President's Message: Another Banner AALA Year! Big Changes in 2005 By: Michael Stephens

Another Banner AALA Year!  Big Changes In 2005

As we close out 2004, I wanted to take this opportunity to express my thanks for another great AALA (Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators) year!  This year we continued to make numerous changes as we maintained our position as one of the very best ALA (Association of Legal Administrators) chapters.  We will end the year with over 250 members, making us the 7th largest chapter in the world!

There are two major changes planned for 2005 which I would like to share with everyone.  In addition, we are gearing up for our newest AALA project, the establishment of the AALA Gene Henson Scholarship.

Big Changes in Your 2005 Membership Dues Renewal!

I recently sent out an email notifying members of some very important changes to our membership structure for 2005.  Following the same philosophy we use in our successful Vendor Sponsorship Program, we decided to rethink our membership dues and monthly luncheon fees which provide the Chapter its second primary source of income.  Beginning next year, your membership dues and lunches will be combined into a flat-rate fee structure which will include access to all AALA Speaker Series and social events throughout the year.  For only $150 you will receive all the excellent benefits AALA has to offer, but you’ll also receive free access to Atlanta’s finest restaurants and some of the top notch speakers in the country.  In addition, no more having to get reimbursed by your firm for each monthly luncheon you and other members of your firm attend.   If you are an AALA regular and attend an average of six Speaker Series lunches a year, that’s a saving of $100 or more!

We hope you are pleased with these changes and that they will encourage you to attend as many AALA events your schedule will permit.  Our ability to make these changes is once again due to the loyalty and generosity of our vendor sponsors. 

Board Decides to Cancel 2005 AALA Compensation & Benefits Survey

For the last two years AALA has teamed up with our friends at the Capital Chapter to provide our electronic Compensation & Benefits Survey.   The Board has closely watched and monitored the cost value of purchasing this survey based on member participation over the last two years.  In our second year, participation dropped to 25% of our total number of active firms.  Unfortunately, that is a pretty disappointing number when you consider it costs the Chapter $9,000 to lease this technology from the Capital Chapter. 

Obviously, salary surveys are only successful when there is a high participation rate that allows members to share data with other firms.  Our low participation rate over the last two years has not met the expectations of the Board and many firms are opting out of purchasing the survey.  Based on these numbers, the Board has decided not to offer a Compensation & Benefits Survey in 2005, but will revisit the subject for 2006.

All is not lost!  We will strongly encourage member firms to participate in the ALA national survey next spring.  This survey provides much of the same data you would find in the AALA survey, but with a very successful participation rate from local and national firms.   As an incentive, AALA will pay $25 towards the purchase price for all firms who participate in the ALA 2005 Salary and Compensation Survey.
 
AALA Establishes Gene Henson Scholarship – Volunteers Needed!

If you attended the Business Partners Luncheon in September, you are aware the Chapter established the Gene Henson Scholarship in honor of our first Chapter president.  AALA will award a $5,000 college scholarship to a student of need for the 2005 school year.   In preparation for this award next fall, we are now in the process of forming the AALA Foundation Committee.  This committee will be responsible for establishing the criteria and selection standards for all future scholarships.  They will also be actively involved in the screening and selection of the student candidates.

We are looking for three AALA members to serve on this exciting committee.  If you are interested in giving back to the community and have 2-3 hours a week to devote to this great cause, please feel free to contact me for more information. 

Thanks again to everyone for making this an exciting and successful AALA year! 

I would like to wish everyone an excellent and safe holiday season and I know you will make AALA an important part of your New Year’s resolutions.  I look forward to seeing you at our next AALA event.

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Editor: Debra F. Goldman (dgoldman@gmlj.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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