Bylaws

Constitution & Bylaws

Article I.
Name and Purpose

A. The name of this organization shall be the Utah Minority Bar Association, "U.M.B.A."

B. The purposes of the Association shall be:

1. To provide a forum for communication among attorneys and others interested in promoting the professional advancement of minority attorneys and the social and civic standing of the minority community;

2. To provide a mechanism for concerted action in support of the civil rights, cultural values, economic interests, and social dignity of the minority communities by developing ties and providing services;

3. To assist minority attorneys and others in their professional pursuits;

4. To promote the appointment of others in their professional pursuits;

5. To advance the technical and ethical skills and knowledge of attorneys through sponsorship and promotion of legal education programs;

6. To develop a support system for minority law students and for minority individuals seeking admission to law school; and

7. To do all that is necessary and appropriate for the advancement of the purposes and welfare of the Association.

Article II.

Membership

A. Membership shall be open to all members of the legal profession who are in agreement with the purposes of the Association.

B. There shall be two classes of members:

1. Voting Members - consisting of members who are current in the payment of Association dues and membership in good standing of the Utah State Bar or a Bar of any state or territory of the United States, or admitted to practice in any state or territory.

2. Honorary Members - consisting of law school students, members who are not current in the payment of annual dues, and others designated by the Association.

C. Annual association dues are to be paid by June 30th of each calendar year either directly to the Association or through the Utah State Bar.

ARTICLE III.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

A. The Executive Board shall:

1. Consist of the four elected officers, the past-president and an at-large student member. The at large member and the past-president shall serve for a period of one year and shall be ex-officio members of the Board.

2. Make decisions by a simple majority vote;

3. Meet at least once a month unless excused by a majority of Board;

4. Call special meetings at the request of a majority of the Board, and

5. Review and approve all expenditures of the Association in excess of $250.00

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS

A. There shall be four elected officers of the Association, namely:

1. President;

2. President-Elect;

3. Executive Director/Treasurer; and

4. Secretary

B. The officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association held during the month of September of each calendar year. Due notice of the election shall be given to the voting membership of the Association no less than two weeks prior to the meeting.

C. The election of officers may be by ballot or by open nomination from the floor. A simple majority of the number of votes cast is necessary for the election of officers. In the event of an upopposed nomination, election may be confirmed by voice vote.

D. Duties of Officers:

1. General Duties: The President, President-Elect, Executive Director/Treasurer and Secretary constitute the Executive Board of the Association having duties incident to their respective offices. The past president of the Association is considered an ex-officio member of the Board. ONly the Presidnet, President-Elect or a member designated by the President may represent the Association. Officers shall assume their duties one (1) month following adjournment of the Association's annual meeting.

2. The President shall:

a. Preside over all Association and Executive Board meetings and shall be responsible for carrying out the mission of the association with the assistance of the other officers;

b. Appoint such special committees and designate a chairperson as authorized by the Board;

c. Be responsible for the preparation of meeting agendas;

d. Obey all lawful orders of the Board and comply with the bylaws of the Association.

3. The President-Elect shall:

a. Assume the office of president of the Association at the expiration of the current president's term;

b. Assume and fulfill the duties of the president of the Association in the event of absence of disability of the President;

c. Oversee the Association's fund-raising efforts; and

d. Oversee the Association's Annual Recognition and Awards Dinner Banquet.

4. The Executive Director/Treasurer shall:

a. Be the custodian of the Association's funds;

b. Supervise the safekeeping of the Association's funds;

c. Maintain a current member roster;

d. Provide a yearly financial report to the membership;

e. Provide financial information when requested by a majority of the Board.

5. The Secretary shall:

a. Be responsible for recording the proceedings of all meetings of the Board and The Association;

b. Receive and publish nominations of officers; and

c. Give notice of all meetings when required.

ARTIVLE V.

COMMITTEES

A. The Board may create committees as needed consisting of voting and honorary members of the Association.

B. Each committee shall recruit members to fulfill its duties and purpose.

C. All decisions of the committee shall be by a simple majority vote of the members present at the meeting or by telephone poll if a quorum is not in attendance at the meeting.

D. Each committee shall meet as often as is deemed necessary by a majority of the members.

ARTICLE VI.

MEETINGS

A. The Association shall hold general membership meetings quarterly. However, the President may adjust this schedule as is necessary and may call special meetings.

B. The Association's annual general meeting shall be held in the month of September of each calendar year, and for the following purposes;

1. The election of Association officers;

2. Delivery of annual reports; and

3. Discussion of any business as may properly come before the general membership under the Association's regular order of business.

ARTICLE VII.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

A. The recommended order of business in general membership meetings of the Association shall be as follows:

1. Call to order by the chair;

2. Reading and approval of the minutes;

3. Reports:

a. Important communications and correspondence

b. Executive Director/Treasurer's report

c. Executive Board report

d. Committee reports

4. New Business;

5. Announcement of functions and events; and

6. Adjounment

B. The recommended order of business at annual meetings shall be similar to that of general membership meetings except for:

1. Election of officers;

2. Executive Director's annual financial report; and

3. Miscellaneous matters.

ARTICLE VIII.

FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING

A. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January of each and end on the last day of December of each calendar year.

B. All Association expenses in excess of $250.00 shall be approved by a majority of the Executive Board. All Association expenses less than $250 shall be approved by any two members of the Executive Board.

C. No reimbursements shall be made for expenses that are not related to any official business of the Association.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

A. The bylaws may be amended at any special or annual meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present. Due notice shall be provided to the voting membership of the Association not less than two weeks prior to such a meeting. The subject of the proposed amendments must be made known to all members prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE X.

DISSOLUTION

A. In the event of dissolution of the Association determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting membership, all Association assets remaining after the payments of obligations and liabilities shall be distributed to a non-profit entity (ies) having similar goals and purposes. If the Association holds any assets in trust, they shall be disposed of in such a manner as tmay be directed by judgment of a court of appropriate jurisdiction.

Utah Minority Bar Association
c/o Utah State Bar, Law & Justice Center
645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3834
mailto: umbalaw@utahbar.org