Rules
Birmingham Medico-Legal Society
(as amended at the AGM on 25th September 2017)
The Society shall be called “Birmingham Medico-Legal Society”.
The Objects of the Society shall be to:
promote medico-legal knowledge;
improve education in the medico-legal field; and
develop contacts and co-operation between the professions of law and medicine.
Notwithstanding the generality of clause 2 of these Rules, no member shall use his or her membership of the Society for marketing and promotion of their own practice and/or products.
Membership of the Society shall be opened to qualified barristers, solicitors and registered medical and dental practitioners in the Birmingham area and to such persons as may be interested in medico-legal work. Honorary members of the Society may be elected by the Council on terms and conditions and for such period or periods as the Council may from time to time think fit.
Election for membership shall rest with the Council. Every candidate for membership, other than those for honorary membership and founder members, shall be proposed and seconded by members of the Society.
Officers and Council:
The President;
The Immediate Past President;
The Vice President;
The Honorary Secretary; and
The Honorary Treasurer.
The Honorary Officers of the Society shall be:
The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Council which shall consist of the Honorary Officers and nine other members of the Society to include at least three from each profession. Five members of the Council present at a Council meeting shall form a quorum.
Members of Council, other than Honorary Officers, shall retire on the third anniversary of their election. No retiring member shall be eligible for re-election until two years have elapsed from the date of his/her retirement.
The President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually.
Tenure:
The tenure of office of the President shall be for not more than two consecutive years, unless the Council and the Society in the General Meeting otherwise decide in any particular case.
The President upon retirement from office shall continue to serve as Immediate Past President on Council, for a period not exceeding two consecutive years, unless the Council and Society in the General Meeting decide otherwise in any particular case.
The tenure of office of the Vice President shall be for not more than two consecutive years. The Vice President shall be expected to succeed the President on his/her retirement from office.
The tenure of office of the Honorary Secretary shall be for not more than three consecutive years, unless the Council and the Society in the General Meeting otherwise decide in any particular case.
The tenure of office of the Honorary Treasurer shall be for not more than three consecutive years, unless the Council and the Society in the General Meeting otherwise decide in any particular case.
Any casual vacancy occurring in the office of Honorary Officers or of the Council may be filled by the Council, but any person so chosen shall retain his office so long only as the vacating member in whose place he is appointed would have retained
Meetings:
The Council shall submit to each Annual General Meeting, nominations for each of the offices and for other vacancies of the Council. Four weeks notice of such meetings shall be given and the notice shall include the Council’s nominations. Any two members of the Society may also nominate any member of the Society for election to the Council or to any office provided that such nominations be sent in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than two weeks before the Annual General Meeting.
An Annual General Meeting of the members of the Society shall be held in September or October, at which: –
A report from the Council together with audited accounts, shall be presented.
The Officers of the Society, together with sufficient members to fill any vacancies on the Council shall be elected.
If no fewer than fifteen members of the Society request, the Council shall arrange for the accounts of the Society to be reviewed by an independent firm of accountants, such accountants to be appointed by the President and Vice President. The costs of instructing the independent firm of accountants shall be borne by the Society.
The Honorary Secretary, on direction of the Council, or on the request of at least fifteen members of the Society, shall convene a General Meeting of the Society, of which not less than seven days’ notice specifying business to be transacted, shall be given.
No rule may be made, altered or rescinded except by the Society in a General Meeting.
Subscriptions:
The Annual Subscription of each member of the Society shall be payable annually as determined by the Council and ratified as necessary by the Society at the Annual General Meeting.
The membership of any member whose subscription is one year in arrears is terminated automatically, but any such member may be reinstated by the Council on such terms as the Council may think fit.