Section
1.
A "Member" of the Association is defined to mean any individual
who meets the criteria for membership in the Association and
who has paid all current dues as required by the Association.
Section
2. Classes of Members
(A) There shall be the following classes
of Members in the Association:
(i)
Regular Member. Any person who is admitted to the
practice of law in the State of New York shall be eligible
to be a Regular Member of the Association.
(ii)
Participating Member. Any person who is (a) admitted
to the practice of law in any jurisdiction other than the
Seventh Judicial District, or (b) does not reside, or work
in the Seventh Judicial District shall be eligible to be a
Participating Member.
(iii)
District Member. Any person who is (a) admitted
to the practice of law in the State of New York, and (b) resides
within the Seventh Judicial District and does not reside or
have an office in Monroe County and does not work in the Monroe
County Court System shall be eligible to be a District Member.
(iv)
Senior Member. Regular Members who for any reason
have retired from the full-time practice of law are eligible
to become Senior Members of the Association, either upon selection
by the Board of Trustees, in their discretion, or pursuant
to such policy as may be adopted by the Board of Trustees.
(v)
Honorary Member. Regular Members whom the Board
of Trustees, in its discretion selects, or who qualify pursuant
to a policy adopted by the Board of Trustees, shall become
Honorary Members of the Association.
(vi)
Patron Member. Patron memberships in the Association
shall be available to such members either Regular, Participating,
District, Senior or Honorary, as are willing, for the support
of the general work of the Association, to pay such amount
as annual dues in any year as the Board of Trustees may determine
from time to time. A member who decides to be a Patron Member
in any year shall not be obligated to continue as such in
any subsequent year.
(B)
Affiliates. Law students, persons awaiting admission
to the New York State Bar, paralegals, legal assistants and
law administrators, and law school graduates who are not admitted
in any jurisdiction shall be eligible for Affiliate Status.
In addition, the Board of Trustees shall have power to grant
Affiliate Status upon such other persons as the Board of Trustees
in its discretion, may decide would benefit from or assist
the Association by such Affiliate Status.
(C)
Judges. Judges of courts of record shall be eligible
to serve as members of committees and sections, and except
as prohibited by law, be eligible to serve as Officers and
as Trustees of the Association in accordance with these By-Laws.
Section
3. Selection of Members and Affiliates
A
person desiring to become a Member or Affiliate of the Association
shall apply to the Association in writing using the Membership
Application furnished by the Association. Each Membership
Application shall be accompanied by the appropriate annual
dues except that dues shall not be due for the year following
one's admission to the practice of law.
The
Executive Director shall promptly review each Membership Application
to verify compliance with Section 2 of this Article and shall
report thereon to the Board of Trustees. An applicant shall
thereupon become a Member or Affiliate and be entitled to
all the rights and privileges of membership.
Section
4. Rights and Privileges of Members and Affiliates
(A)
All Members and Affiliates of the Association shall
have the right to attend all meetings of the Association;
to engage in deliberations at such meetings; to petition the
Board of Trustees; and to participate in all programs and
activities sponsored by the Association.
(B)
Patron Members shall have all the rights and privileges
to which they would have been entitled had they chosen to
remain Regular, Participating, District, Senior or Honorary
Members, as the case may be. Patron Members shall enjoy no
additional rights and privileges as a result of becoming Patron
Members.
(C)
Only Regular, Participating, District and Senior
Members of the Association shall be entitled to vote or serve
as an elected Officer or Trustee of the Association.
Section
5. Dues.
The
Board of Trustees shall have full power to hereafter adjust
the amount of dues except that the Board of Trustees may not
increase the dues of Regular or Participating Members in an
amount to exceed twenty percent (20%) of the previous year's
dues without the prior approval of a majority of the Members
qualified to vote who are present in person or by proxy at
any duly held meeting of the Association, provided notice
of the proposed increase has been given in the notice of the
meeting. The Board of Trustees may decrease or eliminate the
dues for any category of membership or any individual or individuals
pursuant to such policies as it may from time to time adopt.
Section
6. Termination of Membership.
The
Board of Trustees, in its discretion, may grant a leave of
absence from the Association to any Member, without dues,
upon such terms and conditions as it prescribes. The Board
of Trustees shall establish a written policy for the assessment
of late fees against those who fail to pay dues within the
time period prescribed in such policy, and for termination
from membership, on notice of Members whose dues remain in
arrears beyond the grace period prescribed in such policy.
Section
7. Membership in the Association.
Membership
in the Association shall, unless otherwise directed by the
Board of Trustees, be terminated during any period in which
a Member is suspended from practice by an Appellate Division
or like authority or when a Member has been disbarred or resigns
from admission to practice law. |
