COUNCIL OF CANADIAN LAW DEAN CONSTITUTION

1. Name

1.1       The name of the Association will be “The Council of Canadian Law Deans”.

2. Membership

2.1       For the purposes of this Constitution, a law school is defined as any university unit principally responsible for offering a degree in law, completion of which is recognized by at least one Canadian admitting authority as satisfying most or all of that authority’s academic requirements for admission to legal practice.

2.2       Subject to 2.3 the members of the Council will be the Deans, or equivalent position by whatever name called, of law schools in Canada.

2.3       Membership is limited to Deans of Law schools which are committed to principles of equality and non-discrimination in access to, and in the provision of, legal education.

2.4       When a university announces its intention to establish a law school, as defined in 2.1, and appoints a founding Dean, the Dean is eligible for membership in the Council during the two years preceding the planned admission of the first entering class of the proposed law school.

2.5       A Dean may withdraw from membership in the Council by giving one year’s notice to the President.

3. Objects

3.1       The objects of the Council will be:

3.1.1   consultation on matters of mutual concern to the law schools that the Deans represent and, where appropriate, the adoption of common policies;

3.1.2   the promotion of active cooperation of law schools with one another, and with university, professional and other learned bodies in Canada and elsewhere;

3.1.3   representation of law schools and their interests and needs to Federal and Provincial governments, higher education bodies, the legal profession and the wider community; and

3.1.4  the furtherance of legal education and legal research.

4. Subscriptions

4.1      An annual subscription fee will be due and payable in June of each year.

4.2      The amount of the subscription fee is fixed by the Council from time to time.

5. Income and Property

5.1       The income and property of the Council, however derived, will be employed solely towards the promotion of the Council’s objects, and no part of that income and property will be paid or transferred by way of profit to members of the Council.

5.2       Nothing section 5.1 or any other provision of this Constitution is to be taken as preventing the following:

5.2.1   the payment in good faith of reasonable remuneration to any officer or employee or member of the Council, in return for any services actually rendered to the Council;

5.2.2   the payment of interest on any loans by members of the Council or their law schools to the Council at a rate not exceeding the reference rate quoted by the National Canada Bank;

5.2.3   the payment of a market rent or less for premises demised or let by any member to the Council;

5.2.4   the payment of expenses related to meetings of the Council by its employees and members, and as approved by the executive.

6. General Meetings

6.1       Meetings of the Council will be convened at such times and places as are agreed by the members.

6.2       The President, as selected in accordance with s.7.1, will preside at meetings. In the absence of the President the members will choose a Chair to preside.

6.3      A member may nominate a deputy to attend any meeting.

6.4       Eight members or their deputies present in person will constitute a quorum.

7. Officers

7.1       Members of the Council will select five officers, one officer to be the President, and one member from each of four regions: Atlantic, Ontario, Québec and Western Canada.

7.2       An officer will hold office for two-year terms, unless he or she ceases to be a member of the Council or resigns from the officer position.

7.3       If a casual vacancy arises in the position of the President, a Chair will be selected by the other four officers to fill the vacant position until the next meeting of the Council.

8. Executive Committee

8.1       There will be an Executive Committee of the Council that consists of the five officers of the Council as determined under s.7.

8.2       The Executive Committee may reach decisions by communicating through electronic means, such as telephone or electronic mail.

9. Bank Account

9.1       The Executive Committee or a designated Council employee is authorized to open and operate a bank account on behalf of the Council.

9.2       The annual subscriptions will be paid into this account and will be disbursed as agreed by the Council.

9.3       The account will at all times be maintained in credit.

10. Representation of Council’s Views

10.1    The President will act as spokesperson for the Council and sign letters or statements on its behalf.

10.2    The President may speak on behalf of the Council on a matter that has not been the subject of a formal resolution, but only if the President has canvassed opinions within the Council and has reason to believe that the views to be advanced are those of a substantial majority of members.

10.3    In all instances views or policies will be presented as those of the Council as a whole rather than the institutions represented on the Council. Individual members will at all times remain free to express different views on behalf of themselves or their law schools.

11. Dissolution

11.1    In the event of the Council being dissolved, the amount that remains after such dissolution and the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be paid and applied by the Council in accordance with its powers to any organization that has similar objects and that has rules prohibiting the distribution of its assets and income to its members.

12. Amendments

12.1    This Constitution may be amended by a resolution approved by an absolute majority of members.

13. Commencement and Transition

13.1    This Constitution will come into force on the date upon which it is approved by an absolute majority of members at a meeting.

13.2    The department of Law of Carleton University will be a member of the CCLD for one year from the date this Constitution comes into force.

 

As amended November 8, 2013