1. 

 The functions of the Committee are as follows:

a)

To provide representation on behalf of those who have been called to the Bar by the Inn and who have not been elected Masters of the Bench (“Members of Hall”) on the Bench Committees of the Inn and to assist in the running of the Inn’s affairs.

b)

To disseminate information on the running of the Inn to the Members of Hall and to the Committee.

c)

To bring to the notice of the Committees on which those representatives sit, any matters of complaint or suggestions from the Members of Hall and to the Committee.

d)

To recommend to the Treasurer and the Masters of the Bench suitable Members of Hall to take part on such other committees and working parties as are thought appropriate, whether within the Inn or on behalf of the Inn on other professional or advisory bodies.

e)

Generally to collaborate with the Treasurer and the Masters of the Bench in securing a happy and contented atmosphere throughout the Inn.

2.

The following shall be members of the Committee:

a)

The Chairman, who shall be elected in accordance with paragraph 7 below for a term of office of two years beginning on 1 January next after his election.

b)

Not more than thirty individuals who are Members of Hall and who are elected in accordance with paragraph 8 below by the Members of Hall.

c)

Not more than ten Members of Hall as shall from time to time be co-opted by the Committee.

3.

Elected Members and co-opted Members shall cease to be members of the Committee on the earlier of:

a)

31 December of the fifth calendar year following the commencement of their most recent term of membership of the Committee or, in the case of the Chairman, 31 December of the last year of his term (if later); or

b)

their election as a Master of the Bench; or

c)

their death, disbarment or suspension from practice; or

d)

their failure to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without, in the opinion of the Chairman, reasonable excuse.

4.

The Committee shall meet and conduct its business in such manner as the Chairman or the Committee may from time to time direct. The quorum for the Committee shall be one third of its members.

5.

The Chairman may, from time to time, appoint members of the Committee to sit on Bench Committees for such period as he thinks fit or until he directs otherwise.  Members of the Committee appointed to Bench Committees by the Chairman shall commence their membership of those Bench Committees at the next meeting following their appointment, unless otherwise instructed by the Chairman.

6.

General Meetings

 a)

The Chairman shall cause an Annual General Meeting of the Members of Hall to be convened once in every calendar year provided always that not more than fifteen months shall elapse between such meetings. Reasonable notice of that meeting or of any extraordinary general meeting and of the business to be transacted thereat shall be given by such method as the Chairman or the Committee may from time to time direct.

 b)

The Chairman (or failing him, such other member of the Committee as the Committee shall nominate for the purpose) shall act as chairman of that Annual General Meeting and shall report to the meeting the work of the Committee during the preceding year.

 c)

The Chairman or the Committee may convene a general meeting of the Members of Hall as necessary; the Chairman shall convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Members of Hall upon the written requisition of at least 30 Members of Hall.

7.

 Elections

 a)

An individual shall be elected (or re-elected) as chairman of the Committee by a secret postal ballot of the members of the Committee held in the Autumn of the year at the end of which the then incumbent Chairman’s term of office is due to expire.

b)

To be eligible to stand for election for Chairman, the individual must be a member of the Committee.

c)

In the event of the Chairman resigning or ceasing to be a member of the Committee for whatever reason during the term of his office, the Committee shall appoint an Acting-Chairman from amongst their number to serve until such time as an election by a secret postal ballot of the members of the Committee can be held. The successful candidate in that election shall hold office until the expiry of the calendar year next after his election.

8.

a)

In the Autumn of each year the Chairman shall declare the number of elected members who either during the course of that year have ceased to be members of the Committee or who will after 31 December of that year cease to be members of the Committee and shall cause an election to be held to fill those vacancies and to make the number of elected members up to thirty.

b)

The elections under (a) above shall be by postal and/or electronic ballot of the Members of Hall conducted at such time and in such manner as the Chairman or the Committee shall from time to time decide, but so that the results thereof shall be announced by the beginning of February in the year following the declaration of the vacancies. In the event that the elections are held and the results declared in the same year as the Chairman’s declaration under paragraph 8(a) above, the candidates elected shall not become members of the Committee nor shall their term commence until 1 January of the next year.

c)

Any Member of Hall may stand for election (or re-election) to the Committee provided that at the date of the election they would not be disqualified by reason of any of the matters set out in paragraph 3(c) above.

9.

In any election, the candidate or candidates (depending on the number of vacancies) with the most number of votes shall be declared the winner(s). In the event that two or more candidates poll the same number of votes and the number of vacancies for those candidates to fill is less than the number of candidates polling the equality of votes, lots shall be drawn in order to determine the winner(s).

Amendment

10.

These Rules may be altered by a two-thirds majority of Members of Hall present and voting at any General Meeting convened for that purpose.

Approved at the AGM, 22.xi.2010