Hurricane Sandy Relief
ALA expresses its concern with those affected by Hurricane Sandy. We encourage donations to organizations that are set up to accept funds and redirect them to those in need. Check our homepage for a list of ways you can help.

• Relief organizations.
   

ALA Members Earn Top CFO Honor
ALA is proud to applaud not only one, but two of its members for their recognition as outstanding Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). Long Island Business News recently acknowledged both Frederick J. Esposito Jr., CLM from the New York City Chapter and Paul Czeladnicki from the Long Island Chapter as part of its CFO of the Year program. Both members were also profiled by Long Island Business News.

• Read the article.
   

Partnering with Industry Leaders
Combining resources with other legal organizations is a great way for chapters to maximize events for members. The Atlanta Chapter set a great example on October 17, when they partnered with the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) and the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) to present the Professional Management Half Day Conference: Adding Value to the Profession. Although this event was the first partnership to take place among the Atlanta Chapter, ILTA and LMA, it supported ALA's ongoing strategic alliance initiative (formally known as Professional Legal Management Week). As part of this now year-round initiative, ALA encourages chapters to collaborate with other law-related organizations, allowing members to make the most of any conference, event or educational activity.

Disaster Recovery Resources
With the major impact on businesses due to Hurricane Sandy, law firms know now more than ever that disaster planning is not just important, but mandatory. Make sure your firm is prepared well before disaster strikes with these resources from ALA's Research Center. Note: This link is available to ALA members only.

• Get the study.

November Book of the Month
As more businesses move their IT systems into the cloud, administrators need to ask if cloud computing is right for their firm or office. Cloud Computing for Lawyers features a discussion on cloud computing fundamentals, an overview of legal cloud computing products, and step-by-step instructions for implementing cloud computing in your firm or practice — including practical tips for securing your data. Grab a copy and get up to speed on this important shift in data access and storage.

• Order your copy now.

Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace
On November 14, join Lynn Hankes, M.D., FASA for our ALA November Webinar program, Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace. How do you know if a lawyer is impaired? What does an administrator do when the odor of alcohol is detected on the job? Can staff report suspected impairment without fear of retaliation? Answer these and many more questions and receive HRCI credit for attending.

• Register now.

International Relations Committee Update

With an ever increasing global legal market and a commitment to serve the growing community of legal management professionals, the International Relations Committee (IRC) continues to meet monthly to develop strategies for increasing ALA's service to international members and its visibility in countries outside of North America. Within that context, and as outlined in the last committee update, the ALA Board of Directors recently approved an IRC recommendation to develop an international strategy that advances ALA as the premier association for legal management professionals worldwide.

With this in mind, ALA retained Terrance Barkan, CAE, to assist and guide its efforts. Barkan is the Founder and Chief Strategist for GlobalStrat, the preeminent leader in international association growth strategies. He met with the Board of Directors at its recent meeting in Montréal, and soon thereafter with the ALA staff, to examine ALA's current international presence, to share international engagement benchmarking data, and to discuss how best to serve an international market without diminishing domestic services.

This is an exciting initiative for the Association. International engagement will add to ALA's intellectual base and body of knowledge, and it is a key goal of this effort to measurably impact and improve law firm management practices, ethics and standards worldwide. We will provide a progress report in the months ahead.

On another front, and with support and assistance from the Annual Conference Committee, the IRC is actively developing plans for the Annual Conference & Exposition that will be held in National Harbor, Maryland (Washington, D.C. area) on April 14-17, 2013. Plans include an early week meet and greet with international attendees, an international luncheon and better integration of international members at various other events. The IRC's objective is to ensure that international attendees — many of whom are traveling solo and likely without chapter or colleague connections — will not only benefit from the activities of the week but also feel welcomed and included in them. On the education side, the Conference Committee will strive to ensure that all session time slots will have content of relevance or of interest to international attendees.

We welcome your thoughts, suggestions and questions about our international efforts. Please feel free to contact us through our Chair, Patti Groff, CLM.