And now a word from our Sponsors:

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
Sarah V. Gillen, Emergency Skills, Inc.

Look around you in whatever room/office you are sitting in right now. Count five people. One of those people either is now suffering from a mental health issue or will be before the year is out. Statistics tell us that one in five adult Americans will suffer from a mental illness each year. If the same number of people were afflicted with the flu, or a cold, it would be the talk of the office. We would offer sympathy for one another and set about making the suffering individual’s life easier however we can. Cover for them. Take up their tasks. Offer support and chicken noodle soup. Read more.

GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION
John Connolly, LDI Color Toolbox, 2017 D&I Team Member

Our ALANYC Chapter Diversity & Inclusion Team expressed an interest in including this important topic during our September 20, 2017 Round Table Session when we learned that New York City had passed a law protecting thirty-one (31) gender identities and expressions. We also learned that a violation of this law by an employer, which can occur simply by not using an employee’s desired pronoun when addressing them, could lead to a substantial financial penalty. We were also quite concerned that very few (if any) ALANYC members who we discussed the topic with were aware of the details of this law or even of its existence. Read more.

5 Reasons Software Leasing Helps Law Firms Grow
Christina Floyd and Karen Leastman

Software is not a one-time-use investment for law firms. From case and customer relationship management, to time and billing, law firms rely on powerful, specialized systems every day to operate efficiently and competitively. Read more.

ROBERT HALF LEGAL, Stand Out from the Crowd: Polish Your Personal Brand
Jamy Sullivan, JD

So, why exactly should you focus on building a personal brand? For one, it’s the blueprint for how you present yourself, from the elevator pitch to your professional persona. While you probably already have developed one, whether purposefully or unconsciously, the challenge is knowing what your personal brand says about you — and using it to your benefit.  Here are five tips for polishing your professional brand and using it to advance your legal career. Read more.

THE TRUE GRIT OF A SUMMER ASSOCIATE
Natalie Loeb, Gordon Loeb & David B. Sarnott, Esq.

Every year, high performing law students compete for coveted Summer Associate positions at high caliber Am Law 100 firms in major cities around the country. Since the Great Recession of 2009, many major law firms have scaled back their summer associate programs. In some cases, firms have eliminated the programs entirely and are focusing on lateral recruiting. Law students who are fortunate enough to be selected for one of these prized summer associate positions have the advantage of being exposed to an elite level of talent in the legal industry. They work and learn alongside legal leaders in litigation, M&A and securities, capital markets, finance, technology and intellectual property. Read more.

WHY MOVE YOUR ENTIRE DESKTOP TO THE CLOUD?
Morris Tabush, Founder & President, Tabush Group

We often have discussions with our clients about the cloud. As technology continues to progress, moving to the cloud has changed from a matter of “if” to “when.” Cloud makes more and more sense each day.

One of the most common applications that clients ask us about moving to the cloud is Intuit’s QuickBooks®, a very popular accounting program for small businesses. As companies are operating beyond the physical walls of their office, they find a strong need to provide remote access to their QuickBooks data, either to outside accountants or to employees. While Intuit does have a web-based product called QuickBooks Online, most businesses and CPAs prefer to stick with the desktop version for the functionality, interface, and flexibility it offers. Read more.