No resolution presented herein reflects the policy of the Minnesota State Bar Association until approved by the Assembly. Informational reports, comments, and supporting data are not approved by their acceptance for filing and do not become part of the policy of the Minnesota State Bar Association unless specifically approved by the Assembly.
Minnesota State Bar Association
Governance Committee
Recommendation for Affiliation with the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Resolved, that the MSBA grant affiliation status to the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
The Governance Committee reviewed MSBA Bylaws Article 2 with respect to affiliation and Article 4 with respect to Assembly composition. The relevant portions of those Sections are:
The following associations are entitled to be represented in the Assembly as affiliated associations if they meet the applicable conditions of affiliation set forth in § 2.2.
(a) A district bar association …
(b) Any other association or organization, other than a section of the MSBA, that meets the requirements of § 2.2 (b) and (c).
An association or organization eligible for affiliation with the MSBA under § 2.1 shall become an affiliated organization upon meeting the following conditions:
(a) In the case of a district bar association, all members who are eligible, belong to, and pay the dues of the MSBA and the appropriate affiliated district bar association.
(b) In the case of any other association or organization, two-thirds of all members of such association or organization must be members of the MSBA and the association or organization must have at least 10 members.
(c) The appropriate governing body of the association or organization requests affiliation with the MSBA and the Assembly approves the request.
At the time of the adoption of these Restated Bylaws (June, 2004) the following are affiliated associations with the MSBA:
(a) (…List of all District Bar Associations..)
(b) Other Associations. Corporate Counsel Association of Minnesota, Minnesota County Attorneys Association, Minnesota District Judges Association, Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Minnesota Women Lawyers, Inc., Minnesota American Indian Bar Association, Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association-Minnesota Chapter, and Minnesota Lavender Bar Association. (The Assembly approved the addition of Minnesota Black Women Lawyers Network as an affiliated organization and a minority bar association on June 23, 2006.)
The Assembly comprises two classes of representatives, the Voting Representatives and the Alternate Representatives. The only Assembly Representatives that have the right to vote are the Voting Representatives and those Alternate Representatives that meet the requirements of § 4.7. The Alternate Representatives have all the powers and rights of the Voting Representatives (including the right to notice of Assembly meetings, the right to speak at Assembly meetings and the right to make motions at Assembly meetings), but the Alternate Representatives may not vote on Assembly matters except as provided in § 4.7.
The Voting Representatives of the Assembly comprise the following, all of whom must be members of the MSBA:
(a) the Council
(b) the number of Voting Representatives determined under § 4.5 from each district bar association that has become an affiliated association of the MSBA under Article 2
(c) two Voting Representatives from Minnesota Women Lawyers, Inc., selected by Minnesota Women Lawyers, Inc.
(d) two Voting Representatives from each minority bar association selected by the respective minority bar association
(e) a Voting Representative from each association and organization that has become an affiliated association of the MSBA under Article 2, other than a district bar association, Minnesota Women Lawyers, Inc., and a minority bar association
(f) one Voting Representative selected by the Minnesota Supreme Court to represent the Minnesota Supreme Court
(g) one Voting Representative selected by the Minnesota Court of Appeals to represent the Minnesota Court of Appeals
(h) a Voting Representative from each of the accredited law schools in the State of Minnesota selected by the respective dean for each law school
(i) two Voting Representatives that are Minnesota members of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association selected by the State Delegate to the American Bar Association
(j) the immediate past president of the MSBA
(k) the chairperson of the MCLE Board
(l) a Voting Representative from each section of the MSBA established under Article 10; each section will select one Voting Representative
(m) the Assembly may elect up to four other Voting Representatives from underrepresented groups.
The Governance Committee determined the organization met the first condition of affiliations in that the organization has more than ten members and at least two-thirds of those members are also members of the MSBA. The Governance Committee reviewed a roster of the members of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The organization has fifty-two members and fifty of those members are also members of the Minnesota State Bar Association.
The Governance Committee determined the organization met the second condition of affiliation in that the MSBA received a request from Susan Rhode, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, stating that at the last annual meeting of the organization, the members voted to request affiliation.
The Governance Committee received a request from the MSBA’s Family Law Section for time to consider the requested affiliation. It is the understanding of the Governance Committee that after consideration, the Family Law Section supports the request for affiliation.
After consideration of the request, the MSBA Governance Committee recommends affiliation with the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. As a result of the affiliation, the organization will be entitled to select a representative to the MSBA Assembly.
Respectfully Submitted,
Aaron Biber, Chair
Governance Committee