In this issue
EAST BAY CHAPTER ALA CONNECTION February 2026 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Chapter Members and Business Partners,
We hope you enjoyed Morning in the East Bay and that Chad Greeson and Richard Gillespie’s 2026 Labor Law Update gave you valuable insights without keeping you up at night.
We were also especially excited to welcome Michael Cohen from Duane Morris, who presented Become a Destination Law Firm Employer: Status Quo Is Falling Behind. He is always such an engaging speaker, and we were extremely lucky to have him present for us.
We thank Joy Buchanan and all the volunteers who helped with organizing Morning in the East Bay!
We are also grateful that ALA President-Elect Elyssa Goldstein was able to travel across the country to not only attend Morning in the East Bay, but also to meet with our Board members for a mini-Board retreat as we begin preparing for the 2026–2027 Board year.
We can’t wait to see Elyssa take the gavel at the ALA Annual Conference in National Harbor, Maryland this April. If you’re able, there is still time to register!
Truly yours,
Helen Miranda, SHRM-CP
East Bay Chapter President
Morning in the East Bay Pictures
EAST BAY CHAPTER - CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Golden Gate Chapter Knowledge to Leadership Educational Conference and Exposition (K2L)
Cooley LLP
3 Embarcadero Center, 20th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
Attend Virtually or In-Person
The Invisible Agreement: Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Psychological Contracts with Judy Hissong
Latham & Watkins - San Francisco
505 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
In Partnership with ARMA Golden State Chapter and GGALA
2026 Essentials of Chapter Leadership (ECL)
Online
Save the Date!
2026 Essentials of Chapter Leadership (ECL) (Day 2 of 2)
Online
Save the Date!
ALA’s 2026 Annual Conference & Expo
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor, Maryland
The Premier Event for Legal Management Professionals
EAST BAY CHAPTERS BOOK CLUB
East Bay Association of Legal Administrators
East Bay Chapters Book Club
is excited to announce our next book selection:
The Correspondent
By Virginia Evans
“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle … Isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”
Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.
Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters -- to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.
Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has -- a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.
Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read.
We hope you can join your fellow EBALA members for this fun and enjoyable night on Thursday March 19, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Please register today!
A Zoom link will be sent after you register for this event.
If there is a book you would like East Bay Chapters to consider in the future,
please contact Tina Riehl at: [email protected].
Our book club is open to all EBALA members and business partners as well as members of other ALA chapters.
Please join us at any time.
The only cost to you is the purchase of the book.
ALA CONTINUING EDUCATION and CALENDAR
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ALA ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS
Join us for thought-provoking presentations and interactive discussions with your legal management community. Plus, there’s plenty of time to network and scope out the latest offerings from our business partners. Don’t miss your chance to hear from top-notch speakers, sit in on engaging educational sessions and meet knowledgeable and helpful exhibitors during the event.
For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or call +1-972-349-5828. We’re here to help you make the most of your experience!
ALA is pleased to offer attendees a limited number of hotel rooms at a special rate. To take advantage of these rates, you must first register for the event. Once your registration is complete, you’ll receive a link to our online reservation tool to book your hotel room.
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center:
$322 Single/Double + 18% tax + $27 resort fee + 6%tax
$362 Atrium view + 18% tax + $27 resort fee + 6%tax
$699 Executive Suites + 18% tax + $27 resort fee + 6%tax
$1499 Deluxe Suites + 18% tax + $27 resort fee + 6%tax
These rates apply to single/double room occupancy only. For rooms of 3 or more a surcharge will apply. Please make your hotel reservations soon to secure this special rate. Reservations made after March 20, 2026 will be subject to room rate and availability.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the best rates for your stay during ALA's 2026 Annual Conference & Expo!
The link to book your hotel room(s) will be in your registration confirmation email. You must first register to receive access to these special rates.
DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION & ACCESSIBILITY SPOTLIGHT
February - Black History Month
February is Black History Month which celebrates Black history and culture in the United States.
February 1 - National Freedom Day
National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later was ratified as the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
February 14 - Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus. This holiday is typically associated with romantic love and celebrated by people expressing their love with gifts.
February 16* - Presidents Day
Presidents Day is a national holiday to honor all past presidents of the United States.
February 17 - Lunar New Year
Tied to the lunar calendar, the holiday began as a time for feasting and to honor household and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors. The New Year typically begins with the first new moon that occurs between the end of January and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar—until the full moon arrives.
February 17–March 19* - Ramadan
Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. The month-long fast of Ramadan begins at sundown and ends at sundown. During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from food and drink during the daylight hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude and compassion for those less fortunate.
February 18* - Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent on the Christian calendar. Its name is derived from the symbolic use of ashes to signify penitence. In many regions of the world, it takes place immediately after the excesses of Carnival.
EAST BAY CHAPTER 2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS
Nominations are now open for our 2026 Board of Directors!
We’re pleased to share that nominations are now open for our 2026 Board of Directors.
Serving on the Board is a meaningful way to give back to our chapter while growing as a leader and expanding your professional network. Whether you’re interested in continuing your involvement or stepping into a new role, we encourage you to consider joining our leadership team.
If you’re interested in serving on the Board in any capacity, please let our Nomination Committee ([email protected]) know by the end of next week, February 13, so we can plan accordingly.
We have several volunteer positions including:
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Treasurer Vice-Chair
- Membership Vice-Chair
- Business Partner Vice-Chair
- Education and Event Committee
- Newsletter Committee
- DEIA Committee
We look forward to hearing from you!
CERTIFIED LEGAL MANAGER (CLM)
ALA CLM Exam - Application Deadline
As the legal services industry becomes more diverse and competitive, the need for capable managers has never been greater. That’s why earning the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® credential — regardless of the stage in your career — shows your commitment to staying on top of the legal management profession.
It’s not an easy credential to earn — but that’s the point. The CLM credential demonstrates to your firm that you’ve mastered the knowledge, skills and abilities to operate at a high level of expertise in the field of legal management. In fact, those who pass the CLM exam have the depth and breadth of knowledge and management skills that enables them to visit any 30- to 50-attorney law office, review practices and procedures, and be conversant about — and offer advice in — each of the areas listed in the Body of Knowledge.
ALA is the exclusive credentialing body of the CLM program, and CLM Certification is offered twice a year — in the Spring and the Fall. (See below for important 2025 and 2026 dates.)
Spring 2026
Application deadline: April 3
Test dates: May 4-29
Fall 2026
Application deadline: September 4
Test dates: November 2-25
ALA’s Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® credential demonstrates to your firm that you’ve mastered the knowledge, skills, and abilities to operate at a high level of expertise in the field of legal management. ALA is the exclusive credentialing body of the CLM program, and CLM Certification is offered twice a year — in the Spring and the Fall.
For more information on ALA's Certified Legal Manager exam, please visit https://www.alanet.org/certification or contact [email protected].
As an additional incentive for EBALA members to obtain their CLM certification, EBALA will reimburse* your application fee when you pass the exam!
*Terms and conditions apply. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
ALA Member Benefits
ALA Member Benefits
Get Connected to the Legal Management Industry
It almost sounds like a cliché now: Change is happening rapidly in the industry. But it’s true — from talent wars to generative AI — it’s all having an impact on the way legal managers do business. ALA membership allows you to connect with experts, build leadership skills and gain knowledge to embrace these transitional opportunities for growth.
Members have exclusive access to extensive professional development opportunities, collaborative peer communities, strategic operational solutions and business partner connections. We provide solutions to the most critical strategic and operational challenges you face in your legal management profession today, while preparing you for the opportunities of tomorrow.
- Engaging Education Experiences: Successful law firms innovate, and our content-rich education experiences give you the ideas to bring back to your firms. Through in-person events, webinars and our online learning system, we give members what they need to know to keep their firm ahead of the curve. Members receive discounted rates on all of these educational experiences.
- A Community Ready to Help: There is a lot of noise on the internet. Cut through the online clutter and come to a place where you’ll find a supportive community to help you wade through any challenges. Choose from topic-driven, member-only Online Communities that connect you with peers who are in your professional interest area or work at your management level. Participate in virtual roundtables, chats and meetups. Join an ALA chapter to connect with colleagues locally. No matter your networking need, we’ve got a way to keep you connected.
- Content and Resources at the Ready: ALA’s flagship publication, Legal Management, is delivered digitally 10 times a year to your inbox. You’ll also receive our weekly e-newsletter, BOLD Bites, to stay in the loop of upcoming events. On-the-go? Listen to our podcast, Legal Management Talk. As firms face hiring challenges, you’ll want the data that’s in the annual ALA Compensation & Benefits Survey. Members can participate in the research component and receive discounted pricing. Plus, we’ve created a DEIA Resource Hub and Mental Health Resource Hub so you’ll find our latest content on these vital topics.
- Find Your Next Job in Our Job Bank: Or, if your firm is looking to hire for a position, post it. Members get a discount here, too. Visit our Career Center to learn more.
- Valuable Benefits from Our Business Partners (vendors). Our Value in Partnership (VIP)SM is a select group of business partners that ALA vets on your behalf. As the official member benefits resource, our VIP Program brings savings and solutions exclusively for ALA members. Members also have access to discounts from other business partners. Or, browse our Legal Marketplace to find the solution or service provider for a specific need.
