Jefferson Bar Association

Not a member? Click here 
Membership is on a Calendar Year, from January 1 through December 31 of each year. Membership dues are NOT on a pro-rata basis. 


Jefferson Bar Association

The object and purpose of the Jefferson Bar Association is to assist and serve its members in the practice of law, promote the administration of justice, uphold the honor of the courts and the legal profession, promote the professional competency of attorneys through continuing legal education, increase public understanding of and respect for the law and encourage collegiality among its members.

Bylaws

Bylaws of the Jefferson Bar Association
 
NAME
 
The organization is a voluntary association of lawyers known as the Jefferson Bar Association (hereinafter “Association”).
 
PURPOSE AND OBJECT
 
The objects and purposes of this association shall be to advance the science of jurisprudence, promote the administration of justice, uphold the honor of the courts, and of the profession of the law, encourage cordial intercourse among its members, and, generally, to promote the welfare of the legal profession. Said corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
 
1. OFFICERS
 
The officers of this association shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, At-Large Representative A and At-Large Representative B, and immediate Past President, all of whom shall serve for a term of one (1) year.  The term of office shall be from January 1, until December 31 of every year.  Any vacancies on the Executive Board shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Board for the unexpired term except for office of the President, which shall be filled by the President-Elect as provided herein, and any vacancies in office of President-Elect shall remain vacant until the annual election.  No person can hold the same office twice.  Partial terms of office shall not count as a term in office.
 
The duties and responsibilities of the officers are as follows:
 
1. The President shall be the chief executive officer and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board, and shall be the ex-officio member of all committee or their appointment;
 
2. The President-Elect shall discharge the duties of the President in case of their absence or disability, or in case of a vacancy in the latter’s office;
 
3. The Vice-President shall have the general supervision over the social functions and the public relations activities of the Association;
 
4. The Secretary, as necessary may keep minutes of all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board, shall notify the members of the elections, shall issue notices of meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board;
 
5. The Treasurer shall collect the dues and funds of the Association, which shall be deposited in the banks designated by the Executive Board.  The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Association as provided by these By-Laws and the Executive Board.  He/She shall have access to the books and documents relating to the finances of the Association; and
 
6. The At-Large Representatives shall be elected at the same time as other officers and shall serve on the Executive Board. Their duties shall be designated by the Executive Board.
 
7. The President of the Young Lawyer Section of the Jefferson Bar Association shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Board.
 
II.  EXECUTIVE BOARD
 
As the corporate powers of the Association shall be vested in and exercised by the Executive Board, five (5) of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Members of the Executive Board shall serve for a term of one (1) year, or until their successors are elected and qualified.
Any vacancy on the Executive Board shall be filled by the Executive Board at its next meeting.  The person appointed shall serve the unexpired portion of the term.
 
The Executive Board shall meet from time to time, as when deemed appropriate and necessary by the President.
 
III.  ELECTIONS
 
Elections of all Officers, except President, shall be held during the November lunch meeting.  The President-Elect shall automatically succeed to the position of President.
 
1. The Executive Board shall be allowed to nominate a slate of Officers, but the proposed nomination shall not be binding on the membership. Nominations for Officers shall be allowed from the floor of the election meeting.
 
2. Any active members of the Association present at the November meeting may nominate a candidate or candidates for any office to be filled at such meeting.
 
3. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.  No one shall be entitled to cast his/her ballot of any election, unless he/she shall, on the day of such election, be a member in good standing according to the records of the Association, and unless his/her dues have been fully paid before casting of the ballot.
 
4. Members nominated for an Office must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected.  If no candidate receives the majority of the votes, there shall be a runoff of the two members with the highest number of votes.  If there is a tie vote in either a preliminary or runoff election, a flip of the coin shall determine the winner.
 
IV.  MEMBERSHIP
 
Members of the legal profession whom are members of and in good standing with the Louisiana State Bar Association, are eligible to be members of the Jefferson Bar Association.  
 
V.  DUES
 
The annual dues of the Active Members shall be fixed by the Executive Board and payable in advance on or before the first day of January of each year.  Dues not received by February 1st of each year shall be considered delinquent.  The Executive Board may assess a late fee, in its discretion, if appropriate.
 
VI.  MEETINGS
 
There shall be meetings of the Association as provided in the Articles of Incorporation.
 
Special meetings may be called at any time by the Executive Board, by a majority vote of the Board. No business shall be transacted at any special meeting except such as shall have been specifically in the call for the meeting.
 
At the annual meeting, or at any regular or special meeting called as provided in the Articles or by-laws, at least five (5) members of the Executive Committee and 21 other members of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business
 
Notice shall be given to the membership of all meetings by mail or electronic format including email.
 
VII.  STANDING AND SPECIAL BOARDS
 
Special or  Standing Boards or Committees  may be appointed by the President from time to time in his/her discretion if the need for such Committees  should arise.  The duties of such Committees shall be prescribed at the time of their appointment.  All committee members shall serve until the expiration of the term of the President by whom appointed or might be reappointed by a successor President.
 
VIII.  POLITICAL ACTIVITY
 
1. The Association shall not be involved in the support or endorsement of political candidates or any political initiatives.
 
2. The membership list and rolls of this Association shall be confidential, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of the Association.  Notwithstanding, the Association may publish an official roster after being duly approved by the Executive Board.
 
IX.  EXPULSION AND SUSPENSION
 
The Executive Board shall have the power, by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Board, to expel from membership, or to suspend from privileges of the Association for a definite period, any Active and/or Additional Active member, for conduct prejudicial to the interest of the Association and or the legal profession.
 
X.  PAST PRESIDENTS’ COUNCIL
 
The Past Presidents of this Association, in good standing, shall constitute a Past Presidents’ Council.  It shall be the purpose of the Past Presidents’ Council to study all past activities, policies and accomplishments of the Association, and to offer to the Executive Board the benefits of its deliberations, knowledge, experience and good judgment, and serve generally in an advisory capacity.
 
XI.  OFFICE DESIGNATION
 
The Executive Board shall designate the official depository of all office equipment and files of the Association, and which files cannot be removed from the premises of the depository without the consent of the Executive Board.
 
XII.  TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS
 
Business shall be transacted by a majority of those members present and voting at an Association meeting.
        
XII. AMENDMENT TO BY- LAWS 
 
These By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present, in good standing, at a regular meeting of the general membership, or at a special meeting called for the purpose of considering any proposed changes in the By-Laws, provided that notice of a meeting to change the By-Laws shall be forwarded to the membership by regular mail, email, facsimile or other electronic means, at least five (5) days before such meeting.
 
These By-Laws were proposed by the Executive Board and approved by the Membership on the 16th day of November, 2018 in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
 
 
APPROVED:
 
________________________________
JUDITH WINDHORST, PRESIDENT
JEFFERSON BAR ASSOCIATION
Amended Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
On November 19, 2021, during our Election Luncheon, the JBA Executive Board intends to have the membership present vote on the amendments to the JBA Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. A majority vote is required to accept both documents as the governing Articles and Bylaws for the JBA moving forward. Both documents are available below and on the JBA Website under the Bylaws subpage.

RESTATED AMENDED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

AMENDED BYLAWS