The Bell County Women's Bar Association was created to support, encourage and mentor women attorneys.
By Laws: BELL COUNTY WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION
Article I – The Bell County Women’s Bar Association shall be an association.
Article II – Objectives.
The objectives of this professional association are: Our mission is to provide the Bell County legal community with an organization that fosters communications, enhances camaraderie and fellowship, and provides opportunities for continuing legal education for attorneys interested in strengthening the image and position of attorneys and women in the community while enhancing the public perception of the legal profession and cooperating with other legal organizations in furtherance of those objectives.
Article III – Membership and Dues.
3.1 Membership. Voting membership shall be open to all dues-paying attorneys who are members in good standing of the State Bar of Texas or in any other state.
3.2 Associate membership. Non-voting associate membership shall be open to paralegals, legal assistants, law school students and to others as determined by the Board of Officers.
3.3 Dues. The Board of Officers may determine the amount of annual dues payable to the Association by members. The amount of annual dues will be determined before each yearly term of the Association.
3.4 The Association shall have two (2) classes of Members. The designation of such classes and the qualifications and rights of the Members of such classes shall be as follows:
A. Voting Members.- Any attorney who is licensed to practice law by any state of the United States of America, and who is in good standing with the state, agency or entity which issues the license to practice law and has paid membership dues. Bell 6
B. Associate members – Any paralegal, legal assistant, and any student attending an accredited law school and any unlicensed law school graduate may be an associate member and does not have voting rights.
3.5 Each Voting Member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the Members for a vote. A Voting Member may vote in person or by mail, as determined by the Officers.
Article IV – Officers.
4.1 Direction and Management of the affairs of the Association and the control and disposition of its properties and funds shall be vested in the Officers. The Officers of the Association shall be:
(1) President
(2) Vice President
(3) Secretary
(4) Treasurer
(5) Immediate Past President
4.2 Board of Officers Meetings. The Officers of the Association shall hold a regular meeting no less than four (4) times a year, and as called by the President or requested by an Officer.
4.3 Attendance. Attendance at the scheduled Board Meeting is required. A total of two (2) unexcused absences without notice will be adequate reason for removal from the Board. Reasons for absences should be given to the President before the meeting when at all possible.
4.4 Quorum. At Board Meetings a quorum is defined as a simple majority of the Officers.
4.5 Term of Office. The term of office of all Officers at the regular annual meeting of the Association shall commence June 1 following their election and continue until May 31.
4.6 Vacancies. Vacancies in any office shall be filled by the Board at a board meeting. An Officer selected to fill a vacancy shall serve out the unexpired term of the office.
4.7 Advisory Directors. Any Voting Member of the Association serving in Bell County as a federal judge or magistrate, as a judge of a state appellate court, or as a judge or master of a state district court, or as a judge of a county court at law shall be invited to serve as an Advisory Director of the Association. The Advisory Directors shall not have voting rights.
Article V – Duties of Officers. In addition to the requirement that Directors attend meetings, the principal duties of the Officers are as follows:
(1) President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board; appoint member(s) to and create committee(s); have general charge and supervision of the administration of the affairs and business of the Association; and assign duties as necessary; work with the CLE committee, Social committee and Bell County Bar Association to draft a planning calendar for the year.
(2) Vice President. The Vice President shall carry out all duties of the President in the President’s absence and assist the President as requested.
(3) Secretary. The Secretary shall take and distribute minutes of the meetings and maintain records of the Association. The Secretary shall also see that mail is collected and distributed to the appropriate Officer. The Secretary assist the President as requested.
(4) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall report on receipts and expenditures of the Association; maintain accounts; co-sign checks on behalf of the Organization; and be responsible for all financial records; and assist the President as requested.
(5) Immediate Past President. The immediate past President shall be responsible for acting as a liaison to other bar associations and for ensuring a smooth transition between years; and, assist the President as requested.
Article VI. Five (5) Standing Committees.
(1) Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee. The CLE committee is responsible for the following activities:
a. Identify and invite qualified speakers to present on a CLE topic at membership meetings.
b. Obtain a CLE course outline and Speaker CV to attach to the CLE application.
c. Submit the CLE application with attachments and fee payment to the State Bar for approval at least thirty (30) days prior to the CLE date.
d. Solicit committee members.
(2) Communications Committee. The communications committee is responsible for the following activities:
a. Maintain and update a current membership email list.
b. Draft and publish emails to our membership about upcoming CLEs prior to meeting.
c. Draft CLE flyers prior to meeting.
d. Distribute CLE flyers to the Bell County courthouse mailboxes prior to meeting.
e. Post the CLE flyer on our Facebook page prior to meeting.
f. Draft and email a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to local media prior to meeting.
g. Solicit committee members.
(3) Social Committee. The social committee is responsible for the following activities:
a. Plan social event(s) during the year.
b. Determine the nature of each event and a theme.
c. Pick a date and time for each event.
d. Identify and secure the event’s location.
e. Identify and secure a beneficiary, if appropriate.
f. Identify and secure sponsor(s), if appropriate.
g. Purchase goods and services for the event with prior Board approval.
h. Decorate and clean-up.
i. Solicit committee members.
(4) Membership Committee. The membership committee is responsible for the following activities:
a. Circulate sign-up sheet at CLE meetings.
b. Collect lunch fees and membership fees at luncheon meetings.
c. Collect new member forms.
d. Add new member information to association roster
e. Forward new members’ emails to CLE committee.
f. Solicit new members.
g. Solicit renewal(s) as membership(s) expire.
h. Solicit committee members.
(5) Nominations Committee. The nominations committee is responsible for the following activities:
a. Solicit voting members to apply for office.
b. Prepare a slate of candidates,
c. Circulate the slate of candidates to the voting membership prior to the May meeting.
d. Nominate candidate(s) for an unexpired term when an Officer steps down.
Article VII – Meetings and Quorum
7.1 Meetings. The regular membership meetings of the Association shall be monthly at least nine (9) times during the one year term. Special meetings may be called by the President as recommended by the Board.
7.2 Quorum. A quorum is a simple majority of the voting membership. Any business may be proposed at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
Article VIII – Elections and Nominations
8.1 Elections. The officers shall be elected by a majority of the voting members in attendance at the general membership meeting. The annual election shall be held in May.
8.2 Nominations. Officers shall be nominated at the May meeting, either from the floor or by having their name submitted to the nominating committee prior to election. A list of names of the nominees shall be announced to the membership within a reasonable time prior to the election.
Article IX – Amendment of the Bylaws. These bylaws may be amended by simple majority of Officers provided that notice of any proposed revision has been provided to the Officers in a timely manner prior to the meeting.
Article X – No official action shall be performed or taken in the name of the Association without Board approval. Timely notice of such proposed action shall be given to the Board.
Article XI – Indemnification. The Association shall indemnify and may reimburse or advance expenses and/or purchases and maintain insurance or any other arrangement on behalf of the Association against any liability asserted against an Officer and incurred in that capacity to the maximum extent allowable by law. The provisions of this article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which an Officer may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, insurance policy, vote of Officers or otherwise.
These bylaws were adopted by consensus of the Bell County Women’s Bar Association
