Join ALA

Membership Info

The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) is an international organization of more than 10,000 members throughout the United States, Canada and 20 other countries. Headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, the ALA is structured into six regions and 109 chapters representing firms of all sizes. Founded in 1973, the Capital Chapter has approximately 375 members and serves the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

The Capital Chapter provides quality educational programs and a variety of information resources on the local level. More information can be found in About ALA. In order to become a member of the Capital Chapter, individuals must also join and maintain membership in the international organization.

Benefits of Membership

The Capital Chapter offers many opportunities for you to begin building your network and enhancing your skills and abilities. We encourage our members to take advantage of the many benefits offered by the Chapter and by our international organization:

  • Continuing Education Programs
  • Management Publications
  • Monthly Newsletter
  • Chapter Wide Seminars and Forums
  • Membership Directory
  • Section Membership and Activities
  • Members' Only Section of international Web Site
  • Capital Chapter Web Site
  • Compensation and Benefits Survey
  • Law Related Association Activities
  • Certified Legal Manager (CLM) Program
  • Seminars and Workshops in Specialty Areas
  • Job and Resume Bank (Members Only)
  • Partner Discounts
  • Charitable Fundraising Events

ALA Member Benefits

Regular Membership:

  • Full-time legal administrators or support managers employed in a private law firm, legal service clinic, corporate legal department, university legal department, governmental legal agency, court system, charitable legal agency or some other organization engaged primarily in the practice of law.
  • Practicing lawyers with principal management responsibility in their legal organization.

Associate Membership:
Individuals who are interested in legal administration and management but do not qualify for Regular Membership may apply for Associate Membership if they are:

  • practicing lawyers with an interest in law firm administration and management;
  • individuals engaged in an ongoing employment-type relationship which involves providing continuing management services of the types defined in the bylaws;
  • retired Regular Members of ALA who are not otherwise employed;
  • unemployed legal administrators who have exhausted their eligibility for Regular Membership who are not serving as consultants or vendors and are actively seeking employment as a legal administrator;
  • full-time teachers of business, organizational management, law or law-related disciplines at institutions of higher learning, as well as deans with administrative and management responsibilities at such institutions;
  • full-time students in business, management, law or law-related studies at institutions of higher learning;
  • bar association executives with management responsibilities; and
  • other individuals not specifically excluded from membership who have and demonstrate an interest in the management of law firms and other legal organizations.

Policies governing the participation and the benefits accruing to Associate Members shall be determined from time to time by the Board or, as delegated by the Board, the Executive Director.

Ineligible Members
Membership in the association is not open to consultants or vendors.

Fees

Membership in the Capital Chapter runs from January 1 to December 31.