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Young Lawyers Conference

A Conference of the Virginia State Bar.

Long Range Plan (Part 4)

IV. INTERNAL OPERATING COMMITTEES

A. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

1. Organizational Assessment

The YLC's Bylaws require that the President appoint a Nominating Committee no later than 90 days prior to the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee's mission is to nominate at least one person for each seat held by a regional or at large Board member whose term expires on the 30th day of June following the annual meeting, and for President-Elect. Because the survival and success of the YLC is, in great part, dependent on the dedication and qualications of its leadership, the role of each Board member and the President-Elect is crucial to the YLC's continued success.

2. Goals and Objectives

1. The President shall strive to appoint a Nominating Committee that is diverse in all respects.

2. The Committee should continue to promote diversity and to recruit qualied young lawyers from all segments of the population to serve in YLC leadership positions. The Committee should coordinate with the Board of Governors, circuit representatives and other committee chairs to recruit and encourage young lawyers from each circuit and district to serve on the Board.

3. The Committee should continue efforts to recruit qualied young lawyers from every region of the state to serve in leadership positions within the YLC. The Committee should do this by informing all YLC members of specic position openings as well as contacting local bar associations.

4. The Committee should continue efforts to place YLC members in leadership positions reecting their specic areas of interest or qualications. The committee should do this by contacting and recruiting young lawyers from specialty bar associations.

5. The Committee should coordinate with the Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession to promote diversity and to recruit young lawyers from all segments of the population to seek leadership positions within the YLC.

6. The Committee should attempt to identify and encourage those young lawyers who possess specic areas of interest or qualications to seek leadership positions within the YLC.

3. Plans of Action

1. The Board shall establish objective criteria to be considered by the Nominating Committee in evaluating applicants for vacancies on Board and for President-Elect. These criteria shall include, but shall not be limited to, years of experience as a practicing attorney, type and area of practice, prior experience and participation in YLC, bar activities and committees, geographic location, and work and educational experiences.

2. By January 1 of each year the YLC President should appoint a YLC member to chair a Nominating Committee to consider applicants for vacancies for the YLC Board and for President-Elect for the next Bar year.

3. By January 30 of each year, the Board shall inform the Chair of the Nominating Committee of the positions on the Board that must be lled for the next bar year.

4. By January 30 of each year, the President, pursuant to the YLC Bylaws, shall appoint a Nominating Committee to consider applicants for vacancies for the Board and for President-Elect for the next Bar year.

5. The Nominating Committee shall contact the Board, circuit representatives, committee chairs and local and specialty bar associations to recruit and encourage young lawyers from all segments of the population and from every region of the state to seek leadership positions within the YLC.

6. The Nominating Committee shall meet as necessary and shall nominate at least one person for each seat held by a regional or at-large Board member whose term expires on the 30th day of June following the Annual Meeting, and for President-Elect.

7. The Nominating Committee shall coordinate with the Membership Involvement Committee to encourage all persons nominated but not elected to the Board to participate in the YLC.

B. CIRCUIT REPRESENTATIVES

1. Organizational Assessment

In 1983, the YLC established a statewide network of circuit representatives chosen from each of the state's 31 judicial circuits. The network is designed to provide a liaison between practicing young lawyers on the local level and the Board, to promote statewide communication and participation among young lawyers in the projects and activities of the YLC, and to increase the quantity and quality of public service legal programming throughout Virginia.

2. Goals and Objectives

1. The circuit representatives shall be responsible for coordinating at least one program annually that benets young lawyers in their circuit. To assist the representatives in fullling this responsibility, the Board should give the circuit representatives written direction at the beginning of each Bar year on the subject matter(s) for coordinating a program within the various circuits throughout the Commonwealth. The direction from the Board should be in the form of guidelines and/or options giving the circuit representatives concrete ideas for program(s) to coordinate in their circuits. Any circuit representatives who wishes to coordinate a program outside the Board's written guidelines may do so with the Board's prior approval. The program coordinated by the circuit representative should always be for the benet of the YLC membership and/or the public.

2. Circuit representatives shall be responsible for recruiting and encouraging other young lawyers to participate and volunteer for YLC programs and activities. The circuit representatives should do this by working with and assisting the Membership Involvement Committee in recruiting and encouraging other young lawyers to coordinate and volunteer in YLC programs and activities in their circuit.

3. The circuit representatives shall be the conduit of YLC activities in their circuit and shall inform young lawyers of opportunities to participate in activities and programs, and advise young lawyers of the concerns and needs of the YLC. The circuit representative should receive from the Board sufcient information to apprise him or her of all YLC activities and programs.

4. Circuit representatives shall be responsible for assisting the Board and the committee chairs on various projects. Circuit Representatives should also assist in the recruitment of YLC volunteers to plan and implement projects in their circuit.

5. Circuit representatives shall be responsible for informing the Board of the views, concerns and needs of the young lawyers in their circuit. Circuit representatives should also keep the young lawyers in their circuit advised of activities and projects of the YLC ongoing in the circuit

6. The Board liaison should maintain regular contact with their circuit representative to advise of YLC activities.

7. At the beginning of each Bar year, the circuit representatives should report to the Board in writing their goals and objectives for their circuits for the year.

8. The circuit representative should report again to the Board of Governors at the conclusion of each Bar year, and at such other times as they may be so advised, regarding the activities that they have coordinated, and the concerns and needs of young lawyers in their circuit.

3. Plans of Action

1. The YLC membership is the most valuable resource available to the circuit representative. As such, the circuit representatives should solicit the involvement of other young lawyers to assist them in preparing and presenting programs. Not only will this allow the circuit representative to share their responsibility and to increase membership involvement in the YLC, but it will also assist the circuit representatives in carrying forward the goals and objectives of the YLC.

2. The circuit representative should continue to utilize the resources available through the Bar to coordinate their programs. These resources include duplicating, mailing, typesetting and other ofce support. The circuit representative should also seek the involvement of local bar groups to assist in preparing and coordinating approved projects in their circuit. Co-sponsorship of programs with other bar groups will allow the circuit representative greater nancial exibility in coordinating projects in their circuit, and also help to foster better relations between the Bar and other bar organizations.

3. The Board shall give the circuit representatives written guidance at the beginning of each Bar year of the programs and activities it wishes the circuit representative to coordinate in the coming year. These guidelines should be specic so that the circuit representatives will have clear objectives. The guidelines should also be exible such that circuit representatives who wish to coordinate alternative programs can do so. Upon receipt of the guidelines from the Board, the circuit representatives shall prepare an outline of their goals and objectives for the coming year. This will allow the circuit representative to set forth their plans for accomplishing the goals and objectives set forth by the Board. Throughout the year the circuit representatives shall periodically report to their Board liaison and shall maintain communications with such liaison and with the ofcers of the YLC as appropriate.

4. The circuit representatives should seek to nd ways to implement and accomplish the goals and objectives set forth above.

C. LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE

1. Organizational Assessment

The Long Range Planning Committee should review the current structure of the YLC and determine how to organize the committees and the circuit representatives to accomplish the purposes of the YLC, as set forth in the Bylaws. The Committee should study the ongoing projects and programs of the YLC to establish specic goals and objectives for each committee and for the circuit representatives, with a specic intent to eliminate those programs that no longer serve a useful purpose, that may be better administered by a local or specialty bar association or that need to be redesigned and implemented in a new way.

The Committee should also develop written policies that describe the specic manner in which current projects and new projects will be continually evaluated. These guidelines will require that all projects be reviewed periodically and to terminate or to limit the duration of projects in the proper circumstances. The YLC should provide some manner to continue a project where doing so is appropriate.

Finally, the Committee should review the Bar's statutory mandate and determine how the YLC may best assist the Bar in achieving its objectives, especially with regard to providing young lawyers with guidance and counsel required to prevent disciplinary problems; and to establish clear guidelines for the creation of only those new projects that t within the authority of the Bar, the purposes of the YLC, and the dictates of the U.S. Supreme Court's Keller decision.

2. Environmental Assessment

Currently, the YLC has no formal structure for its Committee and has no standard procedure establishing its planning process. Annual planning has been conducted, primarily, on an ad hoc basis by the incoming President. Except for a long range plan adopted in 1985, the YLC has not operated under a viable long range plan. And, although each YLC committee can be shown to t within the purposes of the YLC, the structure of the committees has changed, routinely, each year by succeeding Presidents. New committees and new projects have been added without clear direction on how those programs t with existing programs. Some projects and committees have been allowed to continue, without an analysis of the continuing need for the committee structure and without any real planning for the phase-out or revitalization of existing projects. Therefore, periodic review of YLC programs and committees is necessary to ensure their ongoing effectiveness and to meet the needs of its membership. Organizational changes are accordingly recommended for the YLC to be prepared to react to changes that may occur in the future.

3. Goals and Objectives

1. To establish the Committee as an ongoing, active and developing committee, with specic purposes to implement this Long Range Plan and to assist the President-Elect to plan the activities for the following Bar year.

2. To establish the Committee as a permanent standing committee, whose membership can provide experience, stability and creativity to the planning process. To ensure stability and conformity of purpose, the Committee should strive to maintain 50% of its membership each year.

3. Membership of the Committee should include, at a minimum, the President-Elect (chair), the Secretary, the Immediate Past President, two members of the Board, two committee chairs, and two circuit representatives. It should also include, but does not need to include, other YLC members who have taken an active role in YLC projects but who do not hold a leadership position.

4. To review the current structure of the YLC as it relates to the Bar's statutory mandate and the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia and establish clear guidelines to streamline YLC programs and committees to conform to the authority of the Bar.

5. To write the Long Range Plan in such a way as to permit implementation of specic goals and objectives over the course of the 5-year plan, yet exible enough to permit the President-Elect to work within the general guidelines, accomplish the plan's objectives and establish workable goals for the next administration.

6. To establish deadlines and criteria for the Committee to make proposals to the Board regarding the implementation of the Long Range Plan and the institution of the plan for the next Bar year.

4. Plans of Action

1. To establish clear, written guidelines on the method to be used by the Committee in implementing the Long Range Plan, in conducting its review of existing committees and programs, and in preparing the plan for each Bar year in conformity with the Long Range Plan.

2. To establish clear, written guidelines for the Committee about (a) creating new committees and starting new projects with specic goals, objectives and termination dates (or some other method for sunsetting the committee' project by transition to another organization); (b) deadlines for completing written plans for the new Bar year for review and approval by Board of Governors; and (c) methods to implement plans of action stated in the Long Range Plan.

3. To prepare and propose a change to the YLC Bylaws that requires the creation and maintenance of a Long Range Planning Committee and that species the composition of the Committee.

4. After review of the Bylaws, the authority of the Bar and the ongoing study of the Bar by the General Assembly, make recommendations to the Board for specic Bylaws changes to reect changes to YLC structure.

5. To analyze current projects/programs/committees to identify those ineffective programs and those less-than-active committees and make recommendations for the elimination or revitalization of those activities.

6. After analyzing current projects/programs/ committees, identify specic goals and objectives for each committee and for circuit representatives, in conformance with the YLC structure.

7. To recommend to the Board, no later than April of each year, all suggestions to change YLC structure and organization.

8. In reviewing the current projects and programs, identify those activities that might better function on a local level and make recommendations to the Board to coordinate the transfer of these activities to local and specialty bar organizations.

9. In consultation with the Executive Director of the Bar, to provide guidance to the Board on the Keller decision and its mandate.

10. To establish clear, written policies on the creation of new projects and programs and on the planned termination of existing and new activities.

11. To report annually to the Board regarding whether it is accomplishing its goals and objectives as set forth in this Long Range Plan.

12. To report any recommendations, on an annual basis, in sufcient time to allow the Board to act on them and to allow the Budget and Finance Committee to consider them in formulating the budget it submits to the Bar Executive Committee for approval.

D. BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE

1. Organizational Assessment

Although the Budget & Finance Committee is a standing committee of the YLC, the YLC Executive Committee traditionally has prepared and presented the budget for the next year to the Bar Executive Committee and Bar Council for approval. The Committee is composed of the President-Elect and the President. The YLC has been fortunate in that its Bar Staff Liaison has taken signicant steps in recent years to establish a line-by-line breakdown of the budget and has maintained an up-to-date record of expenses as they relate to the budget. The Bar staff liaison provides this report to the Board on a regular basis. The YLC perceives a need to enhance the current budgeting process.

2. Goals and Objectives

1. To analyze the Bar budget process and conduct research on elements of budgeting, generally, to make specic, objective recommendations on how the President-Elect should prepare the YLC budget

2. To establish clear, written policy guidelines establishing the budget planning process and criteria for the President-Elect to use in setting the budget, including (a) identication of the elements required for the President-Elect to create the budget; (b) establishing a schedule of deadlines for budget submissions by committee chairs and circuit representatives; and (c) providing sufcient time for review and approval by the Board.

3. To establish a standing committee composed of at least three members to assist the President and President-Elect in preparing and submitting the proposed budget and in tracking and controlling the current-year budget.

4. The Committee shall include, in addition to the President and President-Elect (who should be considered Chair), two members of the Board, a committee chair and a circuit representative, and the Executive Committee. The Bar Staff Liaison should be an adjunct member. The Committee should hold regularly scheduled meetings to review the status of expenses.

3. Plans of Action

1. The budget should reect the projects set in the Long Range Plan to be created/continued/eliminated during the next Bar year.

2. Each committee and circuit representative should be required to submit to the Committee a budget proposal, in line with the Long Range Plan and as required by budgetary constraints, to assist the budget planning process. Deadlines for the budget plan should be in accordance with the time frame as established by the Bar.

3. The Committee should prepare the proposed budget for review and approval of the Board, taking into account the Long Range Plan and the guidance received from the Bar Executive Committee.

4. The proposed budget should be completed and distributed to the Board of Governors for approval at the regularly scheduled Board meeting next preceding the Bar Executive Committee meeting at which the budget is to be presented for approval.

5. To propose a Bylaw amendment to establish the Budget & Finance Committee as a standing committee, which amendment should specify the composition of the committee.

6. To establish a prescribed meeting schedule for the committee that provides sufcient time for reviewing expenses and costs and reporting to the Board.

E. MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT

1. Environmental Assessment

The purpose of this Committee is to increase participation throughout Virginia in the YLC's programs and activities. This committee will develop a plan to locate and involve both new lawyers and established lawyers in such activities. In particular, the YLC desires increased participation by interested lawyers in governmental and corporate environments.

2. Organizational Assessment

Even though each member of the Bar who is under age 36 or who has been practicing law for fewer than three years is automatically considered a member, the YLC routinely experiences difculty in recruiting volunteers in the proper numbers and with the proper skills and experience necessary to serve as Circuit Representatives or committee members. Although the YLC has a standing Membership Involvement Committee, the YLC does not have any type of plan developed to promote and encourage young lawyers to participate in YLC activities and committees.

3. Goals and Objectives

1. The Committee should continue efforts to promote diversity to include all segments of the state's young lawyer population in the YLC's activities and committees. Where appropriate, the Committee should coordinate with the Board, circuit representatives, the Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession and other committee chairs to recruit young lawyer volunteers.

2. The Committee should continue efforts to include young lawyers from every region of the state in the YLC's activities and committees.

3. The Committee should continue to increase efforts to recruit young lawyers who have been in practice for two to ve years to participate in the YLC's activities and committees. The committee should coordinate with the Board, circuit representatives and other committee chairs.

4. The Committee should continue efforts to place YLC members with committees and/or projects reecting their specic areas of interest, skills or talents. The Committee should do this by contacting specialty bar associations.

5. The Committee should continue to recruit young lawyers to participate in YLC activities through the Admission and Orientation Programs for new bar members.

6. The Committee should continue to utilize the YLC's newsletter, The Docket Call, to recruit young lawyers to participate in the YLC's activities and committee.

7. The Committee should work with the YLC ofcers to develop opportunities for YLC members to transition to active roles in the Bar after they "age out" of the YLC.

4. Plans of Action

1. The Committee shall be present at the Admission and Orientation Programs and provide each new Bar member with information outlining the YLC's committees and activities and encouraging each new Bar member to participate in YLC activities. This information packet prepared by the Committee shall outline the YLC's objectives and goals and its committees and activities. The packet also shall inform each new Bar member how to become involved in YLC activities.

2. The Board, circuit representatives and committee chairs should communicate position vacancies or volunteer needs to the Committee. In turn, the Committee should attempt to ll these positions by submitting the names of interested volunteers or by actively recruiting volunteers.

3. The Committee shall contact local and specialty bar associations on an annual basis in an attempt to recruit young lawyers from all segments of the population and all regions of the state to participate in YLC activities.

4. The Committee shall contact the Committee on Women and Minorities in the Profession on an annual basis in an effort to promote diversity and to recruit young lawyers from all segments of the population to participate in the YLC's activities and committees.

5. The YLC ofcers shall work with the Committee to develop opportunities for YLC members to transition to active roles in the Bar after members "age out" of the YLC.

F. AWARD OF ACHIEVEMENT

The ABA Young Lawyers Division sponsors an annual nationwide Award of Achievement competition among bar groups during the ABA's Annual Meeting. Young lawyer bar groups from all states are invited to enter this competition by submitting either an application for a particular project or a comprehensive outline of all of the projects for the year. The primary function of this committee is to compile this application, which is due in June. The YLC should continue to participate in this competition.