Guidelines/Application

ART Membership Criteria:

Well-defined principal substantive area of law practice for practicing attorneys; focus or concentration in that one niche area, greater than 50% of individual's practice and that of firm; no more than two members per law practice area ("Noah's Ark" competitive model: two-by-two) in the group; approval by group membership (individual member veto power: Two vetos results in denial of membership to prospect). Two applicants vying for one available slot are to be determined by group vote, with majority prevailing. Senior in-house corporate legal counsel welcomed; lawyer-owners of legally-related businesses benefitting lawyers are considered on a restrictive case-by-case basis (e.g., must have minimum 3 years experience in this business).

For practicing lawyers: At least seven years of law practice experience in that principal area of law practice.

Ownership of practice/owner-officer-senior manager of corporation.

Office location in, and more than 50% of practice based in, any or all of the 8 counties comprising Long Island, New York City, and Westchester.

Clear commitment to participate actively in the Attorney Round Table: regular attendance at meetings and events, with an aspirational goal of missing no more than two meetings each year (i.e., attendance at 9 of the 11 monthly meetings annually); RSVP-ing promptly by e-mail in advance regarding attendance at meetings; service on a committee and other appropriate functions; interaction with other Attorney Round Table members in between meetings; bringing to the group at least one new visitor (qualified prospective member) per year; remaining current with timely payment of semi-annual dues and any assessments.

Associate membership: Those members determined by the Executive Committee not to have maintained sufficient attendance levels (e.g., missing no more than 3 meetings in a rolling 12-month period) are subject to change of status, from full to associate membership, the difference being that associate members' slots are open to being usurped by new prospects, unless the associate member improves attendance to a sufficient level to restore full membership.  Please contact an Executive Committee member for further details.

Other guidelines and policies include:

The primary focus of the group is networking -- building relationships, referring business, conferring wtih practitioners in other disciplines to support and assist each other in our practices (providing resources among the various niche practitioners who are members); the social aspect is important, but secondary.  Members should be active networker within ART, and elsewhere.

Aspirational goal:  Members should meet with at least 6 other ART members each year outside the group meeting setting; these 6 should be people whom the member does not see regularly other than at ART meetings, has not ever met with privately or at least not in a considerable time, etc. Members are encouraged to invite each other to breakfast, lunch, office visits, cocktail hours, sporting events, networking events, and the like, in an effort to build and deepen relationships.    

Approximately eleven monthly ART meetings annually; seven regular, agenda-based meetings, plus one social outing (cocktails, holiday party, ballgame, activity, picnic, etc.) each season (quarterly) in lieu of that month's regular meeting (see calendar on home page of website).  Meetings generally are the third Thursday of each month.  Regular meetings are for dinner, starting with networking around 6:15 p.m. and ending around 8:30 p.m. at the conclusion of the agenda and the dinner.

A representative of the Program Committee will lead each regular meeting (on a rotating basis): responsible for setting the agenda for the meeting including (well in advance) any outside speaker or internal topic discussion or presentation; arranging at least 6 - 8 weeks in advance the restaurant reservation; gathering member RSVPs; and confirming the headcount with the restaurant 2 days before the meeting. 

The five-member Executive Committee (initially elected 1/07 for a two-year term; the second EC term commenced 1/09 following a nomination process; the third EC term commenced 1/11 following a nomination process) manages the group, and exercises authority to determine and effectuate policies and procedures for the group, and to help provide leadership, accountability, and organizational structure, for the benefit of the group and its members.  The Executive Committee meets 3 - 4 times each year, in person and/or by telephone conference call, and regularly exchanges e-mails regarding ART EC business.  At least one member of the Executive Committee serves on each Committee, as liaison and general coordinator.  Each member of the EC serves as Chair of and liaison to one or more Committees.  The Executive Committee functions as a unit, sharing information internally and making policy, procedural, and other decisions intended for the betterment of the group.      

The Treasury/Finance Committee collects semi-annual dues (currently $300 every June and $300 every December), which covers the cost of dinners and certain other activities of the group; there may be a modest additional charge for other activities, such as group advertising, special events, cash bar for cocktail hours, and the like.  Visitors pay the approximately $50 cost for dinner (by check or cash due that evening).  A financial penalty will be imposed against any member whose dues remain unpaid after the deadline.   

Visitors:
Visitors who are prospective members must complete and submit the short application below for screening (e.g., existence of competition for a particular practice area "slot" and other criteria) by the Membership Committee no less than three days before attending a meeting.  Visitors must attend two meetings (at least one of which must be a "regular" meeting; the other can be a regular or a "social" meeting) before being considered for membership.  Visitors should be prepared to present to the group at the first and/or second regular meeting they attend an informal three-to-five-minute-long summary of their background, principal practice areas, other networking experience, description of who constitutes a "good lead" for them, and anything else they may wish to add.  The Membership Committee conducts initial screening to ensure that visitors meet the requisite criteria for membership in the group (e.g., niche practice firm, 7+ years of practice in that area, etc.).  When group membership is under 30 members, any two existing members can in good faith veto a prospect on legitimate grounds -- other than competition for a "slot" -- following screening by the Membership Committee and presentation to the general membership of the application for membership; so two vetos results in denial of membership to the prospect.  At any time when group membership exceeds 30 members, then three veto votes are required to preclude the application of a prospective member.  "Legitimate grounds" means that the applicant is deemed inappropriate for the group following serious consideration.   

Guests: Please bring a check for $50 to cover the dinner cost for visitors, payable to “Thaler & Gertler, LLP” and note “ART” in the memo portion.