Article I
Name and Object
The name of the organization shall be the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary.
Its object shall be to assist the Houston Bar Association and the Houston Young Lawyers Association, and the State Bar of Texas to promote a better understanding and relationship between the general public and the legal profession through community service projects and to encourage social relations among its members. All activities of the Auxiliary are subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
Article II
Membership
Section 1. Any member in good standing or the spouse of any member in good standing of the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, or the State Bar of Texas residing in Houston is eligible for membership. Any member who has been an active member is eligible for membership regardless of a change in the above qualifications. Any individual who will adhere to the By-Laws of the Auxiliary in support of its objectives as defined in Article 1 is eligible for membership.
Sections 2. There shall be an Associate Membership composed of such members as the Auxiliary may elect.
Section 3. A member may become a Lifetime Member at any time upon a one-time dues payment of $500.00.
Section 4. Names of the prospective members may be presented at any time to the Chairman of the Membership Committee. After verifying eligibility, the Membership Committee shall send a brochure/form for membership. Membership applications may be sent to the spouses of new members of the Houston Bar Association, Houston Young Lawyers Association, and members of the State Bar of Texas residing in the Houston area. If one meets the qualifications in Section 1, then upon completing the application form and paying dues, the individual is a member of the HBAA.
Section 5. Any member who has been dropped by the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, or the State Bar of Texas, and any member whose spouse has been dropped by the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, or the State Bar of Texas shall automatically be dropped from the Auxiliary and shall be so notified by the Secretary, except a Lifetime Member.
Section 6. Upon reinstatement of the member in the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, or the State Bar of Texas, the member or spouse shall be automatically reinstated in the Auxiliary.
Article III
Officers, Directors, Executive Board and Board of Directors
Section 1. The elected Officers of the Auxiliary shall be President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Social Chairman, Membership Chairman, Assistant Membership Chairman, Parliamentarian, and Historian, who must be members in good standing.
Section2. There shall be a minimum of six (6) Directors and a maximum of twelve (12) Directors. The Executive Board shall have the power to set the number of Directors within these limits.
Section 3. The Officers and Directors shall be chosen at the annual meeting of the Auxiliary by a majority of the members present and voting. The vote shall be written ballot or voice vote as the members attending may elect.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall consist of the Officers and Directors and the Immediate Past President.
Section 5. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers, Directors, Immediate Past President, and Committee Chairmen.
Section 6. Regular meetings of the Executive Board and Board of Directors shall be held in May, September, and January. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the President. Seven (7) members shall constitute a quorum at Executive Board meetings. Eleven (11) members shall constitute a quorum at Board of Directors meetings.
Section 7. Wherever in this Constitution or the By-Laws any action by the Executive Board is authorized or required, the majority vote of a quorum of the Executive Board members shall be treated and received as the vote of the Board, unless herein otherwise expressly provided.
Section 8. Board vacancies that occur between annual meetings shall be filled by the Executive Board.
Section 9. No Officer shall be eligible to serve more than one consecutive term in the same office.
Article IV
Committees
Section 1. The President shall appoint the following standing committee chairmen:
1. By-Laws Committee
2. Courtesy and Condolence Committee
3. Database Management Committee
4. Directory Committee
5. Newsletter Committee
6. Notification Committee
7. Project Committees
a) Award Committee
b) "Do the Write Thing" Committee
c) Habitat House Committee
d) Law Related Education Committee
8. Publicity Committee
9. Recognition Award Committee
Committee members shall be selected by the specific committee chairman using the individual's committee preference indicated on the membership form.
Section 2. The Social Chairman in consultation with the President shall appoint a chairman for the following committees: Hospitality, Invitations and Name Tags, and Reservations. The President in consultation with the Social Chairman shall appoint a chairman for each event.
Section 3. The Membership Chairman shall select the membership committee using the individual's committee preference indicated on the membership form.
Article V
Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Auxiliary and shall perform all other duties of the office.
Section 2. The Directors shall advise the President in guiding the Auxiliary.
Section 3. If the President resigns or cannot perform the duties of office, the President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President until the annual election. If the President and the President-Elect are unable to serve, the Vice President shall succeed to the office of the President until the annual election.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect, and the Vice President, the Secretary shall call the meeting to order and preside until a Chairman Pro-term is elected.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect all dues, keep a complete roll of the members of the Auxiliary and send dues notices for the following year. The Treasurer shall pay all bills and deposit all funds received in an insured banking institution in the City of Houston in the name of the Auxiliary. The Treasurer shall submit a report at each meeting of the Executive Board and Board of Directors and shall render a full report of the receipts and disbursements of the past year at the annual April business meeting. An accounting firm or auditor shall examine the books of the Auxiliary and approve the final and full report of the Treasurer.
Section 6. The Assistant Treasurer shall aid the Treasurer in the performance of the duties of the office. The Assistant Treasurer shall discharge all duties of the Treasurer during any absence or inabilities of the Treasurer to act.
Section 7. The Social Chairman shall oversee all social events and coordinate all committees involved in each event.
Section 8. The Membership Chairman shall process all applications for membership. The Assistant Membership Chairman shall aid the Membership Chairman as needed.
Section 9. The Parliamentarian shall advise the presiding officer on points of parliamentary law when requested to do so.
Section 10. The Historian shall take photographs at all Auxiliary functions and keep a scrapbook for the Auxiliary.
Article VI
Duties of Committees
Section 1. The Award Committee with the President shall plan and provide for the presentation of the HBAA Leon Jaworski Award.
Section 2. The By-Laws Committee shall review the By-Laws and recommend any necessary changes.
Section 3. The Courtesy and Condolence Committee shall write notes of condolence to families of members of the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary, to families of the Houston Bar Association, and to families of the Judiciary.
Section 4. The Database Management Committee shall maintain current records of the membership of the Auxiliary.
Section 5. The Directory Committee, in conjunction with the Database Management Committee, shall assemble the necessary information and arrange for the printing and distribution of the directory.
Section 6. The "Do the Write Thing" Committee shall read, evaluate, and recommend essays written by participants in the "Do the Write Thing" national contest.
Section 7. The Habitat House Committee shall aid the Houston Bar Association as requested in the building of a Habitat House and/or hosting the dedication ceremony.
Section 8. The Hospitality Committee shall aid the Social and Membership Committees and provide assistance, as needed, to the President.
Section 9. The Invitations and Name Tags Committee shall design and produce invitations and name tags for social events.
Section 10. The Membership Committee shall interest all eligible spouses in joining the Auxiliary and shall send a membership brochure/form to prospective members. Names of prospective members may come from Auxiliary members and from lists of new members of the Houston Bar Association and Houston Young Lawyers Association.
Section 11. The Newsletter Committee shall prepare the annual newsletter of the Auxiliary.
Section 12. The Notification Committee shall send invitations to all social events. This committee may assist the Treasurer in mailing the dues notices. The Newsletter, Directory and Award Committee may also request assistance.
Section 13. The Publicity Committee shall handle all press relations.
Section 14. The Reservations Committee shall receive reservations for social events.
Section 15. The Social Committee shall assist with all social events.
Section 16. The Law Related Education Committee shall implement the distribution of law related educational materials as approved by the Charitable Fund and The Board of Directors.
Section 17. The Recognition Award Committee shall prepare the application(s) for the American Lawyers Auxiliary Awards and local HBAA member award(s).
Article VII
Meetings
Section 1. There shall be a minimum of four (4) functions a year including the annual April business meeting. They shall be held between September and May, inclusive.
Section 2. Twenty (20) members shall constitute a quorum at both regular and special meetings.
Article VIII
Dues
Annual dues shall be set by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Lifetime memberships shall be five hundred dollars ($500.00).
Article IX
Duties of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall manage the affairs of the Auxiliary, authorize payment of all bills, and fill vacancies not provided for in the Constitution and By-Laws. The proceedings of its meetings shall be reported at the annual April business meeting of the Auxiliary. At this time, any business requiring the action of the Auxiliary shall be presented.
All activities and projects of the Auxiliary are subject to the approval of the Executive Board. All proposed major projects shall be presented to the membership for ratification.
Article X
Amendments
The By-Laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Auxiliary by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting provided due notice, in writing, has been given to the membership.
Article XI
Election of Officers
There shall be a nominating committee of seven (7) members. It shall consist of the Immediate Past President, the President, and five (5) members appointed by the Immediate Past President after consultation with the President. Nominations shall be made by this committee. Other nominations may be made from the floor at the annual April business meeting.
|