INN GOVERNANCE
Governance of this Chapter is entrusted to the Executive Board.
The Board includes the president, president-elect, counselor,
secretary/treasurer, counselor emeritus, ex officio members, the
program chair, and Barrister and Associate representatives. The
elected members of the Board are the president and president-elect,
who should be Masters; the counselor, who must be a member of the
judiciary; and the secretary/treasurer. These officers serve a
two-year term and are eligible to serve successive terms. Officers
are nominated by the Nominating Committee, which is comprised of
Masters in the Chapter.
Elections are held every two years in conjunction with the
beginning of the program year. The president, president-elect and
counselor are elected by a majority of the Masters, and the
secretary/treasurer is elected by a majority of the entire
membership.
The program chair is appointed by the Board and serves a two-year
term. Members of the Program Committee are recruited from all
membership levels and serve a one-year term.
The Barrister and Associate representatives are appointed by the
Board and serve atwo-year term. Any Barrister and Associate are
eligible to receive such an appointment and should advise the
Chapter President of his or her interest in serving.
MEMBERSHIP
The active membership of this Chapter
is divided into three classifications. Masters include senior
lawyers with a minimum of ten years of litigation experience and
federal and state judges, all of whom have committed to participate
actively for at least three years and may serve for an indefinite
term. Barristers are attorneys who have a minimum of five to ten or
more years of litigation experience. They commit to participating
for a two- to-three-year term and are selected through an
application process. Associates are attorneys who have less than
five years of litigation experience. They commit to
participating for a two-year term and are also selected through an
application process. Members are eligible for re-election to this
Chapter following a two-year hiatus or may choose to join another
local Inn chapter.
In addition to the active members,
this Chapter extends "honorary" status to Masters who have
completed their full term of membership in good standing or who
have requested a sabbatical because of heavy litigation or other
commitments. Honorary Masters are assigned to a pupillage group and
encouraged to participate in that group's educational program
development and presentation. Many Honorary Masters regularly
attend our monthly meetings, although they are not required to do
so. Law School Students are also welcome to join.
Membership is open to all qualified
individuals, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion,
national origin, or disability. This Chapter's members are drawn
primarily from Western Pennsylvania and Allegheny County in
particular. This Chapter's membership reflects the rich diversity
of the bench and bar in this area and includes counsel for
plaintiffs and defendants, civil and criminal attorneys, state and
federal court practitioners and judges, trial and appellate counsel
and judges, solo practitioners, government attorneys, corporate
counsel, law professors, and counsel practicing with small, medium
and large firms.
SELECTION OF MEMBERS
The Executive Committee extends
invitations for membership each summer. In extending invitations to
renew membership, the Committee considers the participation and
attendance of members. Vacancies are filled by vote of the
Committee based on the needs of the Chapter.
This Chapter seeks applicants for
membership through nomination from current members as well as by
advertising in local legal journals. The Chapter strives to
identify persons who have a demonstrated interest in developing
their own professional skills and in improving the quality of
litigation in our legal community. The Chapter favors making the
Inn experience available to as many lawyers as possible. Former
members of the Chapter may re-apply after a two-year hiatus;
however, new applicants will generally be given priority.
Membership Application [pdf] [doc]