Nominating Committee

Charter

Description: The Nominating Committee is charged with selecting individuals to fill upcoming vacancies on the ALA Board of Directors in accordance with Article V of the Association bylaws. These roles include:

• 2025–2026 ALA President-Elect
• Directors

This committee will also identify alternates for each role should the need arise.

Composition: The Nominating Committee is comprised of the President-Elect (non-voting member), President, Immediate Past President, Executive Director (non-voting member), and up to 12 members at large for a total of up to 16 committee members.  Per Article VI, Section VI.2 of the Association Bylaws the President serves as Chair of the committee. Under no circumstances will the committee be comprised of fewer than seven individuals. 

Term: Terms of two years are staggered to allow for continuity, excluding the members of the Executive Committee. Terms are nonrenewable and members cannot have served on the Nominating Committee in the two years prior to appointment.

In-Person Meetings/Expectations: Committee members are responsible for reviewing volunteer applications, conducting due diligence calls and actively participating in a face-to-face meeting scheduled for November 2024, in Chicago, as well as any necessary conference calls leading up to that meeting. The work of this committee will begin in late September and culminate with the meeting in November.

Ideal committee members will possess the following traits:

• The ability to provide thoughtful input/feedback in a timely respectful manner
• Exceptional interviewing, communication and due diligence skills
• The ability to remain focused, objective and supportive while building consensus
• A basic understanding of ALA’s governance structure
• Respect for the importance of confidentiality throughout the process
  

Committee members will also be required to familiarize themselves with various ALA policies and procedures as well as position descriptions for the roles. Service on the committee is open to any ALA member.

Eligibility: Except for the currently seated President, President-Elect and Immediate Past President, committee members cannot be currently serving on the Board of Directors or the Chapter Resource Team, nor can they be considered candidates for President-Elect or the Board of Directors positions during their term on the committee. The Executive Director will serve as a non-voting member of the committee as stipulated in Article VII of the Association Bylaws.

Except for the currently seated President, President-Elect and Immediate Past President, committee members shall not have served on the Board of Directors during the four years prior to appointment to the committee.

The ALA headquarters staff liaison to the Nominating Committee is determined by and reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for ensuring all applicants meet the eligibility requirements and are current members of ALA in good standing prior to forwarding candidate applications to the committee for review.

Committee Selection Process: Apart from the currently seated President, President-Elect and Immediate Past President, all committee vacancies are filled by appointment. Appointments are made by the returning members of the Nominating Committee (exclusive of the Executive Committee).

All ALA members are invited to submit an application to serve on the Nominating Committee annually, usually in July. Applications are reviewed by the committee members returning from the prior year. Among the factors considered during the review process with an objective of achieving a diverse representation are:

• Years as a legal management professional and ALA member
• Member’s geographical location
• The size of the applicant’s legal organization
• The size of the applicant’s primary Chapter (if applicable)
• Prior ALA volunteer service (at either the chapter and/or association level)

Applicant interviews are conducted by members of the Nominating Committee, after which individuals are appointed to fill the vacancies and alternates are identified.

Notification of Committee Appointment: Within seven business days of appointment, the Chair shall confirm that all applicants have been notified of their status either by phone or in writing. Upon completion of the notifications, the Chair shall provide the Board of Directors with a full committee roster to publish for viewing by the full membership no later than September 1. All committee members will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement upon appointment.

Committee Member Responsibilities: Committee members are responsible for ensuring the selection of individuals for each vacant position on the Board of Directors in the coming year. In doing so, committee members should thoroughly review and familiarize themselves with the following information:

The governance methods utilized by the ALA Board of Directors.

Job descriptions for Directors.

Each candidate’s application.

Each candidate’s response to questions posed.

The Association’s current Strategic Direction.

In addition to attending the initial conference call and performing due diligence on candidates to whom they are assigned, committee members are responsible for attending the in-person meeting in November, providing oral due diligence reports about candidates whom they are assigned to research, and interviewing President-Elect applicants.

Committee members must also review and sign the ALA Nominating Committee Confidentiality Agreement.

Executive Director Responsibilities: The Executive Director represents the continuity of leadership within ALA as committee members change each year. The Executive Director will attend all committee meetings and will serve as a resource to the Nominating Committee members as they execute their responsibilities as defined in these procedures and as the conduit through which the results of the Nominating Committee’s decisions are communicated.

Staff Liaison Responsibilities: The committee staff liaison is responsible for ensuring the timely completion of these activities:

Solicitation of Candidates: Candidates for President-Elect and Director are sought via a Call for Volunteers posted on ALA’s website and published through the Association's various communication vehicles.

Correspondence with Candidates: Candidates to be considered for all open leadership positions are provided the appropriate forms and materials to be completed for further consideration by the committee staff liaison.

Communication with Committee: Compiles information and responds to inquiries needed for the committee to perform its work. This will include due diligence assignments, some required due diligence contacts and application and answers to the ALA President-Elect and/or Director Candidate Questionnaire as applicable.

Candidate Profiles: A brief profile and photo of the individuals who are selected to serve in the coming year will be published in Legal Management.

ALA Headquarters Liaison: Nicole Larson, CAE

Current Committee Roster