The following extracts from the Policies and Procedures of TLOMA are provided for the information of applicants for membership. Upon request, a complete copy of the Policies and Procedures will be provided upon admission.

1. PURPOSE OF THE CORPORATION

The Law Office Management Association, hereinafter referred to as the “Association”, may also be referred to as “TLOMA”.

The purpose of the Association shall be:

(a) To provide a forum for the exchange of information among individuals who have administrative or management responsibilities in legal organizations. Legal organizations include private law firms, a legal service clinic, a corporate legal department, a university legal department, a government legal agency, a court system, a charitable legal agency or any other organization engaged primarily in the practice of law;

(b) To develop and promote continuing education programs which respond to the needs of members;

(c) To advance the understanding of legal administration;

(d) To enhance the status and credibility of legal administrators;

(e) To foster good relations with the public, law firms and other collegial groups and organizations; and

(f) To promote the ethical, responsible and competent professional activities of the members.

The Association is non-partisan and no part of its activities shall be devoted to influencing legislation that is not pertinent to the aims and objectives of the members of the Association and their employers. No funds of the Association shall be used or subscribed for any political purpose. The Association may conduct educational meetings and produce educational literature to inform members and others about relevant legislation.

All policies and acts of the Association and its directors, officers and agents shall be conducted so as to preserve the not-for-profit tax status of the Association. The activities of the Association shall be carried on without purpose of gain for the members and any profits or other accretion to the Association shall be used in promoting the purposes of the Association.

All members shall abide by the policies of the Association and comply with its by-laws.

2. MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Association is granted to eligible individuals only. Membership cannot be granted to an organization.

An eligible individual is one who:

(a) Is employed by private law firm, a legal service clinic, a corporate legal department, a university legal department, a government legal agency, a court system, a charitable legal agency or any other organization engaged primarily in the practice of law;

(b) Is employed in a position in which 100% of job duties are management responsibilities for one or more of the activities set out in "Schedule A" which is attached to and forms part of this policy;

(c) Does not concentrate on the delivery of legal services; and

(d) Is not a consultant or a vendor to an organization as set out in Schedule A, except as may be excepted there under.

Schedule "A"
Any person who is responsible in whole or in part for the development and execution of policy and/or strategy in a firm. A Manager may be responsible for directing, supervising or managing the activities of others, or may be a subject expert who is not accountable for the activities of others, but who has influence over them, directly or indirectly.

In a law firm setting, management employees would generally report to a more senior manager, an Executive or Management Committeee, or a lawyer, in his or her capacity as a management or administrative person in the firm. Employees would be engaged in management activities for the entirety of their working hours. Managers who work part time are eligible for TLOMA membership, provided they meet all other criteria.

There are three classes of membership in the Association:

(a) Full Members are those who have been admitted by the Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) to the Association as Full Members, have met and are still meeting the requirements of membership and are not in arrears with payment of membership dues.

(b) Life Members. This category of membership is restricted for former Full Members who:
(i) Have at least 10 years service in legal and administration; and

(ii) Have served for at least one year on the Board of the Association or have served the Association in some other equivalent way, acceptable to the Board, and are not disqualified from membership by virtue of their status as Honorary Members or as Full Members who become unemployed.

The privileges of a Life Member are conditional as follows:

(i) Shall be suspended if the Life Member shall, at any time after ceasing to be employed in a law firm administration role, engage in any of the following activities:

(ii) Actively seeks out consulting assignments to law firms, legal departments and similar organizations; or

(iii) Actively seeks out consulting assignments to a business with the objective that advice will be given to help the business market, its products or services to law firms, legal departments and similar organizations; or

(iv) Takes employment with an organization whose principal business is selling products or services to law firms; or

(v) Takes employment with an organization whose business includes selling products or services to law firms and the employment is principally in connection with sales to law firms;

But shall not be suspended as a result of the Life Member engaging in:

(i) Any consulting role that, in the judgment of the Board is only an extension or variation of the Life Member’s immediately preceding employment with his or her law firm, for example, a post-retirement advisory role; or

(ii) Any other activity that has been fully disclosed to the Board and with respect to which the Board is satisfied that the Life Member’s privileges should not be affected; or

May be suspended at the discretion of the Board at any time for unacceptable circumstances.

(e) Honorary Members. This category of membership is restricted to individuals, who while not qualified for membership under any other criterion, are deemed by the Board to have made a significant contribution to the objectives of the Association in a manner that makes the award of an Honorary Membership appropriate. An Honorary Membership conveys no rights or obligations and may be awarded for any period and may be revoked by the Board at any time.

3. PRIVILEGES AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

The privileges of membership in the Association vary with the category of membership, as follows:

(a) Full members are entitled to all rights and privileges and are subject to the obligations of membership, which are:
(i) The right to receive notice, to attend and to vote at all meetings of the Association;

(ii) The right to seek election and, if elected, to serve as an officer or director of the Association;

(iii) The obligation to pay, when due, the membership dues set by the Board;

(iv) The obligation to conform to the policies and procedures of the Association as set out herein; and

(v) Full Members who become unemployed, but in all other respects continue to satisfy the requirements of membership, may retain their Full Membership for a period of grace of one year following the effective date of their unemployment without any further payment of fees.

(b) Life Members are entitled to receive notice of and to attend all meetings of the Association and to receive copies of publications of the Association. They may not offer themselves for election to the Board or to an office in the Association. They are not entitled to any voting rights. They are not required to pay annual membership dues. The privileges of Life Membership may be suspended or terminated, at the discretion of the Board, for any Life Member who becomes a vendor, consultant or in some other way engages in activities inconsistent with membership in the Association.

4. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Application for any category of membership shall be made in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Association as set by the Board.

5. MEMBERSHIP FEES

The Board, at its discretion, shall set membership fees. The Board will be mindful of rates of increases to ensure reasonableness.

The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. The annual cost of membership in TLOMA is $275.00 plus GST. This fee includes a subscription to the newsletter TLOMA Today, access to the private Website areas and many other benefits outlined on this website. The membership fee also includes access to all special interest group meetings at no additional cost and a subsidized fee for the monthly general meetings open exclusively to members and their guests.

How to Apply

Complete the online application in the "Become a Member" section. Once you complete the form, hit submit and our Director of Administration will process your request and contact you. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us directly.

Liz Barrington
Tel: (416) 410-1979
Fax: (905) 472-5115

TLOMA
43 Daniel Court
Markham ON L3P 4B8 CANADA

If you meet the criteria for membership and would like to become a member, please click here.