Contact: ALA Publications Team
Email: publications@alanet.org
Website: alanet.org

(Chicago, IL) August 24, 2020 – The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) announced that April Campbell, JD, will join the Association’s professional staff as ALA’s next Executive Director, effective August 24. On behalf of ALA’s Search Committee and Board of Directors, we are proud to recognize that Campbell is the first female Executive Director in ALA history. She has served as the Interim Executive Director of the Association since February 2020.

“After a thorough and thoughtful search process, including more than 100 candidates considered for the role, it became abundantly clear that April’s abilities best align with our ALA culture. Her passion and extensive legal management experience uniquely position her to attain ALA’s mission and reflect its values,” says ALA President Debra Elsbury, CLM. 

April has been a member of ALA for 15 years having served in many roles, including Regional Director, President-Elect, President and Past President from 2014 to 2020. She brings knowledge gained from 25 years in the legal industry as she leads the Association. As ALA President, she led the Association through several strategic initiatives aimed at increasing member value, including bylaw changes and governance realignment.

“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity, especially at a time when the legal management profession and the legal industry are undergoing an evolution,” Campbell says. “I feel privileged to be associated with an organization that provides its members with the resources and connections they need to lead their legal organizations into the future through change leadership and innovative solutions. As we explore the endless possibilities to improve legal service delivery and promote successful leadership and management of high-performing legal organizations, I know there are no limits to what ALA and its members can achieve together.”

Campbell’s term as Interim Executive Director coincided with a period of incredible challenges as the legal industry and the Association addressed the disruption created by the pandemic. During this time, she demonstrated her management skills, leadership and ALA spirit as the Association developed and delivered ALA’s first fully virtual Annual Conference & Expo, ALA Today: The Virtual Conference.

“As ALA moves forward into the second half of the year, April will play a critical role in stewarding the Board and our ALA staff in the development of our next Strategic Plan, preserving ALA’s position as the premier resource for legal management professionals,” says Elsbury. “We are confident that under her leadership the Association will continue to excel in its vision and mission.”

About the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) 
ALA is the premier professional association connecting over 8,500 leaders and managers within the legal industry. ALA provides extensive professional development, collaborative peer communities, strategic operational solutions, and business partner connections empowering its members to lead the business of law. For more information on ALA, visit alanet.org.