ALA Eligibility & Registration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An applicant for the CLM exam has a bachelor's degree and 5 years of legal management experience, but only 2 years are in a supervisory role. Do they meet the eligibility requirements?
- Yes, because total experience exceeds the minimum (Correct answer)
- No, because supervisory experience is insufficient
- Yes, if they submit a waiver request
- No, because the degree must be in business or law
Correct answer: Yes, because total experience exceeds the minimum
CLM eligibility with a bachelor's degree requires a minimum of 5 years of legal management experience; supervisory hours are not a separate gating requirement.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of the CLM application review process?
- To rank candidates by exam score before testing
- To verify that applicants meet published eligibility criteria before they can register (Correct answer)
- To assign candidates to specific testing windows based on geography
- To collect dues for ALA membership renewal
Correct answer: To verify that applicants meet published eligibility criteria before they can register
The application review ensures each candidate satisfies education and experience prerequisites before being cleared to schedule the exam.
Question 3: A legal administrator holds an ALA membership but has allowed it to lapse. How does this affect CLM exam eligibility?
- They are permanently barred from future attempts
- They must wait one full year before reapplying
- Active ALA membership is required at the time of application and testing (Correct answer)
- Lapsed membership has no effect on eligibility
Correct answer: Active ALA membership is required at the time of application and testing
Candidates must maintain active ALA membership throughout both the application and examination process.
Question 4: Which document is typically required when a CLM applicant holds a degree from an institution outside the United States?
- A certified translation of the diploma only
- An official credential evaluation from a recognized foreign credential evaluation service (Correct answer)
- A letter from the applicant's current employer attesting to the degree
- No additional documentation, as all degrees are accepted equally
Correct answer: An official credential evaluation from a recognized foreign credential evaluation service
Foreign degrees must be evaluated by an approved credential evaluation service to confirm equivalency to a U.S. degree.
Question 5: Under which scenario would a CLM candidate be required to submit additional work-history documentation during the application process?
- When their employer is a solo-practitioner law firm
- When their experience spans multiple employers over the qualifying period (Correct answer)
- When they have worked in the same firm for more than 10 years
- When they hold a Juris Doctor degree
Correct answer: When their experience spans multiple employers over the qualifying period
Candidates whose qualifying experience is accumulated across more than one employer typically must provide documentation verifying each period of employment.
Question 6: What is the standard testing window length within which a CLM candidate must sit for the exam after their application is approved?
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 6 months (Correct answer)
- 1 year
Correct answer: 6 months
Once approved, CLM candidates are generally given a 6-month window in which to schedule and complete their exam.
Question 7: A candidate who fails the CLM exam wishes to retake it. What is the typical minimum waiting period before they may reapply to sit for the exam again?
- 14 days
- 30 days
- 60 days (Correct answer)
- 6 months
Correct answer: 60 days
ALA policy requires a 60-day waiting period between exam attempts to allow adequate preparation time.
ALA Eligibility & Registration 2
An applicant for the CLM exam has a bachelor's degree and 5 years of legal management experience, but only 2 years are in a supervisory role.
Do they meet the eligibility requirements?