CAALA programs

Not possible without support from sponsors and advertisers

2019 July

You probably know first-hand that CAALA presents great events and programs. Most are for CAALA’s attorney members, but we also include events for Legal Staff professionals and law students. The actual number is more than 100 seminars, social events and programs that range from small roundtables to our annual convention. Hopefully, you are among the thousands of CAALA members who attend these programs regularly.

If you do attend, you know that most of them are presented to members at no charge. It’s a terrific benefit of being a CAALA member.

That said, here are two more facts about CAALA’s programs and events:

All are popular with CAALA members.

None would be possible without sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers.

CAALA provides resources to its members, such as the seminars, webinars and programs we present, the magazine we publish, the list serves we provide and the programs that are available on demand. Many of these are only possible because of the support of vendors who sponsor or exhibit at our events.

Throughout the years CAALA has created a culture where members understand that the vendors not only make the events possible, they provide and become a valuable resource. Members know the vendors make them more successful lawyers and vendors know that building relationships with CAALA members leads to successful business relationships.

CAALA invites legal service providers to join the Association as Affiliate members. We are proud of the fact that nearly 250 businesses have opted to join. Because the Affiliates are so important to CAALA and to our members, we have a dedicated staff position that manages and coordinates the Affiliate program that provides the vital financial support that allows CAALA to offer events and programs at no charge to members; something that’s unique among Trial Lawyer Associations.

Kwedi Moore is CAALA’s Affiliate and Sponsorship Manager and she has just completed her tenth year as a member of CAALA’s staff team. Kwedi has implemented an innovative policy regarding Affiliates. Her focus and attention are on the development of year-round participation by the vendors, not just at one event such as CAALA Vegas. The Affiliates appreciate the year-round opportunities to connect with members, and that’s a big reason why most of CAALA’s events feature a sponsor.

CAALA is careful to manage the marketing messages for our events and programs. We strictly control the ways that Affiliates connect with the members. That’s why you don’t receive countless emails from CAALA Affiliates; and again, it’s by design, not by accident.

We offer two outstanding ways for members to learn about the vendors who support CAALA when they are looking for a service provider. The first, and most obvious (since you are holding it in your hand) is Advocate magazine. Thumb through any issue and you’ll learn about the legal service providers who support CAALA.

CAALA’s website also offers an Affiliate Vendor Directory that lets members know the names of Affiliate firms and provides information on how to connect with them. It’s a convenient and practical way to find out the firms that support CAALA and our members.

CAALA does not endorse specific vendors or put exclusive relationships in place. The Directory and Advocate let you see ads from numerous firms in a given category. We want the members to make their choice from many providers.

I am going to break precedent by singling out a small group of Affiliates for special recognition.

Earlier I said that CAALA’s relationships with vendors go back many years. In fact, there are 10 companies whose relationship with CAALA pre-dates most of our current members. Following are companies that have been Affiliate members for at least 20 years:

• Executive Presentations (31 years)

• Hospital EXPERTS (30 years)

• Wexco International (29 years)

• Judicate West (29 years)

• Alternative Resolution Centers/ARC (28 years)

• Phillips Fractor & Company (28 years)

• White, Zuckerman, Warsavsky, Luna & Hunt (27 years)

• ADR Services, Inc. (25 years)

• Mike Pickett Structured Settlements (23 years)

• Doctors on Liens (22 years)

There are also a small number of firms that are CAALA Vegas Premium Sponsors, without whom we could not present our Convention.

• ExpertMRI (Exhibit Hall)

• Patrick Farber Structured Settlements (Kickoff Party)

• Melissa Baldwin Structured Settlements (Closing Party/Mobile App)

• Personal Court Reporters (Closing Party)

• SmartAdvocate (Sunday Session)

• Traci Kaas Structured Settlements (Speaker Lounge)

• Lawyers Pacific (Convention Bags)

• USA Express (Legal Staff Track)

• Harry Plotkin (New Lawyers Lounge)

I encourage you to thank these, and all our Affiliate members, for their support. I don’t ask you to give them your business just because they are CAALA Affiliates, but I hope you will see them as a resource and give them consideration when you are looking for a legal service provider.