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The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) was formed in 1971 to provide support to professionals involved in the management of law firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. ALA provides educational opportunities and services to more than 10,000 members in 28 countries. ALA is structured into six regions with more than 100 chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and New Zealand.
ALA’s mission is to “promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team; improve the quality of management in law firms and other legal service organizations; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.”
The association’s members are law office administrators who manage such areas as finance, human resources, systems and technology, facilities, marketing and practice development.
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Karen Griggs
ALA President
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The association’s information-based website
www.alanet.org - 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. One big resource for ALA Members on the ALA website is the
ALA Management Solutions service. This free informational resource brings you customized information to meet your specific needs when you need it.
The
ALA Management Encyclopedia is filled with answers to your questions on financial management, marketing, strategic planning, human resources and more. The
Encyclopedia is a powerful tool that turns theory into practical tips and provides suggestions you can implement to get results. As of 2011, the Encyclopedia is included in your ALA Membership!
The site also provides links to more than 250 law-related management resources and organizations and vendors to the legal industry. At the local level, the Atlanta Chapter’s website provides up-to-date information to members and guests at
http://www.atlanta-ala.com.
ALA offers many educational opportunities for legal administrators of all experience levels. ALA’s Annual Educational Conference and Exposition features more than 100 expert speakers including law office managers, attorneys and professors from leading management schools. Also, more than 250 vendors display 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.
Every year, ALA sponsors the Corporate/Government Fall Forum, the Large Firm Principal Administrator Retreat, the Intellectual Property Retreat and the Extraordinary Law Firm conference. These events address the unique needs of managers from these types of law practices. ALA’s regions also host individual conferences each fall, 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 tele-seminars 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.
If you are interested in joining the Atlanta Chapter, please contact
click here for more information.
