What has made ALA strong for more than 50 years is the countless volunteers who serve on committees both at the international and local levels. These individuals bring their knowledge of the legal industry, as well as their shared experiences from the workforce, to the table and collaborate with others to ensure that ALA members are getting the education, products and services they need each day. ALA thrives and grows thanks to its volunteers and their commitment to the organization.
Part of this growth includes expanding opportunities and varying experiences to ensure that the organization has greater diversity in its ideas and actions to continue to drive the Association forward. As ALA embarks on the new 2024–2026 Strategic Direction, it is essential that new volunteer opportunities are put in place that align with the focus areas of this direction. To that end, the ALA Board of Directors has approved a new volunteer structure for the organization that will take effect during the 2025–2026 Association year.
Questions About the New Volunteer Structure?
We’ve outlined these changes below, but we know you still may have some questions! Check out our FAQs or email us at [email protected]. We’ve also created a PowerPoint presentation that walks you through the changes.
Please note: The Legal Management Operations Standards Project Team is on hold for the 2025–26 term.
Helpful Links
Knowledge
CLM Certification Question Writing Committee
Standing Committee
8–10 volunteers (including Chair); CLM preferred
4-year staggered terms
6–8 months each year
The CLM Certification Question Writing Committee serves to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities to review, revise, sunset and manage the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program. Its primary responsibilities include revising test items, writing new test items, sunsetting outdated questions and working with the testing contractor to evaluate and improve the assessment process, working with the professional staff in overseeing the administration of the program, and recommending needed changes in prerequisite and recertification requirements consistent with the board’s four pillars of the strategic direction, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
[header]CLM Certification Promotion Project Team
Project Team
6–8 volunteers (including Chair)
Annual Cycle
6-month sprint
The CLM Certification Promotion Project Team serves to assist the board of directors and staff in promoting the CLM program. Shall be six meetings over 12 months focused on creativity in promotion our credential. Teams will partner with staff liaison on promotional opportunities to elevate the CLM credential in value and opportunity.
Future Readiness Advisory Council
Advisory Council
6–9 volunteers (including Chair)
2-year staggered terms
6-month sprint
The Future Readiness Advisory Council, in alignment with ALA’s Vison, Mission and Strategic Direction, shall assist the Board of Directors by researching, monitoring, projecting and alerting them to new developments, ideas and future trends impacting the legal industry and the association by preparing a report of their findings which can be used by staff, the Board, the Annual Conference Project Team, and any group that is interested in the findings.
[header]Event Project Team(s)
Project Team
2–8 volunteers (including Chair)
1-year term
9–15 months; varies based on event
The Project Teams will work with any third-party conference vendor and ALA staff to build educational matrix for events including, but not limited to the Annual Conference and other in-person and virtual events that invite members and nonmembers to attend. Teams will participate in conversation on educational content and member experience related to the event. Project teams will be named for each event — e.g., Annual Conference Project Team, Intellectual Property Project Team, etc.
Networking
Member Experience Committee
Standing Committee
7–9 volunteers (including Chair)
2-year staggered terms
Ongoing work
This committee will be strategic with ongoing work to improve the member experience for engagement, recruitment and retention.
Member Ambassador Committee
Standing Committee
4–7 volunteers (including Chair)
2-year staggered terms
Ongoing work
This committee will recruit, onboard, assign and evaluate the Ambassador program.
Independent Member Advisory Council
Advisory Council
6–8 volunteers (including Chair)
One cycle
Due to a growing number of independent members, this advisory council will be formed for one volunteer cycle to examine opportunities to improve the independent member experience. They will examine and report on opportunities to engage, retain and improve the independent members’ ALA experience. The group may be renewed if the Board determines continued strategic value.
Shared Interest Groups
• Large Firm Administrators
• Small Firm Administrators
• Intellectual Property Administrators
• Plaintiff/Personal Injury
• Corporate/Government
• First Five
SIGs champion conversations that can be peer-to-peer with opportunities for in person time. SIGs are formed based on percentage of membership, tags in online communities, and require benchmarks for utilization that will guide termination as appropriate.
RESOURCES
Chapter Connection Committee
Standing Committee
15-22 members (including Chair)
supporting 4-6 chapters each*
3-year staggered terms
Ongoing work
*Number of members can change based on total number of ALA chapters.
The Chapter Connection Committee assists the Board in education for chapter leaders on policies, programs and initiatives of the ALA. This includes providing support and resources for chapter leaders to enhance the member experience.Committee Chair works with Board and Staff liaisons to respond to any chapter requests.
DEIA Advisory Council
Advisory Council
7–9 volunteers (including Chair)
2-year staggered terms
One year
The DEIA Advisory Council meets quarterly to gather relevant findings from the various volunteer groups they are dispersed inside. These findings are presented to the Board of Directors and include suggestions to continue the quest to see and feel DEIA in all that we do. The group participates in assigned volunteer groups across the Association (one member per volunteer group) to serve as a DEIA lens in the work of the various groups.The Advisory Council will review the DEIA survey as part of their analysis and recommendations to the Board. They will also serve to assist chapters in fulfilling the Presidents’ Award of Excellence DEIA items if there is no DEIA credentialed staff to assist.
Legal Management Operations Standards Project Team
Project Team
5–7 volunteers (including Chair)
3-year staggered terms
3–6-month sprint
The project team updates the legal management operations database (aka, UPBMS) after the Future Readiness Advisory Council completes their evaluation of the industry opportunities. ALA staff provide education to the volunteers on how to update the database.
Business Partner Focus Groups(s)
Focus Group
1–2 volunteers
Post-events
One month
Focus groups are formed after ALA events to bring together business partners in a forum to capture successes and opportunities from the business partner perspective. The volunteers will participate in capturing ideas and sharing member experiences of business partner contributions.
Volunteer Opportunities Defined
Standing Committees
Those committees that the Board of Directors uses on a continual basis. They can be set forth in the association’s bylaws or in its board operations and policy manual, or they may be established by custom.
Project Teams
Address short-term needs or projects of the Board and are typically disbanded upon the completion of those tasks or projects.
Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) These are also known as professional interest groups or components. These are communities within a larger organization, created around a shared interest in specific areas of knowledge, learning, technology or other characteristics of membership. SIGs offer additional benefits for association members such as access to subject specific information and resources, educational opportunities, networking with like-minded peers, and volunteer leadership opportunities.
Ad Hoc Committees
Formed for a limited period of time to address a specific need. When the work of the ad hoc committee is completed, the committee is dissolved. An ad hoc committee may exist for less than a year or for a year or more depending on the extent of the work assigned to it.
Shared Interest Groups (SIGs)
These are also known as professional interest groups or components. These are communities within a larger organization, created around a shared interest in specific areas of knowledge, learning, technology or other characteristics of membership. SIGs offer additional benefits for association members such as access to subject specific information and resources, educational opportunities, networking with like-minded peers, and volunteer leadership opportunities.
Advisory Councils
Assist the Board of Directors in carrying out their work by providing expertise and advice in selected areas.
Focus Groups
These are staff led, incorporating one or more members as necessary, limited in scope, created by the Board to achieve a single objective and report to the Board their results.
