CONSTITUTION.

I.

NAME.

This Association shall be called "THE NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION."

II.
OBJECT.

The Association is formed to cultivate the science of Jurisprudence, to promote reform in the law, to facilitate the administration of justice, to elevate the standard of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession, and to cherish a spirit of brotherhood among the members thereof.

III.

MEMBERS.

The Delegates and Alternates selected to attend the first meeting for the organization of the Association, (November 21, 1876), are hereby declared to be members thereof, provided they shall, on or before the 1st day of May, 1877, pay the admission fee and subscribe to this constitution, (or otherwise in writing notify the Secretary of their acceptance of membership).

Any member of the legal profession in good standing, residing or practicing in the State of New York, who shall have been at the bar of this State at least three years, may become a member of the Association on open nomination, after a report of the Committee on Admissions, or of the Executive Committee, upon recommendation of the Committee on Admissions; and on subscribing to this constitution, (or otherwise in writing notifying the Secretary of his acceptance of membership), and within the period limited by the by-laws, paying the admission fee and annual dues of the current year. The

judges of the United States courts residing in this State, the judges of the Court of Appeals, and the several justices of the Supreme Court of this State, shall, during their respective terms of office, be honorary members of this Association. Other honorary members may be elected by the Association.

IV.

OFFICERS.

The officers of the Association shall be a President, eight Vice-Presidents, one to be chosen from each judicial district, an Executive Committee, a Committee on Admissions, a Committee on Grievances, a Committee on Law Reform, a Committee on Prizes, a Committee on Legal Biography, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary and a Treasurer, all of whom shall for the period until the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, be elected at the meeting at which this constitution is adopted. And thereaf ter they shall be elected in the manner hereinafter prescribed.

V.

PRESIDENT.

The President, or (in his absence) one of the Vice-Presidents, or (in the absence of all of them) one of the members. shall preside at all meetings of the Association.

The President shall be ex-officio a member of the Executive Committee.

VI.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Executive Committee shall consist of twenty-four members, of whom three shall reside in, and be selected from each judicial district, and shall compose a District Executive Committee thereof.

This committee shall manage the affairs of the Association, subject to the provisions of the constitution and by-laws, and shall be vested with the title to all its property as Trustees thereof, until the Association shall be incorporated, and when incorporated shall have power to accept the act of incorporation for and on behalf of the Association and all its members;

and the Executive Committee shall make by-laws for the Association, subject to amendment by the Association.

At meetings of the committee, the member or members in attendance from each judicial district shall be entitled to three votes to be cast by him or them, separately or together, as he or they may determine. Each District Committee, under direction of the General Committee, may exercise such of its powers in or for the district as from time to time shall be authorized by the General Committee, and such other powers as the constitution and by-laws shall vest in them.

VII.

COMMITTEE ON ADMISSIONS.

The Committee on Admissions shall consist of thirty-two members, of whom four shall reside in and be selected from each judicial district, and compose a District Committee on admissions thereof, and each of whom shall have practiced law in this State at least ten years.

The proceedings of this committee shall be deemed confidential, and shall be kept secret, except so far as written or printed reports of the same shall be necessarily and officially made to the Association.

VIII.

COMMITTEE ON GRIEVANCES.

The Committee on Grievances shall consist of twenty-four members, not more than three of whom shall reside in the same judicial district.

This committee may receive and hear all complaints preferred by any member against any other member for misconduct in his relations to the Association, or in his profession, provided the same be in writing, plainly and specifically stating the matter complained of, and subscribed by the complain

aut.

The committee may also, at their discretion, hear any specific complaint which may be made to them by any member in writing, affecting the interest of the legal profession, the practice of law, or the administration of justice, and may

report thereon to the Association, with such recommendations as they may deem advisable.

All complaints so made shall be considered and disposed of by the committee in the manner provided in the by-laws.

The proceedings of this committee shall be deemed confidential and kept secret, except so far as written or printed reports of the same shall be necessarily and officially made to the Association.

IX.

COMMITTEE ON LAW REFORM.

The Committee on Law Reform shall consist of twenty-four members, no four of whom shall reside in the same judicial district.

It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and report. to the Association such amendments of the law as in their opinion should be adopted, also to scrutinize proposed changes of the law, and when necessary report upon the same, also to observe the practical working of the judicial system of the State, and recommend by written or printed report, from time to time, any changes therein which observation or experience may suggest.

X.

COMMITTEE ON PRIZES.

The Committee on Prizes shall consist of so many members as the Association shall appoint from year to year.

It shall be their duty to make rules for contests for such prizes as may be instituted by, or under the sanction of the Association, and to examine and pass upon the merits of every original production offered in accordance therewith.

XI.

COMMITTEE ON LEGAL BIOGRAPHY.

The Committee on Legal Biography shall consist of so many members as the Association shall appoint from year to year.

It shall be their duty to provide for the preservation among the archives of the Association of suitable written or printed memorials of the lives and characters of distinguished deceased members of the bar of the State.