AAML Update

Fellows: A few more comments about Costa Rica before I move on to business issues. This Friday we have to notify the hotel in Costa Rica if we want to let go of any rooms in our block. We still have a few rooms available, so if you are interested in joining us in March and you haven't reserved a room yet, call Janice TODAY (312-263-6477) and book a room. Although we may have some available rooms after Friday, this is the time to commit!

I will also go over other details about Costa Rica in future blogs, but a friendly reminder that your passport cannot expire until AFTER July 1, 2012, or Costa Rica will not let you into their friendly country. Check your expiration date today!

We had a very successful Executive Committee meeting in Miami and I want to thank, once again, the wonderful hospitality of our Florida chapter. Since the primary purpose of this blog is to inform the membership of what is transpiring in your organization between meetings, I want to mention a few things on the horizon.

As you may know, I appointed Jim Hennenhoefer and Cary Mogerman "committee czars": Their job is to be a liaison between the committees and the Executive Committee / Board of Governors, so we can keep updated with the advancement of the critical committee work. The Executive Committee has now approved the creation of a Council of Committee Chairs, a group similar to the Chapter Leaders, which allows the chairs of all committees to meet together at both the November and March meeting, to exchange ideas and develop interrelated goals and projects. I think every time we get fellows together to work on a common theme it advances the goals of the AAML.

Past President Linda Lea Viken (and current Bylaws Committee chair) is busy at work organizing and streamlining our bylaws. One proposal that will be put before the Board of Governors in March is to modify the need for a second reading of bylaw changes before the bylaw can be changed. I think this is logical, because second readings make sense when a body meets monthly or bi-monthly. However, when we have two meetings a year, a second reading means that it can take a year to make any bylaw change. That seems unnecessary to me. So long as Governors receive any proposal far enough in advance to be able to poll their state fellows for feedback, we should be able to address changes more quickly and with one discussion and vote. And, of course, if the Board of Governors feel that we need more time to discuss an issue, it can always be tabled for further discussion and voted on at a future meeting, without a formal requirement of a second reading.

Anyway, I plan to use this blog to inform everyone as to the projects and details routinely being considered and discussed by the various pockets of leadership of the AAML. Knowledge is power and the more conversation and discussion we have, the better we function.

I always welcome your comments and concerns. I am a phone call or email away. 207-773-0275 or ken@portlandlegal.net. Ken