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By-Laws for the FLSB Bankruptcy Pro Bono Committee

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ARTICLE I GENERAL

Section 1.     The name of this committee is the Pro Bono Committee of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida (the “PBC”).

Section 2.     The purposes of the PBC are:

    1. To facilitate and better coordinate bankruptcy pro bono efforts in each Division of, and county located in, the Southern District of Florida (the “District”);
    2. To encourage the improvement of existing programs and the development of new programs by pro bono providers in the District;
    3. To develop and implement Pro Bono Week activities for the Court; and
    4. To assist the Court in its selection of a recipient of the annual Chief Judge’s Pro Bono Award.

Section 3.     The clerk shall post on the court website the PBC By-Laws, the current member list, the meeting schedule, and the minutes of meetings of the PBC.

ARTICLE II COMPOSITION

Section 1.     The PBC shall consist of members selected by the Chief Judge. The Chief Judge shall determine the total number of members of the PBC from time to time based on the needs of the Court and the PBC.

Section 2.     In addition to the general members, the PBC shall include the following standing committee members:

    1. Each of the Division Chairs of the Pro Bono Committee for the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida (“BBA”);
    2. Representatives of each of the legal aid providers in the Southern District of Florida including Dade Legal Aid, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Legal Services of Broward County, Palm Beach Legal Aid, Florida Rural Legal Services, and Martin County Bar Bankruptcy Committee;
    3. An officer of the Bankruptcy Bar Foundation; and
    4. A professor from at least one of the law school clinics.

Section 3.     The Chief Judge or designated judge shall serve as the Judicial Chair of the PBC. The Chair shall appoint the Lay Chair and the Secretary.

Section 4.     The general members of the PBC shall serve for three-year terms. The standing committee members shall serve so long as they are in the position representative of their membership. Representatives of the various legal aid providers shall be identified by their respective agencies but shall serve no less than one-year terms.

Section 5.     Resignation from the PBC will be accepted upon written notice to the Chair.

Section 6.     The Chief Judge shall have the power to fill any vacancies that may arise, including officers, which vacancies may result from death, resignation, or inability to serve.

ARTICLE III MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

Section 1.    Meetings of members shall be held within the Southern District of Florida. Members may attend meetings by teleconference unless the notice of meeting specifically states that the meeting is to be in person only. 

Section 2.    Written notice of the time and place of every meeting of members shall be given to each member by the Lay Chair. Each notice of meeting shall provide a teleconference number or video conference number unless the meeting has been specifically noticed to be in person only.

Section 3.    The PBC shall determine a regular meeting schedule with the anticipation that no less than four (4) meetings will be held each year. Any member may contact the Judicial Chair to request a special meeting of the members by identifying the purpose of the requested special meeting.  Special meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the Judicial Chair.

ARTICLE IV DUTIES

Section 1.    The Judicial Chair. The Judicial Chair shall preside at all meetings of the PBC.

Section 2.    The Lay Chair. The Lay Chair shall provide notice of all meetings, circulate the appropriate conference information, and circulate a draft agenda to all members in advance of any scheduled meeting. In the event of the absence of the Chair, the Lay Chair shall preside at meetings.

Section 3.    Secretary. The Secretary shall record and keep minutes of meetings of the PBC.

Section 4.    Subcommittees. The PBC shall have standing subcommittees as well as such temporary subcommittees as may from time to time be required.

The Standing Subcommittees will be chaired by a member of the PBC but, unless otherwise indicated, members may include persons who are not members of the PBC.  The Standing Subcommittees are:

Pro Se Clinics – This subcommittee shall consist of the coordinators of the divisional pro se clinics as well as any non-Committee members the subcommittee chair invites to participate. Members shall (a) share ideas for programming; (b) ensure that the Court website has up-to-date information on the clinics; (c) consider and assist in implementing clinics outside of the three divisions; and (d) report at quarterly meetings.

Pro Se Help Desk – This subcommittee shall consist of the coordinators of the Pro Se Help Desks as well as any non-Committee members the subcommittee chair invites to participate. Members shall (a) ensure that the Court website has up-to-date information on the clinics; and (b) report at quarterly meetings.

Law School Clinics – This subcommittee shall consist of the professors of the law school clinics in the Southern District of Florida.  Members shall (a) ensure that the Court website has up-to-date information on the clinics; and (b) report at quarterly meetings.

Website Review – This subcommittee shall consist of appointed members of the Committee as well as any non-Committee members the subcommittee chair invites to participate.  This subcommittee will (a) reach out to other subcommittees to get their website update information requests (to the extent not provided) and relay those requests to the Chair of the Committee and the Clerk of Court; (b) independently review the Court website pro bono and pro se information and make recommendations to the Chair and Clerk of Court; and (c) report at quarterly meetings.

Veterans’ Programs – This subcommittee shall consist of the members interested in, or already involved in, providing services to veterans in the Southern District of Florida, as well as any non-Committee members the subcommittee chair invites to participate. Members shall (a) share ideas for programming; (b) ensure that the Court website has up-to-date information on programming; (c) ensure that the Court website has up-to-date information on community services available to veterans; and (d) report at quarterly meetings.

Chief Judges’ Pro Bono Award – This subcommittee, chaired by the Chief Judge, shall consist of volunteers who assist the Chief Judge in reviewing applications for the Chief Judges’ Pro Bono Award every year, which recommendations are then submitted by the Chief Judge to the other judges for final decision.

Pro Bono Week – This subcommittee shall consist of appointed members of the Committee as well as any non-Committee members the subcommittee chair invites to participate.  Members shall (a) prepare ideas for Pro Bono Week programming throughout the Southern District of Florida; (b) coordinate with the Federal Bar Associations to provide joint programming where appropriate; (c) execute the programming for Pro Bono Week through coordination of volunteers and court resources (through the Clerk of Court or his designee); and (d) report at the September quarterly meeting, and more often as is necessary or appropriate.

ARTICLE V AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended from time to time by the Court.  The PBC members may suggest changes to these By-Laws, subject to the approval of the Court.