While you may be clear on the value of attending ALA’s Annual Conference & Expo, securing funding from your firm or organization might require a little extra effort. That’s why we have put together this Justification Toolkit to help you build the business case for your approving manager to send you to Austin, Texas!

STEP 1: Identify Your Manager’s/Firm’s Motivations When Deciding Your Attendance

To justify your attendance, you’ll need to convey the connection between the information and skill requirements of your firm, and the education on offer at the conference.

Below are some questions your manager may have and suggested answers you could give.

• When does the Annual Conference take place?
  October 3-6, 2021, at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.
  
  
• What is the Annual Conference?
  ALA’s Annual Conference & Expo is the leading event for the legal management industry, offering intensive learning, networking and discovery of the latest trends and technologies. There will be more than 60 sessions, a range of influential and thought-provoking speakers and over 200 leading vendors serving the business of law.

• What are the practical benefits for your firm if you attend?
• Proven strategies and tactics to stay ahead of the curve
• Actionable information from top leaders in the industry on emerging trends and ideas
• Information on the latest solutions from the expansive Exhibit Hall
• Important connections with colleagues and business partners
• Certification and accreditation hours from most educational sessions
  

• Who is attending and how will you leverage those connections?
  ALA’s Annual Conference & Expo will allow [me and/or specific team members] to network with legal management professionals from law firms across North America and business partners servicing the industry. We will be able to take the pulse of what is happening in tools, technologies and processes and hear new ideas.

Download Benefits Worksheet

STEP 2: Quantify the ROI of Your Attendance

Before you can begin to justify the investment of attending the conference, you need to calculate the total investment.

Download Budget Worksheet

STEP 3: Present Your Business Case to Attend in a Letter to Your Approving Manager

Now that you have thought about the direct benefits to your firm and the associated costs, write a letter to your approving manager to support your attendance.

 Download Letter Template   

• Offer to prepare and deliver a short presentation and Q&A to your colleagues or team members after the event to share what you learned. (This is where those session handouts come in handy.) They will benefit from your attendance, too, with new knowledge, skills techniques they that can apply directly to their jobs right away.
• Name some of your current tools, technologies and services that could be evaluated, updated or replaced and offer to meet with exhibitors who can fill those needs, potentially at a lower cost for ALA members.
• Name some of your current processes that can be improved by learning and exploring how others handle them. Explain how attending will benefit your work, current projects and organization.
• Be ready with a plan that shows who will cover for you while you are attending the conference.
• Offer to share a room to reduce hotel expenses.
• Focus on what you will specifically bring back to the organization as payback for the investment in your proposal for attendance approval.

Worry-Free Registration

Be sure to communicate the worry-free registration details so your firm can feel more comfortable about providing funding for your attendance. The investment won’t be lost should in-person attendance no longer be possible for you due to the pandemic. Learn more about worry-free registration.

Safety Measures

As we plan for an in-person gathering this fall, the health, safety and well-being of our attendees remains our top priority. We have developed enhanced health and safety measures to protect you and ensure a safe environment for all attendees. We are closely monitoring evolving guidelines and will continue evaluating additional measures. Learn more about the safety measures.

— Stacey Coleman, Administrative Director at Elam & Burke

— Andrea Everage, CLM, MHR, PHR, SHRM-CP, California HR Business Partner at Baker McKenzie

— Grace Lopez, Chief Executive Officer at iManage Law Firms, LLC

— Susan Weidman, Legal Recruitment and Operations Manager at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, LLP