Membership

New Membership Options Now Available

By Ona Alston Dosunmu

I am excited to share the new changes to our membership and dues structure with you. We have heard time and time again from you, our members, that you want and need more options. You and prospective members now have two new ways to belong to and engage with our association. The previous flat amount per section, while simple, was not dynamic enough for members interested in multiple Sections or members who do not fit neatly into one of our existing Sections. Regardless of which membership option you choose, you will receive new value and new benefits, including this quarterly digital publication; additional content on key areas of general interest to all lawyers, such as health and wellness and personal financial management; free and discounted CLE programming; and deeply discounted member benefits, such as a student loan refinancing program from So-Fi. The Standard Membership For our current members, we have rolled you over into the new Standard membership for the rest of 2021. This option keeps things the way they are for CLA Section devotees with an important exception—you won’t have to add a whole new membership for each additional Section. Sections can be added as needed separately—a la carte, if you will—at $40 each, a substantially lower cost than a full membership. As current members, you do not have to do anything right now.

The Introductory Membership One of the two new options we have implemented may appeal to newer professionals or individuals who do not fit neatly into one of CLA’s existing Sections. The Introductory membership may also be attractive to individuals whose practice, and therefore what they need from CLA, changes frequently. If this describes you or your practice (or that of someone you know), then this membership will give you access to all CLA-wide benefits without having to choose a Section. Additionally, content from the Solo and Small Firm and Law Practice Management and Technology Sections will become a part of this offering. If you’re a member of either of these Sections or both, now is great time to add another Section. The All-Access Membership Finally, for our most engaged, involved, and active members, we have the All-Access option, which includes membership to all of CLA’s Sections. This membership, which is only be available via the CLA website, gives members electronic access to all the resources and content across CLA and all Sections. This is a great option for individuals who need broad visibility into the vast array of areas of specialization covered by CLA’s Sections, which may include in-house general practitioners, senior or managing partners, and academics. Ongoing Discounts CLA also offers discounts to members or prospective members employed by the government (at any level—federal, state, municipal) and to individuals employed by nonprofit organizations. As a reminder, any member or prospective member facing financial hardship may contact our professional team and we will offer them complimentary membership for the duration of their hardship. Law students will still be able to join up to three Sections for free. To take advantage of this offer, they must join on the CLA website. Judges and judicial officers may also choose complimentary membership—again, this is only available on the CLA site. The cohort for new professionals in CYLA will remain eight years, and individuals in their first eight years of practice will receive all CYLA communications. Newly admitted attorneys will receive the standard membership for three years without cost. We encourage you to invite any attorneys you know who are not currently CLA members to check us out.

Ona Alston Dosunmu was CLA's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director from 2018-2021.

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