Fellowship is bestowed on law practice management specialists who consistently exemplify the highest professional standards and achievements.

Fellowship nominations are considered annually in January or February.

September 2007

Dear Fellows,

We only have seven more weeks to submit nominations for 2008 College of Law Practice Management Fellowship.  December 1, 2007 - that's the deadline.

So I thought I'd answer a few questions about the nominating process as a way of reminding you it is time to get going to assemble the material needed for a successful nomination.

FAQ #1 Who can nominate new Fellows?

Actually: you. Any College Fellow can, with a "second" from another Fellow, submit a nomination to the Board of Trustees.

FAQ # 2 What sort of person can be nominated to be a Fellow?  

The short answer is someone who you believe has made a significant - and sustained - contribution to the field of law practice management.  The long answer is set out in the eligibility criteria in the by-laws, which are a good guide:  

Fellowship "shall be restricted by invitation to honor those individuals who have proven to their peers, their employer, and the bar, the bench, and the public through performance related to law practice management for not less than ten years that they:

    (a) Have the highest professional qualifications and ethical standards;

    (b) Provide exceptionally high quality professional services to clients, their employer, the bar, the bench, or the public;

    (c) Are committed to fostering and furthering the objectives of the College;

    (d) Have significantly contributed to and enhanced law practice management, its literature, its procedures, and its philosophy through dedicated service, or through published writings, or through teaching and lecturing, or through demonstrated excellence in law practice management; and

    (e) Have that high level of character, integrity, professional expertise and leadership which demonstrate the likelihood that they will continue to contribute to the enhancement of law practice management scholarship, continuing education, and the law practice management process.

FAQ #3 How is the decision made to invite a person to be inducted?

Each year, the Board of Trustees meets in person to review and discuss each submission. One by one, the candidates and their merits are discussed. Because the Board is always committed to preserve the value of College Fellowship, a great deal of care is taken to determine that hard and verifiable information is presented by the nominator to substantiate the candidate's contribution. As the by-laws dictate: "The tenure of practice and specialty shall be verified by the nominators from personal observation or sources of unimpeachable authority." At the close of each discussion, a vote of the Trustees is taken. Two-thirds of those in attendance must agree to elect the new Fellow before an invitation will be extended.

FAQ #4 Are letters of recommendation required in addition to the completed nomination form? Do they improve a candidate's likelihood of acceptance?

We really leave it to the nominator to determine what sort of accompanying material will be necessary to inform Trustees with no prior knowledge of the candidate about his or her qualifications. It could, indeed, take the form of letters of recommendation from other Fellows. In other cases, it might involve samples of the candidate's worth through newspaper clippings, resumes, etc. And, while a letter of recommendation can be very helpful, under no circumstances would a letter overcome the absence of proof that the candidate meets the minimum requirements:

FAQ # 5 Should I tell someone that I intend to nominate them?  

That's up to you.  Before the  Internet made access to professional backgrounds and contributions so easy, nominators used to have to ask potential candidates for details of their careers.  The sort of candidates who merit Fellowship will rarely be invisible on the web.  Speaking for myself, I don't tell those whom I nominate.  When their nominations are successful, the pleasure of communicating that success is enhanced.  If they're not, I can spare myself a potentially embarrassing conversation.  Again, it's up to you.  

FAQ #6 What is the most common reason for rejection of a candidate?

Too little time in the field. Check your nomination materials carefully to make certain they clearly demonstrate involvement in the field of law practice management for a minimum of ten years - writing or speaking, or holding a significant position more than a decade ago, will satisfy that requirement.

The second most common reason is an incomplete nomination form. Incomplete forms, including those that lack the citation, will be returned to the nominator and not even considered by the Board. (We're really not being petty and cranky. The truth is that, frequently, the Trustees don't know a candidate personally and they can't have a proper discussion in the absence of complete information.)

FAQ #7 When will I know if my nomination was successful?

By mid-February 2008, shortly after the Trustees meet to consider the nominations for the Class of 2008.

FAQ #8 What's the best way to send in the nomination packet?

Electronically. In fact, it is not only the BEST way. . . this year, it will be the ONLY way. Only Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF or scanned documents (preferably converted to PDF files), delivered to colpm@comcast.net by the end of business on December 1, 2007 will be accepted.

FAQ # 9 When will my nominee be inducted, if she or he is successful?

Our next induction ceremony will take place at the College's Annual Meeting in Chicago at the Renaissance Hotel, on September 13 and 14.  It would be wonderful if you could attend the induction of your nominee.  We hope to see you both there.

FAQ #10 Who can I discuss a possible nomination with?

If you have any questions. feel free to contact me or one of the other Trustees.  Our Administrator, Karen Rosen, is also very knowledgeable about the process.  I can be reached at 416.643.6905 or at schester@heenan.ca.  Karen is at 720.271.7015.  The Trustees' contact information is on the website at www.colpm.org.

Please think about your mentors and advisors in our field whose contributions to law practice management deserve recognition. Then, just download and complete the nomination form for one or several Fellow nominees. Our Web site also contains all the information necessary to nominate someone to become a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management. Just click on "view the guidelines" below.

Why not do it right now?

Simon Chester
President

View the guidelines for nominating a Fellow.
View tips for nominating a Fellow.
Download the 2008 Nomination form  - pdf
Download the 2008 Nomination form - word document