I have the privilege of watching this event come to life from the inside out. And I can tell you the 2025 ALA Annual Conference & Expo, taking place May 18–21 in Nashville, Tennessee, promises to deliver forward-thinking, interactive, action-oriented content. And it wouldn’t be an ALA Annual Conference if we didn’t also deliver the fun!
Listening First, Then Leading
The planning process typically begins with listening. The Annual Conference Planning Committee, comprised of ALA members, considers input from members and the larger legal community representing legal organizations of varying sizes and legal administrators in distinct roles and from diverse regions. We engage with business partners. We collaborate with leaders and subject matter experts. What we learn becomes the building blocks that form the final structure of the conference, and this year, there was a clear blueprint of top priorities: artificial intelligence (AI), workplace transformation and people-focused leadership.
We’ve woven these themes and others into every facet of the event to ensure that each attendee walks away with inspiration and actionable tools they can use when returning to their offices.
A Preconference Deep Dive into AI
I’m excited about a new addition to this year’s conference agenda, our Preconference Workshop, to be held on Saturday, May 17. This half-day session is focused entirely on technology, with a special emphasis on AI. It's designed to help legal management professionals explore what AI really means for their organizations — not just in theory, but in practice.
I am reminded, year after year, why this event matters so much: Leadership in legal management doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through shared learning, support and collective ambition.
The workshop will show how AI is already shaping the legal landscape and provide strategies for implementing it ethically and effectively. From automation and data analytics to managing AI-related change in your teams, this session sets the tone for a conference that embraces innovation with purpose.
Focused, Future-Ready Education
Throughout the conference, attendees will have access to a robust selection of sessions covering ALA’s core knowledge areas: operations, HR, finance, marketing and more. But this year, we’ve taken extra care to spotlight timely, high-impact issues about leadership, change management, operational efficiency, client service and ethical risk. Legal organizations are constantly facing these issues, and legal administrators are uniquely positioned to address them with the knowledge and skills acquired through ALA.
Our approach is practical. Alongside presentations and demonstrations, there are conversations and strategies for professionals managing today’s challenges that will be uncovered and analyzed in real time. We want every attendee to leave Nashville feeling more informed, confident and equipped to lead.
We’re also continuing strong offerings for newer legal management professionals, with the First Five Live! track supporting those in the early years of their careers, and our ever-popular Meeting of Minds roundtables offering deeper discussion tailored to your practice setting or organization size.
Innovation on Display
The Expo Hall is where ideas, action and relationships intersect. With more than 160 exhibitors, it’s the place to discover new technologies, tools and partners who can help drive your organization forward. Many of them are integrating AI into their solutions, so we’ve designed the conference to help you ask the right questions, think strategically and confidently navigate your work.
The Power of Community
Of course, the real magic of the Annual Conference isn’t just in the sessions or the exhibits. It’s in the people. It’s in the conversations over coffee, the reunions between long-time colleagues and the new connections that spark collaboration across cities, firms and even continents. This year, we have expanded the number of Shared Interest Group (SIG) gatherings to help attendees connect with those who have similar interests or profiles. The schedule of SIG gatherings can be found on the Annual Conference website. It is incredibly rewarding to watch relationships form and grow. I am reminded, year after year, why this event matters so much: Leadership in legal management doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through shared learning, support and collective ambition.
Join Us in Nashville
Our team of member volunteers, business partners, speakers and staff has poured thought, care, hundreds of hours and a lot of energy into making the 2025 ALA Annual Conference & Expo an experience that reflects ALA’s Vision and Mission. The conference is a cornerstone event created for and by legal management professionals. Whether you're a seasoned administrator or new to the field, this conference is where legal minds meet and master the next horizon.
I look forward to seeing you there and to building the future of legal management together.
