Message from Chairperson
Elevating the Standards of the Profession
In 1967, the founding members of the National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI) came together to form an association of professional legal investigators united by common goals — goals to enhance and elevate the profession by establishing a forum and platform in order to provide professional development and continuing education to the legal investigator. In 1978, NALI created the Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) Program, which established an avenue for legal investigators to earn a revered professional board certification unparalleled in the history of the investigative profession. Through rigid examination, oral ethical testing, role playing, statement taking, and white paper authorship, NALI gave the legal investigator an opportunity to be considered one of the highest skilled investigators in the world. After passing the CLI Examination and attaining the CLI designation, there can be no doubt that the CLI is the best of the best!
In 2016, the strength of the CLI Program has reached heights unimagined in 1967 and only dreamed about in 1978. The mere fact that there are less than one hundred CLI’s worldwide is testament to the skill level necessary to pass the rigid and difficult CLI examination. Certified Legal Investigators now enjoy recognition of their achievement in the legal and investigative community, in the court room, and by their employers. A legal investigator can, and often does, receive additional financial benefit when an employer recognizes the added value of expertise after earning the CLI designation.
The sterling reputation the CLI Program now enjoys was not established overnight. Over the last thirty- eight years, our CLI committees and chairpersons have diligently imparted an enthusiastic and energetic approach to the program in many more ways than will ever be imagined. My hope is that all legal investigators will embrace the program with the same energy and enthusiasm. I know I will.
Legal investigators who make a commitment to earn the designation of CLI elevate the profession and, more importantly, themselves. Just ask a CLI! Friends, any person who has experienced the challenging process of CLI certification will tell you the experience and benefit was well worth the time, effort, and energy. Earning the CLI designation is one of the most rewarding highlights in any investigator’s professional career, a pinnacle experience. Yet, it pales in comparison to the lifelong benefits Certified Legal Investigators impart to those they serve — the client. Challenge yourself. Take the CLI examination. You won’t regret it, ever. Thank you.
Respectfully,
NALI CLI Chairperson