By-Laws

Of

The Monroe County Bar Association

Amended through OCTOBER of 2001

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.