State Bar seeks fifth ABA delegate, petitions due Oct. 25
September 28, 2004
Due to in-state membership in the State Bar rising above 14,000, the
State Bar Board of Governors will elect a fifth delegate to the American
Bar Association's (ABA) House of Delegates. The delegate will be elected
at the Nov. 5 board meeting in Madison. Nomination petitions must be
filed at the State Bar by Oct. 25 to allow adequate time to be included
in the November board materials.
The delegate's responsibilities include: establishing ABA association
policy and defining the ABA's position on professional and public
issues; electing the ABA's officers and Board of Governors (BOG) after
receiving nominations from the ABA Nominating Committee; amending the
ABA's bylaws and constitution (jointly with the ABA Assembly of
Members); creating or disbanding association committees and sections;
and setting membership dues after conferring with the ABA BOG.
During the two-year term, delegates attend each House meeting,
participate in its proceedings, and discharge the House's
responsibilities. Delegates also keep their constituencies apprised of
House actions and, to the extent possible, of matters pending before the
House. They also assist constituent entities in presenting issues of
concern for debate and action by the House.
In July, the board unanimously approved the State Bar making
application to the ABA for the fifth delegate. State Bar President
Michelle Behnke appointed a committee chaired by Gov. John Macy to study
the funding, selection process, and reporting requirements of State Bar
delegates. The board approved the position at its September meeting.
The two-year term for the fifth position began at the end of
ABA's 2004 Annual Convention last August. The first ABA House of
Delegates meeting for this delegate's term will be in February
2005.
Members interested in representing the State Bar in this capacity
should review the State Bar Bylaws, Article III, Section 11, for
election qualifications and procedure (see State Bar Bylaws).
Nomination petitions, which must be endorsed by at least 10 members of
the Board of Governors, must be filed with State Bar Executive Director
George Brown by Oct. 25. Petitions filed after that date may be
considered but will not be included in the board materials.
