| About ALA |
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The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), the premier management resource for the legal profession, is the largest association representing legal administrators in the world. Formed in 1971, ALA provides support to professionals involved in the management of law firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. ALA provides high quality educational opportunities and services to more than 9,000 members representing more than 6,000 employers in 27 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." The Association's members are law office administrators who are thought leaders and industry experts on legal management issues such as finance, human resources, systems and technology, facilities, marketing and practice development. WEB SITE The Association's information-based Web site (www.alanet.org) provides law office managers and the legal community with news and information about ALA's exceptional 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. EDUCATION ALA offers many outstanding 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. In addition, 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)SM. The voluntary CLMSM 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 valuable seminars and retreats at the local level. PUBLICATIONS The latest developments in law office management are covered in Legal Management, ALA's journal. ALA News and ALA News International, the member magazines, provide the latest Association news and career information for legal administrators. ALA offers many other resources, including publications, audiotapes, videotapes and teleseminars on such subjects as communication and general management, human resources, office systems, finance and client development. COMMUNITY SERVICE ALA supports and gives back to the communities in which members work. To help those in need tackle everyday challenges, ALA created its Community Challenge Weekend (CCW) program in 1999. During the month of October, ALA encourages its chapters, members firms, vendors, relatives and friends to come together to contribute time, energy and resources toward improving their own communities. MEMBERSHIP 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. PROGRAMS Annual Educational Conference and Exposition. The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) Annual Educational Conference and Exposition is recognized as the premier educational conference in the field of law firm management. It is designed to meet the needs and interests of legal managers, whether novice or seasoned, generalist or specialist. More than 1,400 administrators attend four days of educational programs featuring more than 140 courses. ALA’s Exposition is the only national show specifically targeting the legal administrator. More than 200 companies showcase the latest legal technology, products and services. Attending ALA’s Annual Educational Conference and Exposition is an opportunity legal administrators and vendors cannot afford to miss! Regional Conferences. Regional Conferences, two day events traditionally held each fall, provide affordable educational opportunities for ALA members and members of the legal management team. You will not find a better opportunity to expand your knowledge, enhance your professional value, and network with your peers. Retreats & Specialized Programs. Retreats & Specialized Programs. Legal managers who work in specialized organizations enjoy learning opportunities tailored to their unique needs. Each year, ALA's special interest retreats provide speaker and panel presentation as well as networking benefits. Currently, ALA sponsors three special interest retreats and two specialty programs:
ALA Teleseminars. ALA’s telephone seminars are a cost effective and efficient way to bring education to each participant’s office or home. Whether located in a large metropolitan area or in a small rural community, this educational opportunity is as close as a touch tone telephone. And, because ALA utilizes the "site license: concept, individuals can invite unlimited listeners to participate in the learning experience -- all for one low registration fee. Learning On Demand Program. ALA's Learning On Demand Program provides ALA members and their staff an exciting line-up of online educational opportunities. ALA has teamed up with SkillSoft Corporation to offer more than 375 Web-based courses focusing on a wide range of management topics, including strategic planning, leadership, human resources management, communication, knowledge management, personal development, finance, marketing and more. Courses can be accessed through ALA's Web site and can be taken seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Certified Legal Manager (CLM)SM Program. The CLMSM Program was created to help raise professional standards, encourage self-assessment, and award recognition to those legal administrators who meet prescribed levels of competence and ethical fitness. The certification assessment process includes meeting educational and experience requirements and passing an examination that tests knowledge of 47 key competencies. ALA Management SolutionsSM. Using various communications techniques for efficient service, this program offers timely assistance to members seeking help with Association- and profession-specific information needs. ALA Management ConnectionsSM (Job Bank). ALA’s nationwide job bank program, ALA Management ConnectionsSM, was created for individuals seeking to secure or fill positions within the legal management profession. This program brings together prospective employers and employees from every aspect of the legal marketplace. ALA Value in Partnership (VIP)SM Program. Enhancing the services and benefits available to ALA members continues to be one of ALA’s top priorities. With that goal in mind, ALA has a series of benefit programs (discounts from the following organizations) that are of value not only to members, but also to their employers and families. ALA currently offers programs in cooperation with:
For more information about ALA’s educational programs, visit ALA online at www.alanet.org. |
ALA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
The legal profession and business must adhere to high ethical standards to maintain public trust. This ALA Code of Professional Ethics sets forth guidelines or standards for the ethical administration of legal practices -- private firms, legal clinics, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies and the courts.Legal administrators at all levels must become familiar with these standards and incorporate them into their everyday performance. They should also study and comply with all ethical guidelines of bar associations and law societies which apply in their own jurisdictions. Furthermore, they must take the lead in communicating relevant standards to staff personnel who may be less familiar than lawyers with the ethical guidelines of bar associations and law societies, and in communicating appropriate policies and procedures to lawyers.
PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF CONDUCT
Honesty
The professional legal administrator shall:- Be open and honest in all relationships with attorneys, employees and others.
- Never compromise the reputation or good of the legal practice by dishonest or illegal behavior.
Integrity
The professional legal administrator shall:- Avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest. Advise all appropriate parties of any potential conflicts.
- Never engage in activities that would prejudice the ethical performance of job responsibilities.
- Refuse any gift, favor or hospitality that would influence or appear to influence actions, unless such item is fully disclosed to and approved by management.
- Never solicit or accept any personal or family fee, commission, gift, gratuity, discount or loan for performing job duties or providing services to existing or potential clients.
- Pursue and promote fair and equitable employment practices and oppose discrimination which is based upon gender, age, race, religious creed, national origin, sexual orientation, physical disability, marital, parental or veteran status.
- Endeavor to foster a work environment founded on respect and dignity and free of sexual harassment.
Objectivity
The professional legal administrator shall:- Communicate all information fairly and objectively.
- Fully disclose all known information that would be material to a particular management or financial decision.
- Fully disclose all relevant information required for an intended user to understand management reports, employee communications, business recommendations and comments.
Competence
The professional legal administrator shall:- Maintain an appropriate level of professional competence and enhance existing skills through ongoing professional education programs, peer group associations and self-training.
- Recognize and communicate professional limitations or other constraints that would preclude responsible judgment or successful performance of an activity.
- Ensure that delegated tasks are responsibly assigned and competently performed.
- Make every effort to ensure that subordinates have necessary skills and levels of competence.
Independence
The professional legal administrator shall:- Ensure that all personal political activities are separated from the legal practice.
- Never make investments which would benefit from inside knowledge of the legal practice or its clients.
- Exercise prudence and restraint in personal financial affairs, including speculative investment and margin accounts, in order to avoid debts and other financial obligations which could compromise independence and professional judgment.
Professional Responsibility
The professional legal administrator shall:- Promulgate a positive image of the legal practice to its clients and potential clients; attorneys and staff personnel; bankers, consultants and vendors; the press; governmental agencies; the legal community; and all other relevant audiences.
- Exercise reasonable diligence in gathering business data and information from internal and external sources and in reporting that information in a manner which facilitates informed decision-making.
Confidentiality
The professional legal administrator shall:- Never disclose confidential information acquired in the course of employment, whether or not still employed by that legal practice, except when legally obligated to do so.
- Inform subordinates that confidentiality of information acquired in the course of their work is essential, and monitor their activities to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.
- Ensure that all confidential and proprietary information acquired in the course of duty is used solely for legal practice purposes, is not provided to unauthorized persons, and is not used for the purpose of furthering a private interest or making a personal profit.
Service
The professional legal administrator shall:- Perform business duties in good faith in a manner believed to be in the best interests of the legal practice.
- Perform duties only within assigned authority.
- Accomplish assigned tasks in a timely manner.
- Promote and monitor guidelines for practice development and marketing activities to ensure that those activities are appropriate for the legal practice and conform with applicable professional guidelines.
Antitrust Guide
For Members of the Association of Legal Administrators
Professional associations such as the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), although well recognized as valuable tools of American business, are subject to severe scrutiny by both federal and state governments.
The single most significant law affecting professional associations is the Sherman Antitrust Act, which makes unlawful "every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce…"
A professional association by the very nature of the fact that it is made up of competitors is a combination, thus satisfying one of the elements in proving an antitrust violation. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act is also applicable to professional associations; it makes unlawful the same types of conduct that are prohibited by the Sherman Act. Furthermore, almost all states have enacted antitrust laws similar to the Sherman Act.
There is no organization too small or too localized to escape the possibility of a civil or criminal antitrust suit. The federal government has brought civil or criminal actions against such small organizations as Maine Lobstermen, a Virginia audio-visual association, Bakersfield Plumbing Contractors, the Utah Pharmaceuticals Association, and local barbers associations.
The government has brought approximately five civil and ten criminal cases a year against professional associations. It is thus imperative that every professional association member, regardless of the size of the association or the size of those comprising the membership, refrain from indulging in any activity which may be the basis of a federal or state antitrust action.
There are four main areas of antitrust concern for professional associations: price fixing, membership, standardization and certification, and industry self-regulation. The area of greatest concern, for it is the area where individual members are most likely to violate the law and the area where the government appears most concerned, is price fixing. The government may infer a violation of the Sherman Act by the mere fact that all or most of the members of the professional association are doing the same thing with respect to prices. It is not required that there be an actual agreement, written or unwritten, to increase prices. Rather, price fixing is a very broad term which includes any concerted effort or action which has an effect on prices or on competition.
Accordingly, professional association members should refrain from any discussion which may provide the basis for an inference that the members agreed to take action relating to prices, production, allocation of markets, or any other matter having a market effect. The following topics, while not the only ones, are some of the main ones which should not be discussed at regular meetings or member gatherings:
- Do not discuss current or future billing rates, fees, disbursement charges or other items that could be construed as "price." Further, be very careful of discussions of past billing rates, fees or prices.
- Do not discuss what is a fair profit, billing rate or wage level.
- Do not discuss an increase or decrease in price, fees or wages, or disbursement charges. In this regard, remember that interest charges are considered an item of price.
- Do not discuss standardizing or stabilizing prices, fees or wages, or disbursement charges.
- Do not discuss current billing or fee procedures.
- Do not discuss the imposition of credit terms or the amount thereof.
- Do not complain to a competitor that his billing rates, fees or wages constitute unfair trade practices. In this context, another law firm (or even a corporate legal department) may be considered a competitor.
- Do not discuss refusing to deal with anyone because of his pricing or fees.
Do not conduct surveys (under the auspices of ALA or informally) relating to fees, wages or other economic matters without prior review by antitrust legal counsel. Any survey should have the following characteristics: a) participation is voluntary and open to non-members, b) data should be of past transactions, c) data should be collected by an independent third party, such as an accounting firm, d) confidentiality of each participant's data should be preserved, and e) data should be presented only in a composite form to conceal data of any single participant. If these criteria are met, an association can collect and disseminate data on a wide range of matters, including such things as past salaries, vacation policies, types of office equipment used, etc.
However, care must be taken to ensure that the purpose of any survey is to permit each firm to assess its own performance. If a survey is used for the purpose of or has the effect of raising or stabilizing fees, wages, disbursements, credit policies and the like, it will create serious antitrust problems.
Within this same legal framework applicable to surveys, an association can make presentations or circulate articles regarding such educational matters as establishing sound office procedures, etc., provided it is clear that the matters are educational, and not a basis for law firm uniformity or agreement.
Inasmuch as association antitrust violations can subject all association members to criminal and civil liability, members should be aware of the legal risks in regard to membership policy and industry self-regulation. Fair and objective membership requirement policies should be established. Membership policies should avoid:
- Restrictions on dealing with non-members.
- Exclusions from membership, especially if there is a business advantage in being a member.
- Limitations on access to association information, unless the limitation is based upon protection of trade secrets.
The Association of Legal Administrators has a code of ethics, which sets forth parameters of ethical conduct. However, to ensure that the Code of Ethics does not create any antitrust problems, ALA must continue to ensure that its Code does not have arbitrary enforcement procedures or penalties.
The penalties for violating federal or state antitrust laws are severe. The maximum criminal penalty for violating the Sherman Act was increased in 2004 from $350,000 to $1,000,000 for an individual and from $10,000,000 to $100,000,000 for a corporation. Pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act, alternative maximum fines could be increased to twice the pecuniary gain of an offender or twice the loss to another person.
Individuals and corporate officers who are found guilty of bid rigging, price fixing or market allocation will virtually always be sentenced to jail pursuant to the Sentencing Guidelines; community service cannot be used to avoid imprisonment. The minimum recommended sentence is four months; the maximum is three years.
Additionally, there are civil penalties such as injunctions or cease and desist orders which could result in government supervision of association members, restricting the association's activities or disbanding the association.
Civil suits may be brought by consumers or competitors. Civil antitrust actions result in treble damage awards and attorneys' fees. Thus, if association members are held liable to a competitor for antitrust violations which resulted in $500,000 worth of lost business, the verdict may exceed $1,500,000.
The government's attitude toward professional associations requires professional association members, as well as professional associations themselves, to at all times conduct their business openly and avoid any semblance of activity which might lead to the belief that the association members had agreed, even informally, to something that could have an effect on prices, fees or competition. Thus, it is important that members contact the association headquarters or legal counsel for guidance if they have even the slightest qualms about the propriety of a proposed activity or discussion.
| ALA CURRENTS
contact: jdelavan@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1392 |
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| ALA LOGO PRODUCTS
contact: nlarson@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1361 |
Need the perfect gift for speakers, guests, leaders completing service - or just to say thank you? Demonstrate your pride in ALA with these logo products. Order online. http://www.alanet.org/bookstore/logoproducts.asp |
| ALA MANAGEMENT
ENCYCLOPEDIA SM (ALAME) contact: rshiels@alanet.org ph: (847 267-1384 |
When you need answers to your most pressing legal management problems, you need the ALA Management EncyclopediaSM (ALAME). Now available online, the Encyclopedia provides a wealth of comprehensive and timely original articles on the topics you need most to efficiently and successfully manage your law firm, corporate legal department or governmental agency. Providing the knowledge you need – when you need it – the online Encyclopedia is a unique product. http://www.alanet.org/alame |
| ALA MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES CATALOG contact: alagorio@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1380 |
Is your reference shelf a bit barren? Do you want a copy of The Extraordinary Administrator? Are you looking for ways to improve your leadership skills? Find the books you need through ALA’s own bookstore. Order online with a money-back guarantee. http://www.alanet.org/bookstore/books.asp |
| ALA MANAGEMENT
SOLUTIONSSM contact: sumbdenstock@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1385 |
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| ALA NEWS
contact: jdelavan@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1392 |
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Twice a month, get the management information you need delivered right to your desktop, in a concise and easy-to-read format. Subscribe at | ALA VALUE IN
PARTNERSHIP (VIP)SM PROGRAM contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
ALA membership can pay for itself many times over through the special discounts offered on products and services from nationally known suppliers. ALA members, their employers and their families have the opportunity to enjoy the savings these benefits provide. http://www.alanet.org/membership/benefits/default.aspx |
| ALANET.ORG
contact: jdouglas@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1382 |
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| AMERICAN BAR INSURANCE (ABI) PROGRAM
contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
Employment practices liability insurance, group variable universal life insurance, disability income insurance – special discounts on these and other products are available to ALA members. This program is co-sponsored by ALA and American Bar Insurance consultants. http://www.alanet.org/abi.aspx |
| ANNUAL CONFERENCE
contact: krosssell@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1372 |
ALA’s Annual Educational Conference and Exposition is the premier event for management professionals in the legal industry. Attend educational sessions presented by recognized experts; visit the exhibit hall for the latest products and services; catch up with old friends and make new contacts. http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/conf/conf.aspx |
| A BUSINESS SKILLS CURRICULUM FOR LAW FIRM ASSOCIATES (BSC)
contact: mparisi@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1395 |
Your new associates probably don’t know much about the day-to-day operations of a law firm. And it would be unusual for them to have the business, management and supervisory skills they’ll need to be successful contributors to the firm. The BSC is a resource and curriculum planning tool you can use to develop and conduct a successful associate training program, customized to fit your firm’s needs. http://thesource.alanet.org/ |
| BUYERS´ GUIDE
contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
The 35th anniversary edition of the MembershipResource Directory was enhanced to include a listing of vendors to the legal industry. See page 465. |
| CHAPTER COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATE TRAINING PROGRAM
contact: mparisi@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1395 |
Created by ALA's Puget Sound Chapter and funded by the Foundation of the Association of Legal Administrators, the guide helps chapters "develop and deliver programs and products that will provide high-quality, competency-based education to members of the legal management team" — one of ALA's goals. It offers step-by-step training outlines, sample speaker biographies, practical meeting/marketing information, and methods for success in creating and attracting an audience of professionals interested in the business aspects of running a law firm. From client relations to time management, CCATP tackles the practical business skills associates don't learn in law school — and what many attorneys, long out of school, need to remember. |
| COMMUNITY SERVICE
contact: scarasso@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1378 |
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| COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS SURVEY
contact: dthormas@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1362 |
ALA conducts the only national-level survey focusing on salary and benefits for management positions in the legal industry; other organizations collect some of this same data, but sell it for an exorbitant price. And they don’t approach the same level of detail as ALA provides! |
| CORPORATE/GOVERNMENT FALL FORUM
contact: pstong@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1391 |
If you’re in the corporate, government or nonprofit sector, you face different issues than your peers in private law firms. This program gives you a chance to address the challenges unique to your environments. Special Idea Exchanges let you interact with administrators from coast to coast. http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/corpgov/general.aspx |
| DIVERSITY
contact: mparisi@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1395 |
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| ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES FOR LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS (ECLA)
contact: jmarshall@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1396 |
Are you new to legal management? Or are you a functional specialist – perhaps an accounting or HR manager – who wants to move into a principal administrator role? This three-day course is perfect for those who need to build expertise in managing a law firm or legal department. http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/ecla/ecla_credit.aspx |
| THE EXTRAORDINARY ADMINISTRATOR: CAREER PROGRESSION FOR LAW FIRM MANAGERS contact: sumbdenstock@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1385 |
What are the essential qualities of an extraordinary administrator? How do you acquire and/or develop these skills and talents? This groundbreaking book, developed specifically for law office management professionals, offers practical ideas and suggestions to help unlock your true potential and give your career that added boost. http://www.alanet.org/bookstore/alabooks.asp |
| INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) RETREAT
contact: jmarshall@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1396 |
Intellectual property firms have many specialized and detailed administrative and support requirements. This retreat concentrates on emerging trends, providing an in-depth analysis of the hot areas in IP management. http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/ip/general.aspx |
| JOB BANK/CAREER CENTER
contact: nlarson@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1361 |
Looking for a new position? Need to replace a valued member of your leadership team? Use ALA’s redesigned Career Center to post your own résumé, or advertise an open position in your firm. New features: ads accepted for management positions in nonlegal professional services firms, and staff positions in law firms; postings are fully searchable; extended run time (6 weeks). http://www.alanet.org/jobs/current.asp |
| LARGE FIRM ADMINISTRATORS—JUST FOR YOU
contact: nlarson@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1361 |
If you’re the principal administrator in a firm of 100 or more attorneys, check out the special services ALA has created for your benefit. The LFA caucus has its own listserve where you can discuss topics of particular interest, and you’re eligible to participate in a separate compensation and benefits survey just for large firms. Also, the Large Firm Principal Administrators retreat, held every fall, focuses on topics unique to the larger law firm. |
| LAW FIRM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION
contact: jmarshall@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1396 |
Whether you’re a legal financial professional or the principal administrator of a small- to mid-sized firm, here’s your opportunity to enhance your financial management skills. Get the knowledge and information you need to manage law firm finances with increased confidence and assurance. http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/ecla/ecla_credit.aspx |
| LAW FIRM PROFITABILITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM contact: jmarshall@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1396 |
Learn how to control costs, target your firm’s financial strengths and increase profitability with a quick and easy cost-accounting tool. This program is a live, interactive webcast; you’ll listen by phone and view via the Internet. If you’re in a small or mid-size firm, or are new to law-firm accounting, this is the program for you! http://www.alanet.org/education/profit.aspx |
| LEGAL MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
contact: jdelavan@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1392 |
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| LISTSERVES
contact: jwaugh@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1381 |
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| MEMBERSHIP RESOURCE DIRECTORY
contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
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| ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS
contact: jdouglas@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1382 |
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| PEER CONSULTING
contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
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| REGIONAL CONFERENCES
contact: mparisi@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1395 |
Regional conferences are mini-versions of ALA’s Annual Conference, complete with valuable education sessions and vendor exhibits. Networking opportunities abound! Closer to home, less time away from the office and fewer travel costs – do you need any other reason to attend? http://www.alanet.org/meetingsevents/conf/conf.aspx |
| 200 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LAW FIRM AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE TO WORK
contact: sumbdenstock@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1385 |
ALA asked, and you answered: What do you do to stand out as an employer? What makes your staff and attorneys want to come to work every day? From food fests to a “respectful workplace” policy, you’re sure to find something in this new book that will help you make your own law firm an extraordinary place to work! |
| VENDOR LISTINGS ON WEB
contact: rabramson@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1377 |
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| VENDOR RELATIONS LISTSERVE
contact: dcurtis@alanet.org ph: (847) 267-1388 |
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Mission Statement
The Association of Legal Administrators’ (ALA) mission is to:
- Improve the quality of management in legal services organizations;
- Promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team; and
- Represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.
Goals
- Develop and deliver programs and products that will provide high-quality, competency-based education to members of the legal management team.
- Improve and strengthen the flow of information, through various levels of governing bodies, to and from the members.
- Enhance the services and benefits available to members.
- Increase the visibility and credibility of the Association of Legal Administrators and its members in the legal community through effective marketing and communications and through liaison with the bar and other law-related associations at the local, state and national levels.
- Retain and recruit members from all components of the legal management team.
- Strengthen the Association’s economic base.
- Increase sensitivity to diversity in the Association and in the legal management community.
- Implement an organizational structure which allocates the policy and operational roles and responsibilities of volunteers and staff to assure that organizational resources are used effectively to achieve the Association’s goals.