The mission of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) Maryland Chapter is to promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members in the legal management area.  ALA Headquarters and local chapters provide members with high quality education on all management issues and diverse forums for idea exchanges and networking.

Maryland Chapter Educational Activities

The ALA Maryland Chapter holds regular monthly education sessions at various Baltimore locations.  The Maryland Chapter offers its members a wide array of topics pertinent to the legal industry presented by expert speakers in their field.  Additionally, the Chapter offers round table discussions, teleseminars and other seminars.

Our business partners provide the Maryland Chapter members with their expertise on the necessasry products and services required for firm operations and are often speakers at the Maryland Chapter's meetings and seminars.

For more information about Maryland Chapter educational activities, check the Complete Calendar for upcoming meetings or contact the Chapter's Program Chair, Deborah Stickles. 

ALA Educational Activities

ALA Headquarters hosts several educational opportunities each year, including multiple conferences and retreats, webinars, and other professional activities.  These activities are designed to bring legal administrators together, given them access to industry leaders, provide them with the opportunity for continued learning, and encourage networking with peers and colleagues.  More information about ALA educational opportunites can be found here.

Also available, Learning On Demand is a series of online courses for legal administrators, office managers and their staff.  Courses offered through Learning on Demand are comprehensive and interactive, but require not time out of the office, and are offered for low fees.

Certified Legal Manager (CLM) Program

The Certified Legal Manager (CLM^SM*)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.The Association of Legal Administrators offers legal administrators an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the body of knowledge necessary for successful performance in managing a law firm or office.

If you are interested in joining a local study group for ALA's CLM program, or attending a CLM informational meeting, please contact Amanda Albright. 

Click here for more information on the benefits of ALA's Certified Legal Manager (CLM^SM) Certification Program.

*CLM is a service mark of the Association of Legal Administrators.

Scholarships

The ALA Maryland Chapter encourages its members to attend ALA educational conferences. A scholarship fund is established each year to award a few members in good standing with scholarships to attend the Annual Conference and Exposition and the Regional Conference.  The number of scholarships to be awarded is determined by the Voting Members of the Chapter Board.  The number of scholarships awarded will not exceed more than three (3) in any given year.

The Chapter has designed a Scholarship Program based on activity points.  Points are awarded based on a member's participation and involvement in the Maryland Chapter.  By awarding activity points for participation, the Chapter hopes to increase member participation and attendance at events.   Scholarships will be awarded to those members who have earned the most activity points during the prior calendar year.  The Chapter's Executive Board members are not eligible to win scholarships based on this program. 

Members: To view the Chapter Scholarship Program in its entirety, including an outline of how activity points are earned, please log in.  The Chapter Scholarship Program can be accessed through the Members Only Section of the website.