When SFVBA members begin voting in this month’s Board of Trustees Election, members will also be asked to approve the Association’s recently amended bylaws.
In late 2017, President Alan Kassan formed an ad hoc committee to review the SFVBA Bylaws—which were last amended more than five years ago—to examine a few issues. Over several months, the Bylaws Committee—led by Immediate Past President Kira Masteller, Treasurer David Jones, Executive Director Liz Post and Trustees Heather Glick-Atalla, Allan Sarver, and Steve Sepassi—methodically combed through the Bar’s governing document, ensuring that the bylaws conform to California’s nonprofit mutual benefit corporations code.
The overhauled bylaws were approved by the Board of Trustees on July 10, 2018, and will be on the August 2018 ballot for adoption by the membership. In addition to many technical and regulatory updates, the amended bylaws include the following new mission statement:
The mission of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association is to A.) Foster excellence in the legal profession; B.) Facilitate access to justice for all; C.) Support diversity and inclusion in the legal community; and D.) Educate and serve our members and our communities.
In addition, the new bylaws expand the SFVBA Board of Trustees from 20 to 21 members as a result of adding a presidential appointment of an Associate Member Trustee; clarify the Board’s role in the oversight of the Attorney Referral Service; and add a new Governance and Code of Ethics.
Ballots will be sent to all attorney members the second week of August. The amended bylaws are available online for review.
