THE MISSION OF THE COMMERCIAL LAW LEAGUE OF AMERICA IS:
TO BE THE PRE-EMINENT SOURCE AND PROVIDER OF OUTSTANDING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY;
TO PROMOTE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM;
TO FOSTER ECONOMIC, NETWORKING AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS MEMBERS
THE CLLA VISION
THE CLLA, WITH AND THROUGH ITS MEMBERS, WILL CREATE AND ANTICIPATE CHANGE WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH LEADERSHIP, LOBBYING, EDUCATION AND MARKET-RELEVANT RESOURCES. IN ACCOMPLISHING ITS MISSION, THE CLLA MEMBERS SHALL ACT WITH UNPARALLELED INTEGRITY, HONESTY AND STEWARDSHIP – ALL IN SERVICE TO THE CREDIT, COLLECTION, COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND BANKRUPTCY COMMUNITIES.
STRATEGIC GOAL 1: MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF HONEST AND ETHICAL PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.
Identified Objective # 1: Develop a standard Code of Conduct for all CLLA members
Identified Objective #2: Expand the charge of the Arbitration, Grievance and Objection to Membership Committee to include review and investigation of alleged violations of the CLLA Code of Conduct. .
Identified Objective #3: Develop a public relations/media response committee or mechanism within the CLLA.
Specified Objective: a. The CLLA should be prepared to be a resource to the media in connection with high profile media stories about the industries encompassed within the membership of the CLLA
Identified objective #4: Expand the Government Affairs Committee to be a resource to government agencies, including, but not limited to the FTC, FCC and any other relevant agencies.
STRATEGIC GOAL 2: STRENGTHEN THE UNITY OF THE ORGANIZATION WHILE RESPECTING THE INDIVIDUALISM OF ITS CONSTITUENTS
Identified Objective # 1: Administrative Improvements to the CLLA through uniformity
Specified Objectives: a. The CLLA should achieve consistency and uniformity of rules and procedures among all of its constituent groups
b. Adherence to the composition of all Committees as set forth in the Constitution and By-Laws of the CLLA
c. Sections and districts should adhere to the National election cycle
d. Maintain the unity of the organization through national coordination of regional and section programs, including meetings
Identified Objective #2: Develop leadership training that includes knowledge of each of the CLLA constituent parts and respect therefor.
Specified Objective: a. In furtherance of Strategic Goal #6, develop annual leadership seminars available to CLLA members interested in obtaining leadership positions in the CLLA
b. Engage members from each constituent group of the CLLA to present at these leadership seminars
Identified Objective #3: Administrative improvements to the CLLA through Centralization
Specified Objective: a. Maintain the financial stability of the CLLA by adherence to the National organization’s control of financial reporting
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b. All sections and regions should be included in or linked with one central CLLA website
c. All exhibitors to CLLA meetings should be coordinated through the National CLLA office
d. All sponsors to CLLA meetings and/or programs should be coordinated through the National CLLA office
e. All CLLA meetings should be coordinated through the National CLLA office
Identified objective #4: Preserve the interest of the various constituent groups of the CLLA
Specified Objective: a. CLLA meetings should be rotated to achieve fairness among the districts
b. Develop a plan for decision making that includes input and/or vote from the various constituent membership groups
c. Encourage interactivity among the CLLA constituent members on social, education and governance activities
STRATEGIC GOAL 3: ENHANCE, PROMOTE AND SUPPORT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR ITS MEMBERS
Identified Objective # 1: Market and Promote Business Opportunities
Specified Objectives: a. Host small group meetings, including activities at the regional and individual city level.
b. Engage potential sources of business to attend these small meetings
c. Invite members and potential members to attend
d. Link this with the Strategic Goal on Education to provide educational activity (CLE hours) at these smaller meetings
e. The CLLA should strive to market the league as a whole, yet allow flexibility for its different sub-groups.
Identified Objective #2: Encourage members and potential members to attend and participate in League sponsored conferences.
Specified Objective: a. Develop or enhance an “agency day” as a promotion of business
b. Encourage members to attend the Chicago and New York meetings
c. Write promotional articles for the League publications
Identified Objective #3: Market quarterly telephone educational seminars to other associations.
Specified Objective: a. Partner with other associations to raise visibility of the League
b. Partner with other educational groups to raise visibility of the League
c. Promote the CLLA through partnerships with educational seminar providers
Identified objective #4: Pursue Growth areas of retail collections activities
Specified Objective: a. Develop a Retail Section of the League
Identified objective #5: Develop methods for recruiting new members
Specified Objective: a. Work with the Law Lists Publishers Association in recruiting potential members
b. Work with the CCAA members in recruiting potential clients
c. Develop methods to increase recruitment of new members in consideration of their diversity
Identified Objective #6: Encourage functions outside of formal meetings
Specified Objective: a. Enable further professional relationships by informal meetings, not formalized CLLA meetings
b. Enable further personal relationships by informal meetings, not formalized CLLA meetings
Identified Objective #7: Enhance the Hospitality and Networking Functions at CLLA meetings
Specified Objective: a. restructure the exhibitor areas to direct the flow of people through the exhibit areas
b. Encourage members to visit the exhibitors to learn more about their offered services
c. Maintain an open time for lunch at meetings to enable and encourage professional and social relationships
d. Maintain ample time for networking at League meetings for members to forge social relationships
Identified Objective #8: The CLLA should strive to develop external business opportunities for
its members by increasing the diversity of its membership
STRATEGIC GOAL 4: PROVIDE OUTSTANDING EDUCATION
Identified Objective # 1: Create structure to enhance ability to provide quality, timely and relevant education
Specified Objectives: a. Develop one organizational educational structure headed by the National Education Committee and in conjunction with League staff to coordinate and certify all education programs presented in the name of the CLLA at conventions and local meetings by the CLLA, its sections, regions and members
b. Track programs and content to provide feedback on successful programs for future meeting planners
c. Complete development of a working on-line education database of seminars and materials available for download by CLLA members
d. Provide regional education opportunities. This objective can be linked to Strategic Goal “3 utilizing education at the smaller meetings to promote business opportunities for its members
e. Create master calendar to be given to incoming education chairs when they assume the role as chair
Identified Objective #2: Provide varied formats for educational programming
Specified Objective: a. Develop more interactive programs – e.g. mock trials
b. Develop round-table discussions to share individual programs, ideas and current legal developments
c. Survey members regularly and utilize the survey results in planning future programs
d. Develop and utilize teleseminars and web-based programming
Specified Objective: a. Provide basic, nuts and bolts education programs (UCC, Bankruptcy, collection cases, Federal Court practice and procedure, transportation, etc) to attract new members and provide refreshers for more experienced members
b. Provide the requisite ethics, professionalism and ADR education credits in the various jurisdictions with mandatory requirements
c. Provide educational programs on technology, e.g. on-line back-ups, VolP, etc.
d. Provide quality education programs for paralegals and administrative staff of agencies and law firms
e. Balance educational offerings at conferences to meet the needs of the attendees ( i.e. some bankruptcy, some creditors’ right, some litigation, some collection)
f. When appropriate, utilize a nationally known speaker or other promotional aspect for programs
Identified objective #4: The CLLA should strive to enhance the excellence of the speaking and writing skills of its members in order to improve to quality of CLLA education we provide through speaking engagements and publications
Specified Objective: a. A Speaker’s Bureau should be developed of the “best of the best” League members who can provide the majority of the League’s educational products
b. In furtherance of Strategic Goal #4, standards should be developed to determine the expertise and presentation ability of League Members
c. League members meeting these standards should be encouraged to present educational programs or write educational articles
d. Training and writing skills’ programs should be developed to enable League members achieve the excellence necessary to meet the standards
Specified Objective: a. List specialty areas of attorneys in roster for those willing to answer questions from other members about those areas
b. Create videotapes or CD’s from programs for use/purchase by members and non-members
c. Develop “canned” programs for use nation-wide in conjunction with smaller regional meetings or in an outreach to other organizations
d. Collaborate with ABC on pre-certification education programs
Identified objective #6: Coordinate joint education programs with industry trade organization
Specified Objective: a. Provide education to trade association members about the services CLLA members can provide
b. Provide education to CLLA members on the legal nuances presented by the trade associations’ individual industries
c. Coordinate educational programs to be presented by credit grantors to CLLA members
d. Provide education directed at law school students considering entering the practice of credit, collection, commercial litigation or bankruptcy law
e. Collaborate with local bar associations.
GOAL 5: MONITOR, ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION AND COURT PROCEEDGINGS RELEVANT TO THE COMMERCIAL LITIGATION, BANKRUPTCY AND THE CREDIT AND COLLECTION INDUSTRY
Identified Objective #1: Advocate legislation as appropriate in the areas of credit, collection, commercial litigation and bankruptcy
Specified Objective: From time to time identify legislation that might be appropriate to be advocated by the CLLA in any session of Congress.
Identified Objective #3: Amicus Curiae support
Specified Objective: Organize a subcommittee and develop a network of lawyers who would assist in the drafting and filing of amicus curiae briefs on selected issues that the CLLA has determined to be important to the credit, collection, commercial litigation and bankruptcy industries.
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Identified Objective #4: Develop contact list of CLLA members who can contact federal or state legislators
Specified Objective: Develop and maintain contacts between CLLA members and Congress; develop and maintain state law contacts.
Identified Objective #5: Establish liaison with groups with similar credit, collection and bankruptcy interests
Specified Objective: Investigate and network with other organizations that might have similar interests with the CLLA and establish contact with them to identify specific issues and areas of common interest.
STRATEGIC GOAL #6: ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS IN ACHIEVING PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Identified Objective # 1: Certification designates a CLLA member as being excellent in his area of specialization. The appropriate programs must be developed to assist CLLA members to achieve this certification
Specified Objective: a. Survey the CLLA members to ascertain the level of interest in certification programs
b. Undertake to find out what are the barriers that prevent or discourage its membership from seeking certification
Identified Objective #2: Engage CLLA members who have achieved certification to assist in the development and presentation of courses and materials for members who wish to achieve certification
Specified Objective: a. In furtherance of Strategic Goal #4, coordinate with the Education Committee to make sure pre-certification educational programs are the best they can be
b. In furtherance of Strategic Goals #3, coordinate efforts to have pre-certification courses and materials available at CLLA meetings to encourage attendance
Identified Objective #3: Mentoring programs must be developed to enable newer members of the CLLA to achieve excellence in their areas of practice and business
Specified Objective: a. Utilizing the business, networking, politics, history, structure and values of the League, enable members to become excellent in their practices and areas of concentration
b. Develop enhanced internet communication tools including blogs, chat rooms, more list serves to enable members to exchange information and practical advice in specific areas of practice and business
Identified objective #4: Develop minimum threshold standards for leadership positions in the League to ensure continued excellence in the leadership and governance of the League
Specified Objective: a. Coordinate with Strategic Goal # 2 to insure future leadership of the League maintains the unity of the organization while maintaining the integrity of the various constituents of the League
b. Develop a training program on board responsibilities to be used at the Board of Governors’ level and at each district and section council level, including such topics as League policy, procedures, structure, by laws, minutes and record keeping requirements, reporting requirements, finances, strategic plan adherence
c. Maintain excellence in CLLA’s leadership and governance by encouraging leadership candidates to undertake (1) leadership training, (2) board governance training, and (3) the strategic planning process and conference
Identified objective #5: Maintain excellence in the League by an annual revue of the Strategic Plan, League Services and Programs
Specified Objective: a. Modify the Strategic Plan when necessary, but no less than once every five years
b. Monitor the services and programs offered by competing organizations to ensure the highest level of excellence is maintained in the League programs and services.
