Join ALA International

https://www.alanet.org/

Managing the business affairs of today's law firm requires special expertise. Legal management professionals must deal with fast-paced technological changes, management trends that contradict age-old practices, and fundamental changes in the way the practice of law is structured and conducted.

For immediate solutions to the challenges you face day after day, the Association of Legal Administrators can help provide resources to meet those demands. Please consider joining ALA and your network of peers in legal management.

Apply for Membership

Before applying for membership, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria.                    

There are two easy ways to become an ALA member.

Apply Online! 

Regular Membership Criteria
  • Full-time legal administrators or support managers employed in a private law firm, legal service clinic, corporate legal department, university legal department, governmental legal agency, court system, charitable legal agency or some other organization engaged primarily in the practice of law
  • Practicing lawyers with principal management responsibility in their legal organization.
  • Consultants to the Legal Industry. A consultant is defined as an individual who does not provide goods, furniture, equipment, supplies, materials, software, technology, insurance, investment instruments or legal industry services directly or through his/her company; or causes to be provided through a workforce of employees, or is employed by such an entity; AND the individual meets one or more of the following criteria:

- an individual who is a recognized subject-matter expert within the legal community;

- an individual whose primary service generally involves the sale of intellectual property, expert advice, coaching or assessment to legal organizations and who engages with multiple and changing clients;

- an individual who performs ongoing day-to-day administrative functions for one or more companies or firms which would otherwise qualify the individual for Regular ALA membership despite who employs them, including a business partner;

- an individual who is self-employed as a contractor or operating a self-owned business and performing day-to-day administrative roles for one or more companies or firms, which would otherwise render the person eligible for Regular ALA membership if an employer/employee relationship existed.
 

Please note: A consultant membership is bestowed upon an individual, not a company, and employees of business partner-eligible companies are not considered consultants and are not eligible for consultant membership, unless: a) the individual is performing day-to-day administrative functions at a remote or third party location; or b) the individual is employed as a legal administrator in the corporate legal department of the business organization.

Associate Membership Criteria

Individuals who are interested in legal management but do not qualify for Regular Membership may apply for Associate Membership if they are:

  • practicing lawyers with an interest in law firm administration and management;
  • individuals engaged in an ongoing employment-type relationship which involves providing continuing management services of the types defined in the bylaws;
  • retired Regular Members of ALA who are not otherwise employed;
  • unemployed legal administrators who have exhausted their eligibility for Regular Membership who are not serving as consultants or vendors and are actively seeking employment as a legal administrator;
  • teachers of business, organizational management, law or law-related disciplines at institutions of higher learning, as well as deans with administrative and management responsibilities at such institutions;
  • part or full-time students in any degree program at accredited institutions of higher learning;
  • bar association executives with management responsibilities;
  • other individuals not specifically excluded from membership who have and demonstrate an interest in the management of law firms and other legal organizations.
General Information

All members must adhere to the ALA Non-Solicitation Policy and are subject to the ALA Code of Professional Responsibility.

Policies governing member participation and benefits shall be determined from time to time by the Board or, as delegated by the Board, the Executive Director.

Diversity is strongly supported and encouraged in the profession and ALA membership. Learn more at alanet.org/diversity.

Membership is not open to vendors or business partners. For purposes of membership eligibility, a business partner is generally an individual (or member of an organization) whose primary function is to market or sell products and/or services to members of the legal community. We value our relationship with business partners and vendors, and encourage them to explore the many opportunities available to join forces with ALA.

For further information on eligibility criteria, please contact ALA at 847.267.1585 or by e-mail to [email protected].

If you're interested in membership and want more information, please request a prospective member kit by contacting ALA's Membership Team at 847.267.1585 or e-mail [email protected]. To join ALA, apply online. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your professional needs and demonstrate how ALA can help you find solutions and advance your career. Please join the undisputed leader in the business of law today!