By-Laws of the East Coast Association of Litigation Support Managers,
As adopted by the charter members February 1990.
Amended May 1992, April 1993, January 1995, January 1999, September 2001, January 2003.
ARTICLE I
NAME AND OFFICE
A. The name of the organization is the East Coast Association of Litigation Support Managers (ECALSM)
B. The mailing address of the Association is:
ECALSMSalvatore Mancuso
Director of Practice Support
Proskauer
Eleven Times Square
New York, NY 10036-8299
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES OF THE ASSOCIATION
The purposes of the Association are:
A. To function as an advocate for the development of the profession of litigation support management, and to encourage the highest levels of professionalism and technical competence within the membership.
B. To serve as liaison to the National Association of Litigation Support Managers, and other local chapters, in order to advance the common purposes and objectives of the National Association and ECALSM.
C. To be a primary educational resource for member law firms, and to further the understanding of litigation support technology and services within the legal community as a whole.
D. To contribute, within the scope of the profession, to the quality and efficiency of the delivery of legal services.
E. To provide a forum in which members can exchange personal viewpoints and experiences relating to litigation support.
ARTICLE III
CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP
A. To qualify for membership in ECALSM, a person must be a full-time employee of an East Coast law firm or corporation, and must be responsible for managerial duties related to litigation support and the use of organized systems to assist in the analysis of facts and issues involved in the practice of law. Such duties must represent a substantial portion of the member’s total job responsibilities.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
A. General
- Any person whose primary job is the marketing or supplying of products or services to the legal profession is expressly prohibited from membership in the Association.
- Any person who is not a full-time staff employee of a law firm or corporation is expressly prohibited from membership in the Association.
- Any dispute regarding the application or denial of membership based on Article IV.A.1 and IV.A.2 of these By-Laws shall be resolved by a vote of the Executive Committee after consideration of all relevant material. The decision of the Executive Committee is final.
- Membership is the property of the person who pays membership fees to the Association or on whose behalf membership fees are paid and may not be transferred.
- Membership shall be valid until such time that the membership qualifications are no longer met.
B. Membership Fee
- Each member law firm or corporation shall pay an annual membership fee.
- The annual membership fee shall be set by the Executive Committee and shall include up to three (3) individuals from each member firm or corporation. Additional individuals from the same member firm or corporation may also join at a cost of $25 per person.
- Membership is valid from date of acceptance through December 31st of said year. Renewals are valid for the calendar year beginning January 1st and ending the following December 31st.
- Dues are subject to periodic review and adjustment by the Executive Committee, who will announce the amount of the membership fee at or before the first meeting of each year.
C. Members shall include those persons whose current employment includes specific responsibility for performing the duties defined in the membership criteria found in Article III herein. Any person so employed may become a member upon making application and paying such regular or special dues as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.
D. Members shall have full voting privileges and are eligible for elective office pursuant to Article VIII.
E. Anyone who does not meet the Regular Membership requirements as per Article IV of the ECALSM By-Laws, is nominated by the Executive Committee, and elected by a majority vote of the general membership, as per Article VI section E of the By-Laws, may be awarded a Lifetime Membership in ECALSM. A Lifetime Member can attend ECALSM general meetings and participate on a committee or task force at the discretion of the committee chair, but cannot vote, cannot be elected to any ECALSM office, and cannot chair any committee or task force. The annual membership fee for a Lifetime Member is waived. A Lifetime Membership may be revoked by a vote of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. General control and administration of the activities, funds, membership property and programs of ECALSM shall be vested in the Executive Committee composed as specified in this article.
B. The officers of the Association shall be elected by ballot each year prior to the end of each year. The first election to be held at the end of the year in which these By-Laws become effective. Members shall submit ballots in person, by mail, or by electronic means, as determined by the Executive Committee. The presentation of all new officers shall take place at the regular meeting next following the election.
C. The Executive Committee consists of up to eight ECALSM members.
D. The officers of the Executive Committee are the President and Vice Presidents.
E. Members of the Executive Committee will share the responsibilities of collecting dues, planning meetings, and distributing minutes.
F. Members of the Executive Committee shall oversee the duties performed by any outside vendor.
G. Members of the Executive Committee shall serve without payment or salary.
H. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any Executive Committee meeting.
I. The Executive Committee shall meet no less frequently than semi-monthly. These meetings may be conducted by conference call. Notice of a meeting must be given by a member of the Executive Committee. Such notice must be given at least seven (7) days prior to the date of a meeting.
J. An Executive Committee member may be removed from the Executive Committee if he/she fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee or the Association, or for other cause, upon the unanimous vote of all the members of the Executive Committee, excluding the vote of the Committee member whose removal has been proposed. Such removal shall be effective at such time as the Executive Committee may determine. The notice of any Committee member whose status is being challenged shall be notified thereof, in writing, at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of such meeting.
K. The duties of the Committee members are as follows:
1. President:
a. Coordinate the activities of the Association;
b. Chair all Association and Executive Committee meetings;
c. Serve as chief representative of the Association at other meetings;
d. Serve as chief spokesperson for the Association.
2. Vice Presidents: The following responsibilities will be shared among all Vice Presidents:
a. Serve as assistants to the President;
(1) If the President is unable to complete his/her term of office, for any reason, the Vice Presidents shall choose among themselves to fill the vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term of office.
b. Act as editors of the NALSM newsletter;
c. Coordinate efforts to establish membership, including the designation of Association members to serve as assistants on committees;
d. Coordinate attendance of Association members at national meetings;
e. Coordinate with other regional Associations in order to create and maintain a National Association membership roster;
f. Schedule all ECALSM meetings and special events;
g. Coordinate speakers for ECALSM meetings;
h. Coordinate participation of ECALSM in national meetings and programs;
i. Retain and coordinate the services of outside vendors as needed;
j. Keep minutes of all Association and Executive Committee meetings;
k. Issue notices of meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee to all members as specified in Articles V and VI of these By-Laws;
l. Maintain the Association’s administrative records.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
A. Regular Meetings. There shall be a meeting of the members of the Association at least four times each year. Additional meetings, as frequently held as once a month, may be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
B. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the members of the Association may be called at any time by the President, and a meeting must be called upon the written request to the President of twenty-five percent (25%) of the Association members. At such special meetings, no business shall be transacted except that which is specified in the notice of such meeting.
C. Notice of Meetings. Written notice of all meetings shall state the place, date, and hour of such meetings, and shall be delivered to each member. Unless otherwise stated herein, notices shall be given no less than five (5) days before the date of such meetings. A notice of a meeting shall be deemed delivered when deposited in the United States Mail with postage prepaid or when sent by electronic means, addressed to the member at the address specified on the records of the Association.
D. Quorum. Members of the Association holding twenty-five percent (25%) of the vote entitled to be cast, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum.
E. Voting. A majority vote of those members who attend the meeting in person, or by proxy, is required to approve any action.
F. Proxies. Voting by written proxy shall be allowed at any meeting of the members of the Association. No proxy dated more than sixty (60) days prior to a meeting shall be valid.
ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES
A. The Executive Committee may from time to time, by majority vote, appoint regular or special committees, or discontinue any such committees. The Executive Committee shall appoint committee chairs by majority vote. Committee members shall be chosen by the Committee Chair.
B. The President and Vice Presidents shall be ex-officio members of all committees.
ARTICLE VIII
ELECTIONS
A. Elections shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee.
B. The Executive Committee shall prepare ballots containing the report of the nominations. Ballots shall be distributed to the membership at least thirty (30) days before the election. Such ballots may be returned by mail or delivered at an election meeting. Any ballots not in conformity with the rules for voting as stated on the ballot shall not be counted. The Executive Committee shall tabulate the results of an election with the assistance of two members who are not running for office.
C. To be eligible for the Executive Committee, a nominee must have been a member in good standing for a minimum of 1 (one) year preceding the election. A member in good standing is one who has paid his annual dues and has attended a majority of ECALSM meetings or events during the course of the year.
D. The President of ECALSM shall be elected by secret ballot by the members of the Executive Committee at the first Executive Committee meeting following the general election of officers.
E. To be eligible for the Presidency, a member must be an elected officer and must have served on the Executive Committee for a minimum of 1 (one) year preceding the Presidential election, unless no other candidate is available.
F. A Presidential candidate must be nominated by an Executive Committee member other than himself.
G. A member cannot serve more than two consecutive terms as President.
H. Acceptable distribution of ballots may be made in person, by mail, or by electronic means, as determined by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IX
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the 1st of January and end on the 31st of December.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
Amendments to these By-Laws must be recommended to the membership by:
A. Majority vote of the Executive Committee. Members must be given fifteen (15) days notice to vote to adopt or to repeal any amendment presented by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XI
DISSOLUTION
A. The Executive Committee may adopt a resolution recommending the Association be dissolved and direct the question of such dissolution to a vote of a meeting of Association members. The Association may be dissolved upon receiving at least two-thirds of the votes which members present at such meeting in person or by proxy are entitled to cast. Thirty (30) days prior written notice must be provided to the membership before adoption of the resolution.
B. In the event of dissolution of the Association, the Executive Committee shall be responsible for its liquidation.
C. In case of dissolution of the Association, the Executive Committee shall authorize the payment of the indebtedness of the Association.
D. In case of dissolution of the Association, any funds remaining in the Treasury after payment of all indebtedness shall be distributed to a local non-profit charity organization determined by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XII
LAW TO APPLY
In the event of any dispute as to the meaning of any term contained herein, New York law shall be held to apply.
ARTICLE XIII
SEVERABILITY
If any paragraph or portion thereof shall be held to be invalid, all of the paragraphs hereof shall continue in force and effect.
