In this issue
EAST BAY CHAPTER ALA CONNECTION April 2026 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Happy April, EBALA!
As I step into my role as chapter president, I want to thank last year’s board and volunteers for another successful year and also give a warm welcome to this year’s board and volunteers. In particular, I would like to express sincere gratitude for our past president, Helen Miranda, for her dedicated leadership over the last two years. I can only hope to be half the president you have been, Helen.
Since 2020, I have been the Firm Administrator at Novus Law Firm, a small higher education-focused labor and employment law firm now located in Sacramento, though it was originally founded in Walnut Creek. In that very dependable way that life brings twists and turns that you could not imagine if you tried, I now work remotely from the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains and I am grateful every day that I am able to do this (shout out to Zoom and Teams).
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your chapter president. Please feel free to reach out to me any time at [email protected] or post in the EBALA group in the online community. I would love to hear from you. If you think you might be interested in chapter leadership, all EBALA members are welcome to attend our monthly board meetings as well as ALA’s monthly Chapter Leadership Educational Series (register here). We are always happy to welcome new volunteers!
Last month, EBALA board members attended ALA’s 2026 Essentials of Chapter Leadership where we received excellent reminders on the fundamentals of ALA chapter leadership and management and took note of some great ideas for chapter events and education from presenters and attendees.
In just about a week, myself and a handful of other EBALA members will be headed to National Harbor, Maryland for the 2026 ALA Annual Conference. I always love this opportunity to spend time with ALA members from all over the world, connect with business partners, and bring home helpful information and strategies for handling all those varied tasks we’re responsible for as law firm administrators. If you are attending, please join me on Sunday, April 12 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern for FirstFive Live. There’s still time to register!
Finally, if you have not yet renewed your membership for 2026-2027, please do that ASAP. Reach out to [email protected] if you are not sure if you’ve renewed or if you need help getting renewed.
Truly yours,
Crystal Ludlow
East Bay Chapter President
CHAPTER OF DISTINCTION AWARD
EBALA has earned the 2026 ALA Chapter of Distinction Award! The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) Chapter of Distinction is awarded to chapters that go above and beyond to embody and promote ALA’s Vision, Mission and Strategic Direction and, in doing so, have a true impact on members and the legal community in their area.
EAST BAY CHAPTER - CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Cyber Chapter Webinar: Do We Need a Website Redesign? (Maybe) - 5 Questions Law Firms Should Ask First
Before committing valuable time, budget and internal resources to a full website redesign, law firms should take a strategic pause and evaluate what’s actually broken and what isn’t. This webinar is designed to guide legal managers, marketing directors , and managing partners walk through five practical questions that help determine whether their website requires a full redesign, targeted improvements, or simply smarter ongoing maintenance. The goal is to help firm’s avoid unnecessary overhauls, allocate resources wisely and make a strategic, data-driven that strengthens performance and return on investment.
To register, please visit: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qRoyoRRoTu-KXNB_XMawaA#/registration.
For more information about the Cyber Chapter of the ALA, please visit: https://cyberala.org/.
2026 Chapter Leadership Institute (CLI)
Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU
Up Your Leadership Game!
SPRING SOCIAL
Spring Social
PIzzalina
2064 Treat Blvd., Suite B
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Members and Business Partners are Invited to Celebrate Spring with EBALA!
EAST BAY CHAPTERS BOOK CLUB
East Bay Association of Legal Administrators
East Bay Chapters Book Club
is excited to announce our next book selection:
Let Them Theory
By Mel Robbins
The Let Them Theory is a step-by-step guide on how to stop letting other people's opinions, drama, and judgment impact your life. Two simple words, Let Them, will set you free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. It’s time to build a life where you come first—your dreams, your goals, your happiness.
"The Let Them Theory taught me how to stop stressing about what I can't control, and focus on what I can: myself. I have never felt so free in my life." -- Mel Robbins, author of The Let Them Theory.
We hope you can join your fellow EBALA members for this fun and enjoyable night on Thursday May 21, 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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Check out these virtual ALA events! |
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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
April - Autism Acceptance Month
April is Autism Acceptance Month, which was established to celebrate the unique perspectives of those living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and raise awareness about the broad range of conditions that can affect an individual’s development of social,
communication and behavioral skills.
April - Celebrate Diversity Month
April is Celebrate Diversity Month. It was started in 2004 to recognize and honor the diversity surrounding us all. By celebrating differences and similarities during this month, organizers hope that people will get a deeper understanding of each other.
April - National Volunteer Month
April is National Volunteer Month, which was started in 1991 to encourage volunteerism at a young age. By volunteering, people can help save lives and create better environments for us all to live within. Thanking volunteers, such as volunteer fire and ambulance departments, is also an aspect of the celebration.
April - National Arab American Heritage Month
April is National Arab American Heritage Month, which celebrates Arab American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans.
April 2 - World Autism Awareness Day
World Autism Awareness Day was created to raise awareness of this developmental disorder.
April 2–9* - Passover
Passover is a major Jewish holiday that occurs over eight days in March or April. It commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It’s an important holiday in the Jewish calendar that is marked by a series of rituals and traditions, including the Seder, a special meal that takes place on the first
two nights of Passover the paschal full moon.
April 5* - Easter
Easter is a Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead following his crucifixion. The week before Easter is referred to as “Holy Week” which begins on Palm Sunday. Good Friday is three days before Easter, which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Easter is observed each year on the
first Sunday after the paschal full moon.
April 10* - Day of Silence
This marks the Day of Silence, during which students take a daylong vow of silence to protest the actual silencing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students and their straight allies due to bias and harassment.
April 16 - DC Emancipation Day
DC Emancipation Day marks the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia in 1862. Over 3,000 enslaved persons were freed eight months before the Emancipation Proclamation liberated slaves in the South.
April 24 - Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day or Armenian Genocide Memorial Day is a public holiday in Armenia and is observed by the Armenian diaspora on April 24. It is held annually to commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915. It was a series of massacres and starvation of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottomans.
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.
