SCBLA Bylaws

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the association shall be the South Carolina Black Lawyers Association.

ARTICLE II

OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE

The association is formed for charitable, scientific and educational purposes, including, but not limited to, the following purposes:

a)  To educate its membership regarding issues of significance in the legal profession;

b)  To promote fellowship and cooperation among its members;

c)  To provide a forum for the decision and advancement of ideas through which the Association may promote the general welfare of the black community; and

d)  To promote and defend the general welfare, integrity, independence and expertise of the black lawyers in the State of South Carolina.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of this Association shall be open to all attorneys in the state of South Carolina who have an interest in promoting the welfare of black attorneys. Associate membership shall be open to all law students in attendance at the University of South Carolina. Associate members shall not be entitled to vote or hold offices within the Association.

Section 2. Members shall pay annual dues of $35.00, which shall be due on January 1 of each year.

Section 3. A member is defined as any attorney who is a member of the South Carolina Bar who has paid in full his or her dues. Members shall be eligible to nominate other members for offices within the Association, to vote on such nominations, and to hold any office within the Association.

ARTICLE IV

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The business affairs of the Association shall be managed by its Executive Board

Section 2. The Executive Board shall be composed of the officers and elected Executive Committee members. The maximum number of elected Executive Committee members shall be sixteen (16) with at least one (1) elected from each of the 16 statewide judicial circuits. Elected members of the Executive Committee shall serve two (2) year terms with election at even numbered year annual meetings of the association.

MEETINGS

Section 1. A regular meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held at least quarterly at such place, date and hour as shall be determined by the President to other authorized officers.

Section 2. A special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by, or, at the request of, the President or any four (4) members of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. At least fifteen (15) days before each regular and special meeting, written notice of the meeting shall be delivered personally or sent by regular mail, electronic mail or facsimile to each member of the Executive Committee.

Section 4. One third (1/3) of the number of Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The act of a majority of the Executive Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, shall be the act of the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Action taken by Executive Committee without a meeting is, nevertheless, Executive Committee action if members are polled by means of telephone, regular mail, electronic mail, or otherwise, and a majority of the Executive Committee gives consent to such action. In order for action taken without a meeting to be valid, each member of the Executive Committee must be polled and accurate records taken of responses and filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Executive Committee.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. The association shall have the following standing committees:

a)  A Continuing Legal Education Committee, which shall be responsible for the organization and implementation of the continuing legal education activities of the Association.

b)  A Public Affairs Committee, which shall be responsible for dissemination of information to the general public regarding the activities of the Association. This committee shall have the additional responsibility of bringing in the attention of the membership issues and community events which may be of interest to the Association.

c) A Social Affairs Committee, which shall be responsible for planning and implementation of social activities designed to promote fellowship and goodwill among the members of Association.

d)  An Inter-Professional Relations Committee which shall be responsible the promotion of goodwill and cooperation between the Association and other professional association.

e)  A By-Laws Committee, which shall be responsible for recommending amendments to the By-Laws of the association.

f)  A Membership Committee, which shall be responsible for recruiting new members for the Association.

Section 2. The president may appoint such other special committee that he or she deems necessary to conduct the business of the Association and to promote its purposes.

Section 3. Appointments to a standing committee, including the annual appointment of its chairperson, shall be made by the President.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and a Parliamentarian.

Section 2. All officers shall be elected by secret ballot to serve for one term of two years or until their successors are elected. The President, or if the office of President is vacant, a majority of the members present at a meeting, may appoint interim officers to fill vacant officer positions until such time as their successors are duly elected and qualified.

Section 3. The officers of the Association shall have the duties specified below in addition to the duties normally incident to their respective offices.

a)  The President shall preside at the meetings of the Association and shall appoint the chairperson and members of all committees.

b)  The Vice-President shall perform such duties as the President shall assign, and shall perform the duties of the President when the President is unable to perform his or her duties or is absent from any meeting of the Association.

c)  The Secretary shall:

1. keep the minutes and records of the Association;
2. maintain a roster of the members of the Association;
3. receive and publish proposed amendments to the By-Laws, resolutions and nominations for officers of the Association;
4. receive, certify and publish the results of the ballots of the Association;
5. receive an maintain, as the property of the Association, all official documents, reports, letters and other official papers of the Association;
6. provide appropriate notices, when required, to the members of the Association;
7. perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President of the Association.

d)  The Assistant Secretary shall perform such duties shall perform such duties as the President and or the Secretary may assign, and shall perform the duties of the Secretary when the Secretary is disabled from performing his or her duties or is absent from any meeting of the association.

e)  The Treasurer, shall secure the funds and investments of the Association and shall report to the membership once annually, but no later than December 31, the Association’s financial condition. The Treasurer, (or the President) may approve disbursements of the Association’s funds. The signature of the Treasurer, (or the President) shall be required on any negotiable instrument which purports to expend funds of the Association. The Treasurer, shall also perform other duties as assigned by the President.

f)  The Assistant Treasurer shall perform such duties as the President or the Treasurer may assign, and shall perform the duties of the Treasurer when the treasurer is disabled from performing his or her duties or is absent from any meeting of the Association.

g)  The Parliamentarian shall ensure that all meetings and proceedings of the Association are conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of order, and in accordance with the By-Laws and other special rules of order the Association may adopt.

Section 4. Officers shall be elected at the Association’s annual meeting in each odd-numbered year.

Section 5. Nominations for officers shall be forwarded to the Secretary no later than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting at which the election of officers will be held. Prior to the meeting at which the officers will be elected, the Secretary shall distribute to the membership a list of the nominations for each office.

ARTICLE VI

VOTING

Section 1. Any member, as defined in Article III, may vote in any election of the Association.

Section 2. A majority vote of the members at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to determine any election, motion, resolution or other matter submitted to the Association for a decision, except motions to amend the By-Laws.

ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1. The Association shall hold at least an annual meeting in October of each year. If the annual meeting is not held in the month designated by these By-Laws, a substitute annual meeting may be called.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President, or by any three officers, or by any ten (10) members. The purpose of the meetings shall be stated in the notice and, except in cases of emergencies, at least one week’s notice of the special meeting shall be provided to the membership.

Section 3. At least thirty (30) days before each regular and special meeting of the Association, written notice of the meeting shall be delivered personally or sent by mail or facsimile to each Member.

Section 4. A sufficient number of members of the Association must be present at any Association meeting to constitute a quorum to conduct any business of the Association which shall be binding or effective, for purpose of this requirement, a quorum shall be the number of officers present at the meeting plus twenty-five (25) percent of the members of the Association.

ARTICLE XII

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Provisions of the most recent edition of Robert’s Rule of Order shall govern the Association in all instances in which such provisions are applicable, to include the conduct of any meeting contemplated herein, and in which they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the By-Laws and any special rules the Association may adopt.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Association by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present, provided, however, that not later than 30 days before the meeting at which such amendment shall be considered, any member desiring to propose an amendment shall furnish to the Secretary a copy of the proposed amendment. The Secretary shall distribute the purposed amendment to the membership not later than one week before the said meeting.

ARTICLE X

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Association shall be the calendar year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31.