BRITISH MARITIME LAW ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the Association is the BRITISH MARITIME LAW ASSOCIATION. Its seat is in London.

OBJECTS

2. The objects and purpose for which the Association is hereby constituted are:-

1. To promote the study and the advancement of British Maritime and Mercantile Law and its administration.
2. To promote and to consider with foreign and other Associations proposals for the unification of Maritime and Mercantile Law and Practice of different nations.
3. To afford opportunities for the discussion and consideration of matters of interest to Members of the Association and to undertake or to assist in the preparation and promotion of agreements and arrangements in respect of such matters.
4. To collect and circulate statistical and other information and to form a collection of publications and documents of interest to members of the Association.
5. To do all such other lawful things as are incidental to or conductive to the attainment of the above objects or of any of them.

1. There shall be five categories of membership:-

1. Institutional members shall be such organisations representing shipowners, shippers, merchants, manufacturers, insurers, insurance brokers, tugowners, shipbuilders, ports and harbour authorities, bankers, classification societies or other societies or bodies corporate or incorporate, being interested in the objects of the Association, as may be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Association by a majority of those present and voting. Each institutional member shall be entitled to nominate representatives, not exceeding five in number, to attend meetings of the Association. Any such representative may be elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Association.
2. Corporate members shall be such firms or partnerships being interested in the objects of the Association, as may be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Association by a majority of those present and voting. Each corporate member shall be entitled to nominate representatives, not exceeding five in number, to attend meetings of the Executive Committee a representative of a corporate member may be elected at an Annual General Meeting as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association.
3. Individual members shall be:

1. members or employees of institutional or corporate members additional to their nominated representative.
2. members of the Bar.
3. persons resident in the U.K. not eligible under (a) and (b) above who, in the opinion of the Executive Committee are especially qualified to forward the objects of the Association, who may be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Association and,
4. persons who were elected prior to the Annual General Meeting of 1992.

On the recommendation of the Executive Committee an individual member may be elected at an AGM as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association.

4. The Association may elect as an Honorary member any person who has rendered special services in the advancement of the objects of the Association. Honorary Members shall pay no subscriptions.
5. Any person who in the opinion of the Executive Committee is qualified to be granted the status of an associate member and is thereafter elected as such at a General Meeting of the Association. Such associate members shall be subject to re-election from year to year at a General meeting of the Association. Associate members shall pay no subscription and shall have no vote at General Meetings.

4. There shall be a President, Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. They shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association to serve for one year and until their successors have been elected.

 

PRESIDENT

5. The President if present shall preside at all meetings of the Association. He shall have power to call special meetings of the Association. He shall have power to call special meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. In the absence of the President a Vice-President or Chairman of the Executive Committee shall preside.

The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees.

 

VICE-PRESIDENTS

6. The Vice-Presidents shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the President or by the Executive Committee and shall discharge the duties of the President whenever, in the discretion of the Executive Committee, the disability or absence of the President makes such appointment advisable.

 

SECRETARY

7. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the Association. He shall notify the Officers and all members of a Committee of their election or appointment and shall issue notices of meetings. He shall keep a roll of the Members of the association. He shall do and prepare such other matters as the Executive Committee may from time to time require. The Secretary shall be paid a fee under a service contract to be agreed by the Executive Committee.

 

TREASURER

8. The Treasurer shall collect and disburse all funds of the Association on the order of the Executive Committee and shall keep proper accounts in books belonging to the Association. The Treasurer shall be paid a fee fixed by the Executive Committee.

 

INDEMNITY TO OFFICERS

9. The Officers of the Association shall be indemnified by the Association against all liabilities and expenses incurred by them in or about the discharge of their respective duties except such as arise from their own respective wilful or reckless acts or omissions.

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

10. The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association. It shall meet as required under Rule 5 when a meeting is called by its Chairman. The Executive Committee shall consist of no more than 14 individuals drawn from the categories of membership set out in sub-paragraphs (a) (b) and (c) of Rule 3 elected annually and the Officers of the Association who shall be ex-officio members thereof, five members shall constitute a quorum.

The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall be such one of their number as the Committee may elect from time to time.

With the approval of the Chairman any member of the Executive Committee can be represented at any meeting by an alternate.

The Executive Committee, either on its own initiative or at the suggestion of any member in writing, may consider and report to a General Meeting of the Association such matters as in the opinion of the Committee concern the objects of the Association.

The Executive Committee may authorise any member, officer or Sub-Committee to represent and to present the views of the Association at any National or International Conference at which it is considered that the objects of the Association call for such representation.

The Executive Committee shall fill all vacancies occasioned by death, suspension or resignation in all elected offices (with the exception of the office of President); such appointees to hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.

The Executive Committee shall be authorised to make such contracts on behalf of the Association as are necessary for the achievement of its objects. All disbursements and funds of the Association must be sanctioned by the Chairman of the Executive Committee or by some other member of the Executive Committee in his absence.

The Executive Committee shall lay before the Annual General Meeting an income and expenditure account made up to date not more than six months before such meeting.

 

WORKING COMMITTEES

11. The work of the Association shall be delegated to:

1. Standing Committees, which shall be appointed by a General Meeting of the Association to study such topics as may be considered appropriate. A Chairman and Secretary shall be appointed to each Standing Committee which shall report at least once a year to the Executive Committee and also to the Annual General Meeting and
2. Ad hoc sub-committees, which shall be appointed from time to time by the Executive Committee to consider and to report as necessary upon any topic which is not under consideration by a Standing Committee.

GENERAL MEETINGS

12. Special General Meetings shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Committee may determine, and 6 members shall constitute a quorum.

At least fourteen days clear notice of a Special General Meeting shall be given to each member.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in March each year unless the President with the concurrence of the Executive Committee shall appoint some other date, and 6 members shall constitute a quorum.

At least twenty-one days clear notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to each member.

 

SUBSCRIPTIONS

13. The subscriptions for the ensuing year for each class of members shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall first consider the subscriptions and shall report to the Annual General Meeting the rates which in their opinion are desirable.

All subscriptions shall be due at the commencement of the year in respect of which they are payable and no part shall be returnable in the event of the dissolution of the Association or cessation of membership.

 

AMENDMENTS, ETC

14. This Constitution may be amended at an Annual General Meeting by a vote of at least two-thirds of those present and voting, provided that notice of any proposed amendment or new article shall be given in writing to the secretary at least two calendar months and forwarded by him to each member at least twenty-one clear days before such Annual General Meeting.