Certified Legal Manager (CLM) Program
Take Your Career to the Next Level with the CLM Credential
Regardless of the stage in your career, certification adds a valuable dimension to your professional development. ALA's Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program provides the opportunity to demonstrate you have mastered the knowledge, skills and abilities to operate at a high level of expertise in the field of legal management.
The exam is offered twice a year in the spring and fall and you can conveniently take it online from your home or office. The spring dates are May 6–31 and the fall dates are November 4–30. Review all the key dates for 2024 here.
Still on the fence about getting certified? Check out “Certify Your Career” in the January 2022 issue of Legal Management. CLMs discuss their certification journey and how sitting for the exam boosted their legal management careers.
Webinar: CLM — Successfully Navigating the CLM Application ProcessBe sure to join speakers, Domicka Max, CLM, Chair of ALA's Certification Committee, and Terri Oppelt, CLM, SPHR, SHRM-CP, member on the Certification Committee, for the next CLM webinar on February 23 at noon Central. You have taken a pivotal step by choosing to pursue the CLM exam. The first step in attaining your CLM designation is the application process for the exam. We aim to assist you in this crucial first task, ensuring you understand the skills and educational requirements necessary to complete the form with confidence. |
Your Pathway to (CLM) Certification
Have you heard about the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program and wondered what it was? Perhaps you are interested in becoming a CLM but just did not know where to start? Or asked yourself why should I become a CLM when I have been effective as an administrator for years? ALA recently hosted a webinar - Your Pathway to CLM Certification webinar - to discuss:
- What the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® credential is and the benefits it can provide both professionally and personally.
- The requirements needed to apply, the frequency of the tests and associated costs.
- Resources available outside of the study guide.
- The methodology used by the Certification Committee to develop questions for the exam.
Congrats to Our Newest CLMs!
Please join us in congratulating our new CLMs on their outstanding achievement! Obtaining CLM certification shows great initiative and dedication to the profession and demonstrates the mastery of a highly proficient legal administrator.
| NAME | FIRM | CITY | STATE |
| Timothy Barker, CLM | Bryant Miller Olive PA | Tampa | Florida |
| Darryl Blanton, CLM, SHRM-SCP | Davis Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc. | San Antonio | Texas |
| Heather Bowen, CLM | HMB Legal Counsel | Chicago | Illinois |
| Curtis Glenn Hanna, CLM | Austin & Pethick Law Firm, PC | Aiken | South Carolina |
| Dana L. Holsomback, CLM | Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, PC | Nashville | Tennessee |
| Veronica M. Hurless, CLM | Orloff Lowenbach Stifelman & Siegel, PA | Morristown | New Jersey |
| Amber Kulig, CLM | Goodell DeVries Leech & Dann, LLP | Baltimore | Maryland |
| David Montiel, CLM | Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll, LLP | Chicago | Illinois |
| Sharen Nocella, CLM | Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy, LLC | Wilmington | Delaware |
| Robin W. Owens, CLM | Morton & Gettys, LLC | Rock Hill | South Carolina |
| Stefanie N. Raph, CLM | Town of Castle Rock | Morrison | Colorado |
| Kristi Seaton, CLM | Hodges Loizzi Eisenhammer Rodick & Kohn LLP | Itasca | Illinois |
| Michelle M. Sheppard, CLM | Hartline Barger LLP | Dallas | Texas |
| Marissa A. Wills, CLM | Shepherd Elder Law Group, LLC | Overland Park | Kansas |
Looking for
someone to connect with or want to see who has earned this credential near you? Be sure to check out our complete list of CLMs by visiting our Certified Legal Manager Directory.
For a quick, content-packed overview of the CLM program, watch the following video:
We've got all the information you need to start your CLM journey. These links will help get you started:
What Is the CLM Program
Wondering what the fuss is about? Find out what certification is, what your journey might look like and how the exam comes to be here
Why Become a CLM
Hear from your fellow legal administrators who dedicated themselves to becoming certified on the ways in which it has impacted their career and lives.
Preparing
Interested in the CLM? Find out about the structure and content of the exam here.
Applying
Find the requirements to apply for the CLM exam, upcoming test dates and fees and the information you need to apply now.
Education Credits
In addition to your work experience, applying or recertifying for the CLM credential requires continuing education credits. Read about these requirements and find links to key ALA resources here.
Recertifying
Congratulations on your designation as a Certified Legal Manager! Find out how to recertify, how to keep the credential in retirement and find the materials needed to do either of these here.