"The Association of Legal Administrators"

by Mark C. Elliott, Chief Operating Officer Fuller & Henry Ltd

Change is inevitable, especially today. And with fast-paced technological changes plus management trends that seem to contradict age-old practices, managing the business affairs of today's law firm requires special expertise. From management, finance and marketing, to human resources and technology, the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) provides legal administrators with practical skills and in-depth knowledge through an impressive array of educational tools.

The ALA was established to provide support to professionals involved in the management of law firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. The ALA is committed to developing the legal management profession and the professional expertise of its members.

Here are some of the ways ALA helps members stay on top of change:

· ALA's annual Education Conference and Exposition is one of the nation's premier events for anyone involved in law firm management. ALA provides additional education through: · Regional conferences · Retreats · One day seminars · Teleseminars

· Legal Management, the Journal of the Association of Legal Administrators provides members with in-depth "how-to" articles on critical management issues.

· ALA News, the member magazine contains feature article and news on national, regional and local ALA developments

· ALA's website provides members with timely information on such things as association happenings, members benefits, upcoming educational events and industry news. The site also hosts forums where members can exchange views and information about management issues.

· ALA Management Encyclopedia, a published CD-ROM specifically developed for legal administrators, managing partners, or anyone who needs concrete information on legal management issues.

As the legal services industry becomes more diverse and competitive, the need for capable managers has never been greater. Since I joined the ALA and began experiencing its extensive benefits, ALA has continually been essential to my success as an administrator. It's a fact: to stay on the cutting-edge you need connections. 

You need the Association of Legal Administrators. For further information about the ALA you can visit on-line at www.alanet.org  or www.alanwohio.org .