Constitution of

Lawyers Without Borders Student Division at The University of Manchester.

1.0          Objectives of the Student Division

1.1          The Objectives of the Student Division are:

(a)            To foster a deep culture of pro bono amongst students before they enter their profession.

(b)            To provide opportunities for students to engage in Rule of Law oriented activities.

(c)             To allow the students at the University of Manchester to enjoy the reputational benefits that Lawyers Without Borders’ Student Divisions provides.

2.0          Membership of the Student Division

2.1          Membership will be open to all students at the University of Manchester.

2.2          Membership may be conditional upon the payment of a membership fee, subject to terms and conditions determined from time to time by the Committee.

2.3          The Committee may provide from time to time classes of membership to people who are not students at the University of Manchester.

3.0          The Committee and its meetings

3.1          The Committee will manage the Student Division’s affairs in all matters. Any matter not provided for in this constitution will be decided upon by the committee.

3.2          The Committee may delegate any of the functions to another group or person.

3.3          The members of the Committee are all the Officers of the Student Division.

3.4          A guest of any officer may attend any meeting with the consent of the President.

3.5          A Committee member may call the Committee meeting by writing to the Secretary.

3.6          The President will chair all Committee meetings, and appoint a replacement if absent.

3.7          One third of the Committee is a quorum for Committee meetings.

3.8          In the event of a tie, the person chairing will have a casting vote.

3.9          The committee may make decisions outside meetings, provided that such decisions are recorded by the Secretary and that all members of the Committee have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.

3.10       Committee members must comply with the conflict of interest rules in the Societies Bye-law.

3.11       Subject to the requirements of this Constitution, the Committee may manage its affairs, and conduct itself informally, as it sees fit.

4.0          Officers

4.1          The following positions exist as the Officers of the Student Division: President; Vice President; Treasurer; Secretary; Inclusion Officer; Head of Events; Head of Fundraising; Events Managers; Head of Marketing; Marketing Assistant.

4.2          All Officer positions will be filled by the application process decided and conducted by the committee.

4.3          The term of all positions will start on a date set by the Committee from time to time, to last one year, with a handover period beginning after the selection.

4.4          All Officers must be fully valid members of the Student Division. Any person who no longer satisfies this rule will be deemed to have resigned.

4.5          Officers may be removed by a vote of 2/3rd of the committee members.

4.6          If an Officer position becomes vacant during the year, the Committee may co-opt another member to fill this position.

4.7          For the purposes of showcasing their experience with Lawyers Without Borders Student Division at the University of Manchester on their Curriculum Vitae (CV) or social media, the officers, must not state, suggest, or imply in any way that they have interned with Lawyers Without Borders.

4.8          Officers are allowed to state they have volunteered for or have been an active member of the Lawyers Without Borders Student Division at the University of Manchester.

5.0          Responsibilities and Powers of Officers

5.1          Within the responsibilities set out below any Officer may act as they see fit on behalf of the Student Division, subject to the oversight of the President.

5.2          The Committee may specify further responsibilities for any Officer as required.

5.3          The responsibilities of the President are to:

(a)         Oversee the Student Division so as to advance the Student Division’s objectives.

(b)         Ensure that the Student Division’s rules and Constitution are being followed.

(c)          Ensure that the Student Division’s actions do not underpin or misrepresent Lawyers Without Borders’ name and are in accordance with the neutrality mandate of the organization.

(d)         Ensure that all Officer positions are filled, and the application process is conducted properly.

(e)         Chair the Committee and any General Meetings.

5.4          The responsibilities of the Vice President are to:

(a)         Be the President-Elect, i.e., incoming president for next year, in order to maintain key institutional memory.

(b)         Attend all the meetings.

(c)          Support the President and take over the meetings and events in the absence of the President.

(d)         Ensure availability and bookings of rooms needed during events.

(e)         Recruit and lead research teams for research projects allotted by LWOB.

5.5          The responsibilities of the Treasurer are to:

(a)         Administer the Student Division’s finances as required by its activities.

(b)         Ensure the probity of the Student Division’s finances.

(c)          Provide regular financial reports to the committee.

(d)         Produce the annual financial report to be presented at the AGM.

5.6          The responsibilities of the Secretary are to:

(a)          Manage all general administration.

(b)          Act as the primary link between the Student Division and the Students’ Union.

(c)          Minute all the Committee meetings and circulate them to the Committee.

(d)         Minute all General Meetings and circulate these to the members.

(e)         Play the role of Inclusion Officer in their absence.

5.7          The responsibilities of the Inclusion Officer are to:

(a)         Ensure inclusivity of law and non-law students in the Student Division’s events and Committee.

(b)         Ensure Equality within the committee by making sure everybody’s views are taken into consideration before making decisions

(c)          Enthusiastically Support all the other officers.

5.8          The responsibilities of the Head of Events are to:

(a)         Come up with different ideas of events that align with the objective of the Student Division.

(b)         Work and liaise with the events managers, remaining committee and authorities to make the events a success.

(c)              Attend all the meetings of the Student Division

5.9          The responsibilities of the Head of Fundraising are to:

(a)         Come up with ideas to increase the fundraising capacity of the Student Division.

(b)         Work to make the fundraising events a success with events managers and the remaining committee.

(c)          Attend all the meetings of the Student Division.

5.10       The responsibilities of the Events Managers are to:

(a)         Come up with different ideas of events that align with the objective of the Student Division.

(b)            Work and liaise with the Head of Events and Head of Fundraising

(c)             Attend all required meetings of the Student Division

5.11       The responsibilities of the Head of Marketing and Marketing assistant are to:

(a)         Handle all the social media accounts of the Student Division in accordance with provision 8.0 of this document.

(b)         Post about the activities, pictures, events of the Student Division.

(c)              Publicize the Student Division to increase participation.

6.0          Rules of the Student Division

6.1          The Committee may make rules to govern the running of aspects of the Student Division.

6.2          Rules must be made available to members of the Student Division on request.

6.3          The terms of this Constitution are binding upon all the members of the Student Division, as are any policies or decisions determined under its provisions.

6.4          The Student Division must conduct all matters in accordance with the charter of the Lawyers Without Borders Student Division.

6.5          Lawyers Without Borders retains the right to carry out an inspection or audit of the Division’s finances.

7.0          Neutrality Mandate

7.1          Participation in activities that may affect the neutrality or perception of neutrality of Lawyers Without Borders as an organization is prohibited.

7.2          Political Activities: This may include political activities in countries where Lawyers Without Borders works, such as political campaigning or candidacy, actions aimed at forcing a change of the law, positive political action, or similar activities conducted without written approval by the Lawyers Without Borders Executive Director.

7.3          Fundraising or activities with another Student Group, Government Department, or Non-Governmental Organization whose aims or objectives are not in keeping with the neutrality of Lawyers Without Borders compromise LWOB’s neutrality mandate and are prohibited.

7.4          Speaker Events: The invitation of speakers or appointment of Officers that affect the neutrality or perception of neutrality of Lawyers Without Borders as an organization. If in any doubt, prior approval must be sought. Lawyers Without Borders retains the right to veto the invitation or selection of any persons that are considered to be inappropriate for this purpose without notice and/or revoke the permission of the group to operate as a student division of LWOB and the permission to use the name Lawyers Without Borders.

8.0          Social Media

8.1          The Student Division is authorised to have presence only on the following social media platforms:

(a)            Facebook

(b)            Twitter

(c)             Instagram

8.2          The Student Division is not permitted to set up a LinkedIn account using any part of the Lawyers Without Borders name.

8.3          The account will need to be approved by Lawyers Without Borders before it is set up.

9.0          Standards of Behaviour

9.1          The following standards of behaviour should be prohibited when conducting activities under the moniker Lawyers Without Borders:

(a)            Public disorder or drunkenness at Student Division events,

(b)            Criminal activity,

(c)             Political activities subject to the neutrality provisions outlined in provision 7.0 of this document,

(d)            Incompetence in an Officer position or other position of responsibility within the group. This may include malfeasance in the handling of the Division’s finances, or otherwise bringing the organization into disrepute.

10.0       General Meetings

10.1       A General Meeting may be called for by the Committee or by a petition of members who make up at least 5% of the total membership.

10.2       The time, date and location of a meeting must be circulated in advance.

10.3       The quorum for General Meetings is 25% of the Student Division’s officially signed-up members.

10.4       The President will preside at General Meetings, and the Secretary will keep minutes.

10.5       All decisions at a General Meeting except for elections will be made by a show of hands, unless at least 3 members demand a secret ballot.

11.0       Amendments

11.1       This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote in any General Meeting.