Exploring New Horizons: Attending HELM – A Premier Conference for Higher Education Professionals

Tina, a woman with brown hair, wears wire-rimmed glasses, a grey blouse and jacket and is smiling.By Tina Dadio

What is HELM?

HELM (Higher Educational Legal Managers) is a nationwide group of legal administrators from both public and private colleges and universities across the United States. This voluntarily-formed body of like-minded colleagues is not incorporated nor affiliated as a legal entity with any other association. Members join HELM to exchange ideas, share job experiences, and seek continuing education opportunities.

A Brief History

HELM was established in 1996 when the office manager of Georgetown University’s Office of the University Counsel met with other legal office managers from several East Coast colleges to share ideas, best practices, and experiences specific to legal administration in higher education. These informal meetings soon expanded into a two-and-a-half-day annual conference, attended by members from more than 100 universities in the United States and Canada. Additionally, a listserv was created to facilitate ongoing communication. Members stay connected through listserv exchanges and an annual conference hosted by a member institution.

Mission and Membership

While the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) aims to advance the effective practice of higher education attorneys, HELM’s mission is to support those attorneys. With over 160 members, HELM operates primarily as a volunteer organization, meaning there are no annual membership fees. Annual conference registration fees are charged to cover the costs incurred by the host institution.

Communication and Conferences

The primary source of contact for HELM members is through the HELM listserv, a forum where members can exchange ideas and seek information from colleagues. The recent 2024 HELM Conference was held at Rice University in Houston, Texas, with representatives from 26 institutions attending the three-day event. The HELM Conference is an excellent opportunity for networking, professional development, and collaboration.

Conference Highlights

The 2024 conference programming included engaging and memorable presentations on topics such as:

  • Records Management, Retention Schedules & Taming the File Room
  • Legal Intake, Workflow, and Task Management
  • New and Emerging Software as a Service Technology for Higher Education Legal Offices
  • Case Management in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) in Times of Crisis
  • The Relationship Between Legal, Compliance, and Risk
  • Demonstrating Value in OGC’s Legal Offices
  • Onboarding New Staff
  • Title IX Discussion by Rice University Panelists
  • Certifications, Skills, Degrees, and Continuing Education for Legal Managers

Recommended Reading

For those interested in further professional development, here are some recommended books:

  • “Atomic Habits”: Build good habits and break bad ones.
  • “Brief”: Lean communication.
  • “Emotional Intelligence 2.0”: Achieving your fullest potential.
  • “Managing with Carrots”: Using recognition to attract and retain the best people.
  • “Steal Like an Artist”: Inspiring creativity.
  • “StrengthsFinder 2.0”: Identifying strengths and improving teamwork.
  • “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”: Improving teamwork.
  • “Whale Done!”: The power of positive relationships.
  • “Who Moved My Cheese?”: Change management.

If you work in higher education and are interested in attending next year’s HELM Conference, please send an email to [email protected] with your contact details. For more information, visit our HELM Website (note: the website is in the process of being updated).

Tina Dadio is the University Public Records Officer and has served as the paralegal for the Office of Legal Affairs since July 2010. She has over thirty years of experience in the paralegal field, having worked previously at litigation law firms in North Carolina and Connecticut. She received her bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. Tina has been a council member on the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division since 2014 and currently serves as a liaison to the North Carolina Bar Association Education Law Section. She also serves on the Paralegal Division’s Executive Leadership Committee, Long-Range Planning Committee, and is the chair of the Historian Committee and co-chair of the Survey Committee. She was the recipient of UNC Charlotte’s 2015 Employee of the Year, Devotion of Duty, for outstanding state government service. Tina has written articles for the Young Lawyer’s Division’s The Advocate newsletter and for the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Council’s Paralegal Perspectives newsletter. She has also been featured in UNC Charlotte’s Inside UNC Charlotte’s FACES newsletter and in the Carolina Paralegal News, a North Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly publication. Tina proudly served this state as the 2019-2020 Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division and is a member of the governance committee for the Higher Education Legal Managers (HELM) Association.

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