The President-Elect
The Bylaws provide that the President-elect "shall prepare a plan for his or her term as President...establish and maintain contact with local bar associations and conferences or associations of local bar leaders...coordinate the work of the Zone Governors...perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Governors or the President...(and) in the event of the absence or disability of the President, the President-elect shall act as President." Bylaws Article V, Section 512(a).
The President-elect attends all regular meetings of the PBA Board of Governors, any special emergency meetings of the Board, which may be convened, and all telephone conference call meetings of the Executive Committee.
The President-elect participates in the planning of the Association’s Annual Meeting at which he or she will assume the presidency and also participates in the planning of the Board Retreat to be held shortly after the Annual Meeting.
The President-elect attends the major PBA meetings held annually (Annual, Midyear, and CCBL) and, by invitation from CCBL, participates in its Annual Seminar program.
It is deemed obligatory that the President-elect attend the ABA's Bar Leadership Institute held annually in late winter in Chicago. (This three-day program offers the best available training ground for soon-to-be-presidents.)
The training component of this "job description" is obviously important. In addition to the BLI mentioned above, the President-elect shall:
(a) be the subject of a one-day media training session with heavy emphasis on television interview techniques;
(b) review the minutes of the Board and House over the past five years to have a general knowledge of the recent directions of the Association;
(c) become familiar with the Association's Bylaws;
(d) understand the current budget to help establish working priorities;
(e) keep in close communication with the Executive Director, other key staff people, the current President, and recent former presidents of the Association to generate and share potential projects and ideas;
(f) Review and be familiar with Robert's Rules of Order regarding parliamentary procedure;
(g) read "The New Bar President and Members of the Board";
(h) participate in PBA caravaning activities;
(i) attend county bar ceremonial events and annual dinners, sometimes pinch-hitting for the President; and
(j) in the six weeks prior to the Annual Meeting, participate with the Executive Director in making appointments to PBA committees and naming the chair of those committees. (The appointment process is aided by committee preference forms, which are made available to all members in our publications. The President-elect should complete Committee appointments by the time he or she assumes the presidency, recognizing those occasional additions or subtractions to and from committees will continue during the presidential year.)
We have found that the President-elect, in order to carry out the duties of the job and to adequately prepare for the presidency, must commit approximately two-thirds the amount of time given by the President in the performance of his or her duties.