Oliver Yandle Former Executive Director, Association of Legal Administrators       

Legal Administrative Associations

Professional associations serving the legal profession have been around for more than 100 years, helping to shape the development of the law and those who practice it. Professional associations for administrative management in the legal industry, however, are a more recent development. In 1957, the president of the American Bar Association, Charles S. Rhyne, identified the need for an increased focus on the economics of law practice and created a special committee to develop practical suggestions on how to manage the business of law. By the early 1970s, the needs and complexities of law firm management had grown significantly, spurring the creation of a number of organizations specifically focused on the business of law.

Today, the management of law firms and law departments requires highly specialized skills and advanced training. Many legal business professionals have obtained advanced degrees in business management, marketing, information management and technology, finance, and human resources. Often, they have secured professional certifications and designations in their particular field of practice, such as the Certified Legal Manager or Professional in Human Resources, to advance their professional skills. In addition to formal educational opportunities, legal business professionals rely on associations to keep them up to date on the issues, trends, and skills necessary to succeed in this rapidly changing environment.

These associations provide information, education, and networking opportunities to help their members meet the challenges inherent in managing successful law firms. They offer support with practical skills as well as leadership training, and advocate for their members to become strategic partners with attorneys in providing client service that is both effective and profitable. Many offer certification programs that provide advanced skill training and professional recognition for excellence in legal management.

With law firms and law departments experiencing some
of the most dramatic shifts in how legal services are delivered,
the need for professional legal management leadership has never been greater. These professionals bring critical business strategy and insights to improve financial performance, firm growth, and client service. There are a number of professional organizations available to support them.

The Association of Legal Administrators[1] was founded in 1971 to provide legal managers with an international forum in which to develop their skills, share ideas, and advance their careers in this emerging profession. Today, the association represents nearly 9,000 legal business professionals from more than 30 countries. Members include law firm chief executive officers, principal administrators, functional specialists, and managing partners responsible for developing business strategies and leading legal business operations. The Association has developed a Certified Legal Manager certification program designed to acknowledge those professionals who have mastered the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to operate at a high level of expertise in the field of legal management.

In addition to annual conferences and meetings, the association provides an array of resources to support its members, including an annual compensation and benefits survey, customized research services, career development services, peer consulting, and shared interest groups. It offers frequent webinars and other online learning resources. The association’s award-winning publication, Legal Management, offers in-depth articles covering topics including financial management, operations, technology, marketing and business development, leadership, and strategy. ALA’s network of 92 chapters throughout the United States and Canada provide members with opportunities to connect with local colleagues for education and networking events. 

The American Bar Association Law Practice Division[2] evolved from the ABA’s special committee on the economics of law practice and was established in 1974 to offer finance. The mission of this Division is “to investigate, evaluate, develop, and disseminate information and techniques which will make the legal services delivery team more effective, competent, ethical, and responsive to the needs of clients and the public.”[3] The group is a network of 20,000 members and primarily focused on the needs of lawyer-managers, but also offers lawyers and legal professionals information and information relevant to administrative managers as well.

The Division publishes Law Practice magazine, Law Practice Today (a monthly digital publication), and other books and newsletters. In addition to meetings and other resources, the Division is host to the Women Rainmakers Committee, which serves “(1) to educate professional women about marketing and business development; (2) to provide mentoring opportunities for members; and (3) to provide networking opportunities to build personal and professional relationships.”[4]

The College of Law Practice Management[5] honors and recognizes notable law practice management professionals; sets standards of achievement; and funds and supports projects that improve law practice management. Founded in 1994, the group conducts an annual Futures Conference, which explores the future of law practice management and the profession. It also hosts the InnovAction awards, honoring innovation and achievement in the legal profession. Membership in the organization is by invitation only, and nominations are made by existing members (who are called “fellows”).

The American Association of Law Libraries[6] was founded in 1906 to illustrate the importance of law libraries, to bolster law librarianship, and to offer leadership in the field of legal information. Law firm librarians have emerged as strategic assets as they continually right-size collections, budgets, and staffs, and align library strategies to those of their organizations.

In addition to supporting the professional growth of its members, AALL also engages in advocacy efforts impacting the field of legal information and information policy, specifically on issues related to access to government information, copyright protections, privacy protections, and access to justice. With a membership of nearly 5,000, the Association represents law librarians and related professionals who are affiliated with everything from law firms, law schools, and corporate legal departments to courts and government agencies.

In addition to meetings and educational resources, the group publishes a quarterly scholarly journal, Law Library Journal, which includes peer-reviewed articles on law, legal materials, and librarianship. It also has a network of chapter organizations across the United States.

For more than three decades, the International Legal Technology Association[7] has provided a forum for sharing knowledge and experience for those managing technology challenges in their firms and legal departments.

Information technology professionals in law firms have risen to strategically important positions that affect client-facing services.

It is a professional association comprising almost 1,300 law firms and legal departments from around the globe. The association’s purpose is to provide information to members to maximize the value of technology in support of the legal profession. Through delivery of educational content and peer-networking opportunities, ILTA provides members information resources in order to make technology work for the legal profession.

Among its publications are Peer to Peer (published quarterly), and several white papers and surveys; it also hosts online product briefings for emerging technologies as well as a number of in-person meetings and symposia.

            Established in 1984, the International Practice Management Association[8] has also evolved to meet the changing needs of the legal profession. It began as the Legal Assistant Management Association and was renamed the International Paralegal Management Association on January 1, 2005. “As a reflection of its updated and expanded mission to serve managers of not only paralegals but also other practice support professionals, the Association changed its name in April 2014 to the International Practice Management Association.”[9]

IPMA is a leading resource for information regarding the management of paralegals and other practice support professionals in law firms. IPMA has more than 500 members who are directors or managers of paralegal services in law firms or governmental agencies in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

It hosts an annual conference and expo, as well as a managerial skills seminar. Its quarterly electronic magazine, Paralegal Management magazine, features articles on current trends and issues that relate to management and the paralegal profession.

            The Legal Marketing Association,[10] founded in 1985, “serves the needs and maintains the professional standards of the men and women involved in marketing, business development, client service and communications within the legal profession. LMA also is a resource for practicing attorneys and law firm leaders who want to develop their practices and gain competitive advantage.”[11] The organization has more than 4,000 members (48 U.S. states, Canada, and 15 other countries) and 37 chapters (in the U.S. and Canada).

LMA provides on-demand education through its CORE (Continuing Online Resource for Legal Marketing Education) competencies program and a Quickstart Online Course designed for newcomers to the legal marketing and business development field. These courses cover all 10 core competencies of legal marketing.

NALP,[12] the National Association for Law Placement, began in 1971 during a tumultuous period in both the legal profession and legal education; their creation was a response to a perceived need for a forum in which legal professionals could discuss issues around placement and recruitment.[13] This organization, which consists of more than 2,500 legal career professionals who advise law students, lawyers, law offices, and law schools both domestically and abroad, facilitates legal career counseling and planning.[14]

In addition to a monthly bulletin, the group publishes a number of research and statistical studies on a variety of topics, including diversity and inclusion; lawyer and law student professional development; recruitment and hiring; and compensation and benefits. Formed in 1975, the National Association of Legal Assistants[15] is the leading paralegal association in the United States. Its mission “is to provide continuing education and professional development programs to all paralegals.”[16] Representing more than 18,000 paralegals, NALA provides continuing education materials and seminars, networking opportunities, professional certification programs, occupational survey findings, and manuals to help paralegals excel in the workplace. NALA offers a robust bimonthly magazine called Facts & Findings that provides up-to-date educational articles focused on various practice areas of law and breaking news. They produce a special “Career Chronicle” issue each January.

NALS, the Association for Legal Professionals,[17] is the oldest association formed for legal support professionals. Established in 1929, the group was incorporated as the National Association of Legal Secretaries in 1949 and renamed in 1999 to reflect the various positions held by its membership.

NALS offers basic and advanced legal training courses created for legal professionals looking to expand their current skills. It also provides an online basic legal training course through Stetson University.

As the challenges and complexities of the legal profession have grown, so, too, have the roles and importance of the legal professionals who are responsible for the business needs of law firms and law departments.

Working together, the array of associations serving these leaders and support professionals provide business intelligence, education, and networking critical to advancing both the individual and the legal industry. Now, more than ever, the success of law firms and law departments depends on effective strategy, shrewd business acumen, and high-performing teams. These organizations provide essential resources for developing the professionals charged with delivering that success.

 [1] THE ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS, http://www.alanet.org.