Committees

 
Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion

Supports and advances the Association’s commitment to diversity within the bar and bench through education, programs, and policy review, development, and implementation. Addresses the opportunities and challenges for encouraging and increasing diversity within the Association, the legal profession, and the legal system generally in Arkansas.

 
Bar Center Task Force

The charge of the Bar Center Task Force is to review the Association’s agreements, policies, and practices related to the rental, use, and maintenance of the Arkansas Bar Center and prepare a report to the Board of Trustees of its findings and recommendations for the purpose of ensuring the future financial viability and sustainability of the Association.

Editorial Advisory Board - The Arkansas Lawyer:

Responsible for setting the editorial policy of The Arkansas Lawyer, reviewing submissions, managing the peer-review process, identifying topics and authors of relevance, interest, and importance to the legal profession, and maintaining the ethical standards of the publication.

Finance Committee:

Responsible for assisting the President in preparing the Association's annual budget, consulting with the Executive Director regarding membership designations, qualifications, dues and fees, recommending to the Board of Trustees the amounts to be transferred to/from the Association’s operating accounts and operating reserves as well as the amount of reserves to be designated for funding depreciation, and reviewing the Association's financial reports monthly.

Governance Drafting Committee
Responsible for reviewing and drafting proposed amendments to the Association’s governance documents as required or requested by the President, Executive Committee, or the Board of Trustees.

Jurisprudence and Law Reform Committee:

Considers and reports on all matters of jurisprudence and procedure including reforms of the substantive law and improvements in practice and in the administration of the courts and such other related matters as may be referred to it by the Board of Trustees.

Law School Committee:

Works with University of Arkansas School of Law and UALR William H. Bowen School of Law to improve, and secure funding for legal education consistent with the mission and policies of the Association.

Law Related Education Committee:

Promotes the practical understanding of, and respect for justice and the rule of law among the general public throughout the state through the development, coordination, and implementation of quality civics and legal education materials and programs consistent with the mission and policies of the Association.

Legislation Committee:

Supports the Association's lobbyist in promoting the enactment of bills included in the Association’s legislative package; considers and decides the position of the Association on legislation which has a direct effect on the practice of law or a significant impact on the administration of justice and on which the Board of Trustees has not taken an official position; and acts to support the position of the Association on legislation pending before the Arkansas General Assembly.

Membership Committee:

Works with Association staff to achieve current Association goals related to new memberships and membership renewals. 

 

Membership Value Task Force
The charge of the Membership Value Task Force is to re-examine the value-proposition of membership in the Association; to gather, with the assistance of subject-matter experts, information from and about members and prospective members to identify, programs, services, products, and benefits the Association could offer to provide the greatest value to members consistent with the Association’s mission and resources; to consider different membership models to allow members to craft a more personalized membership experience from which they will realize the greatest value based upon their individual needs and desires (e.g. tiered membership packages based upon the type of program/service/product offered, levels of engagement, stages of practice, or other criteria as indicated by membership data); and to prepare one or more reports of findings and recommendations for consideration by the Board of Trustees.

Mock Trial Committee:

Responsible for planning and conducting a periodic series of regional and state-wide mock trial competitions to introduce high school students to concepts of law, legal advocacy, and trial practice. Members develop case materials, serve as coaches for teams, proctors, as well as scoring judges or presiding trial judges for regional and state competitions.

Personnel Committee (Arkansas Bar Association):

Responsible for reviewing the personnel policies and staff evaluation system of the Association and making appropriate recommendations on matters affecting the Association staff.

 

Professional Ethics Committee:

Develops and recommends improved disciplinary methods and procedures and issues advisory ethics opinions to Association members in specific circumstances.

Program Review Task Force
The charge of the Program Review Task Force is to draft a program review policy for consideration by the Board of Trustees to include among other relevant factors: for both existing & proposed programs (a) the criteria for determining which programs are reviewed, (b) the make-up of the body who will conduct the review, (c) the objective and subjective criteria to be considered in the review process and the standard of review, (d) the procedures to be followed including the format and content of any pre-review report (data only, scoring, staff recommendations, member feedback, etc.), (e) the format and content of a final report (data only, scoring, do/not pass, possible program revisions, etc.), (f) the available outcomes on final report, and (g) the frequency of review.

Section Reserves Task Force
The charge of the Section Reserves Task Force is to review the Association’s governing documents, policies, procedures, and practices related to Section Reserves and prepare a report to the Board of Trustees of its findings and recommendations for changes related to the maintenance and use of Section reserves in order to (1) encourage greater integration of Sections in the Association to ensure they remain in service to the Associations’ overall mission, (2) encourage less active or inactive Sections to be more active and engage members, and (3) streamline and make more efficient the process of accounting for Section reserves and administrative fees collected by the Association.

Sponsorship Committee
Responsible for reviewing and recommending changes to the Association’s sponsorship packages and programs, assisting Association staff to identify additional sponsorship opportunities and potential sponsors, and for achieving the Association’s sponsorship goals.