James Gillespie: From CPA to CLM By: Melanie Kowal

James Gillespie means business. Seated in an austere conference room at the office of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC, he seems the poster child for professionalism. James’ fourth year as Executive Administrator was punctuated with the addition of the Certified Legal Manager Certification last year. Since then he has been a vocal proponent of the CLM program, and even plans on leading a committee in December. What inspired this Arkansas native to sit for the CLM exam? A glimpse into his past provides a clear picture.

James has been doing financial work for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Arkansas and obtaining his CPA, he relocated to Atlanta to work for Arthur Andersen & Co. During his eight-year career as an audit manager, he came to appreciate working with high-caliber professionals – an experience he would joyfully repeat in his future law firm endeavors.

Building on the knowledge gained at Arthur Andersen, James changed focus and served as CFO for small public and non-public companies in Atlanta. He also worked as a consultant for struggling companies that needed a financial overhaul in order to prepare for sale. After several years in consulting, one of James’ CPA firm contacts referred him to Constangy. The firm was looking for an administrator and needed his help in the interim. His contract position became a full-time commitment, as three months later he was asked to stay.

“Fortunately, this was about the time that more firms started looking to have financial people in higher places of responsibility in the firm,” he relates. After observing his financial savvy, Constangy decided that his background would perfectly suit the profile of their administrator. In November 2001 James became the official Executive Administrator.

“The day of the professional executive administrator is definitely here. One of the key roles that I feel is in demand now and will increasingly be in demand going forward is an executive administrator with strong financial skills,” James says. “That’s being driven by the economics of the industry and the move from a collegial partnership environment to a business environment.”

James thrives in the combined financial and administrative role. Grateful to rejoin a team of outstanding professionals, he has elevated the position of administrator to the next level. However, James has not taken his new responsibilities lightly. Last year he began investigating the Certified Legal Manager Certification. Having already obtained a CPA, James viewed the CLM as a similar designation for administrators who wanted to step-up their education and make themselves more marketable. He joined a study group of about 10 professionals, but upon completion was the only one to take the exam. When James received his certification in 2004, there were 125 active CLM members; that number has since grown to 175.

“The demand for the skill set is rapidly increasing,” James affirms. “I feel that the growth of that designation and the education that goes along with it is going to be very important in the future.

James’ research revealed specific requirements in order to sit for the exam. It’s open only to those who have been an administrator for a minimum of three years and have satisfied a suite of required seminar training. Having passed the examination, James knew full well what it takes to succeed. Like any academic test, the CLM demands preparation and a lot of hard work. James approached the AALA with a proposal: He wanted to create a CLM preparation committee. The basic idea is to form a study group. But not just any study group. With the ultimate goal of passing the exam, James’ plan is to coordinate eight to ten meetings tailor-made to the essential components of the exam. Each session will focus on a specific area from the test, brought to life by outside speakers who have been prompted as to content. That way, every meeting will provide the student with pertinent information crucial to his success.

“The end result of the study sessions is going to be candidates that are ready to take the exam in April at the Montreal national convention,” he explains.

James’ strategy is to condense studying into the four or five months prior to the exam. He highly recommends the use of flashcards (great for those long traffic lights) and intense preparation over a short period of time. Exam topics include: financial management (30%), human resources management (35%), legal industry (10%) and office operations management (25%). For those not as financially adept as James, he suggests using “Law Firm Accounting and Financial Management” by Quinn, Bailey and Gaulin. Barry University also offers a comprehensive study guide covering all four aspects of the exam.

With such hard work to obtain the distinction, what are the benefits?

“You learn a lot of things that you need to know as an executive administrator that you’re not really strong in. It bolsters your academic knowledge of areas you’re not necessarily familiar with that you need to be familiar with,” James explains. “Those credentials are going to be key to not only enhancing your value with your own firm but making you more valuable to another firm.”

According to James, his peers who have passed the exam receive greater respect from the partners, are more involved in decision-making and are asked for increased input. “And I’m sure with all of that there must be positive financial ramifications,” he adds. Even if you have no intention of leaving your firm, James highly recommends obtaining the certification.

The CLM Committee kick-off event in December is open to anyone interested in participating. James hopes that at least five other AALA members will join him in this CLM distinction. If you qualify to sit for the exam (you know who you are), think seriously about taking it. James’ four-month-long study group will provide you with the education and support you need to succeed.

“I think it’s a huge pay-off for a four-month investment,” James concludes. After countless hours of studying and numerous flashcards, he should know.

To understand the prerequisites for the CLM exam, visit the education section of the ALA National website at www.ala.org.

Editor: Brian Gedeon (BHGedeon@duanemorris.com) (This publication is the property of the Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. Reproduction or reprint without prior permission is strictly prohibited. Click here to request reprint permission.)

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