Title: Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation Of the Florida Bar Foundation
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC04-504
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: June 3, 2004

Supreme Court of Florida
____________
No. SC04-504
____________
AMENDMENTS TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF 
THE FLORIDA BAR FOUNDATION
[June 3, 2004]
PER CURIAM.
The Florida Bar Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), petitions this Court for
approval of proposed amendments to its Articles of Incorporation, also known as
the Florida Bar Foundation Charter.  The proposed amendments were authorized
by the board of directors of the Foundation and approved by the Board of
Governors of The Florida Bar.  This Court has the authority to finally approve the
proposed amendments.  See Fla. Bar Found. Charter, art. 10.2(c).  
After considering the petition and the proposed amendments, we hereby
approve the amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of the Florida Bar
2
Foundation, Inc., as set forth in the appendix to this opinion.  Additions are
indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type.  The
amendments shall become effective upon their filing with the Secretary of State as
provided by law.  See Fla. Bar Found. Charter, art. 10.3.
It is so ordered.
ANSTEAD, C.J., and WELLS, PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANTERO, and
BELL, JJ., concur.
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AMENDMENTS.
Original Proceedings - Articles of Incorporation of The Florida Bar Foundation,
Inc.
Andrew M. O'Malley, President, The Florida Bar Foundation, Orlando, Florida,
for Petitioner
3
APPENDIX
THE FLORIDA BAR FOUNDATION, INC.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this corporation shall be:  The Florida Bar Foundation, Inc. 
For convenience it is herein called the corporation or the Foundation.  The
principal office and place of business shall be at a location in Florida established
and ordered by the board of directors.  The business of this corporation shall be
carried on at its principal office in Florida, and at such other places as may from
time to time be authorized by the board of directors.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES AND POWERS
2.1  Purposes.  The Foundation shall be operated exclusively for charitable,
scientific, literary and/or educational purposes as described in Section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any
subsequent federal tax law ("Code") including, but not limited to the following
particular purposes:
a)  The improvement of the administration of justice and the elevation
of judicial standards; 
                                       
b)  The promotion of the study of law and research in the law, the
diffusion of legal knowledge and the continuing legal education of lawyers;
c)  The publication and distribution of works on legal subjects.
d)  The improvement of relations between members of the Bar, the
judiciary and the public;
4
e)  The fostering of suitable standards of legal education and of
admission to the Bar, and the furnishing of funds for making grants and loans to
qualified and worthy persons for the study of law;
f)  The aiding of members of The Florida Bar who shall  be in great
need of assistance because of illness, misfortune or advanced age;
g)  The promotion of the preservation of the American constitutional
form of government;
h)  In furtherance of the foregoing charitable, scientific, literary
and/or educational purposes, the assets and earnings of the Foundation, including,
but not limited to those assets or earnings derived from the Interest on Trust
Accounts Program, implemented by Order of the Supreme Court of Florida, in re: 
Interest on Trust Accounts, 401 So.2d 389 (Fla. 1981), as such Order may be
amended from time to time, may be used for any one or more of the following
charitable activities undertaken for exclusively public purposes:
(1)
To provide legal aid to the poor;
(2)
To provide law student loans and scholarships;
(3)
To improve the administration of justice; and
(4)
For such other programs for the benefit of the public as are
specifically approved from time to time by the Supreme Court
of Florida for exclusively public purposes.
i)  No part of the assets or net earnings of the Foundation (including
such assets or net earnings as may be derived from the Interest on Trust Accounts
Program described in Article 2.2 hereof) shall inure to the benefit of any private
shareholder or individual.  Further, no substantial part of the activities of the
Foundation shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to
influence legislation, nor shall the Foundation participate in or intervene in
(including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on
behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.
5
Except as more specifically hereinabove set forth, such activities may
be undertaken directly by the Foundation, or by the provision of funds by the
Foundation to The Florida Bar, Florida Legal Services, Inc., or other
organizations, to be used exclusively for such purposes.
2.2
Contributions.  The Foundation may receive, by contribution, gift,
bequest, devise, or in any other manner, money, assistance, and any other form of
real, personal, or mixed property, from any person, firm or corporation to be used
in the furtherance of the purposes of the Foundation, provided, however, that gifts
shall be subject to acceptance by the board of directors as required by the ByLaws. 
The Foundation may also receive all funds generated by the Interest on Trust
Accounts Program.
2.3
Offices and Employees.  The Foundation may establish one or more
offices and employ such agents, employees and clerical force as may be deemed
necessary or proper to conduct and carry on the work of the Foundation, and it
may pay reasonable compensation for the services of such persons.
2.4
Powers:  General.  The Foundation may contract and be contracted
with, sue and be sued, invest and reinvest the funds of the Foundation, and do all
acts and things requisite, necessary, proper, or desirable to carry out and further
the purposes for which the Foundation is formed.
2.5
Powers:  Interest on Trust Accounts Program.  With respect to the
activities of, and assets and earnings derived from, the Interest on Trust Accounts
Program, the Foundation may:
a)
Authorize capital expenditures, accumulations, or reserves,
only as may be necessary to meet the reasonable working needs of the Foundation. 
b)
Retain professional investment advisory services;
c) 
Through its directors adopt rules of procedure reasonably
necessary or helpful in carrying out the purposes and powers of the Foundation in
managing and administering the Interest on Trust Accounts Program.
6
ARTICLE III
MEMBERS
3.1       Qualification.  Each mMembers of the Foundation shall be a member
of The Florida Bar who is persons  interested in the purposes of the Foundation.
3.2
Admission.  Members shall be admitted by the directors in the manner
determined by the ByLaws.
3.3
Terms.  The terms of membership of members shall be established by
the ByLaws.
3.4
Rights.  Each member shall be entitled to hold office and serve as a
director of the Foundation, and shall be entitled to one vote at meetings of
members of the Foundation, but no member of the Foundation shall have any
vested right, privilege or interest of, in or to the assets, functions, affairs or
franchise of the Foundation, or any right, interest or privilege which may be
transferable or inheritable or which shall continue if the member's membership
ceases or while the member is not in good standing.
3.5
Termination.  Membership shall be terminated in the manner
provided by the ByLaws.  If a member ceases to be a member of The Florida Bar,
the member's membership in the Foundation shall be thereby terminated.  A
membership may be terminated for cause by concurrence of a majority of all
directors of the Foundation after due notice to the member and an opportunity to
be heard.
3.6
Meetings.  Meetings of members may be called in the manner
provided in the ByLaws.
ARTICLE IV
TERM; DISSOLUTION
This corporation shall have perpetual existence.  In the event of a
dissolution of the corporation, its assets, after payment of all debts and charges of
the corporation, and expenses of dissolution, shall be distributed among all fully
accredited schools of law within the State of Florida, not organized and operating
7
exclusively for the benefit of any private shareholder, or individual, nor
substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise
attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in or intervene
in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign
on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.
ARTICLE V
The names and residences of the original subscribers hereto are as follows:
NAME                     
RESIDENCE
Donald K. Carroll     
1200 Greenleaf Building
                                
Jacksonville, Florida
J. Lance Lazonby    
Baird Office Building
                                
Gainesville, Florida
Kenneth B. Sherouse Supreme Court Building
                                
Tallahassee, Florida
William A. Gillen     
Citizens Building
                                
Tampa, Florida
J. Lewis Hall         
121 ½ E. Jefferson St.
                                
Tallahassee, Florida
Sherwood Spencer  1924 Hollywood Boulevard
                                
Hollywood, Florida
each of whom has been an officer or member of the Board of Governors of The
Florida Bar.
8
ARTICLE VI
DIRECTORS
56.1
Number.  The affairs of the Foundation shall be managed by a board
of directors consisting of eight (8)six (6) directors as set forth in Article 56.2(a)
through Article 5.2(e) hereof, no fewer than two or more than four directors as set
forth in Article 5.2(f) hereof, eighteen (18) directors as set forth in Article 56.3
hereof, and the duly elected officers, set forth in Article 56.4 hereof.  Directors as
set forth in Article 56.2(f) and Article 56.3 hereof shall be selected for staggered
terms of office.  Directors shall be members of the Foundation during their term(s)
as directors.
56.2
Designated Directors.  No fewer than eEight (8) or more than ten (10)
directors shall be directors by virtue of office, designation, or selection as follows:
a)
Two judicial officers to be designated by the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court of Florida;
b)
The president of The Florida Bar;
c)
The immediate past president of The Florida Bar;
d)
The president-elect of The Florida Bar;
e)
The president of Florida Legal Services, Inc.
and
f)
No fewer than Ttwo or more than four public members, who
shall not be lawyers, to be selected by the joint nominating committee of The
Florida Bar Foundation and The Florida Bar in the manner provided by the
ByLaws.  Membership on such joint nominating committee shall be comprised of
three directors of the Foundation appointed by the president of the Foundation and
three members of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar appointed by the
president of The Florida Bar. 
56.3
Selected Directors.  Eighteen (18) directors shall be selected as
9
follows:
a)
One-third selected by the Foundation in the manner provided
by the ByLaws;
b)
One-third selected by the Board of Governors of The Florida
Bar and certified to the Foundation no later than March 1st of every year; and
c)
One-third selected by the Supreme Court of Florida and
certified to the Foundation no later than March 1st of every year; and 
d)
Any director selected as set forth in Article 56.3 hereof who is
a member of The Florida Bar shall be a member of the Foundation at the
beginning of their term of office.
56.4
Officers Serve as Directors.  In the event a person is elected president,
president-elect, or secretary-treasurer, secretary, or treasurer of the Foundation,
such person shall resign his or her remaining term of office as a director of the
Foundation, but shall be a director of the Foundation by virtue of his or her office.
56.5
Term; Removal; Vacancies.
a)
The president of The Florida Bar, president-elect of The
Florida Bar, and president of Florida Legal Services, Inc. shall be directors of the
Foundation during their respective terms in office.  The two judicial officers
designated by the Chief Justice shall serve for two-year terms of office and may be
redesignated for additional two-year terms at the pleasure of the Chief Justice. 
The immediate past president of The Florida Bar shall serve for a one-year term.
b)
The two public members selected pursuant to Article 56.2(f)
hereof shall serve for not more than two, two-year staggered terms.  Their removal
from office shall be determined by the ByLaws.  Vacancies of directors selected
pursuant to Article 56.2(f) hereof which are caused in any manner shall be filled
by the joint nominating committee of The Florida Bar Foundation and The Florida
Bar pursuant to Article 56.2(f) hereof for the unexpired term.
c)
Directors selected pursuant to Article 56.3 hereof shall serve
10
for a three-year term, and may serve for one additional, consecutive three-year
term.  Their removal from office shall be determined by the ByLaws.  Vacancies
of directors selected pursuant to Article 56.3 hereof which are caused in any
manner shall be filled by the selecting authority for such directors for the
unexpired term.
d)
Officers of the Foundation who are directors only by virtue of
being officers shall be directors for their terms in office only.  Their removal from
office and the filling of vacancies shall be determined by the ByLaws.
56.6
Executive Committee.  The affairs of the Foundation may be managed
by an executive committee between meetings of the board of directors.  The
executive committee shall consist of directors and shall be established in the
manner and with the authority provided by the ByLaws.
6.7
Transition.  To achieve Article 6.2(f) hereof, and in order to achieve
Article 6.3 hereof, as terms of existing directors expire or are terminated,
selections of directors shall be made in the following manner:
a)  In June 1990,
(1)
The nominating committee shall select one (1) lay
member for a one-year term beginning June 1990 and one (1) lay member for a
two-year term beginning June 1990 as set forth in Article 6.2(f) hereof;
(2)
The Board of Governors of The Florida Bar shall select
four (4) directors as set forth in Article 6.3(b) hereof; and
(3)
The Supreme Court of Florida shall select four (4)
directors as set forth in Article 6.3(c) hereof.
b)  In June 1991,
(1)
The Board of Governors of The Florida Bar shall select
two (2) directors as set forth in Article 6.3(b) hereof;
(2)
The Supreme Court of Florida shall select two (2)
11
directors as set forth in Article 6.3(c) hereof; and
(3)
The Foundation shall select one (1) director as set forth
in Article 6.3(a) hereof.
c)  In June 1992, the Foundation shall select five (5) directors as set
forth in Article 6.3(a) hereof.
ARTICLE VII
OFFICERS
67.1
Number.  The affairs of the Foundation shall be managed by a board
of directors and administered by a president, president-elect, and secretary-
treasurer, each of whom has previously served on the board of directors, and such
assistant officers as the board of directors shall from time to time deem desirable. 
The board of directors may, from time to time as it deems desirable, separate the
office of secretary-treasurer and elect, for that term, a secretary and a treasurer. 
Officers and assistant officers shall be members of the Foundation. at the
beginning of their terms of office.
67.2
Election.  The officers shall be elected annually by the board of
directors in the manner provided by the ByLaws.  Terms of office may be limited
as provided in the ByLaws.
ARTICLE VIII
BYLAWS
The board of directors of this corporation shall make and adopt ByLaws for
the corporation, and said board and its successors in office shall have power to
alter, amend, and rescind such ByLaws or to adopt new ByLaws.
ARTICLE VIII IX
DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' COMPENSATION AND INDEMNIFICATION
89.1
Compensation.  Directors of the Foundation shall not receive
12
compensation, directly or indirectly, for their services as directors.  Officers of the
Foundation shall not receive compensation, directly or indirectly, for their services
as officers, unless they are employed by the board of directors as a member of the
administrative staff of the Foundation.  These prohibitions shall not preclude
reimbursement of a director, officer or duly appointed committee member for
expenses or advances made for the Foundation that are reasonable in character and
amount and approved for payment in the manner provided by the ByLaws.
89.2
Indemnification.  Every director and every officer of the Foundation
shall be indemnified by the Foundation against all expenses and liabilities,
including counsel fees, reasonably incurred by or imposed upon such director or
officer in connection with any proceeding or any settlement of any proceeding to
which such director or officer may be a party or in which such director or officer
may become involved by reason of such director or officer being or having been a
director or officer of the Foundation, whether or not such director or officer is a
director or officer at the time such expenses are incurred, except when the director
or officer is adjudged guilty of willful misfeasance or malfeasance in the
performance of the director's or officer's duties; provided that in the event of a
settlement before entry of judgment, the indemnification shall apply only when the
board of directors approves such settlement and reimbursement as being in the
best interest of the Foundation.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall be in
addition to and not exclusive of all other rights to which such director or officer
may be entitled.  Appropriate liability insurance, if available, shall be provided for
every officer, director and agent of the Foundation in amounts determined from
time to time by the board.
89.3
Interest of Directors and Officers in Contracts.  Any contract, whether
for compensation or otherwise, or other transactions between the corporation and
one or more of its directors or officers, or between the corporation and any firm of
which one or more of its directors or officers are stockholders or employees, or in
which they are interested, or between the corporation and any corporation or
association of which one or more of its directors or officers are shareholders,
members, directors, officers or employees, or in which they are interested, shall be
valid for all purposes, notwithstanding the presence of such director or directors,
officer or officers, at the meeting of the board of directors of the corporation
which acts upon or in reference to such contract or transaction and
notwithstanding their participation in such action, if the fact of such interest shall
13
be disclosed or known in writing to the board of directors, and the board of
directors shall, nevertheless, authorize, approve and ratify such contract or
transaction by vote or majority of the directors present, such interested director or
directors, officer or officers to be counted in determining whether a quorum is
present but not counted in calculating the majority of such quorum necessary to
carry such vote.  This section shall not be construed to invalidate any contract or
other transaction which would otherwise be valid under the common and statutory
law applicable thereto.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT
910.1  Notice of Amendments.  Notice of the subject matter of a proposed
amendment to these Articles shall be included in the notice of the meeting at
which a proposed amendment is considered.
910.2  Procedure.  These Articles of Incorporation may be amended in the
following ways:
a)
By petition of 50 or more members of the Foundation directly
to the Supreme Court of Florida, after advance notice to and opportunity for
consultation with and comment by the board of directors of the Foundation and the
Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and approval by the Court.
b)
By petition of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar
directly to the Supreme Court of Florida, after advance notice to and opportunity
for consultation with and comment by the board of directors of the Foundation,
and approval by the Court.  A resolution adopting a proposed amendment or
amendments shall be approved by an absolute majority of the members of the
Board of Governors of The Florida Bar.
c)
By petition of the board of directors of the Foundation directly
to the Supreme Court of Florida, after advance notice to and opportunity for
consultation with and comment by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and
approval by the Court.  A resolution adopting a proposed amendment or
14
amendments shall be approved by an absolute majority of the directors of the
Foundation.
d)
"Advance Notice" means submission of the subject matter and
language of the proposed amendment to the body having the right to consult and
comment at least thirty days before its next regularly scheduled meeting.
910.3  Effective Date.  Any amendment approved by the Supreme Court of
Florida shall be effective upon filing with the Secretary of State as provided by
law.
Historical Note: The names and residences of the original incorporators of the
Foundation are: Donald K. Carroll,Jacksonville, Florida, J. Lance Lazonby,
Gainesville, Florida, Kenneth B. Sherouse, Tallahassee, Florida, William A.
Gillen, Tampa, Florida, J. Lewis Hall, Tallahassee, Florida, Sherwood Spencer,
Hollywood, Florida