It is my pleasure to serve you as 2008/09 BCLMA President. The Association has always offered me endless opportunities to learn and grow; to meet people and network. It has certainly supported me throughout my professional legal career. I feel strongly about protecting and nurturing the wellbeing of this thriving organization. It feels right to continue to give back.

As President, I am supported by what is, I’m sure, the largest Executive Board ever. The amount of involvement at this level tells me that I am surrounded by members who care about the BCLMA as much as I do. I am proud to be a part of this outstanding team. Further, the association is at its largest—with 310 members representing more than 90 firms. As President, I have already had the people, both within and outside of our immediate organization. I look forward to meeting many more of you!

The 2008/09 year kicked off in high gear. I am happy to share some already promising developments and exciting plans for the upcoming year.

ALA

The BCLMA is maximizing opportunities for increased growth and knowledge-sharing that will provide you with even greater value. We have made a commitment to work together with the ALA to present programs and initiatives that will offer you professional development and greater recognition for your vocation.

Look for our sponsorship of the Professional Legal Management Week (PLMW), a week-long program of international scope that supports all levels of legal managers, and brings awareness to the profession. Our logo will appear on all PLMW materials and we are contributing an article to the PLMW magazine. Our participation in this program will generate global awareness of the BCLMA. The third annual PLMW runs the first week of October, 2008.

We are looking at ways to combine resources to co-host Webinars that explore topics relevant to both Canadian and American audiences. Again, whenever the BCLMA is  involved, our logo will appear, so that you will be able to easily identify which presentations have Canadian content and/or relevance. This project is already underway. You are welcome to submit ideas for webinars to any member of the BCLMA Executive.

We are examining possibilities of Canadianizing the Certified Legal Management (CLM) Course, a program is for legal managers who do not have post-secondary degrees to achieve a recognized designation. The CLM is gaining momentum as more recruiters and consultants include the CLM designation to recognize the accomplishment for candidates in job postings. Reconfiguring this program to include Canadian content will be a huge undertaking and will require more research.

BYLAWS

Typically, membership in any Association rests with the individual—not their employer—as is the case, for example, with CGAs, CMAs, members of the BC Law Society or the international Association of Legal Administrators. BCLMA is unusual in attaching membership to the employer, rather than to the individual. The Bylaws will be improved to embrace individuals, including when an individual moves between law firms, or upon unfortunate and/or unexpected termination. When the changes are completed and reviewed by legal counsel, we will provide them to you for discussion and then invite you to vote on the new bylaws at a Special Resolution Meeting.

QUARTERLY NEW-MEMBER BREAKFAST

Those joining the BCLMA for the first time will be invited to meet one another, current and former members of the Executive Board and subsection leaders at quarterly New Members Breakfast receptions. Questions about membership benefits, volunteer opportunities and events will be answered in this casual setting over coffee and muffins. New members will be invited via e-mail.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Our 2008 educational conference, under Construction, is already well on its way to becoming another truly successful event. You can help! Volunteer your time; embrace every opportunity to speak to your vendors for sponsorship dollars or door prizes; and most importantly, attend! The conference program outlines the agenda, introduces the keynote speakers and workshop leaders who will provide you with new tools that will enhance your skills and improve the outcome of your business plans. Let your Managing Partner have a good look at the package when you outline your reasons to attend. It will detail the benefits and value the firm will gain with what you will learn from attending this three-day event.

HERE’S TO THE YEAR AHEAD

We have an ambitious year ahead of us! Together, we can accomplish a lot of great things for one another and for the association. I look forward to working with you!

Stephanie Cornell

BCLMA President