Each year, we hold an election for certain vacancies on our Board of Directors at Legal Aid of WV. When it is time to consider who to nominate or elect, we believe understanding the duties of the position is helpful. Here is a description of what Legal Aid of WV expects of their elected attorney Board members.

Legal Aid of West Virginia Board Member Job Description

Attorney Board Member

Term: Initial three-year term with reelection or reappointment to subsequent three-year terms possible.

Eligibility: Attorney Board members must be members in good standing of the West Virginia State Bar.

Selection: Board members are either elected by members of the bar from one of ten multi-county regions or appointed to single seats by the Mountain State Bar Association, the Kanawha County Bar, the West Virginia University College of Law and the director of the WV State Bar.

Meeting:

Regularly attend meetings as scheduled (4-6 per year).

Attendance:

Attend standing committee meetings if a member (1-6 times per year).

(Expected)  

Attend board retreats and other board development activities.

Attend and participate in special/social events as needed.

Responsibilities

• Policy – consider, approve, and support policies that promote and enhance the mission of the organization.
• Legal – to exercise fiduciary and legal responsibility for the affairs of the corporation.
• Advisory – to act as an advisor to the staff by serving on at least one board committee.
• Planning – to develop and monitor short and long-term strategic plans that enhance and support the mission of the organization.
• Management – to keep informed of the overall management of the organization to assure compliance with all basic standards of accountability and ethics for nonprofits and to hire, evaluate and terminate the Executive Director based on the goals and accomplishments set forth by the board.
• Fundraising – to support the organization with personal contributions and to actively participate in the raising of funds to support the organization.
• Public Relations – to represent the organization in a positive manner to the general public.

Commitment:

• Read board materials for and between board meetings.
• Contribute to discussions at meetings.
• Observe parliamentary procedures.
• Avoid conflicts of interests and if such conflict does arise to declare the conflict to the board and refrain from voting on relevant items.

Expenses:

Board members may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred from attending meetings.