Certified Legal Manager (CLM)SM Certification Program (text obtained from the Association of Legal Administrators Web Site)
The Association of Legal Administrators now offers legal administrators the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the body of knowledge necessary for successful performance in managing a law firm or office.
ALA members, like most members of professional societies, expect their Association to promote the profession, to set and educate members to certain standards of practice, to provide a professional journal of some type, and to facilitate social contact/networking.
ALA has become a leader in the areas of networking and publications. As the Association matures, it has concentrated on ways to enhance the profession and increase the competency level of legal administrators as stated in ALA's mission:
To improve the quality of management in legal services organizations; promote and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.
Law firm administrators feel intense pressure to keep up with the demands of their jobs. This is reflected in heightened concern for quality education programs. Disseminating information through journals and conferences is important, but leading associations also must take an active role in assessing learner needs and designing programs that more fully support the member.
While the ultimate responsibility for competence rests with each legal administrator, ALA provides guidance and direction in the process, through a program by which an individual measures his or her ability to perform the job of legal administrator. This assessment process, commonly called certification, is strictly voluntary, and is open to all qualified legal administrators.