Having worked as a program manager in the not-for-profit arena, I had decided to go back to school — the NYU Stern School of Business — which is how I landed in legal operations. Immediately, ALA was an invaluable resource, both in terms of services offered and generous colleagues.
Soon after, I learned of ALA’s Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program. I decided to take the exam to complement skills I learned in business school and supplement the practical knowledge I accumulated on the job. Today, the exam remains the respected and sole credentialing certification of the profession.
The knowledge set — focused on finance, human resources, operations, business management and the legal industry — is essential to anyone running a business. While some information is specific to the practice of law, what business does not need to set expectations for its counsel, or to protect itself from legal risk?
Completing the course prerequisites and studying does take a considerable commitment above and beyond your typical already full work schedule. And the exam was difficult — while ALA does not publish the success percentage, research from the New York City Chapter’s education committee suggested that the year I qualified, it was around 30%. But that investment of preparation was well worth the effort, and the very fact that the exam was challenging made passing it and earning my CLM credential that much more rewarding.
Earning my CLM has been invaluable. Working in a corporate law department, I benefit from drawing upon subject area experts for every area my job touches. My primary responsibility is to be an informed subject area generalist. I’m also a process specialist focused on fostering cross-functional collaboration, business planning, and managing projects and budgets.
My preparation for the exam sharpened my ability to know when to raise questions, to be more specific in inquiries and improved my subject area vocabulary. The syllabus also broadened the resources I draw upon in areas familiar to me.
