Meetings & Events

September 2026 SVALA Luncheon

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Please RSVP

Please join us at our monthly education luncheon for our Platinum Business Partner Nationwide Legal's presentation of AI for the Modern Law Firm. Topics will include:

· What is AI, and more importantly, what AI is not
· Prompt Engineering: How to ask so you don't have to ask twice.
· What AI can actually do for your Firm.
· Live Demo : Distinction of the tools available (ie, ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Claude and Perplexity/Comet)
· Where the issues are with AI and the Law.
· Homework!

Kevin Larroque Nationwide Legal's Northern California General Manger will be ready to field your real life examples on the fly.

Please join us at your July monthly educational luncheon for, "Your Partners Won't Always Be Here: Does Your Law Firm Have a Succession Plan?", presented by Kathryn Scourby.

Succession planning for lawyers and law firms is not something that has ever come naturally. Most lawyers do not want to broach the topic of retirement and what the next part of their life will look like. But succession planning is critical to law firms and needs to be an integral part of the firm's overall business continuity strategy before lawyers begin to think about retirement. Succession planning allows firms to prepare for transitions of key positions and major client relationships when shareholders or key partners leave the firm. Succession planning also helps the firm be prepared for any untimely loss of a critical firm leader. Neglecting the issue of succession can be very detrimental to the overall productivity of current lawyers in the firm, so the optimal time to begin a succession plan is way in advance of shareholders/partners reaching retirement age. This session will explore why law firms need succession plans in their firms now, issues that should be considered for creating a viable succession plan and what a comprehensive succession plan should look like.

Kathryn Scourby is the Principal of KNS Consulting, LLC and a Certified Business Continuity Professional and Certified Cyber Resilience Professional. Kathy consults with professional service firms in the areas of business continuity, disaster preparedness, cyber resilience, risk management, and compliance. Kathy's experience includes thirty-three years in management with international law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at legal management and business continuity conferences, state and local Bar Association meetings and conferences, other association meetings and conferences and with private service firms and businesses. She has presented for many ALA chapters and assisted in the planning of ALA National Conference.

This month's luncheon is sponsored by Platinum Business Partner Sierra Office Supply & Printing.

Sierra Office Supply & Printing offers quick and efficient services for delivering office supplies, duplicating projects, office furnishings, and all your commercial printing needs. Our goal is to provide you with every item you want, from the first paper clip you need in the morning to the audio-visual presentation equipment for this afternoon's meeting.

Building Your Personal Board of Directors

The longer your career goes on, the more important it becomes to have people who can help you think strategically about your life and work, not just react to the next problem on your calendar. In this working session, we'll explore the idea of a Personal Board of Directors: the trusted people who offer perspective, honesty, encouragement, wisdom, and connection throughout your career. Participants will leave with a clearer picture of the relationships they want to strengthen and a practical plan for keeping those connections active over time.

Presented by Jennifer Forester, a consultant, trainer, and ICF-certified coach who co-leads Sacramento's "Practice Builder" program, helping lawyers build stronger relationships, visibility, and long-term career success.

Please join us at your May monthly educational luncheon for PAGA Prevention Management Training - Private Attorneys General Act, designed to help us better understand and navigate California's complex employment landscape.

This session will cover:

• What PAGA is and why it has changed how businesses manage employees
• The importance of consistent application of California labor laws
• Paystub and wage & hour requirements
• Employee classification essentials
• The 7 manager/supervisor behaviors that commonly trigger PAGA claims
• Key takeaways to help managers reduce risk and ensure compliance

The training will be led by Dana Tafoya, PHR, a Senior HR Consultant with over 25 years of experience, including two decades supporting California-based organizations. Dana brings deep expertise in employment law, compliance, and HR best practices, and is known for helping businesses build effective, scalable, and compliant HR infrastructures. Her thoughtful, people-centered approach combines practical guidance with a strong focus on fostering positive workplace cultures.

May 2026 SVALA Luncheon

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Sponsored by our Platinum Business Sponsor Pacific Records Management

UPDATED DATE! This meeting has been changed to Friday, April 24, 2026!

April 2026 SVALA Luncheon

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Save the Dates for 2026!

Our members shine at our Annual Conference & Expo! Held every spring, this is our marquee event where 1,000+ legal management professionals and business partners convene for three days of professional development, networking and fun. You'll leave inspired and ready to take on the challenges back at your legal organization.

2026 Annual Conference & Expo

April 12-15, 2026
Gaylord National Harbor
National Harbor, Maryland

SVALA Annual Law Firm Leadership Luncheon

11:30 am - 12:00 pm - Meet with Business Partners while enjoying hand passed appetizers and beverages
12:00 pm - Event Introduction
12:05 pm - 1:05 pm - Judy Hissong - Keynote Speaker from Nesso Strategies (https://nessostrategies.com/)
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Coffee, dessert, raffle prizes

Leadership Lessons Through Sport:

As a former professional athlete turned law firm COO, Judy Hissong weaves stories of her athletic career with the necessary elements of leadership in a law firm.

Objectives:

• Understand resilience as a key component of well being and competence.
• Examine the role of expectations in creating an ethical environment.
• Recognize structural habits of attention in developing client service teams and a firm built for long term success.

*MCLE CREDIT :: 1 hour Wellness Competence
**CLM Application Credit :: 1 hour of Self Management
**CLM Functional Specialist credit :: 1 hour of Human Resources Management
**CLM Recertification credit :: 1 hour of Human Resources Management

Community Connection Event: River City Food Bank

10 AM to 2:00 PM

Please join us for our February educational luncheon. Our Platinum Business Partner Nationwide Legal will be presenting E-Discovery Fundamentals, speaking on the topic will be Executive Vice President Sam Cho. Learn how to understand core stages of the e-discovery lifecycle, navigate common data sources and preservation obligations, and work effectively with litigation teams.

Please RSVP by accepting your calendar invite.

RSVP no-shows will be charged $38.00.

2026 SVALA Holiday Luncheon
Details TBA

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM