LMA: working for you.

• Author: Darling, Nathan
• Position: President's Podium

During a year when its members were busier than ever, LMA advanced a number of significant initiatives and laid the groundwork for strong member value into 2011 and beyond.

In January, Jeanne Hammerstrom will take the reins as LMA's 26th President. Jeanne is a terrific, results-oriented leader, whose wide network and warm personality will serve her well as she leads our association. I wish her, and all who serve our great association, every success. Like the legal industry we serve, our members have felt the continued pinch of the sideways economy, and they sometimes find it difficult to make room in their busy work lives for LMA. We appreciate the time and efforts of all of our volunteer leaders--the association simply would not exist without you. Thank you.

Although our leaders still serve annual terms, it's important for members to know that, as part of LMA's ongoing strategic realignment, LMA now conducts its activities and initiatives according to a multi-year strategic plan, and not on a year-by-year basis. In this regard, I'd like to provide a brief "state of the Association" recap of all we have accomplished in 2010, and a preview of what you can expect in the years ahead.

Education. LMA formalized 10 core competencies for marketing, business development and communications and has aligned its educational offerings accordingly--including at our completely reinvented annual conferences. Looking forward, anticipate continued segmentation of educational offerings by seniority level, job function, firm size and other key demographics for which you have asked. We are also evaluating ways to better align and coordinate chapter and international educational offerings.

Advocacy. Through an LMA Task Force formed in 2009, LMA is actively engaged in the activities of the ABA Ethics 20/20 Commission. We continue to explore ways to represent our members' voices within the industry, including with the Association of Corporate Counsel, Association of Legal Administrators and other organizations, as well as with law firm leaders.

Professional Development. Whether through chapter mentoring programs and committee assignments, the revamped...