Constitution of the Legal Practice Management Association
1.Definitions
1.1 “AGM” shall mean an Annual General Meeting called by the Secretary in accordance with paragraph 5 below.
1.2 “Annual Subscription” shall mean the annual dues payable by each Member and set by the Executive Committee from time to time.
1.3 “Association” shall mean the Legal Practice Management Association.
1.4 “Bar” shall mean the Bar of England and Wales as defined in the Bar Standards Board Handbook.
1.5 “EGM” shall mean an Extraordinary General Meeting called by the Secretary in accordance with paragraph 5 below.
1.6 “Executive Committee” shall mean the standing committee of the Association described in paragraph 4 below.
1.7 “Honorary Member” shall mean a non-voting member of the Association.
1.8 “Member” shall mean each full member of the Association.
1.9 “Membership Criteria” shall mean the criteria for membership of the Association agreed by the Executive Committee from time to time.
1.10 “Special Majority” shall mean a decision voted for by Members at a general meeting in accordance with paragraph 5.8 below.
2.Aims and Objectives of the Association
2.1 The Association is established:
2.1.1 To promote effective business management across the Bar.
2.1.2 To promote the use of business support professionals by the Bar.
2.1.3 To encourage the Association’s members to undertake professional training and thereby offer the Bar the widest set of business support skills available.
2.1.4 To arrange meetings and training sessions on relevant topics for Members.
2.1.5 To establish both formal and informal links with other relevant professional organisations for the benefit of the Association’s members.
2.1.6 To facilitate networking opportunities for the Association’s members.
2.1.7 To support and encourage people from diverse backgrounds and expertise to become chambers’ managers
2.1.8 To encourage the Association’s members to better understand wellbeing and feel empowered to make healthy choices.
3.Membership of the Association
3.1 Full membership of the Association is open to those individuals who are
i) employed by member(s) of the Bar; and
ii) actively involved in the aims and objectives of the Association,
iii) considered suitable by the committee,
subject to the Membership Criteria in force at the time of application.
3.2 All individuals seeking full membership must complete the required application form and pay the Annual Subscription current at the time of application.
3.3 The Executive Committee shall have the right to approve applications for membership or appoint another committee or individual(s) as it sees fit to approve applications for membership and to create and promote new forms of membership (corporate, group, etc.).
3.4 The Association is committed to equal opportunities for all in its membership application procedures. This means that all applicants will receive equal consideration for membership and for election to the Association’s committees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and parental leave, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
3.5 Honorary members may be appointed at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
3.6 The Executive Committee will have the power to suspend or expel any Member or Honorary Member if, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, their behaviour or action(s) could be construed as gross dishonesty, gross misconduct, or other similarly serious circumstances which (for the avoidance of any possible doubt) shall include conduct which is reasonably considered such as to either bring the Association into disrepute or diminish the trust the public places in the Bar.
3.7 Examples of what the Executive Committee may consider to be acts of gross misconduct are: theft or fraud from the Association or any other organisation, discrimination of any kind, harassment or bullying, violence towards another person or Member, breaches of confidentiality and a deliberate disregard of health, safety and security procedures or instruction. These examples are illustrative and not exhaustive.
4. Executive Committee
4.1 The Association shall have an Executive Committee which shall be responsible for the general management and operation of the Association.
4.2 The Executive Committee aims to ensure that its composition is diverse and representative of the Association’s membership.
Composition
4.3 The Executive Committee shall be formed of a minimum of 6 members and a maximum of 12 which will include any co-options.
4.4 The Executive Committee shall comprise:
i) two Co-Chairs;
ii) a Secretary;
iii) a Treasurer;
iv) a minimum of two other elected Members; and
v) any other Members that the Executive Committee may decide to co-opt from time to time in accordance with paragraph 4.7 below.
4.5 The Executive Committee shall appoint the two Co-Chairs, the Secretary and the Treasurer from amongst its members.
4.6 The Co-Chairs and Secretary shall be ex officio members of any committee of the Association.
4.7 In addition to those Members elected to the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee may co-opt up to three further LPMA members (no Honorary Member may be co-opted). The length of time of such co-options shall be decided upon by the Executive Committee, but in any event shall not exceed a period of one year. Any such co-option shall not be considered to be part of the period in paragraph 13 below.
4.8 Any casual vacancy which may arise on the Executive Committee may be filled by a Member selected by the Executive Committee and the Member appointed to the vacancy shall hold office until the next AGM.
4.9 The proceedings of the Executive Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election, appointment, co-option or qualification of any member.
Election of members and duration of membership
4.10 The Executive Committee shall be elected from amongst the Members, the appointments to take effect from the date of the next AGM.
4.11 The timetable for nominations and the election to the Executive Committee shall be emailed by the Secretary to all Members at least 21 days before the date of the election. Nominations for election to the Executive Committee should be sent by email to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of the election.
4.12 Only Members of the Association shall be eligible to stand for election (no Honorary Member may stand). Members offering themselves for election to the Executive Committee must be nominated by two other Members of the Association. Each Member of the Association shall be limited to nominating two Members to stand for the Executive Committee in any one year. If there are more nominations than positions available on the Executive Committee, a vote shall be held in advance of the AGM, coordinated by the Secretary.
4.13 The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a period of three years.
4.14 The Executive Committee will be responsible for setting up and administering a rota by which the terms of one third of the members of the Executive Committee expire each year.
4.15 There is no limit to the number of terms that Members of the Executive Committee may serve, but no more than two terms shall be served consecutively. The term of office for each Co-Chair is two years. There is no limit to the number of terms that may be served as Co-Chair, but no more than two terms shall be served consecutively.
4.16 The term of office for the Secretary and the Treasurer is two years. There is no limit to the number of terms that may be served by the Secretary and the Treasurer.
Proceedings
4.17 The Executive Committee shall meet not less than four times in each calendar year. Every meeting of the Executive Committee shall be minuted and the Secretary shall keep a record of all such minutes and provide a copy to any Member on request.
4.18 Members of the Executive Committee must attend a minimum of 50% of the meetings held in each calendar year either in person or remotely. If any member fails to meet the minimum attendance threshold, the Executive Committee may decide to remove that member from the Committee.
4.19 Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be taken by means of a vote and a simple majority shall prevail. In the event of there being no majority, the longer-serving Co-Chair shall have the casting vote.
4.20 The Executive Committee shall be quorate by the attendance of one third of the Committee, or four committee members, whichever is the greater figure.
4.21 The Executive Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee.
5.General Meetings
Proceedings
5.1 All Members shall be entitled to attend and cast one vote each at any general meeting. Honorary members may attend but may not vote at any general meeting.
5.2 A Member is present at a general meeting remotely if that Member is in a different place from the person chairing the meeting but is nevertheless in a position (by electronic or other means):
i) to hear and communicate with the other members in real time; and
ii) to vote on the business of the meeting.
5.3 A general meeting shall be quorate when attended by ten Members either in person or remotely.
5.4 An EGM may be requested at any time by the Executive Committee. Such a request must be made in writing to the Secretary and once requested, the Secretary must call an EGM within 40 days. At least 21 days’ notice of the EGM will be given in writing to Members by the Secretary.
5.5 At any general meeting Members acting by Special Majority may decide to direct the Executive Committee, or any individual or sub-committee to whom the Executive Committee may have delegated authority, to take or refrain from taking specified action, provided that such decision by Special Majority shall not invalidate any act taken prior to its making.
5.6 Members may request that an EGM be called for the purpose of considering and voting upon a direction to be made pursuant to paragraph 5.5 above. Such a request must be made in writing to the Secretary by no fewer than 6 Members. Once so requested, the Secretary must call a General Meeting within 40 days.
Resolutions
5.7 Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, a decision by Members in general meeting shall be made if voted for by more than half of the Members present (whether in person or remotely). There shall be no casting votes.
5.8 If a decision is required pursuant to this constitution to be made by a special majority, then such a decision shall be made if voted for at a general meeting by more than 75% of the Members present (whether in person or remotely). There shall be no casting votes.
5.9 This Constitution may be amended by a Special Majority decision. Upon amendment the amended Constitution shall be binding on all Members. Any proposed amendments shall be notified to Members at least 14 days in advance of the relevant general meeting.
AGM
5.10 The Executive Committee shall hold an AGM annually. No more than fifteen months shall elapse between each AGM and at least 21 days’ notice of an AGM will be given in writing to Members by the Secretary.
5.11 At each AGM the following business will be conducted:
i) The presentation and adoption of the Accounts for the preceding accounting year;
ii) The appointment or reappointment of the Association’s auditors (if relevant);
iii) The inauguration of the new Executive Committee and any new officers of the Executive Committee; and
iv) Any other business.
6.Finance
6.1 The finances of the Association shall be based upon an accounting year running from 1 January to 31 December, or upon such other accounting period as Members may from time to time decide.
6.2 The Executive Committee shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Association and shall authorise four signatories to the account: i) the Co-Chairs; ii) the Treasurer; and iii) the Secretary. Any two signatories from these officers shall be required on each cheque drawn on the Association account, or to authorise online payments.
6.3 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association. The Treasurer may arrange for the Accounts to be audited or any member of the LPMA may request an audit
6.4 The Treasurer shall present to Members at the AGM the Accounts for the preceding accounting year. The Accounts shall be considered by the Members at the AGM and, if thought fit, adopted by the Association.
6.5 The Executive Committee shall set an Annual Subscription from time to time. Each Member shall be required to pay the Annual Subscription (Honorary Members are exempt from paying the Annual Subscription).
7.Notices
7.1 Any Notice may be served by the Secretary on any Member by email, and any such email shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending.
8.Dissolution
8.1 If the Executive Committee decides at any time on the grounds of expense or otherwise, that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association, it shall call a general meeting in accordance with paragraph 4 above.
8.2 Members shall be given not less than 21 days’ notice of such a meeting, such notice to contain details of the proposed dissolution resolution.
8.3 The decision to dissolve shall be decided by Special Majority in accordance with paragraph 5.8 above.
8.4 Should Members decide to dissolve the Association, the Executive Committee shall have the power to dispose of such assets that remain after the discharge of the current liabilities of the Association. Such remaining assets will be given or transferred to such charitable institution as the Executive Committee may decide.
Adopted: 1 December 1997
Amended: 18 July 2001
Amended: 25 July 2012
Amended: 19 July 2017
Amended: October 2022
Amended: 21 April 2025