April 2026 Newsletter 
President's Report
A new year has a way of making everything feel possible, and right now I am feeling every bit of that energy. Last year showed us what we are made of and honestly it lit a fire in me that I cannot wait to channel into everything we have planned for this chapter.
Before we dive in, I must give a massive shoutout to the phenomenal Judy Bodenhamer for delivering one of the most engaging legal training presentations this chapter has seen in a while. The content was razor-sharp, and nobody wanted to leave... which tells you everything. Huge thanks also goes to our incredible Business Partner, Aspen Careers, for sponsoring the luncheon and showing up for this chapter the way they always do.
April 29th is our Annual Partner Luncheon, and this is your time to shine with your favorite firm partner! This is your chance to pull back the curtain and let the people who lead your firm see firsthand what ALA is doing, what we are talking about, and why it matters to the health of their organization. This year's topic could not be more fitting: Law Firm Culture: Creating Great Cultures That Drive Retention and Attract Lateral Talent. We all know what a thriving firm culture feels like... and unfortunately, some of us are all too aware of what the other kind feels like, too. This is the conversation happening in every firm right now whether they are ready for it or not. Come together, learn together, and walk back into your firm with a shared language and a real plan.
Here is something I want you to really hear... this Chapter would love to have YOU on the Board! We are actively seeking to fill positions for: VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, VP of Communications and Social Media Chair. If you have ever thought about getting more involved, this is your moment. Please reach out and let us find exactly where you belong because we genuinely want you there.
And finally, the theme carrying us through this entire year is to continue to build our MEMBERSHIP. We want to grow this community with the right people, the ones who will light up when they walk through the door and never want to leave. If someone in your world leads within a legal environment, whether as an administrator, a paralegal, or an operations professional, bring them in! Let them see what we have built here and let them fall in love with it the same way we did.
Year two starts right now and we could not be more ready. Let us make this one unforgettable!
"What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year." — Vern McLellan