Happy New Year! I cannot remember the last time I was so excited to say those three little words. I am not one to wish my life away, but I will not miss the curveballs and challenges 2020 threw at us.
Much has been written about the challenges of 2020, and we will feel its effects forever — some negative, some positive, but all will change the course of business as usual. If you are one who tends to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the new, what a great time for you to hit the reset/restart button and pay attention to what 2020 has taught us.
One of the lasting impacts of 2020 is featured in our cover story, “Social Impact.” Finding ways to be more socially responsible is nothing new for many legal organizations. Beyond the personal learning that will be required as we continue to heal and grow, these initiatives are no longer seen as optional. The lack of such efforts in your legal organization might be a dealbreaker for some clients as more require their counsel to articulate their social impact commitment as part of the selection process.
As an Association, we also have much to celebrate in 2021 — specifically, our Association’s 50th Anniversary. We have some fun things in store to celebrate this golden milestone, so stay tuned!
Are you ready to up your commitments in this area? Are you prepared to do so? What could new initiatives look like? If you find yourself asking these questions, this article can help you expand your organization’s efforts — or take the first step to get started. You will be inspired by what some firms are already doing. This article highlights a new resource, Legal Sustainability and Social Impact (Legal SASI). It was actually launched in response to growing interest in social responsibility from the legal profession.
As an Association, we also have much to celebrate in 2021 — specifically, our Association’s 50th Anniversary. We have some fun things in store to celebrate this golden milestone, so stay tuned! You will also receive a keepsake print edition of Legal Management this summer that not only highlights the last 50 years of our Association but also gives a sense of where our industry is headed in the next 50 years.
In the vein of resolutions and future planning, your Board of Directors is also at work on a new Strategic Direction and Plan. This month we are starting the process to chart the course of this Association for the next three to five years. The lessons of 2020 have provided insights about the association world that we could not have imagined in years prior. Just as in our professional lives, ALA found itself in uncharted waters without navigation tools. We were challenged to provide education and networking in ways never before utilized. All this work has paid off and given us a new set of skills and abilities that will impact our new plan.
I am excited to see what the new year will hold. I am excited to see answers to action in response to the social impact on our personal and professional lives. I am excited to see how you, the member, have risen above and excelled. I am excited to see the next steps for this Association. Mostly, I am excited to be alive in a time of significant change.
Here’s to a fantastically successful 2021 — that finds you happy, healthy and strong.
As always, it is my pleasure to serve with you and for you.
