2023 Unsung Legal Heroes: Association of Legal Administrators Minnesota

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Legal administrators played an unheralded, but intrinsic, role during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is one example of how Association of Legal Administrators Minnesota (ALAMN) members are truly Unsung Legal Heroes.

ALAMN President Deb O’Connor said her members responded quickly by helping their firms equip staff with technology to work from home. They ensured employees had secured Wi-Fi, laptop computers, logins and policies and practices for remote work.

“That was a trying time that changed the legal field forever,” said O’Connor. “I’ve worked in law firms for approximately 25 years, and seen a lot change, and I believe that people will never go back to the office full time.”

ALAMN members serve in many different roles, such as chief financial or operating officers, administrators, technology or human resource specialists. They handle human resources, billing and financial functions, payroll, facilities or IT support. Most commonly members work for firms with five to 50 attorneys.

O’Connor said the local chapter holds educational meetings regularly on topics legal administrators deal with in their work, such as human resources, technology, and benefits and compensation. Additionally, an annual one-day conference in Minneapolis brings in national speakers to address many of those and other topics related to legal administration. The local chapter offers scholarships to the national association’s yearly multi-day conference, to further members’ knowledge base.

The association’s meetings this year have been well attended. “In probably only the last three, four months, we’re starting to see good attendance at in-person meetings,” O’Connor said. “We’re encouraged by that trend.”