ALA’s mission is to “promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team.” The association’s members are law office administrators who manage such areas as finance, human resources, systems and technology, facilities, marketing and practice development. For more information about ALA visit the ALA's web site.
The association’s information-based web site provides law office managers and the legal community with news and information about ALA’s educational programs and member services, print and online management resources, online educational opportunities and jobs available in legal management. The site also provides links to more than 250 law-related management resources and organizations and vendors to the legal industry.
ALA offers many educational opportunities for legal administrators of all experience levels. Each year the ALA’s Annual Educational Conference and Exposition features expert speakers, including law office managers, attorneys and professors from leading management schools, and vendors displaying the latest products and services available to the legal industry.
Legal administrators can add to their credentials by becoming a Certified Legal Manager (CLM) .The voluntary CLM certification program allows a qualified legal administrator to demonstrate, through an examination process, a mastery of core areas of knowledge identified as essential to the effective performance of a principal administrator. Examinations are administered each autumn, and then each spring during the Annual Educational Conference and Exposition.
Each fall, ALA sponsors the Corporate/Government Fall Forum, the Large Firm Principal Administrator Retreat and the Intellectual Property Retreat. These events address the unique needs of managers from these types of law practices. ALA’s regions also host individual conferences each autumn, and ALA’s chapters conduct many seminars and retreats at the local level.
The latest developments in law office management are covered in Legal Management, ALA’s journal. ALA News and ALA News International, the member magazines, provides the latest association news and career information for legal administrators. ALA offers many other resources, including publications, audiotapes, videotapes and teleseminars on such subject as communication and general management, human resources, office systems, finance and client development.
Regular membership in ALA is open to any full-time administrator or support manager who is employed in a private law firm, corporate government or university legal department, or charitable legal agency. Associate membership is available to certain individuals. Membership is not open to vendors or consultants. Visit the ALA's web site for more information on the benefits of membership or to obtain an membership application.
National Job Bank ALA Headquarters, based in Lincolnshire, Illinois, operates a nationwide job bank for legal administrators exploring career opportunities and for organizations seeking a legal manager. Listings are updated weekly and are accessible to over 8,000 ALA members as well as prospective employers. Individuals planning to relocate or who are looking for another position may place a position wanted ad. Organizations with positions to fill, including professional recruiters and executive search firms, are invited to place ads.
For information concerning fees and details about ALA Management Connections, contact Member Benefits at ALA International, http://www.alanet.org/contact.asp or (847) 267-1252.
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