2020 Annual Conference Presentations

Access to IPMA conference materials is included in the conference registration fee. Paid participants who attend the 36^th Annual IPMA Conference & Expo will also receive recordings of the breakout sessions and keynotes after conference.

Users may click the links below to view the files (or right-click to download, depending upon your browser settings).

Many thanks to the Conference Committee, chaired by Laura Porter, for her efforts in developing this outstanding program!

Download the 36th Annual IPMA Conference & Expo Digital Program Guide

General Sessions

Gender Bias in the Workplace

SPEAKER: Delee Fromm, Owner, Delee Fromm Consulting

We all soak up gender associations as children that later become unconscious. These associations underlie gender bias and significantly impact attitudes and assumptions in the workplace. In this seminar, Delee Fromm, a lawyer, former psychologist and author will talk about her book, Understanding Gender at Work: How to Use, Lose and Expose Blind Spots for Career Success. Practical tools for recognizing and dealing with different types of gender blind spots, including bias, will be discussed. Understanding the invisible dynamics of gender at work offers women a significant career advantage.
 
Wednesday, October 14, 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm

Session Sponsor: CT Corporation

PPT Presentation
Understanding Bias at Work: Chapter 2
Understanding Bias at Work: Workbook


 

The Subtle (yet dangerous) Ways Racism Shows Up in Workplace

SPEAKER: Emily Shamsid-Deen​, Owner & Principal, ESD Consulting

This session will build shared understanding of implicit/unconscious bias and explore how it shows up in the workplace. This training helps participants understand the science behind implicit/unconscious bias through a lens of systemic racism. Participants will explore:

• how implicit bias shows up individually and across systems
• the specific steps to mitigate it as individuals and as an organization


Wednesday, October 14, 4:00 pm - 4:50 pm
 
PPT Presentation
Handout
Video: Implicit Bias
Video: Systematic Racism Explained

 

Mindfulness for a Healthier Mind and Work Environment

SPEAKER: Lara Wharton, Meditation Teacher and Lawyer, Listen Lightly

Training your mind to be more focused, calmer and kinder to yourself is a worthwhile practice that leads to more happiness and less stress. This session will introduce participants to the neuroscience and behavioral research behind mindfulness and its associated mental habits, and will offer practical suggestions on how to practice and integrate mindfulness into their company culture and personal work day. Participants will leave with a handful of tools, including first-hand experience meditating, that they can practice to increase mental clarity, calmness and focus in the midst of our increasingly demanding and complex work environments.

Thursday, October 15, 11:00 am - 11:50 am

Session Sponsor: ECFX

Handout


 

IPMA Talk Live!

MODERATOR: Brian Bernhard, Office Administrator, Dentons

Get ready for a new take on the IPMA Talk Live Roundtables! Trust us, you won't want to miss this general session. IPMA members will be acting out common situations you find yourself in all the time. Then you'll benefit from the open discussions about these situations and potential solutions.

Thursday, October 15, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm


 

A Law Firms Journey through the COVID-19 Pandemic

SPEAKER: Dennis Dore, Director, Business Resilience, Perkins Coie LLP

This presentation will take you through a journey of a law firm navigating through the COVID 19 Pandemic. This will focus on initial response, planning for returning to the office, what allowed for success, and some lessons learned to be better prepared for the next event.


Friday, October 16, 11:00 am - 11:50 am

PPT Presentation


 

Open, Honest and Direct: A Guide to Unlocking Your Teams Potential

SPEAKER: Aaron Levy, Leadership Coach and Learning Consultant, PD Counsel

Radical transparency is key to creating a high performing team. Establishing an atmosphere in which both managers and team members are open, honest and direct in their communication creates an atmosphere of psychological safety where team members feel free to share ideas and feedback. In this session, Aaron Levy provides the guideposts to creating a radically transparent environment in your workplace.

If you’d like to see more from Aaron Levy, here’s the link to purchase a copy of his book: Open, Honest, & Direct.

Friday, October 16, 2:30 pm - 3:20 pm

PPT Presentation

Breakout Sessions

The Changing Landscape - Digital Reporting

SPEAKER: Jeff Koller, Legal & Development Director, Veritext Legal Solutions

Working remotely is the new normal, but what does it take to continue to litigate in this digital world? During this session, we will provide best practices and considerations for preparing for your virtual proceeding, demonstrations in remote and exhibit sharing tools, and discussion on how to keep your remote proceeding secure. Discover new tools in preserving testimony, tactics on capturing native electronic files, strategies on conducting remote depositions, and more “in the trenches” tips and tricks. A bevy of new technology has changed the way attorneys capture and utilize testimony. We will also show you hands-on techniques and tactics for maximizing these tools for capturing and preserving testimonial evidence.

Wednesday, October 14, 2:20 pm - 3:10 pm

Presentation materials are not available.


 

Learning to Navigate the Complexities of International Transactions

SPEAKERS: Elina Balagula, Transactional Business Consultant, CT Corporation
                    Devlin Fisher, Global Sales Support Manager, CT Corporation

As law firms and companies increasingly interface with new global markets, the complexities of executing business transactions abroad equally escalate.  Understanding how to properly conduct due diligence and perfect liens against non-US entities can be confusing and challenging.  Meeting the required legalization requirements of documents via Apostille and Authentication can likewise feel like a winding road riddled with notarizations and visits to consulates and embassies. 

This session will cover:

• How to Search and File Liens against Non-US Entities
• What is an Apostille vs. Authentication, and Why Do I Need It
• Key Documents and How to Prepare Them
• Comparison of Common Foreign Jurisdictions

Wednesday, October 14, 2:20 pm - 3:10 pm

Session Sponsor: CT Corporation

Presentation materials are not available.


 

How Your HR Team Can Help You Manage

SPEAKER: Michele Bush, CEO & Owner, Meglyn Consulting

It is essential for leaders to effectively manage their most critical asset - their people.  Often, however, managers and supervisors, especially those new to people management, don’t always feel confident or competent to deal with human resources matters.  In this session we will look at 3 aspects of the employee lifecycle, Attract, Retain & Develop and the practical ways the HR/Leader partnership can impact the   employee experience, directly contributing to productivity, profits and the employer reputation.
 
Attract: Uncover the steps to ensure that you are attracting the right candidates and employees to your firm or into your department. 
Develop:  Discover numerous, practical, and effective solutions that can be implemented with little or no budget.    
Retain: Establish valuable employee centric programs and initiatives that help to maintain a satisfied workforce and address compliance.   


Wednesday, October 14, 2:20 pm - 3:10 pm

PPT Presentation


 

How Not to Blow a Gasket

SPEAKER: Marcia Suelzer, Senior Manager, CT Corporation

Sometimes you just want to SCREAM! Let’s face it: We’ve all been there. The session will provide you with proven methods to defuse strong emotions—not just stifle them. There will be an opportunity to practice some of these techniques, so you’ll be better prepared to put them into use when you return to your “real world” after the conference.

While the workplace (and home) environment may be chaotic and the people you work (or live with) infuriating, you can recapture your composure and perspective. And, that will enable to you to better solve problems while helping you keep your team on an even keel.


Thursday, October 15, 12:10 pm - 1:00 pm

Session Sponsor: CT Corporation

PPT Presentation


 

Can Tossing my To-Do List Make me More Productive and Less Stressed?

SPEAKER: Karen Skinner, Co-Founder and CEO, Gimbal – Lean Process Management Advisors

As workplaces grow, evolve, and adapt to the reality of remote work, your management strategies need to adapt as well. You need to track the status of multiple projects. You need to know who’s doing what. Who has availability? Who is overloaded and needs help? You need to be able to spot issues quickly, before they derail your projects and your team. That 15-page To-Do list on your desk simply won’t cut it as a management tool. 
 
But when you visualize the work and the workflow, you can do all of this and more. In this session, you’ll learn to take advantage of your brain’s visual processing power, so you can manage more effectively, more quickly, and with a lot less stress. The best bit: you already have everything you need to get started.
 
This interactive workshop introduces the Matter Management Board, a simple, visual management tool you can use to manage teams efficiently and cost-effectively, whether you’re all in the same office or spread across multiple locations. Through a combination of facilitated learning and interactive exercises, you'll learn how to set up and maintain Matter Management Boards to manage work at different levels. [To consolidate learning, you'll work in small groups to build a board for a common law firm process.]
 
You'll also hear case studies that demonstrate how other firms are using this exact method to manage everything from projects in the innovation office, to case load and WIP in practice groups, to complex multi-million dollar legal transactions.


Thursday, October 15, 12:10 pm - 1:00 pm

Session Sponsor: ECFX

PPT Presentation


 

Managing Client Expectations

SPEAKER: Austin Smith, General Counsel, Litigation and Labor & Employment, Lockheed Martin Space

Managing client expectations should always be a top priority for law firms, particularly when they are working with in-house counsel.  Managing expectations not only helps secure future business but also minimizes risk and loss.  Providing leadership and training for attorneys on how to manage expectations will result in better client relations in any climate, but this is of even greater importance in the COVID Era with so many new variables.  Traditionally, a few areas of focus included reducing tendencies to over promise, cutting down on vague or confusing communications concerning deliverables and timing, decreasing dabbling in areas where the attorney and/or firm were not well experienced, and  further enhancing the client relationship by learning their preferences and positions.
 
However, we must now also factor in how client expectations have changed in the Covid Era, how can law firms best keep their expectations in line with the services they can provide, and will these expectations remain if there is a return to normal.  In this session, you will learn from an attorney who has played both sides of the fence.  Having led a team of attorneys managing client expectations as the Office Managing Shareholder of Ogletree Deakins’ Denver office and now leading a legal team as General Counsel for Litigation and Labor & Employment at Lockheed Martin Space, Austin will share with us the expectations he holds his outside counsel to as well as tips on how best to manage in-house counsel relationships and keep them in your firm’s good graces.   


Thursday, October 15, 12:10 pm - 1:00 pm

Session Sponsor: American Legalnet

Presentation materials are not available.


 

The Current State of Artificial Intelligence

SPEAKER: Matthew Linton, Associate General Counsel, Operations, Lockheed Martin Space

Artificial Intelligence is making its way into the legal industry. The question is whether AI-based technology and solutions transform legal industry services.  In this session, we will discuss how the legal industry will adapt and benefit from AI in practical ways and how AI will impact our teams.

Thursday, October 15, 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Session Sponsor: ECFX

PPT Presentation
 

How do we get our People Back - Trust and Loyalty

SPEAKER: Joy Baldridge, President & Founder, Baldridge Seminars International

COVID 19 has really shaken things up. The critical time is now to smooth things over. Now more than ever, people have an overriding need to be noticed and understood. In this engaging and insightful session, you will discover specific ways to connect with people you work with in a way that strengthens trust and builds greater loyalty. You will leave with an abundance of tangible tools, called Golden Nuggets of information, that will take your interpersonal skills and relationships to new and greater heights as we get back. 
 
If you’d like to see more from Joy Baldridge, here’s the link to purchase a copy of her book: The Joy in Business: Innovative Ideas to Find Positivity (and Profit) in Your Daily Work Life.


Thursday, October 15, 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Session Sponsor: Trustpoint.One

Presentation materials are not available.


 

Work Life Balance and Managing Expectations of the Legal Professionals that We Manage Panel

SPEAKERS: Karen Anderson, Manager, Corporate Services, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
                      Gary Melhuish, Manager of  Litigation Support Services, Ballard Spahr LLP
                      Carol Van Buren, Director of Paralegal Services, Perkins Coie LLP
  
Leading a balanced life when the borders between home and work have been shattered is now a daily struggle.  This panel includes paralegal managers in large firms in the U.S. and Canada who’ve all been managing paralegals and staff who’ve had challenges managing expectations from their employers, families, and their communities.  You will hear of our own experiences and those of our teams we’ve supervised on how we tackled some of these issues.  We plan to offer you some ideas on the following:

• Tactics for managing to work full-time and manage your children’s schooling at home and/or how to manage the wee ones who’ve yet to go to school
• How we’ve managed our own paralegal work, as working managers and address all the management challenges that arose during the pandemic
• How to manage attorney expectations when they are working odd hours, but expect their paralegals to be available when needed

We want this to be an interactive session, so bring your questions and we’ll share our stories, challenges and successes.
 

Thursday, October 15, 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm

Session Sponsor: Capitol Services

Handout

 

Hot Topics in HR- Canada

SPEAKER: Shannon Stanojevic, Director, Human Resources, OMERS

With each new year, employers and human resource professionals are faced with new challenges. Laws impacting Canadian employers are changing rapidly and staying ahead of the curve is crucial to success for both employers and those advising them. Join this session to explore the most difficult and sensitive issues currently facing Canadian employers, as well as those on the horizon.

Friday, October 16, 12:10 pm - 1:00 pm

Presentation materials are not available.


 

Hot Topics in HR- USA

SPEAKERS: Jill Maganza-Ruiz, General Counsel, Litigation and Labor & Employment, Lockheed Martin Space
                     Michelle Muhleisen, Attorney, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

With each new year, employers and human resource professionals are faced with new challenges. 2020 is no exception with everyone working remotely due the pandemic, with racial tensions rising and with an election upon us.  Laws impacting employers are changing rapidly and staying ahead of the curve is crucial to success for both employers and those advising them. Join this session to explore the most difficult and sensitive issues currently facing employers, as well as those on the horizon.

Friday, October 25, 10:30 am - 11:45 am

Session Sponsor: Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Presentation materials are not available. 

Speaker Bios

	Karen Anderson Work Life Balance and Managing Expectations of the Legal Professionals that We Manage Panel Karen is the Manager of the Corporate Services Department at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto and has over 25 years of experience.  She manages a team of corporate law clerks  and assistants.  As a working manager, Karen also uses her expertise in all areas of corporate proceedings and corporate maintenance matters, and assists with corporate acquisitions, amalgamations and reorganizations.  She also manages various firm projects relating to the Corporate Services Team and is also involved in training and mentoring junior law clerks.
	Elina Balagula Learning to Navigate the Complexities of International Transactions Elina Balagula is a licensed attorney with over 10 years of legal practice experience, who serves as a UCC and transactional subject matter expert for law firm and corporate clients in the Northeast region. In her role, she consults on matters related to lien searches and filings as well as corporate compliance issues arising in the context of financial closings, M&A, and real estate transactions, among others. She also teaches CLE seminars on these topics at national law firms and professional associations. Prior to joining CT, Elina served as General Counsel for a privately owned financial services firm in New York City, where she worked on commercial finance transactions and advised senior management on financial due diligence and corporate governance issues. Preceding that role, Elina practiced commercial and bankruptcy law at a national law firm, and served as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Peter J. Walsh in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Elina earned her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and her B.S. in Accounting, magna cum laude, from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Elina is a member of the State Bars of New York and New Jersey.
	Joy Baldridge How do we get our People Back - Trust & Loyalty Joy Baldridge is a Certified Speaking Professional, TEDx and globally sought after keynote speaker who has spoken from Boston to Bangkok, Denver to Dubai, and Seattle to Singapore. Joy is the author of 3 business books and does virtual and live keynote presentations on positive change, team engagement, communication, sales and leadership. In 2019 she made the 41 Top Motivational Speakers list along with Les Brown, Daymond John (of Shark Tank fame) and Simon Sinek. Joy has spoken at over 30 universities including Yale, Tulane, Colgate, Jack Welch College of Business and Technology and Loma Linda Medical Center, and over 200 corporations such as Google, BDO, IBM, NBC, Rolling Stone, Architectural Digest and Oprah Magazine, and numerous conferences such as The American Gem Society, Association of Realtors, Global Oral Health Summit, ARMOUR Cybersecurity Expo, Asia Fitness Conference, Private School Educational Summit. Yale University recently chose her new book, The Joy in Business, Innovative Ideas to Find Positivity and Profit in Your Work Life, for their book club read this year. Her first speaking engagement was at the White House at the age of 19. She got there by cold calling the president. Her keynotes are captivating, energizing and filled with tons of tangible takeaway value! Her secrets to success and wisdom from her experiences in work and life provide a positive and pragmatic perspective and toolkit beneficial for professionals at all stages and situations in their work and life.
	Brian Bernhard IPMA Talk Live Brian Bernhard is the Denver Office Administrator for Dentons US LLP.  His career in the legal industry spans 25 years working for both the government and law firms, with a primary focus on the field of immigration law.  He has built and managed high-performing and cohesive teams of legal support professionals at the firms where he has worked.  Brian has been a member of the IPMA since 2007 and is a Past President of the Association.  He currently serves as Chair of the award-winning Communications Committee, which produces Inspired Leadership, the IPMA’s quarterly e-Magazine and the Chair of the Colorado Chapter.  Brian is also an active member in his local chapter of the ALA and sits on the National Federation of Paralegal Association’s Certification Standards Committee.  He and his wife are the founders of Foster Source, a non-profit supporting Colorado’s foster parents and children in care, and are the overwhelmingly proud parents of three crazy kids.  Brian enjoys networking, laughing and moderating the IPMA Talk Live session this conference.
	Michele Bush How Your HR Team Can Help You Manage Michele is the owner of Meglyn Consulting.  After an extensive 30 year career in corporate HR, she bravely reinvented herself and now helps businesses to improve their productivity and employer brand through leadership behaviour and employee engagement. Michele is also a Certified Coach Practitioner, providing customized career transition and job search support for her clients. Michele is known for being a charismatic speaker, an engaging facilitator and a progressive mentor for aspiring HR professionals.  She has worked in both private and public sectors, with entrepreneurs, large multinational and global corporations, across various industries from insurance to biotechnology, spending 10 years in Senior Executive roles in mining and heavy equipment. Michele holds a degree in Psychology and a Business Diploma from Wilfrid Laurier University, an Executive Management Certificate from McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business, and a CHRM designation from the Human Resources Professionals Association. Michele has a genuine desire to advance the profile of the front-line leadership function, ensuring that they have a sustainable, profound impact on their team’s success and ultimately the business results. She is actively engaged in multiple Women In Leadership and local community groups and has a side gig as an actor/model, which keeps things interesting.
	Dennis Dore  A Law Firms Journey through the COVID-19 Pandemic Dennis Dore is currently the Director of Business Resilience at Perkins Coie, LLP responsible for proactively protecting the firm through strategic planning, preparation, management, and recovery from an impactful event. Has established a holistic resiliency program within the firm through leading safety and security modernization projects firmwide and establishing a mindset of shared responsibility for safety in the office. By working with and supporting departments he has conducted Business Impact Assessments and led the development and management business continuity plans to ensure firmwide capabilities continue under a variety of critical incidents. Most recently Mr. Dore has successfully guided Perkins Coie  (all domestic and international locations) through the COVID-19 Pandemic using a multi-discipline approach.    Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Mr. Dore worked as a Defense Contractor (seven years) with Raytheon and (10 years) with Boeing. He planned, executed, and completed major programs vital to national security. He was responsible for successfully managing these programs within the triple constraints of budget, schedule, and scope, including the acquisition and managing of resources, developing risk mitigation, and crisis planning.  Mr. Dore has his master of science in project management from The George Washington University and his bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). He also holds certificates in systems engineering from California Institute of Technology and information security and risk management from the University of Washington. In addition, he is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and is in process of becoming a Certified Threat Manager through the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.
	Devlin Fisher Learning to Navigate the Complexities of International Transactions Devlin Aaron Fisher is the Global Sales Support Manager at CT Corporation, serving as a resource to both CT’s global law firm and corporate customers and internal sales and service teams. He is a licensed attorney with 8 years of legal practice experience. With expertise in global corporate governance, compliance and entity management, he consults on complex matters related to global corporate entity formation and dissolution, annual compliance, integrations of global entities subsequent to M&A activity, capital infusions/injections into global corporate entities, changes/amendments to the charter documents of global corporate entities, global due-diligence work and more. Devlin tracks and analyzes trends and changes in global jurisdictional corporate law that can affect the planning, execution and completion of these matters. Devlin also regularly presents on these topics at national law firms and professional associations. Devlin earned his J.D. cum laude from the Duquesne University School of Law, his M.B.A. from the Duquesne University Donahue Graduate School of Business and his B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Devlin is currently a member of the State Bar of Pennsylvania.
	Delee Fromm Gender Bias in the Workplace Delee Fromm is an author, lawyer and psychologist who has taught and coached for 30 years. As a former partner at a large law firm, she practised commercial real estate for 17 years. Prior to law, she worked as a neuropsychologist. Since 2003 she provides consulting services to a variety of organizations on implicit bias, women’s advancement and career skills. She is a guest lecturer at various universities and is author of Advance Your Legal Career: Essential Skills for Success and Understanding Gender at Work. She is a career coach with the Law Society of Ontario and on the Advisory Board of Young Women in Law.
	Jeff Koller The Changing Landscape - Digital Reporting Jeff Koller has had a split legal career for nearly 30 years during which he had his own litigation practice handling state and federal matters from inception through trial and appeal. And, for more than 20 years, he has been in the litigation support sector handling matters from legal, operations, client support and development, as well as training on an array of topics covering litigation technology, social media, deposition procedures and eDiscovery. He serves as the Legal & Development Director for Veritext Legal Solutions.
	Aaron Levy Open, Honest and Direct: A Guide to Unlocking Your Team's Potential Aaron is the Founder and CEO of Raise The Bar, a team focused on helping companies create high performing teams by building better leaders. Aaron is the author of Open, Honest & Direct: a guide to unlocking your team’s potential, the host of the Open, Honest & Direct podcast, the Co-Director of Startup Grind Chicago, a Thrive Global contributor, an 1871 mentor, an ICF Certified Coach and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. Over the last decade, Aaron has worked with over 7,500 business leaders in a variety of industries, inspiring them to define their goals, create tactical action plans, and achieve sustained success. Aaron is on a mission to transform the manager role by empowering each manager with the tools, skills, and training to be leaders of people who unlock the potential of their team.
	Matthew Linton The Current State of Artificial Intelligence  Matthew Linton advises clients on a broad range of workplace and environmental safety and health issues, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, employment matters, and government investigations throughout the nation. He routinely handles the legal and crisis response to workplace accidents and fatalities and safety related whistleblower complaints with agencies such as OSHA, MSHA, and many others. Matthew’s knowledge and experience as a former U.S. government attorney helps clients achieve the best possible outcomes when facing complex, high-profile agency enforcement actions. Matthew also provides counsel on how to navigate legal issues related to transforming workplaces with artificial intelligence and robotics technologies as well as the issues surrounding the development of autonomous vehicles. In addition, Matthew continually reviews strategies for incorporating artificial intelligence and other technological solutions into his legal practice to most efficiently and effectively represent clients.
	Jill Maganza-Ruiz Hot Topics in HR- USA Jill is a senior Talent/HR executive with more than 20 years' experience supporting professional services organizations.  A change agent, she brings innovation, enthusiasm and a collaborative approach to achieving business and talent management strategic goals. Presently the HR Director for Dentons US LLP, overseeing a team of more 25 HR professionals across the United States, Jill is responsible for developing and executing human resources strategy in support of the Firm’s key strategic priorities. Jill has oversight of all elements of human resources including overall talent management and acquisition, total rewards, risk/compliance, development and advancement, integration and engagement, mobility and immigration, policy development & implementation, and workforce analysis.
	Gary Melhuish Managerial Skills Seminar Work Life Balance and Managing Expectations of the Legal Professionals that We Manage Panel Gary Melhuish is the Manager of Litigation Support Services in the Philadelphia office of Ballard Spahr, LLP where he manages paralegals, e-Discovery services, litigation docketing and contract attorneys,  Gary has over 35 years' experience as a paralegal including more than 30 years as a paralegal manager. He is a Past President and Life Member of the International Practice Management Association (IPMA). He was Adjunct Faculty at the Georgetown University Paralegal Studies Program where he taught Legal Ethics and Legal Technology. Gary is former member of the ABA's Approval Commission of the Standing Committee on Paralegals and served on the National Federation of Paralegal Association's PACE Advisory Committee.
	Michelle Muhleisen Hot Topics in HR- USA Michelle has devoted her career to advising and counseling employers on issues affecting their relationship with their employees.  From questions about compliance with state and federal wage and hour laws to drafting effective policies to prevent discrimination, harassment, and violence in the workplace, as well as assisting employers in navigating complex pay equity concerns, Michelle has extensive experience assisting employers to prevent potential liabilities down the road. In addition to advising clients both proactively and reactively, Michelle devotes a significant percentage of her practice to defending employers against single-plaintiff, collective, and class action suits in both state and federal courts. She is also a frequent speaker on issues impacting the employment relationship and regularly conducts training for clients, professional organizations, and continuing legal education seminars across the country.
	Emily Shamsid-Deen The Subtle (yet dangerous) Ways Racism Shows Up in Workplace Emily Shamsid-Deen is the Owner and Principal of ESD Consulting, which provides facilitation and consultation services to help organizations create equity based, values driven change through transformational leadership practices. Emily brings over 17 years of experience in nonprofit management and has worked in the areas of leadership development, advocacy, racial equity, nonprofit capacity building, domestic violence, disease prevention, and community engagement. Emily’s career has been spent committed to—and has primarily worked with—disfranchised and marginalized communities. Emily also taught as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Denver in the Graduate School of Social Work teaching social welfare policy analysis and practice. Regardless of her role, Emily approaches all her work with a social justice framework. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts of degree in Political Science and Black Studies and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management with a Certificate in Program Development & Evaluation. Most recently, Emily worked as a Community Engagement Manager implementing equity driven, community, and organizational advocacy efforts. Emily strives to create relationships with transparency and honesty in order to effectively advance organizational goals.
	Karen Skinner Can Tossing my To-Do List Make me More Productive and Less Stressed? Senior Attorney and Lean Practice Management Advisor - Karen is a senior attorney and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with over 20 years of international experience in corporate-commercial, regulatory, and education law. She is co-founder and principal at Gimbal Lean Practice Management Advisors, and exclusive Global Advisor (Legal Process Improvement) to the International Institute of Legal Project Management. Karen offers clients a powerful combination of legal experience and process improvement skills. Since founding Gimbal, she has taught Lean thinking and legal process improvement to thousands of lawyers around the world. Karen hosts the popular weekly webinar series, Virtual Coffeehouse, on topics law school doesn’t teach you about running a practice. She speaks and writes regularly on the application of Lean to the legal profession, and facilitates projects that improve the practice and the business of law.
	Austin Smith Managing Client Expectations Austin Smith is the General Counsel, Litigation and Labor & Employment, for Lockheed Martin Space, and he is based in Littleton, Colorado.  He was previously the managing partner of a national labor and employment law firm and spent his outside counsel career litigating individual and class action cases filed against employers, as well as advising employers on issues impacting the employer/employee relationship.  While Austin has significant experience defending employers against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, wage and hour violations, noncompete and restrictive covenant violations, workplace safety issues, and traditional labor law matters, he really values the ability to work with his clients to minimize liability and implement policies and procedures that are both legally compliant and effective at reaching their business goals.    Austin has conducted training sessions both inside the United States and abroad on human resources issues, law firm management practices, and litigation strategies and continues to speak to employers, human resources providers, and legal organizations on labor and employment laws, human resources topics, and management skills.
	Shannon Stanojevic Hot Topics in HR- Canada Shannon has over fifteen years Human Resources experience and works currently as an HR Director at OMERS. Prior to joining OMERS, Shannon was an HR Director at Oxford Properties and held HR positions with the Canadian Tire corporate office and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.  Shannon is a board member with The Neighbourhood Group Foundation in Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Western Ontario, Diploma in Human Resources Management from Seneca College and the CHRL designation.
	Marcia Suelzer How Not to Blow a Gasket Marcia Richards Suelzer is a dual-career professional. She is the Senior Manager in CT's law firm segment where she works across functional areas to drive innovation and customer satisfaction. An Illinois licensed attorney, she practiced civil and criminal law prior to joining Wolters Kluwer as a senior writer-analyst with CCH tax products. While at CCH, she managed the flagship tax department and served as a product manager for federal tax research products. In addition to her Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law, she holds an M.A. magna cum laude in Mental Health Counseling from Trinity International University. As an Illinois Licensed Professional Counselor, she works helps clients manage personal and professional stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and sleep disorders. As an adjunct professor, she teaches Crisis Counseling, Complex Trauma, and Psychopharmacology. She also presents to social service agencies and community groups on variety of mental health issues.
	Carol Van Buren Work Life Balance and Managing Expectations of the Legal Professionals that We Manage Panel Carol Van Buren is the Director of Paralegal Services at Perkins Coie, LLP, where she is responsible for the paralegal program in all the US offices. She works with the firm’s practice groups managing the paralegals, including staffing, training, profitability, and policy innovation and development. Carol has worked as a paralegal director for the last 26 year at AM Law 100 & 200 firms. Carol is currently serving as a co-chair of the PNW Chapter of the IPMA and is a member of the Emerging Trends Committee. She is a member of the University of Washington’s Paralegal Advisory Board.
	Lara Wharton Mindfulness for a Healthier Mind and Work Environment Lara’s previous career as a corporate lawyer provides her with a genuine understanding of the stresses present in high-intensity, fast-paced work environments. She now offers corporate workshops and weekly in-office mental-health breaks that teach people how to meditate to improve their mental health and find balance amidst the stress and rush of our busy lives. Simple, non-intimidating explanations based on scientifically-proven mindfulness techniques empower participants to fully understand how mindfulness and meditation can help them de-stress, be more productive and improve their overall health and happiness. Lara has been practicing yoga and meditation for 16 years and has traveled around the world participating in and guiding meditation retreats. She is regularly in training studying the neuroscience behind mindfulness, consciousness, psychotherapy and Buddhist studies.