Chapter Leadership Information

Crucial information, including resources and tips, to help you succeed in each role at the chapter level

Office Heads (OH)

Manage a range of responsibilities within the chapter while shaping the overall strategy of each office’s Inspire program

  • Onboard volunteers and communicate with ExComm:

    • Recruit and train volunteers (Case Teams and Chapter Leadership)

    • Check in with ExComm (National Leadership Team)

    • Attend ExComm programming and events, including Summer Summit, Fall Retreats, and Spring Results Challenge

    Support case success:

    • Support the Client Development Head in selling and scoping case

    • Select and onboard Case Team Leads (CTLs) and Members

    • Submit forms to ExComm (case notification form)

    • Check in with CTLs and collect volunteer feedback throughout case

    Lead the office leadership team:

    • Work with team to develop office’s Inspire strategy & goals and track against them

    • Support and oversee leadership team, including facilitating office leadership transition

    • Lead regular team check-ins

  • Training and transition resources:

    Case resources:

    Other resources:

    • Set clear goals early. Work with your chapter leadership team at the start of the year to define concrete priorities and track against them regularly.

    • Invest in your volunteers. Taking time to personally check in with CTLs and case team members goes a long way in keeping morale high and catching issues early.

    • Lean on your firm’s Strategic Operations Director. They have seen a wide range of office challenges and successes — don't hesitate to bring them into difficult decisions or planning conversations.

    • Lead transitions thoughtfully. Onboarding your successor early and documenting key processes ensures the office stays strong year over year.

Client Development (CD)

Focus on sourcing and selling cases while striving to cultivate long-term client relationships

  • Source and onboard clients:

    • Manage inflow of prospective clients and maintain an active pipeline

    • Conduct introductory “fit” conversation with clients to assess mutual fit

    • Prepare formal proposal and scope of work based on chapter capabilities and client goals

    Oversee case logistics:

    • Work with the Office Head(s) to execute the contract

    • Serve as primary point of contact between the client and case team throughout the case

    Conduct case follow-up:

    • Ensure completion of client feedback survey at case closure

    • Facilitate payment of invoice and escalate any difficulties

    • Check in with past clients to assess progress and impact

    • Summit Materials

    • Case Initiation and Closure Process

    • Case Contract (Note: This document is for reference only when scoping with clients. To create a contract, please follow the Case Initiation Process outlined above, as signatures collected outside of our DocuSign platform are not valid and pose a legal risk. Be sure to use the correct contract template in accordance with host firm policies.)

    • Client Satisfaction Survey

    • Client Brochure

    • Invoice Request Form

    • Inbounds Tracker (Note: Please coordinate with ExComm, i.e., your firm’s Strategic Operations Director, before leveraging this tracker for potential clients. There may be several chapters interested in a project opportunity, and we want to avoid multiple outreaches to the same client.)

    • Be proactive. It is best to make sure that you are reaching out to potential clients early and often to continue to build your pipeline.

    • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your firm’s Strategic Operations Director(s) are there to support you and would be happy to help think through a potential project or answer any other questions that may come up.

    • Prioritize client fit and volunteer satisfaction. One of the keys to a successful project is a passionate client who is engaged and excited about the work.

    • Always use your Inspire email for client outreach. Inspire is independent from your host firm, and we want to avoid any misrepresentation or issue caused by outreach from a non-Inspire address.

Finance

Ensure that Inspire chapters are utilizing their budgets to maximize chapter impact and volunteer experience

  • Manage chapter budget:

    • Create and maintain the office's annual budget

    • Track spending against budget throughout the Inspire year

    • Review and approve expenses linked to case teams and Inspire events

    Support chapter events & community:

    • Partner with PR Head to organize and fund annual fundraising and volunteer recruitment and/or appreciation events

    • Coordinate logistics for event-related purchases, including branded materials and swag

    Engage with ExComm:

    • Attend relevant check-ins with your firm’s Strategic Operations Director

    • Report on budget status and flag any financial concerns to the Office Head and ExComm

    • Build the budget collaboratively. Loop in other chapter leadership early so the budget reflects the full scope of what the office is planning for the year.

    • Track expenses in real time. Don't wait until the end of the year to reconcile — staying on top of spending throughout the year prevents surprises.

    • Keep records organized. Maintaining clear documentation of approved expenses and invoices will make check-ins with your Office Head and/or Strategic Operations Director much smoother.

    • Communicate proactively with your chapter. If the office is approaching budget limits or a request needs to be declined, transparency with chapter leadership keeps everyone aligned.

Public Relations (PR)

Build and sustain a strong community of local office volunteers, fostering engagement and connection to the Inspire brand

  • Build and maintain volunteer community:

    • Develop and execute initiatives to strengthen local office culture and volunteer engagement

    • Plan and coordinate community events in partnership with Finance, including fundraising and volunteer appreciation events

    Manage internal & external communications:

    • Contribute to your local and/or national Inspire newsletter

    • Support chapter (and client) recruitment efforts by promoting Inspire's mission and impact

    Engage with ExComm:

    • Participate in relevant check-ins with your firm’s Strategic Operations Director

    • Know your audience. Tailor your communications and events to what actually resonates with your volunteers (lean on prior events or other chapters in your firm for ideas).

    • Plan events early. Coordinating with the Finance Head and locking in logistics ahead of time reduces stress and ensures events run smoothly.

    • Celebrate wins publicly. Recognizing volunteer contributions (e.g., in newsletters, at events, or in group chats) is one of the most effective ways to build community.

    • Stay connected nationally. Your firm’s Strategic Operations Director and peers at other offices are great sources of inspiration for programming and other ideas.

Knowledge Management

Prepare case teams for success through training and maintaining essential resources to enhance efficiency and quality

  • Collect and manage chapter case materials:

    • Reach out to local case teams to collect finalized and interim case deliverables at case closure

    • Redact all case materials per Inspire's IP guidelines and share with ExComm

    Support active case teams:

    • Search Inspire’s IP Library to surface relevant prior case files and materials for teams

    • Respond to case team requests for research support and precedent materials

    Maintain IP quality & accuracy:

    • Flag any inconsistencies, outdated materials, or required updates to ExComm

    • Help ensure Inspire’s IP Library remains organized, current, and accessible

    • Reach out to case teams early. Don't wait until after a case closes to request materials — setting expectations with CTLs at the start of the case makes collection much smoother.

    • When in doubt, redact more. It is always better to over-redact client materials than to risk sharing sensitive information (check the IP Redaction Guidelines if you are unsure).

    • Keep the library organized as you go. Adding and tagging materials consistently throughout the year is far easier than doing a large cleanup at the end.

    • Be a resource for case teams. Proactively letting case teams know that you can help them search for relevant prior work can add real value to active cases.