The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) is a worldwide organization formed in 1971 to provide personal and professional growth and educational and networking opportunities to administrative managers of law firms, corporate legal departments and government legal agencies. For more info, click here.

ALA provides services to more than 9,000 members representing more than 5,300 employers in 28 countries. ALA is structured into six regions with more than 100 chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and New Zealand.

The Alamo Chapter, based in San Antonio, Texas, was chartered in 1980, and has approximately 50 members. We have monthly luncheon meetings on the third Thursday of each month featuring a guest speaker who addresses topics of interest to our members.

Monthly meetings also present an opportunity for our members to network about issues facing each of us in our jobs. Many members find the ability to network with their peers to be the greatest asset to membership in ALA.

In addition to luncheons, membership includes a variety of programs, publications, networking activities and benefits, including:

• Members receive monthly magazines providing the latest association news and career information for legal administrators. ALA offers many other resources, including publications, audiotapes, videotapes and teleseminars on communications, general management, human resources, office systems, finance, client development, etc..
  
• The Alamo Chapter maintains an online membership directory listing all chapter members, their firms, firm size and contact information. This directory is included in your annual dues and serves as a reference guide for our members to network with each other.
  
• The Chapter puts on an annual, half-day educational seminar, open to both members and non-member area law firms at very modest tuition.
  
• We sponsor an annual salary and benefit survey and participating law firms receive the results at minimal cost.
  
• We hold an annual retreat each fall where guest speakers are invited to present topics to enhance our members’ abilities to perform their jobs. Members of the chapter can attend this retreat at no cost.

We encourage you to explore the many opportunities available to you by joining the Alamo Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. The educational and networking experiences will definitely increase and enhance your capability and professional standing and improve the quality of management in your firm.

If you would like information on membership, please contact our President, Lynn Ganschinietz, at (210) 554-5585 or lganshi@coxsmith.com.