Leadership Labs
Leadership Labs are free, live, virtual sessions that offer valuable insights and practical guidance on specific topics relevant to successful Inn management. By covering diverse topics such as program development, financial management, and membership recruitment, these sessions address key aspects of Inn management, equipping leaders with effective skills and knowledge to run successful Inns.
Leadership Labs are designed to be interactive and may include current Inn leaders sharing their Inn’s management processes to inspire engaging discussion amongst participants. These free sessions are offered for Inn executive committees and scheduled from 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET on the third Thursday of each month to allow Inn leaders to plan in advance to participate.
Inn leaders are encouraged to participate in one or more Leadership Labs scheduled throughout the Inn year. Experienced Inn leaders are highly encouraged to participate and share their expertise in effective Inn management with other participants.
Upcoming Leadership Labs
May 21, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Membership in 2026: Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Growth
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Growing Inn membership isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. More competition for people’s time and higher expectations around value are just some of the factors that have made it more challenging. As a result, attracting new members—and keeping current ones engaged—may require different strategies than it did even a few years ago.
In this session, we’ll explore some of the external trends shaping membership in 2026 and highlight how some Inns are adapting in creative and practical ways. Following a brief presentation, we’ll conclude with an open discussion for attendees to share experiences, swap ideas and hopefully come away with fresh approaches that you can try with your Inn.
June 18, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Program Idea Swap—Developing Engaging Programs
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Why do members come to your Inn meetings? (Hint: it's not because of the chicken). What if attendance is low? Will that mean less renewals next year? Programs are the lifeblood of any American Inn of Court. Join us to learn and share some of the best ideas for program planning and member engagement for the upcoming 2026–2027 Inn year. This leadership lab will be highly interactive, and attendees will walk away with ideas for program development that can be implemented immediately at their Inn.
September 17, 2026 | 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Inn Leader Orientation
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While all experience levels of Inn leaders are welcome, the Inn Leader Orientation Learning Lab is primarily tailored for those relatively new to American Inns of Court leadership roles. The session will cover the history of the organization, introduce key staff at the national office, provide an overview of Inn management tools and resources, and outline what a successful Inn year looks like. The American Inns of Court Foundation executive director and board president have been invited to deliver remarks.
October 15, 2026 | 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET
Technology Bootcamp—Tools to Maximize Your Inn’s Effectiveness
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Did you know that the American Inns of Court offers all Inns an Inn Management System (IMS) to manage all your Inn’s administrative needs, and a hosted website to communicate with current and potential members? The Technology Bootcamp—Tools to Maximize Your Inn’s Effectiveness Leadership Lab will provide a tour of the IMS and Umbraco, two tools to help you manage your Inn and communications, and focus specifically on how to create meetings, send invitations, and track RSVPs in the IMS. Whether your Inn already uses these free tools or is hearing about them for the first time, join us to learn how to maximize their use. NOTE: Immediately following the Lab, we will hold a 30-minute “ask me anything” session where our staff will answer your how-to questions about these technology tools.
November 19, 2026 | 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET
Inn Governance—Succession Planning
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As with any business entity, nonprofit or otherwise, long-term sustainability should be at the foundation of all major decisions. Sustainable organizations are highly dependent on diverse perspectives and fresh approaches to existing and unforeseen challenges. Good succession planning helps encourage inclusive and innovative environments, which are key to any Inn’s long-term stability. As a member of your Inn’s executive committee, one of the most important contributions you can make is to identify your replacement. Join us for the November Leadership Lab as we explore different succession planning models.
January 21, 2027 | 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET
Mentoring—A Critical Component of the Inn Experience
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Mentoring is one of the most valuable experiences Inns can deliver to their members and represents one of the primary reasons attorneys are drawn to the Inn experience. To be effective and add value to membership, mentoring must be intentional and consistent. Within these parameters, there are many ways to mentor and be mentored. Join us for our Mentoring Leadership Lab to learn different ways that Inns are delivering mentoring experiences and the mentoring resources available to make it easy.
March 18, 2027 | 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET
Effective Financial Management and Reporting Practices
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Good, sustainable Inn management requires the development of an annual budget that balances membership dues and other revenue with re-occurring expenses. Effective financial management is one of the most critical elements of ensuring your Inn’s long-term viability. In the Effective Financial Management and Reporting Practices Leadership Lab, you’ll learn components of managing Inn finances, including budget development, alternate sources of revenue including sponsorships, and common pitfalls to avoid.