New York State Bar Association - Committee Chair Policy and Operations Handbook 2024-2025

Sep 12, 2026

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Committee Chair Policy and Operations Handbook 2024-2025 for the New York State Bar Association provides structured guidance for creating, governing, and administering committees. It outlines chair and member duties, membership appointments and terms, and diversity initiatives. The handbook details committee operations including meeting logistics, conference calls and videoconferencing, and how minutes are handled. It also covers key administrative functions: staff contacts, communications and media policy principles, financial policies such as budgeting, grants, reimbursements, and travel, plus reporting, legislative action, amicus curiae briefs, and litigation procedures.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages75

Reading Time26 min

AccessFree to download

Calendar of Meetings and Key Deadlines

House of Delegates Dates

Executive Committee Dates

Deadlines for Submission of Reports

Annual Meeting

Committee Appointments Applications

Staff Contacts

Operations and Administration of the Association

Address Changes and Membership Renewals

Appointments to Committees & Stationery

Budget, Financial Policies, and Travel Expenses

Bylaws, Governance Policies, and Reports

Continuing Legal Education and Law Practice Management

Diversity Initiatives

Legislative Policy, Litigation, and Amicus Curiae Briefs

News Releases and Communications

Section and Meeting Services

Overview

Operations: Establishment, Governance, Membership and Diversity

Creation of Committees

Governance

Duties of Committees

Duties of the Chair

Duties of Committee Members

Membership – Appointments and Terms

Diversity Initiatives

Committee Operations

Meetings

Meeting Sites

Conference Calls and Videoconferencing

Minutes

Communications Department

Department Responsibilities

Major Principles Guiding the Association’s Media Policy

Guidelines on Statements to the Media

Providing Legal Expertise to the Media

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee Chair Policy and Operations Handbook 2024-2025 TABLE OF CONTENTS Calendar of Meetings and Key Deadlines 4 Staff Contacts 5 Overview 6 Operations: Establishment, Governance, Membership and Diversity 7 - Creation of Committees 7 - Governance 7 - Duties of Committees 7 - Duties of the Chair 8 - Duties of Committee Members 8 - Membership – Appointments and Terms 8 - Diversity Initiatives 9 Committee Operations 10 - Meetings 10 - Meeting Sites 10 - Conference Calls and Videoconferencing 10 - Minutes 11 Communications Department 12 - Department Responsibilities 12 - Major Principles Guiding the Association’s Media Policy 12 - Guidelines on Statements to the Media 13 - Providing Legal Expertise to the Media 14 Financial Policies 15 - Budget Preparation 15 - Outside Grants 15 - Reimbursement 16 - Travel 16 Website and Social Media 17 Reports and Policies - Executive Committee and House of Delegates Consideration 18 - Release of Reports 18 - Communication with Executive Committee and House of Delegates 19 Legislative Action 20 Amicus Curiae Briefs 21 Litigation 22 Appendices - Cody of Conduct of the New York State Bar Association - Association Bylaws as amended January 2024 - Rules of the Executive Committee and the House of Delegates for the Submission of Reports - Financial Policies for Committees ofthe Association - Sample Minutes Template - Sample Meeting Agenda - Guidelines for Effective Advocacy - Governance at a Glance Chart - NYSBA Legislative Memorandum Form - NYSBA Affirmative Legislative Proposal Form - Rules for the Filing of Amicus Curiae Briefs On Behalf of the New York State Bar Association - Rules for Commencement of Litigation on Behalf of the New York State Bar Association - Guidelines on Statements to the Media - Social Media and Digital Communications Policy - Communities Policy - Blogging Policy - Guidelines for Staff Liaisons to Sections and Committees - Listing of Executive Committee Liaison Assignments – 2024-2025 CALENDAR OF MEETINGS AND KEY DEADLINES House of Delegates Dates: Saturday, November 2, 2024 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Friday, January 17, 2025-New York Hilton Midtown Saturday, April 5, 2025 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Saturday, June 7, 2025-Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Saturday, November 1, 2025 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Executive Committee: Friday, November 1, 2024 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Thursday, January 16, 2025-New York Hilton Midtown Friday, April 4, 2025 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Friday, June 6, 2025-Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Friday, October 31, 2025 – Bar Center (Virtual Option Available) Deadlines for Submission of Reports: June 2024 meeting – Monday, March 25, 2024 November 2, 2024, meeting – Monday, August 26, 2024 January 17, 2025, meeting-Monday, November 6, 2024 April 5, 2025, meeting – Monday, January 20, 2025 June 7, 2025, meeting – Monday, March 24, 2025 November 1, 2025, meeting – Monday, August 18, 2025 Annual Meeting: Wednesday, January 14 – Friday, January 17, 2025 New York Hilton Midtown, New York City TBA 2026 Committee Appointments Applications First week in April Finance Committee meetings: January, April, September, and October Staff Contacts Operations and Administration of the Association Pamela McDevitt, Esq., Executive Director [pmcdevitt@nysba.org](pmcdevitt@nysba.org) (518) 487-5555 Address Changes and Membership Renewals Member Resource Center [mrc@nysba.org](mrc@nysba.org) (800) 582-2452 Appointments to Committees & Stationery Melissa O’Clair, Assistant to the Executive Offices [moclair@nysba.org](moclair@nysba.org) (518) 487-5624 Budget, Financial Policies, and Travel Expenses Kristin O’Brien, CPA, Senior Director of Finance [kobrien@nysba.org](kobrien@nysba.org)

FAQs

What roles and responsibilities does the handbook define for committee chairs and members?

It specifies duties of committees, duties of the chair, and duties of committee members, aligning chair and member expectations with established governance guidance.

How does the handbook address committee meeting operations?

It covers meeting logistics including meeting sites, conference calls and videoconferencing, and procedures for handling minutes.

What administrative and policy areas are included beyond committee governance?

It includes staff contacts, communications and media policy guidelines, financial policies (budget preparation, grants, reimbursements, and travel), and procedures connected to reports, legislative action, amicus curiae briefs, and litigation.

Sep 12, 2026

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