CONSTITUTION OF THE CHICAGO-KENT COLLEGE OF LAW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW SOCIETY
PREAMBLE
We, the students of the Chicago-Kent College of Law, in order to promote our legal education, establish good relations with the community of Intellectual Property legal professionals, and facilitate our entry into the legal field, do hereby establish this Constitution of the Chicago-Kent Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS).
ARTICLE I – BYLAWS
Section 1. There shall be Society Bylaws for the purpose of implementing this Constitution. The procedures to enact, amend, and repeal Bylaws shall be enumerated within the Bylaws.
Section 2. All powers to enact, amend, and repeal Bylaws shall vest in the Paid Members.
Section 3. The Bylaws shall be enacted concurrently with this Constitution, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any student in good academic standing at Chicago-Kent may become a Member of the Society.
Section 2. The Bylaws may provide for different classes of Members and Membership dues; however, no student shall be denied Membership for failure to pay dues.
Section 3. Members shall be admitted to or removed from the Membership or different classes of Members only in accordance with this Constitution and the Bylaws.
ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE
Section 1. The executive power shall vest in a President of the Intellectual Property Law Society. The Officers of the Society shall include the President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Vice President, and any other Officers enumerated in the Bylaws. The Officers shall be known collectively as the Executive Board.
Section 2. The Bylaws may require Officers to perform duties beyond those enumerated in this Constitution; however, this Constitution governs in case of conflict.
Section 3. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall perform the duties required of them by the Chicago-Kent Student Bar Association. The Bylaws shall enumerate these duties.
Section 4. Members of the Executive Board shall be removed from Office upon conviction by the Law School Discipline Tribunal of a violation of the Chicago-Kent Code of Conduct, or upon removal procedures specified in the Bylaws.
Section 5. Upon the death, resignation, or removal of any Officer of the Society, the remaining Executive Board members shall appoint, as soon as is practicable, a replacement Officer, who shall take Office with the consent of the Paid Members. Until the vacancy is filled, the duties of the vacant Office shall be performed by:
- the President, if the vacant Office is that of Secretary or Treasurer; or
- the Vice President, if the vacant Office is that of President.
The Bylaws shall provide for the succession of any other Officers.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall hold Office to serve the Members and the Membership for a term of one academic year, beginning the first day of the Summer Semester, and ending the day prior to the first day of the following Summer Semester, as the Chicago-Kent administration determines those dates from year to year.
Section 7. Any Officer may delegate any of his or her duties to another, consenting Officer if those duties would not otherwise be properly and timely fulfilled, or in the interests of efficiency.
ARTICLE IV – DISPUTES
Section 1. The power to resolve disputes, arising under this Constitution or the Bylaws, between Officers or between an Officer and one or more Members, shall vest in an Arbitrator, who shall be a member of the Chicago-Kent administration or faculty. The Bylaws shall provide the name and position of the current Arbitrator and procedures for arbitration.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall appoint the Arbitrator by unanimous consent of the Board and the Arbitrator, as soon as practicable after the adoption of this Constitution, and from time to time as required by the Bylaws.
Section 3. The power to resolve disputes, arising under this Constitution or the Bylaws, between Members who are not Officers shall vest in the President.
ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS
Section 1. The Secretary shall conduct elections as specified by the Bylaws, provided that elections for the Executive Board for each upcoming academic year shall be held on or before the end of the Spring Semester of the current academic year.
Section 2. Any student in good academic standing may run for Office; however, in no case will a President be elected who has not, on the date of the election, been a Member for at least three months.
ARTICLE VI – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The Executive Board, whenever two thirds of the Board shall deem it necessary, or upon the application of any five Paid Members, shall propose amendments to this Constitution. Amendments shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by three fourths of the Paid Members present at a general meeting.
Section 2. This Constitution shall conform to the requirements of the Chicago-Kent College of Law administration and the Chicago-Kent Student Bar Association at all times. The President shall undertake reasonable efforts to keep apprised of conditions which warrant conforming amendments, and shall notify the Executive Board promptly if such amendments are necessary. The President and the Secretary shall be jointly responsible for drafting and implementing any conforming amendments.
Ratified on the __________ day of __________________________, in the year 2006 by: [click here to access the 2006 IPLS Constitution]
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David E. Blau, President
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Michelle M. Koeth, Secretary
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Duan Fu, Treasurer
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Daniel B. Goldman, Day Vice President
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Wynn S. Vo, Evening Vice President
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Brian E. Haan, Webmaster
Received on the __________ day of __________________________, in the year 2006 by:
Amended on the twenty-first day of February, in the year 2012 by:
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Joseph Janas, President
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Sam Cook, Secretary
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Cynthia Sun, Treasurer
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Robert Ennesser, Vice President
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James Alex, Alumni Relations Officer
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Dunstan Barnes, Publicist
Received on the ninth day of April, in the year 2012 by:
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Jack Bentley, SBA President
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Kirtana Kalavapudi, SBA Secretary
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Tad H. Cleaves, SBA President
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Charlotte Felber, SBA Secretary