The Association is formed to advance the science of jurisprudence; to promote the administration of justice; to see that no one, on account of poverty, is denied his or her legal rights; to secure proper legislation; to encourage a thorough legal education; to uphold the honor and dignity of the bar; to cultivate social interaction among the lawyers of Butler County, Pennsylvania, and to perpetuate the history of the profession and the memory of its’ members.

The Association shall not take any partisan political action.

ELIGIBILITY: Any member in good standing of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania may become a member of the Association if he or she either maintains an office in Butler County, Pennsylvania, for the practice of law, is employed in Butler County, PA, in the legal profession, or resides in Butler County, PA.

ADMISSION: Motions for admission to the Association may be made and voted upon in any regular or special meeting of the Association. Upon an affirmative vote by a majority of members of the Association present at such a regular or special meeting, and upon payment by the candidate of any dues required for membership, the candidate for admission shall become a member of the Association without the need for further action and shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of a member of the Association.

DUES: Dues shall be set from time to time by the members of this Association.

Any member of the Association who fails to pay the dues enumerated in Section 4 above within thirty (30) days of receiving a Final Notice from the Treasurer, Executive Director, or other designated person shall be placed on an inactive status and shall not be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership in the Association as a member in good standing until such time as all dues and other fees owed to the Association are paid in full.

Any member of the Association may be suspended or expelled for misconduct in relation to the Association or in relation to the practice of law, upon a two-thirds vote of the members of the Association present at a regular or special meeting of the Association. Any member of the Association who is suspended or disbarred from the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania shall be expelled from this Association automatically. Any member who is suspended or expelled from the Association shall remain suspended or expelled until re-admitted by the Association in accordance with Section 2 of this Article.

ARTICLE III - MEETINGS

The annual meeting of the Association and election of officers shall be at the quarterly meeting held during the final quarter (October-December) each year so long as a quorum is present.

Regular meetings of the Association shall be held during each quarter of the year on a day, at a time, and in a place to be determined by the Association or President. Notice of the meeting shall be provided at least two (2) weeks before it is scheduled to occur.

Special meetings of the Association may be called by the President at any time or upon the written request of three (3) members of the Association. The Association will post written notice of the special meeting in the Butler County Courthouse at least 72 hours before the special meeting and shall make a good faith effort to notify the individual members by mail, fax, email, newsletter, or other means of communication as designated by the Association, as time permits.

The meetings of the Association and its deliberations shall be private and shall be kept secret by the members, unless otherwise voted on by the Association.

ARTICLE IV - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

At least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting of the Association to be held in the fourth quarter of each calendar year, the nominating committee shall present to the Association by posting in the Butler County Courthouse and publication in Butler County Bar Association Newsletter one nomination for each office of the Association. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at said meeting. No nominations will be received subsequent to said meeting. Each nominee must be a member in good standing of the Association.

At the annual meeting of the Association, the Association shall elect by a majority vote of its members in good standing present at said meeting the following officers:

The terms of the office of each of the offices shall be one (1) year commencing with their installation in January. Each officer shall continue to serve until his/her successor shall have been duly installed.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT: The President shall enforce all rules adopted for the government of the association, shall preserve order and decorum, and in debate shall confine members to the question under discussion and appoint all committees for which an election is not provided.

SECRETARY: The Secretary shall keep a full and complete list of members of the Association, shall record the proceedings of the Association, shall draw orders upon the Treasurer for all sums of money ordered by the Association to be paid, shall give all persons elected written notice of their election, shall, upon request of the President, give notice of special meetings by posting a written notice in the Butler County Courthouse, and shall attend to such other duties as may be imported upon him or her at any regular or special meeting of the Association. The Secretary may delegate any of these duties to the Executive Director.

TREASURER: The Treasurer shall collect all money due the Association, shall keep correct accounts of the receipts and expenditures, shall keep an account of each member’s dues; shall pay all orders drawn by the Secretary and the Executive Director ; and at the annual meeting of each year, and at such other times as directed by the President, shall make a full and accurate report of the condition of the Treasury of the Association.

The association shall, hold elections at the lastquarterly meeting of the year. The Executive Committee term of office shall be for two (2) years beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Election of Executive Committee shall be four (4) new members in even years: (example: 2006, 2008), and three (3) new members in odd numbered years: (example 2007, 2009). Officers of the Association shall serve as the Executive Board of the Association for the following year. The Executive Board shall be chaired by the President of the Association.The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board, which shall be available for inspection by the members. The Executive Board shall meet at least monthly, or more often if necessary, to carry out its function. The authority of the Executive Board shall be limited to the following:

1. Perform such functions as are designated to it from time to time by the general membership of the Association.
2. Prepare the agenda for the quarterly meetings of the general membership.
3. Approve or disapprove C.L.E. project proposals tendered for sponsorship by the Association.
4. Arrange for publication of a quarterly newsletter within a budget approved by the general membership.
5. Approve expenditures for ceremonial and memorial observances.
6. Approve expenditures for the annual Christmas Party, Family Picnic, Zone 10 Golf Outing, Law Days activities, High School Moot Court Competition, reimbursement of Butler representatives to PBA House of Delegates and Conference of County Bar Leaders Meetings, and additional expenditures.
7. Approve additional expenditures up to $1000.00.
8. The Executive Board shall make non binding recommendations to the Association concerning terms of employment and duties of the Executive Director.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: The Executive Director will report to the Executive Board of the Butler County Bar Association. The Bar Association President will be the Executive Director’s immediate supervisor for day to day operations. The Executive Director will perform any and all duties requested by the President, Executive Board, or the Association.

The President may, however, add by appointment any other ad hoc committee or committees.

Members of the committees shall be appointed by the President.

The Association may, from time to time, create sections devoted to the study of one or more substantive or procedural legal topics which sections may provide advice to the Association on legislative matters, sponsor continuing legal education and, in general, take up such projects as may be approved from time to time upon application to the Association.

ARTICLE VII- DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

In the event that the Association is dissolved, its assets and/or current earnings may not be transferred to or inure to the benefit of any member or other private person, but shall be paid over to the Pennsylvania Bar Association if in existence, or if not, to a similar non-profit organization.

ARTICLE VIII- AMENDMENTS

Any article or Section of these By-Laws may be suspended, amended, or repealed by a three-fourths vote of the members of the Association present at any meeting, provided that ten (10) days notice of the proposed amendment, suspension, or alteration of the By-Laws has been given by written notice posted in the Butler County Courthouse.

Adopted at the quarterly meeting of the Butler County Bar Association held on the 29th day of September , 2006.