To be eligible for a Director position within the IPMA, an individual must be a Regular Member or Qualified Lifetime Member in good standing. They must also meet the qualifications for regular membership at the time of the election. For candidates who are Regular Members, they should have held this membership status for at least one year and have served on a Committee, Task Force, or as a Chapter Chair. Candidates for the positions of President and President-Elect must have prior experience serving on the Board.
The duties of Officers and Directors encompass a range of responsibilities, including but not limited to the following. These positions hold important responsibilities within the IPMA, and each has specific duties outlined to guide their role and contributions. By clicking on each position below, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the particular responsibilities associated with it.
Please note that while these duties provide a general overview, specific details may be further outlined in the IPMA's governing documents and bylaws.
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Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the Association.
Participate in regular conference calls with the President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, the Immediate Past President, and Executive Director.
Chair all meetings of the Association and Board. Serve as chief representative of and spokesperson for the Association.
Execute documents on behalf of the Association.
Oversee the financial well-being of the Association by signing checks, reviewing expenses, monitoring the budget, authorizing audits, and signing tax returns.
Represent the Association at any law-related meetings as approved by the Board.
Negotiate contracts on behalf of the Association, including conference site contracts, auditing and accounting contracts, and management company contracts.
Coordinate and direct the activities of the Committees and Task Forces to achieve the goals of the Association.
Provide leadership and direction for the Association.
Oversee the performance of the Executive Director and the management company.
Prepare a President's letter for each edition of Inspired Leadership.
Prepare a monthly President's report for Board meetings.
Prepare an Annual Report at the end of the year.
If funds permit, join the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) with the dues paid by the IPMA.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Secretary-Treasurer is elected for a term of two years. The vast majority of the day-to-day maintenance and coordination of the IPMA's financial records is done by the Association's management company or the Executive Director.
The Secretary-Treasurer, however, has the fiduciary responsibility of overseeing the financial well-being of the Association and keeping the Board informed of its status. Duties include:
Oversee the receipt and deposit of all funds belonging to the Association.
Oversee the signing of checks as authorized by the Board.
Participate in regular conference calls with the President, President-Elect, the Immediate Past President, and Executive Director.
Meet with the Executive Director weekly to review the financial status of the Association and ongoing matters.
Coordinate the maintenance of financial records of the Association with the Executive Director.
Coordinate with the Executive Director the issuance of monthly reports and other financial reports to the Board, Committees, and Task Forces, as requested.
Coordinate the preparation of and/or monitor the annual budget for the Association with the assistance of the Executive Director.
Monitor and/or keep apprised of all meetings and communications with accountants, tax authorities, and auditors.
Assist the Executive Director in providing all data and information requested by the Association's auditors and accountants in order to perform audits and prepare tax returns.
Monitor the timely preparation and filing of the Association's tax returns.
Record action items from the meetings of the Association and Board with the assistance of the Executive Director.
Oversee and coordinate the compilation of meeting minutes (flash minutes in the case of Executive Committee meetings and detailed minutes in the case of Board meetings) and circulate these to each Board member.
Monitor the Policies and Procedures Manual, the Chapter Chair Resources and Guidelines Manual, and the Association's Bylaws for changes or updates required as a result of decisions made by the Board and update or oversee updates
as required.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Vice President - Membership serves a term of two years. Duties include:
Coordinate membership recruitment, development, and retention programs.
Assist with the establishment and development of new chapters and chapter activities in conjunction with the applicable Divisional Vice-President.
Serve as liaison to the Membership Committee and any other Committees and Task Forces, as needed.
Assist in creating membership benefits for all membership categories.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of activities of the Committees and Task Forces for which he/she acts as liaison.
Manage assigned Affinity Groups and, if required, moderate the related calls.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Vice President - Professional Development serves for a term of two years. Duties include:
Coordinate the Association's efforts to provide members and potential members with current and relevant educational programs and resources.
Serve as a Board liaison to any of the Association's Committees and Task Forces related to conferences, seminars, and resources for the development of managers and supervisors of personnel within a legal environment.
Manage assigned Affinity Groups and, if required, moderate related calls.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of activities of the Committees and Task Forces for which he/she acts as liaison.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Director At-Large serves for a term of two years. Duties include:
Such responsibilities as the Board determines are required to further the interests of the Association and its members.
Serve as a Board liaison to any of the Association's Committees and Task Forces related to other Associations in the legal profession and to paralegal and other legal education programs and standards.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of activities of the Committees and Task Forces for which he/she acts as liaison.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
Estimated hours per month: varies depending on duties assumed at any given time
Assist the President and coordinate the activities of the Association as directed by the President.
Participate in regular conference calls with the President, Secretary-Treasurer, the Immediate Past President, and Executive Director.
Participate with the Executive Director in a Symposium for Chief Executive and Chief Elected Officers conducted by the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE), if funds permit.
Fill in for the President whenever necessary.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Vice President - Chapter Development and Support serves a term of two years. Duties include:
Work with the Vice President - Membership to promote the development of new chapters to increase members within their region.
Oversee the activities of the various local chapters within their region.
Coordinate membership renewal follow-ups with the Chapter Chairs in their respective Divisions.
Represent the Association's views and activities to their region.
Prepare monthly reports of regional activities for distribution to the Board.
Monitor the Chapter Chair Resources and Guidelines Manual for required updates and communicate same to the Secretary-Treasurer.
Serve as a Board liaison to one or more of the Association's Committees and Task Forces as needed.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of regional activities and activities of the Committees for which he/she acts as liaison.
Assess the level of activity of the chapters in their region to determine whether they continue to qualify as viable chapters.
Conduct conference calls with the chapter chairs as a group on a quarterly basis or as often as the current year's goals and tasks require.
Coordinate and moderate IPMA Talk Live calls.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Vice President - Communications serves a term of two years. Duties include:
Coordinate marketing programs of the Association.
Serve as a Board liaison to any of the Association's Committees and Task Forces related to marketing or communications as needed.
Oversee content of the Inspired Leadership magazine.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of activities of the Committee and Task Forces for which he/she acts as liaison.
Manage assigned Affinity Groups and, if required, moderate the related calls.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The Vice President - Trends & Positions serves a term of two years. Duties include:
Identify, research, proactively address, and monitor current and future trends affecting and of interest to managers and supervisors of personnel within a legal environment.
Coordinate the IPMA's efforts to identify and develop positions on key issues that impact the management or supervision of personnel within a legal environment.
Develop tools and resources that justify and promote the value of manager and supervisor positions within the legal community.
Serve as liaison to Committees and Task Forces set up to explore and develop information on current and future trends and issues that impact managers and supervisors of personnel within a legal environment, including but not
limited to regulatory and legislative developments, utilization, changes/trends in the legal environment, professional standing, and professional responsibility.
Coordinate efforts of Task Forces to work with the Board and IPMA Committees and Task Forces to promote, communicate, and publicize the IPMA's positions both internally and externally.
Coordinate efforts to share information with other Task Forces, Committees, and the membership at large.
Review current Association position papers on an annual basis and recommend revisions or further study as needed.
Manage assigned Affinity Groups and, if required, moderate related calls.
Prepare monthly and year-end reports of activities of the Committees and Task Forces for which he/she acts as liaison.
See Board Meetings and Duties and Responsibilities of Members of the Board for requirements regarding attendance at Board meetings and other responsibilities.
The outgoing President serves for one year as an ex-officio member of the Board and the Executive Committee. The duties assigned to the Immediate Past President will vary from year to year and will be determined by the current
President. The Immediate Past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominations Committee and Co-Chair of that year's Conference Committee. It is recommended that the Immediate Past President at some time prior to leaving the
Board review the Policies and Procedures Manual for any new policies adopted and changes in historical procedures and communicate same to the Secretary-Treasurer.
General Responsibilities of the Board of Directors
Professional associations customarily have a volunteer Board of Directors who are elected by its members. In general, an association's Board of Directors has the following responsibilities:
Determine the organization's mission and purpose.
Select the association management company or the association's chief staff executive.
Provide proper financial oversight and approve the operating budget.
Ensure adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability.
Ensure effective organizational planning.
Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance.
Enhance the organization's public standing by publicizing the organization's mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization's programs and services to ensure they are consistent with the organization's mission and to monitor their effectiveness.
Support the chief executive and management company and assess its performance.
Members of the IPMA Board of Directors serve without compensation other than reimbursement of most expenses directly incurred in connection with meetings of the Board of Directors.
Expectations of Board Members
In addition to the responsibilities of the Board as a whole, each Director has individual expectations in order for them to be successful representatives and to remain in good standing with the IPMA. These expectations are as follows:
Directors are strongly encouraged to sit on at least one Committee and actively participate in the activities required of it.
Directors are required to participate in all Board-related activities, including Board meetings, Board recruitment and sponsorship activities, Annual Conference, and any programming that requires Board participation. Exceptions
may include a leave of absence or other situations that are approved by the Board.
All Board reports by each Director must be submitted on or before the Board report deadline, as outlined by the Executive Committee, at the start of each Board year. Failure to provide Board reports on time results in the distribution
of incomplete Board Books and delays in distributing Board Books to the entire Board. If a Director is unable to submit their reports on time, they should notify the Board's Executive Committee prior to the distribution of
the Board Book.
Directors are required to review all Board materials prior to any Board meetings. Directors are required to stay informed about what's going on in the Association and ask questions and request information as needed to further the
Association's goals. Directors are required to participate in and take responsibility for making decisions on issues, policies, and other matters. Directors should not stay silent if they have questions or concerns. Directors
will work in good faith with the IPMA Headquarters staff and other Directors as partners toward achievement of the Association's goals.
Directors are strongly encouraged to actively engage in building relationships with the Association's current Business Partners, as well as prospective members and prospective Business Partners. In addition, Directors are strongly
encouraged to actively engage in any marketing efforts deemed necessary in achieving the Association's goals. Directors are representatives of the Association and should therefore stand behind the values of the Association.
Directors are required to review in detail all budget proposals and actively engage in discussions or ask questions regarding the Association's budget.
Directors and staff will ask and respond to questions that are necessary to carry out their fiscal, legal, and moral responsibilities to this Association in a timely manner. Directors and staff will work in good faith toward achievement
of the Association's goals.
Directors shall be supportive of each other by communicating openly and honestly and being available to each other as a resource for providing support, information, and/or mentoring opportunities whenever necessary.
Open and honest dialogue is encouraged at meetings of the Board of Directors, and everyone's opinion is sought and valued. Please keep in mind that in order to encourage open discussion, there is an expectation of confidentiality
among all Directors with regard to candid comments made at the Board table.
If a Director does not fulfill these commitments to the Association, the President will contact that Director to discuss his/her responsibilities.
If the Association does not fulfill its commitments, Directors may call on the President and Executive Director to discuss the Association’s responsibilities.
Board Meetings
Board members officially take office at the Annual Conference following their election to the Board. The outgoing and incoming Boards meet during the day prior to the opening reception of the Conference. The new Board also meets immediately
following the Conference. It is therefore very important for each Board member to have his/her employer's support for attending the Annual Conference. In addition, the Board usually meets in person in the Spring at a place and
time determined during the first Board meeting following the Annual Conference. This meeting generally starts at 2:00 p.m. local time on Friday and goes through Saturday afternoon.
The Board meets via conference call at a pre-arranged time each month. The length of each conference call will vary depending on the amount of business to be conducted. It is not unusual, however, for these calls to last sixty to ninety
minutes. Each Board member is expected to participate in every conference call. If, however, a member is unable to participate due to a conflict that is unavoidable, he/she should notify the President and the Executive Director.
The Board shall meet at such other times and places as it may determine. Unless waived, notice of each meeting of the Board must be given by the Executive Director, President, or Secretary-Treasurer to all Directors at least 48 hours
prior to the time of the meeting. Notices shall specify the time, place, and in the case of a special meeting of the Board, the purpose(s) of the Meeting. Any Director, either before or after any meeting, may waive notice of a
meeting in writing.
Attendance at Board meetings is very important. Pursuant to the Bylaws, failure to attend three Board meetings in one year is grounds for removal from the Board. Open and honest dialogue and communication are encouraged at each meeting,
and everyone's opinion is sought and valued. Please keep in mind that in order to encourage open discussions, Board members must feel that other Board members will maintain candid comments in confidence.
