WLAO Current Constitution - By-Laws

I. MEMBERSHIP

Any person eligible for membership in the Association may become a member upon payment of the annual fee.

Any person eligible to be a member may become a life member and be exempt from the payment of further fees.

At any annual meeting, three-fourths of that present may elect as honourary life members those who have been nominated by the Executive Committee for such an honour.

The annual fee for members practising in the Greater Toronto Area shall be $125.00.

The annual fee for members practising outside of Greater Toronto Area shall be $65.00.

The annual fee for student members shall be $20.00.

The fee for life-membership shall be $1100.00.

The annual fee shall be payable before the 31st day of January.

The Executive Committee may amend the amount of fees payable from time-to-time.

II. FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Association shall end on the 1st day of May.

III. MEETINGS

The Annual Meeting shall be held once a year within six months of fiscal year end.

Regular meetings shall be held at such times as the Executive Committee shall determine.

Special meetings may be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee or upon the request in writing of 10 members of the Association. The notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose for which it is called.

Executive meetings shall be called by the President.

IV. NOTICE OF MEETING

Notice of all meetings of the Association shall be given by the Secretary or such other member of the Executive as may be appropriate. Notices shall be in writing and shall be mailed in sufficient time to give all members adequate notice of the meeting, except in the case of the Annual Meeting when such notice shall be mailed at least 21 days before the date set for the meeting.

V. QUORUMS

Twelve members shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Association.

Three members shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Executive Committee.

VI. PRESIDENT

The President or her designate shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. She shall be ex-officio member of all committees other than the Nominations Committee.

VII. VICE-PRESIDENT

The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in her absence and shall be in charge of membership promotion, press and other publicity for the Association.

VIII. TREASURER

The Treasurer shall have the custody of the funds of the Association and shall keep proper books of account and deposit such funds in such bank or trust company as the Executive Committee shall determine. She shall make disbursements as directed by the Association or members of the Executive Committee and shall conduct all correspondence connected with her office and present a report at the Annual Meeting of the Association.

VIIIb. MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

The Membership Coordinator shall keep an accurate list of the names and addresses of all members and shall produce such list for the purposes of mailing notices to the membership. The Membership Coordinator shall develop and manage initiatives to foster membership in the Association and shall present a proposal for such initiatives to the membership at the Annual Meeting of the Association for their information only.

IX. SECRETARY

The Secretary shall prepare a memorandum of all business to be submitted to a meeting and shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Association or Executive Committee. The Secretary or her designate shall conduct such other correspondence of the Association as may be required.

X. ARCHIVIST

The Archivist or her designate shall have custody of the Association's archives. The Archivist shall encourage the collection of materials of interest to the Association and shall keep same in such manner as she determines appropriate. The Archivist shall bring materials of interest to the attention of the members and shall act as a resource for those interested in the Association's archives.

XI. PROGRAMME COORDINATOR

The Programme Coordinator shall be responsible for the planning of the Association's regular meetings. She shall, in consultation with the Executive Committee, determine the content and format of meetings and shall coordinate with said Executive Committee the procurement of appropriate speakers. She shall present a proposal for such initiatives to the membership for the upcoming year at the Annual Meeting of the Association for their information only.

XIb. NETWORKING COORDINATOR

The Networking Coordinator shall be responsible for planning the Association's networking initiatives. She shall, in consultation with the Executive Committee, determine the content and the format of the meetings as well as initiating and developing partnering opportunities with legal and non legal professional associations and shall coordinate with the said Executive the procurement of appropriate speakers. She shall present a proposal for such initiatives for the upcoming year to the membership at the Annual Meeting of the Association for their information only.

XIc. TRUST FUNDS COORDINATOR

The Trust Funds Coordinator shall be responsible for planning the Associations' fund raising initiatives. She shall in consultation with the Executive Committee, coordinate donations to Women's Law managed foundations/endowments, fundraising speeches, and co-ordinate decision making with respect to expenditures and programs determine the content and the format of fund raising initiatives networking initiatives. She shall present a proposal for such initiatives for the upcoming year to the membership at the Annual Meeting of the Association for their information only.

XII. NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

A Nominations Committee chaired by the immediate Past President and consisting of two other members who are not members of the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to recruit for the next Executive Committee prior to the Annual Meeting.

The Nominations Committee shall send out blank nomination papers to each member at least 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting and shall receive nominations and thereafter shall make nominations where none have been received or where all members nominated have declined to accept office. The nominations shall be presented at the Annual Meeting. No name may be presented for election unless the consent of the person names has been secured.

XIII. ELECTIONS

Elections at the Annual Meeting shall be by ballot or by show of hands if the dispensing of a ballot vote has been unanimously approved by those members present.

XIV. BANKING

The funds of the Association or a local chapter shall be deposited to the credit of the Association in such bank or trust company as the Executive Committee or the Steering Committee shall from time-to-time determine. The cheques for the Executive Committee shall be signed by the Treasurer or by the President but not both. The cheques for the Steering Committee shall be signed by two members of the Steering Committee.

XV. ACCOUNTANTS

Unless waived by three-fourths of the members present at a Special Meeting convened for that purpose, the Toronto Executive Committee shall retain an accountant to prepare annual financial statements with an accountants' review engagement report appended for the Association including the local chapters and to be presented to the Association at the Annual Meeting. At least 60 days advance notice of the Special Meeting shall be given to the membership.

XVI. AMENDMENTS

The by-laws of the Association may be amended by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members present at any regular meeting of the Association, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been given at the preceding regular meeting or has been submitted to each member of the Association with the notice of the meeting at which the amendment is to be voted upon.

These by-laws shall come into force upon adoption, save for paragraphs IX and XI which shall come into force on a date to be determined by the Executive Committee.