Section 1. Committee Chairperson Handbook

FOR THE 2009-2010 BAR YEAR

The Utah Young Lawyers Division has a tradition of excellence in providing service to the Bar, the profession and the public. During the 2009-2010 year, the Division will continue to build on this foundation of service and will provide even greater opportunities for young attorneys in the Utah State Bar to participate in challenging and rewarding projects and take advantage of programs to assist them in their career development.

This handbook is designed as a resource for Division leaders, particularly committee chairpersons to use in planning and carrying out their duties and responsibilities during the year.

I. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRPERSONS

Committee co-chairs are the critical people in the Young Lawyers Division. Each of these positions requires individuals who are self-motivated with a high personal commitment to service both to fellow members of the Bar and to the public at large. Co-chairs should assist one another in each of the responsibilities outlined below.

A. Member of the Executive Council.

Generally, committee co-chairs will also be members of the Executive Council. The Executive Council meets on a monthly basis. Members of the Executive Council are expected to attend each Executive Council meeting prepared to discuss the items on the agenda. The committee co-chairs should regularly inform the Executive Council of his or her committee's plans and activities. Advance approval of the Executive Council should be obtained before initiating any project.

The structure and functions of the Executive Council are set forth in the Division By-laws in Section Two. The officers of the Division and the Executive Council are set forth in Section Six.

B. Report to Officers of the Division.

An officer of the Division will serve as a liaison to each committee (the "Liaison Officer"). The Liaison Officer for each committee is shown in Section Six. Committee chairpersons should keep Liaison Officers informed of the committee's activities and projects. The responsibilities of the various officers are more fully described in the Division By-laws, found in Section Two.

C. Planning and Implementing Projects.

The Committee chairpersons should be people of vision and action. Each committee should conceive and carry out projects which will have positive impacts on the Bar or the public. In general, Division committees will be oriented toward service to the public or toward service to members of the profession, although overlap occurs in many instances. In planning the activities of the committee, it is recommended that the committee chairperson consider the interest of committee members in the proposed project and the commitment and the time necessary to successfully undertake the project. It is strongly recommended that the committee pick a few well-defined, achievable and worthwhile projects. Ill-defined and overambitious projects invariably are not well completed and result in loss of enthusiasm and commitment.

D. Fostering a Commitment to Public Service.

The committee chairpersons are responsible to recruit and then involve members of the Division in his or her committee. Committee chairpersons have been or will be provided with the names of members of the Division who have expressed an interest in their committees. These people should be contacted and invited to participate in the committee. At least three committee members must be chosen by the chairs of each committee and their names submitted to the officers by November 1, 2009. Committee chairpersons should strive to involve a representative cross-section of the Bar on their committees: e.g., attorneys from different geographic areas, from large, medium and small firms, sole practitioners, government, and public interest attorneys. Also, the committee should reflect diversity in the areas of gender, race and national origin. Committee members should be kept informed of the committee's plans and activities. The committee chairpersons should make meaningful involvement of committee members in service projects his or her highest priority.

E. Statewide Activities.

Committee chairpersons should endeavor to implement their projects in areas both inside and outside of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. Many ongoing projects can be introduced into new areas of the State. Committee chairpersons are strongly encouraged to utilize the District Representatives on the Executive Council to organize activities and projects in all regions of the State.

II. POLICIES ON PROJECTS

A. Committee Meetings.

It is suggested that each committee meet on a quarterly basis, or as needed depending on upcoming projects. If possible, the committee meeting should be held approximately a week before the Executive Council meeting in order to formulate any agenda items for the Executive Council's consideration. Committee chairpersons should establish a calendar of meetings at the beginning of the year to tie in with the committee's projects and Division deadlines.

B. Deadlines.

In order to implement plans for the 2009-2010 Bar year, it is important that committee chairpersons plan carefully now and organize their committee to meet the following deadlines:

November 2009: Committee rosters finalized

November 2009: Plans of action for the 2009-2010 year and proposed budgets submitted to the YLD officers. (First Committee meeting should have been held prior to this time.)

February 2010: Mid-year Narrative Reports of Committee activities due.

May 2010: Compile ABA Award of Achievement Information.

July 2010: Final Committee reports due.

C. Plans of Action.

A plan of action functions as a planning tool and subsequently as a yardstick against which the committee's progress can be measured. It also informs the Division officers of the committee's goals and objectives and allows for greater follow-up and coordination.

A plan of action should include the following:

(1) A roster of all committee members, including addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses;

(2) A short statement of the committee's objectives for the year;

(3) A short discussion of the projects and activities that the committee plans to undertake during the year. Each project or activity should be briefly summarized, including an estimate of committee member needs and costs and any expected revenues;

(4) A detailed outline of the steps necessary to complete the project or activity along with a proposed timetable for completing the projects or activities. In addition to the targeted completion date, deadlines for completion of each major step along the way should be included; and

(5) An indication of the anticipated allocation of the committee budget.

In developing the plan of action, the committee chairperson should involve all committee members and should consult with the past committee chairperson.

III. BUDGETS AND REIMBURSEMENTS

A. Budget.

As part of the Division's overall planning process, each committee is allocated a portion of the Division's budget at the beginning of each Bar year. A copy of the Division's 2009-2010 budget is found in Section Four. Committee chairpersons should evaluate whether they have projects which may be partially funded by any ABA/YLD sub grants. ABA/YLD sub grant applications are due in Chicago in November of each year. The Utah Bar Foundation may also be a source of funds. Utah Bar Foundation Grant Applications are due in May of each year. All solicitations for funds and all grant applications must be submitted by the Division President to the President of the Bar and the Bar Commissioners for prior approval.

The Division Treasurer will submit a budget report on a quarterly basis to the Executive Council. This budget will set forth the remaining balance on each committee's allocated budget. Budget reports will be submitted at the Executive Council meetings as follows:

November 2009: First Quarter/Budget Report Due

February 2010: Second Quarter/Budget Report Due

May 2010: Third Quarter/Budget Report Due

July 2010: Final Quarter Budget Report Due

Committee budgets are subject to re-evaluation and reallocation to other committees.

B. Policy on Use of Division Funds.

The expenditure of Division funds requires the prior approval of the President or the Treasurer of the Division.

C. Reimbursement Policy.

All activities which will generate reimbursable expenses must be approved in advance by the President or Treasurer. Appropriate documentation must be submitted to the Division Treasurer to support each expenditure along with a reimbursement form. A copy of the reimbursement form can be found in Section Four. The following policies must be followed:

(1) Reimbursement forms must be completely filled out with appropriate attachments and signatures and must be submitted to the Treasurer within forty-five (45) days of the expenditure;

(2) Expenditures of Division funds require the prior approval of the Division President or Treasurer.

(3) Approved travel to ABA conferences and meetings will be reimbursed at the actual cost of the hotel accommodations and air fare or gasoline expenses. Hotel reimbursement should not exceed the length of the conference. The ABA/YLD Fall and Spring Conferences have ABA reimbursement available and must be submitted in conjunction with Division reimbursement request to respect budgetary constraints. Other conferences offering additional reimbursements should be requested;

(4) Air travel will be reimbursed at the actual coach fare. Every effort should be made to obtain discount fares wherever possible. Further, air fares should be booked at least thirty (30) days in advance;

(5) Transportation and parking costs are reimbursable under certain circumstances at the discretion of the President and Treasurer.

(6) Instead of reimbursing for meals, a $35.00 daily per diem will be available from the Division. If an ABA/YLD social function is attended that exceeds the daily per diem amount, an amount up to the cost of the ABA/YLD social function will be reimbursed that particular instead of the daily per diem.

(7) Reimbursement for travel expenses is available with the understanding that those who travel to conferences will make a full report of the conference to the Division at the next Executive Council Meeting. The report should also include specific suggestions and ideas for Division projects and activities.

Division members should contact the Division Treasurer, Craig Hall, if they have any questions about reimbursement policies. Division members should not contact the Bar office directly.

IV REPORTS

A. Narrative Reports.

Each committee is required to file two narrative reports with the president of the Division outlining the activities of committee. These reports should be submitted on or before the following dates.

November 2009: Mid-year Report Due

July 2010: Year-end Report Due

The mid-year report should summarize the status of the committee's projects and activities, point out any problems and discuss upcoming activities. The year-end report should list the Division's accomplishments during the year. The Division President will use this report to account to the Utah State Bar on the Division's activities during the year.

B. Correspondence.

In addition to the foregoing reports, the committee chairperson should keep the President of the Division and the Liaison Officer apprised of on-going committee plans and activities by sending a copy of all correspondence relating to Division business to the President and Liaison Officer.

C. Award of Achievement Applications.

The ABA/YLD Awards of Achievement recognize affiliates for their contributions to the Bar and to the public. The Division will submit an Award of Achievement Application in the early part of June 2010. Committee chairpersons should retain full and complete records to enable them to complete Project Information Forms, a copy of which is included in Section Five. Project Information Forms are submitted with an Award of Achievement Application.

D. Financial Records and Budget Reports.

The committee chairpersons are responsible for accurately accounting for all expenditures by the committee and submitting appropriate documentation therefor to the Treasurer.