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Our Mission

The International Practice Management Association (IPMA) is the primary source of information and education for managers in law firms, corporations, and law departments. We provide an inclusive community that promotes and enhances the proficiency and professionalism of our members. We deliver practical resources and cutting-edge solutions on the value and management of professionals in the legal environment.

Managerial Skills Seminar

The IPMA Managerial Skills Seminar is designed to develop and refine practical managerial skills involved in the supervision of paralegals, law clerks, litigation support, docket, technology, and other legal-related positions. This two-day program is the first and only seminar designed by and for active managers in law firms, corporate legal departments, and government, judicial, and legal agencies and presented by IPMA members.

Both new and experienced managers will learn valuable management, team building, and communication skills essential to supervising personnel in a legal organization. Subjects covered include recruitment and retention, orientation, evaluations, training programs, performance management, and positioning your program for success.

This information-packed seminar will provide a forum to share, grow, and improve. Become a better manager, mentor, and promoter of your paralegals, law clerks, litigation support, docket, technology, or other legal teams by attending the IPMA Managerial Skills Seminar this year!

To supplement the seminar experience, each participant receives a CD containing hundreds of sample forms and informational articles to assist in running their program. Prior year materials are available for purchase by contacting IPMA headquarters.

Upcoming Seminars

October 7, 2021
12:00 - 4:00 pm ET

October 8, 2021
12:00 - 4:00 pm ET

Program Description

Attendees will find this seminar a unique opportunity to review their own supervisory style and discuss new ideas in an environment that encourages sharing real-life experiences. Prior attendees have commented on how the seminar helped them "pull it all together" and how spending a day away from the frequent interruptions of the office permitted them to come up with action plans on how to improve their programs. The variety of experiences of the instructors and attendees ensures that there are perspectives from different types and sizes of organizations.

Agenda

Skills Part I:

12:00 – 12:05 PM	Introductions & Announcements

12:05 – 12:30 PM	Icebreaker

12:30 – 1:30 PM	What It Takes to Lead Leadership Establishing Credibility Setting Goals Negotiating Continuous Self Improvement Continue to Be You

1:30 – 1:45 PM	Break

1:45 – 3:15 PM	Recruitment Temporary or Full-Time, What Do You Need? Outsourcing Convincing Administration You Need More Staff Interviewing Techniques Checking References Group Discussion

3:15 – 3:45 PM	Orientation Programs Structuring Streamlining Process

Skills Part II:

12:00 - 12:20 PM	Successful Delegation Getting People to Follow Through

12:20 - 12:50 PM	Training Programs Determining Training Needs Identifying Training Resources

12:50 – 1:50 PM	Coaching, Criticism and Evaluations Coaching Positive Change Evaluation Meetings Group Discussion

1:50 – 2:10 PM	Break

2:10 – 3:10 PM	Performance Management Absenteeism/Tardiness Terminating an Employee

3:10 – 3:50 PM	Positioning Your Program for Success Creating Your Plan Program Structure Promoting Your Paralegals Recognition Programs

3:50 – 4:00 PM	Wrap Up

Faculty

	Gary Melhuish, Manager of Litigation Support Services, Ballard Spahr LLP Gary Melhuish is the Manager of Litigation Support Services of Ballard Spahr, LLP. Prior to joining this firm in 2006, he was the Legal Assistant Director in the Washington, D.C. office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Gary has over 40 years’ experience as a paralegal including more than 30 years as a manager of paralegal, eDiscovery and docket clerk teams. He is a Past President and Life Member of the International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA). He was Adjunct Faculty at the Georgetown University Paralegal Studies Program where he taught Legal Ethics and Legal Technology. Gary is a 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.
	Susanne Fordham, Paralegal Manager Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Susanne has over 30 years’ experience in Paralegal Management. She has been the Paralegal Manager for Weil, Gotshal & Manges since March 2004 where she manages paralegals in the Corporate, Litigation and Bankruptcy practice areas. She also coordinates document reviews with Litigation Support and contract attorney agencies. Prior to that, she was the Paralegal Manager for Dewey Ballantine (aka Dewey LeBoeuf). She has also managed the End User Support groups for Information Systems Departments of White and Case and Davis Polk and was a Contract Manager for Doubleday/Dell/ Delacorte Press. She has a paralegal certificate from George Washington University and a BA in English from College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
	Angela Monroe, Paralegal Services Administrator, Dentons US LLP Angela Monroe, Paralegal Services Administrator, based in Atlanta, Georgia office for global law firm, Dentons US LLP. As a Paralegal Services Administrator, Angela works with the Director & Management Team in overseeing the Paralegal Services program implementing, and aligning the firm wide mission of the paralegal program with the firm’s overall strategic objectives. She is also responsible for the daily supervision of 31 Paralegal Services team members within a wide range of practice areas in the Atlanta, New Jersey and New York offices. Dentons’ Paralegal Services program consists of 100+ paralegals, case assistants, analysts and other timekeepers supporting lawyer and other professionals in twenty-three (23) offices in the United States. The Paralegal Services Management Team handles various management and supervisory duties, including recruiting, hiring and training, encouraging continuing legal education, and promoting efficient and optimal utilization of non-attorney timekeeper professionals. Ms. Monroe has almost 25 years of legal experience, most specifically in the litigation practice area and is a Certified Litigation Support Project Manager. Ms. Monroe earned her undergraduate degree from California State University - San Marcos and her Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Personnel Management from Troy University. She is a member of IPMA and currently serves as Co-Chair the Management Resources Committee and a member of the IPMA Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board. During the 2020 IPMA Conference, Angela Monroe, received the prestigious Rising Star award for her individual contributions to the IPMA organization and was honored to receive along with her Dentons colleagues from the US and Canada the 2020 President’s Award from the International Practice Management Association (IPMA), the first time the association has bestowed its top honor on a crossborder team.
	Karen Tuschak, Canada Director of Law Clerks and Paralegals, Dentons Canada LLP As the Canada Director of Law Clerks and Paralegals, Karen Tuschak manages Dentons’ Canada team of law clerks and paralegals across the Firm’s six Canadian offices. Having worked on both the in-house client and law firm sides, Karen brings broad experience from national law firms managing in-house paraprofessional teams. She also brings her knowledge of complex technology and governance projects from a previous national role in business development. In her role, Karen’s priorities include overseeing the talent and operations matters for Dentons’ Canada law clerks and paralegals, instituting best practice processes, leveraging technology, and ensuring collaboration opportunities between paraprofessionals and Dentons Canada team of lawyers. Karen is actively involved in several legal industry associations and regularly speaks at law clerk and paralegal management conferences across North America.