CONSTITUTION OF THE

CLAUDE W. PETTIT COLLEGE OF LAW

STUDENT CHAPTER

of

The Association of Trial Lawyers of America

ARTICLE I - NAME

  The name of the chapter shall be the Claude W. Pettit College of Law Student Chapter ("Student Chapter") of The Association of Trial Lawyers of America ("ATLA").

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES

  The Student Chapter has been established to encourage law students to learn about trial advocacy skills and what it is like to be a trial lawyer. The Chapter will provide a way for students to become actively involved in preserving the justice system and the right to a jury trial.

ARTICLE III - ATLA AFFILIATION

  By the adoption of this Constitution, and compliance with any other requirement of ATLA, the Student Chapter shall be recognized as an affiliated Student Chapter of ATLA and shall enjoy rights and privileges of affiliation as determined by the ATLA Board of Governors. The Board of Governors, through the ATLA Law School Committee and the ATLA staff or other designee of ATLA, shall be entitled to review the programs, activities, and policies of each Student Chapter and may, after appropriate notice to the Student Chapter, rescind affiliation status.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1:   The Student Chapter, through the Executive Committee, may establish annual Student Chapter membership dues.

SECTION 2:   Any law school student in good standing attending the Claude W. Pettit College of Law is eligible for membership ("Member") in the Student Chapter.

SECTION 3:   To be a member in good standing in the Student Chapter, the Member must be a student member in good standing in ATLA and pay any periodic dues of the Student Chapter, provided, however, that the member also continues to adhere to the objectives of the Student Chapter as the Mission of ATLA.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

SECTION 1:   The officers shall be the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, ATLA liaison, and ATLA correspondent.

SECTION 2:   The president shall be at least a 2 nd year law student. The president shall be the Student Chapter's Chief Executive Officer and shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee and Student Chapter. Additionally, the president shall appoint a Chief of Staff to assist him/her in the execution of the duties of the presidency.

SECTION 3:   The vice president shall perform such duties as are delegated by the president. The vice president shall preside at meetings in the absence of the president, and shall succeed the president in the case of his/her vacating office for whatever purpose. Additionally, the vice president shall be the executive chair of all of the Student Chapter's committees with the exception of the fundraising committee (see Section 5).

SECTION 4:   The secretary shall keep the minutes of all Student Chapter and Executive Committee meetings, and shall be the official custodian of all Student Chapter records, direct all official Student Chapter mailings of notices, and keep an accurate census of membership. The secretary shall also be responsible to submit to the ATLA Manager of Law Student Services or designee all reports on a timely basis as required by ATLA. The secretary shall also be responsible for the Student Chapter's newsletter and webpage.

SECTION 5:   The treasurer may collect all Student Chapter dues and monies, keeping records thereof. The treasurer shall receive, disburse, and invest the funds of the Student Chapter in the manner directed by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall also be responsible for the Student Chapter's checking account, payment of Student Chapter expenditures, and reporting to the Student Bar Association during their budget session. Additionally, the treasurer shall be the executive chair of the fundraising committee.

SECTION 6:   The ATLA Liaison will keep track of activities on the ATLA website, scholarships, competitions, availability of joint projects, seminars, luncheons, etc., and the Law Student Mentor Program.

SECTION 7:   The ATLA Correspondent shall keep the Student Chapter included in the ATLA news by writing articles for newsletters, recruiting others to write and otherwise corresponding on behalf of the Student Chapter as the president shall direct.

SECTION 8:   The terms of office shall be one (1) year, which shall begin at the close of the last general Student Chapter meeting of each school year.

SECTION 9:   In the event of a vacancy in any office, other than that of president, notice of the vacancy shall be given to the Members which shall elect to fill the vacancy by majority vote at a meeting to be held not sooner than (5) days after such notice has been given.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SECTION 1:   The Executive Committee shall be the managing body of the Student Chapter, and shall direct its affairs.

SECTION 2:   The Executive Committee shall total (7), including all elected Officers as well as the Chief of Staff of the Student Chapter, who shall be appointed by the president, with the majority approval of the elected Officers.

ARTICLE VII - ELECTIONS AND VOTING

SECTION 1:   Only Members in good standing may vote in any Student Chapter elections or hold an office thereof, with an exception being made for the inaugural elections of the Student Chapter in the year 2004.

SECTION 2:   The Executive Committee may promulgate election rules, which rules shall serve as permanent rules unless amended by the Executive Committee. The rules may be amended by the Executive Committee at any regular meeting of the Committee; however, any amendment shall not affect any election held within thirty (30) days of the approval of such amendment.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

SECTION 1:   The Executive Committee may create standing committees deemed necessary to operate the Student Chapter on a continuous basis. The Executive Committee shall elect Members to fill positions on standing committees. The president shall appoint the chairs from among the members of the standing committees.

SECTION 2:   The president may appoint such other committees at his/her discretion. The president shall appoint Members to fill these committees and appoint a chair to each such committee.

SECTION 3:   The Executive Committee shall by two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members on the committee have the power to remove any committee member or chair.

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1:   This Constitution may be amended at any Student Chapter meeting by three-quarters (3/4) of the Members present.

SECTION 2:   An amendment must be proposed to the president or secretary in writing not less than two (2) weeks prior to the Student Chapter meeting at which the amendment will be considered. The president will then circulate the proposed amendment to the Executive Committee, who shall then circulate it to the general membership if the Executive Committee agrees the proposed amendment should reach a floor vote. If the Executive Committee does not so agree, then the motion to amend the Constitution shall fail.

ARTICLE X - BYLAWS

SECTION 1:   The Executive Committee may adopt a set of Bylaws subject to the approval of the majority of Members.

SECTION 2:   Adopted Bylaws shall not be inconsistent with this Constitution.

ARTICLE XI - MEETINGS

  All meetings shall be run in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.

Last Updated: November 1, 2004