Leadership Profiles

Where available, individual profiles for the current and past officers are shown below.

Carl J. Barba, Jr.

Secretary (1998 - 1999)
Vice-President (1999 - 2001)
President (2001 - 2003)
Immediate Past President (2003 - 2005) 

Carl J. Barba is a Certified Business Coach with ActionCOACH Business Coaching. He is the former Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP, a Boston-based law firm. Like his hero Lew Gray, Carl came to the legal administration profession relatively late. 

A 1968 graduate of tiny Hobart College in upstate New York, Carl accepted the invitation of his Uncle Sam to travel abroad. Drafted into the United States Army, he served for a year in the Republic of South Korea.

Following military service, Carl earned his Masters in Accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton, unaware at the time that this same institution would produce another luminary of the Cyber Chapter—Morry Schorr.

Carl began his career as a "staff accounting puke" at Arthur Andersen & Company in Rochester, New York, where he earned his CPA certificate. Armed with that certificate, he rose steadily through a variety of financial management positions with increasing responsibility in several major corporations in different industries. His experiences include stints at Bausch & Lomb, as a Vice President of Finance at Welch Foods (maker of Welch's Grape Juice), and as Vice President of Finance & Administration for Scandia Trading Company (apparel).

Carl became an ALA Member and Legal Administrator in 1992, when he joined Nutter, McClennen & Fish. He was active in ALA's Boston Chapter (where he is a life member) and served as that chapter's elected President (1998-99). Carl is also a life member of the Cyber Chapter, where he also served as President.

Carl likes to read in his spare time, especially Civil War history. He is a fanatic golfer currently laboring with a 10 handicap. When he grows up, Carl says he wants to be just like the legendary Lew Gray—but better looking (alas, a very tall order). 

Frank Gould

Treasurer (2003 - 2005)
Membership (2005 - 2007)
Webmaster (2005 - 2009)

Frank Gould began his career in law firm administration in 1981 as Manager of Accounting and Computer Operations for one of the oldest firms in Los Angeles:  Meserve, Mumper & Hughes, which was founded in 1889. Most recently, he was Executive Director (2001-2009) for Brown Winfield Canzoneri Abram Inc., a Los Angeles firm which was founded in 1974 and ceased operations after 35 years in business. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer (1998-2000) for Hale Lane, a Nevada law firm with offices in Reno, Las Vegas, and Carson City; as Chief Administrative Officer (1990-97) for Weissburg and Aronson, Inc., a 75-attorney multi-office California firm which merged with Foley & Lardner in 1996; and as Director of Administration for two other California firms, Ross Ivanjack and Nilsson Robbins, from 1984 to 1990.

Frank joined ALA and the Beverly Hills Chapter (now merged with the Greater Los Angeles chapter) in 1984 and served as editor of Interchange, the newsletter of the Beverly Hills Chapter from 1987 to 1993. He was President of the Beverly Hills Chapter in 1991-92 and also served on a Regional Conference Committee in the 1990s, was Chair of the Region 6 Nominating Committee in 2002, and was a member of the Association Nominating Committee in 2006.  He has also served the Cyber Chapter as Treasurer, Membership Chair, and Webmaster.

Law firm management is Frank's third career, having previously worked in the broadcasting and recording industries. From 1965 to 1969, Frank was Music & Production Director for Radio Station CFOX in his hometown of Montreal, Canada. In 1970, Frank "flipped" to the other side—the recording industry—working for the Canadian division of the company then known as Polydor Records, a member of the PolyGram Group.  As Director of Artists & Repertoire, Frank was involved in the Canadian marketing/distribution of such artists as Cream, Eric Clapton, Derek & The Dominos, Olivia Newton-John, BB King, The Bee Gees, Neil Sedaka, and The Osmonds. In 1976, Frank relocated to New York and served as General Manager of International Music Consultants, the PolyGram office responsible for the licensing of American-based artists/recordings to all of the PolyGram affiliates worldwide.

Although he has worked in Los Angeles most of his law firm career, he has commuted to work in Southern California (or Reno) on a weekly basis from Las Vegas, where Frank and his wife, Claire —and their cats (Bugsy, Lila, Charlie, Ditto, and Muppette)—live in Henderson, Nevada (adjacent to "sin city").  How they came to welcome Lila into their home is a sweet story.  Frank is the original owner of a classic 1975 Buick LeSabre convertible, the last year of the "full size" V8 convertibles under the Buick brand and Claire is the original owner of a 3-door 1979 Pinto Runabout.

Ronald ("Ron") M. Henry

Secretary (1994 - 1995)
Membership Chair (1995 - 1996)
Vice President (1996 - 1998)
President (1998 - 1999)
Immediate Past President (1999 - 2001)
ALA Region 1 Director (1999 - 2001)
                           ALA President-Elect (2001 - 2002)
                            ALA President (2002 - 2003)
                               ALA Immediate Past President (2003 - 2004 ) 

Ron Henry is the Executive Director at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, A Professional Corporation in Woodbridge, New Jersey. A member of ALA since 1989, Ron has been extremely active at all levels of the organization.

Retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel, Ron gained many years' valuable experience in personnel and administration which he has used to his—and ALA' s—advantage. With a baccalaureate degree from Muhlenberg College and a master's degree in Management & Supervision from Central Michigan University, Ron is well equipped for his present duties.

A former secretary (1993-'94), second vice-president (Membership 1994-95), and president (1996-97) of the New Jersey Chapter, Ron is a founding member of the Cyber Chapter, having been instrumental in the birth of ALA' s electronic forum. He was Leadership & Management Education Development Team (L&M Ed Team) Chair (1993-94) when the proposal was first made and lent his considerable support to the project.

Ron has served the national organization in a variety of roles. Prior to chairing the L&M Ed Team, he served as a member of the committee (1992-93). He has also served on the 1995 and 1996 ALA Annual Education Conference Committees and was chair of the 1998 ALA Annual Educational Conference Committee. At the Regional level, Ron served as the Region 1 Education Officer (1998-99). He also served on ALA's Board of Directors as Region 1 Director (1999-2001); ALA's President-Elect (2001-02); and as President of ALA (2002-03). He continued to serve as Past President through the Philadelphia Annual Conference in May 2004.

Ron is an associate member of the ABA and serves on the New Jersey State Bar Law Office Management Committee. In his spare time, as part of the Newark School System's 10,000 Mentors Programs, Ron has been a mentor for a 13-year-old who lives in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey.

When he is not volunteering, he can be seen riding his Harley 1998 Softail Custom around Princeton, New Jersey. 

Linda R. Lehmann

In May 2003, Linda R. Lehmann (lee' mun) became Business Manager for Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP a 28-attorney firm with offices in Anchorage, Alaska and Portland, Oregon, after serving for three years as Legal Administrator for Duden Neiman LLP, an 11-lawyer boutique civil litigation firm. She was also Administrator for Duden Neiman's predecessor firm, Tooze Duden Creamer Frank & Hutchison. Prior to joining Tooze Duden et al, Linda was Accounting Manager with Sussman Shank LLP for over 15 years. After leaving Sussman Shank in early 1998 and thinking that there might be life outside a law firm, Linda was Controller for an engineering firm for 1½ years. The allure of the known (or was it masochism?) returned her to the fold. Prior to 1977 when she joined Sussman Shank, Linda's management experience was still with professional services firms, albeit CPAs, not lawyers, and she suspects Di Clark was content with her third career.

Linda joined ALA in 1985 and served her local chapter in several capacities, including President. She then went on to become a regional officer in 1995-97 and was honored to serve as a "scribe" for ALA Vice-President David Brezina at the first-ever ALA Summer Summit (now known as CLI/Chapter Leadership Institute). Linda also was editor of her chapter's newsletter for several years, which won many coveted chapter awards while under her leadership. Linda coordinated the 1997 chapter dinner in Seattle, where members enjoyed each other's company, food, and a jazz concert. Linda served on the Association Nominating Committee in 1997 and wrote a white paper for the Cyber Chapter about that experience; ALA has since republished her paper.

Both inside and outside the office, Linda is known for her passion for mainstream jazz. For ten years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz, chaired its Talent Committee and, in 1994, hired the talent for the three-day festival. She also enjoys taking jazz cruises to the Caribbean and traveling to jazz parties. During her hiatus from the legal world, she encouraged Morry Schorr to join her at a jazz party being held in Irvine, CA. This was Morry's first jazz party but not his last as Morry and Linda have sat together at subsequent jazz events in both Irvine and Newport Beach, CA. The ever-understanding Mrs. Schorr, who is not a jazz fan, scouts out local eateries during the music and Morry and Linda join her at the selection du jour during dinner breaks.

Every June Linda enjoys her timeshare in St. Maarten. 

Donald (Don) J. W. Osborne

Treasurer (2005 - 2007)

Donald (Don) J. W. Osborne is the Executive Director for Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, a 75-lawyer business and litigation firm in Richmond, Virginia. He has been with the firm since 2001. Prior to that he worked as the Executive Director for LeClair Ryan, a 110-lawyer firm. He has worked in legal management for more than 20 years, including eleven years in various management positions at McGuire Woods, an AmLaw 100 firm. Don has been a member of ALA since 1997. He has served as both Vice President and President of the Richmond Chapter of ALA.

Prior to working in law firm management, Don served as a Machinist Mate in the US Navy and as a Police Officer in Georgia. He has also worked as an accountant, tax preparer, bus boy, life guard, swimming instructor, and gas station attendant. In between law firms, he worked as a Human Resources professional for a statewide insurance company located in Virginia while completing his bachelor’s degree and obtaining professional certifications.

Don has an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources from the University of Richmond. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Society for Human Resources Management Certification Institute and a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Don is also a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family, riding his Harley and BMW motorcycles, or scuba diving. He has been practicing martial arts since 2002.  

Bernadette E. Peters, CLM

 Secretary (1997 - 1998)
Vice President (1998 - 1999)
President (1999 - 2001)
Immediate Past President (2001 - 2003) 

Bernadette E. Peters, CLM, has been an ALA Member and Legal Administrator since 1990.  Most recently, she was Executive Director for Sachs Sax Caplan in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was Administrator for Shutts & Bowen, LLP, in Miami, Florida, prior to that. She was an active member in the Hawaii Chapter and headed that chapter's Newsletter Committee before relocating to the Mainland.

Bernadette was born and raised in New York and attended the University of Scranton (PA), where she was the first female to be awarded an ROTC scholarship. She earned her BA in History and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, as a Second Lieutenant. The Army balanced this assignment to the arid Southwest with a transfer to Honolulu, where she completed her active duty. Bernadette compared her experiences upon release from active duty and decided to make Honolulu her home.

She is a graduate of various Army schools, culminating with her graduation from the Army's Command and General Staff College in 1995. In 1997, Bernadette graduated from the University of Phoenix, Hawaii campus with her MBA.

In August, 1998, Bernadette relocated from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Miami, Florida. In 2002-2003, Bernadette was recalled to active duty with the Third Infantry Division and promoted to the rank of Colonel. She returned to civilian life in October 2003.  

Paul J. Sullivan

Vice President (2003 -2005)
President (2005 – 2007)
Immediate Past President (2007 – 2008)

Paul Sullivan retired in early 2009, having been the Administrator with Quinn Johnston Henderson & Pretorius in Peoria, Illinois, since 1987. QJHP is a 26-attorney insurance defense firm with offices in Peoria and Springfield. Prior to joining the legal profession, Paul owned a distribution business for ten years, was General manager for an electronics manufacturer, and held various sales and management positions with a major computer manufacturer.

Paul joined ALA in 1987 and was a charter member and twice past president of the now "deceased" Central Illinois Chapter and is one of the original members of the Cyber Chapter. He served on the ALA Newsletter advisory council and has had articles published in ALA News and Legal Management.

Paul is also quite active in the Illinois State Bar Association as a nonlawyer member. He has served on their Law Office Economics Section Committee since 1998 and has presented at several ISBA-sponsored Law Ed programs and meetings. He also has a bimonthly column on Law Office Management which runs in the Illinois Bar Journal.

Paul's passion for running has diminished greatly as age is taking its toll; however 9 marathons including Boston during the 1998 conference are among his feats. He now says he can write 26 stanzas of a limerick quicker than he can run a marathon. 

For something to do in retirement, Paul and his wife DD formed On Call Management, Inc., which provides management services to businesses too small to have full-time management internally.  A cancer survivor, DD enthusiastically supports Breast Cancer Research through the Susan G. Komen Center and the Peoria Race for the Cure.

Elizabeth ("Betsy") S. Widdop

Secretary (2005 - 2007)
President (2007 - 2008)
Immediate Past President (2008 - 2009)

Since 1989, Elizabeth S. (Betsy) Widdop has held the position of Office Manager at the 25-attorney firm of Apperson, Crump & Maxwell, PLC,, the oldest continuously operating firm in Memphis, Tennessee, having been founded in 1865 by recently retired member Charles Metcalf Crump’s grandfather. Betsy had worked for the firm as a legal secretary for 12 years up until a friend in the software applications business lured her away in 1986. She used those three years away from Apperson Crump wisely, expanding her management and computer knowledge to the extent that when approached about returning to the law firm (which had no legal administrator at that time), she was able to bring her new skills to the task.

Betsy attended the University of Tennessee at Nashville and the University of Memphis during the 1970s, focusing her studies in Business Administration. She has been a member of the Memphis Chapter of the ALA since 1990; and over the years, she has served three terms as President of the chapter. She has chaired or cochaired the chapter’s Vendor Relations Committee for the past seven years, coordinating their annual Legal Products and Services Expo. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Memphis Legal Placement, Inc., the wholly-owned placement subsidiary of the Memphis Bar Association, since 1990, and is presently Chairman.

Betsy’s hobbies include cooking, music, eBaying, bridge, and family fun! 

Susan M. (Lamb) Tyree

Vice President (2006 - 2008)
President (2008 - 2009)