As elected members of the LMA Board of Directors, we represent every member of the Association. It is our duty and our goal to protect, sustain and grow the association, and to enhance the reputation of the association at large. As a board member we agree to the following:

Position Requirements:

• Members of the LMA Board of Directors must be association members in good standing.
• Members of the board are bound by the bylaws of the organization. They are expected to be knowledgeable about the policies and procedures of the association as published in the LMA Policies and Procedures Manual.

Duties:

• Board members serve as ambassadors to members and potential members by participating in local chapter events and attending legal industry functions.
• Board members are expected to help recruit new members of the association and to help encourage involvement by recruiting committee members and volunteers.
• The President is the voice of the association. Unless otherwise directed by the president, no board member shall speak for the board.
• In addition to the roles and responsibilities outlined in the bylaws and this document, each board member will have at least one committee liaison assignment and may be assigned special projects from time to time by the Board or the President.
• The role of the committee board liaison is to:
  • facilitate effective communication between and among the committee and the LMA Board of Directors;
  • ensure the alignment of committee strategies with the goals and objectives as set forth by the board; and
  • verify and maintain the committee’s annual budget.

Standards of Behavior:

• Each board member shall respect the opinions of fellow board members.
• Each board member has the right to speak and be heard on a given topic and such right will be respected.
• We will not second-guess each other and will try to stick to issues of principle first, before addressing the details or the emotional aspects of our business.
• We will maintain board discussions at the strategic level rather than debate tactical implementation.
• Board members will respect the confidentiality of board discussions and debates and will not discuss details with people outside of the board.
• All board members will publicly support board decisions even if they had not voted in favor of the matter.

Board Meetings

• Each board member has a duty to actively participate in board discussions.
• Board members are responsible for ensuring their committee reports have been received by the LMA staff ten days prior to each board meeting. Should the report not be forthcoming, the assigned board liaison will write and provide the report by the due date.
• Only if circumstances absolutely require will last minute documents for board meetings be accepted, provided they do not exceed one page.
• Oral presentations will not repeat documents submitted.
• All board members will read and analyze the meeting documents prior to the meeting.
• All board members will arrive on time.
• Article VII, Section 3 of the LMA Bylaws specifies that a board member who is absent for three consecutive meetings is subject to removal from the board.
• Board members will focus on the business at hand during all meetings. Board members will turn off all wireless devices (cell phones, pda’s, etc.) during board meetings and will refrain from reading materials not pertinent to the discussion (i.e., e-mail, newspapers, etc.)
• Only the business of LMA will be conducted at the meeting. Board members will not conduct outside business during a meeting. Appropriate breaks will be provided to conduct other business.
• Board members will be present for the entire meeting except in the case of an emergency, at which time they will be formally excused from the meeting and with due excuse from the meeting.
• Board members must vote with their conscience for a solution that best meets the needs, objectives and goals of the entire organization – regardless of how the board member feels the LMA membership, as a whole, might vote on an issue

Rules of Conduct:
As a member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Marketing Association, I agree to support and be bound by the following principles to assure effective and ethical decision-making and governance:

• I will be deliberate in my responsibility to LMA by preparing for Board meetings and decision-making (e.g., by studying all materials in advance). I will consider the need for and request any additional information in advance of meetings.
• I will base my decisions on all available facts in each situation, taking into consideration the views of my fellow Board members.
• I will make decisions in the best interest of LMA as a whole, and will strive to keep personal bias or the views of special interests at a minimum.
• I will accept, support and implement all decisions of the Board, even those that I did not initially support or those that were made in my absence.
• I will work to provide an environment conducive to comprehensive analysis of issues, and assessment of benefits and risks of action or inaction, in an open dialogue between members of the Board and the Executive Director.
• I will not speak or act for LMA or the Board unless specifically authorized to do so. I will not present opinions about LMA business unless those opinions have been approved in advance by the Board or unless those opinions are clearly expressed as personal opinions and not necessarily the views of LMA.
• I will not discuss matters deemed confidential by the Board outside of Board meetings without the express permission of the President.
• I will abide by LMA’s policies on conflicts of interest and will strive to avoid even the appearance of such conflicts.

Attachment: Addendum 1

1/23/04

ADDENDUM 1
Additional Duties

The role of the committee board liaison is to:
(In addition to those duties outlined on page 1 )

• Attend Committee meetings and conference calls.
• Present recommendations, budgets and operating plans to the Board of Directors.
• Communicate LMA Board decisions, recommendations and approvals to the Committee Chair.