulated members and pushed their way of thinking on many fronts. The evening events allowed the members and Business Partners to really network and get to know each other better, the awards ceremony allowed the chapters to show their solidarity and the dancing allowed me to be me!

The Annual Conference is truly a different kind of conference wherein the organization brings all the members of ALA together and shows what togetherness can accomplish.

It is truly a worthwhile event and should be experienced by all members, if possible.  You will not be disappointed. I was not!