Presentation created for the 76th Law for the People Convention of the National Lawyers Guild, held October of 2013, in San Juan, Puerto Rico

1. NLG’s Annual #Law4ThePeople
Convention Plenary

2. The aim of this slideshow, which will be sent to
members in advance of the plenary, and show
at the plenary, is to familiarize members,
especially new members, with the NLG
decision making processes.

3. As a democratic organization, the work and focus
of the Guild is decided by our members. Each
year at the national convention, we hold Friday
and Saturday plenaries in which members
discuss and vote on programmatic priorities, often
in the form of resolutions. We also update our
governing documents, our bylaws and
constitution.

4. During the Plenaries we Vote on
Resolutions and Amendments
Resolutions are an
opportunity for our
membership to propose
and agree on statements of
programmatic priorities for
our organization and to
take stances on various
issues. Examples of the
breadth and depth of past
resolution topics are here:
http://bacil.io/NLGbyres
Amendments can be made
to either our constitution or
our bylaws. The Guild
membership has updated
the constitution, originally
adopted in 1937, at many
conventions. The current
constitution and bylaws are
available here: http://bacil.
io/NLGbyres

5. Each Convention Has 2 Plenaries
Plenary 1
Plenary 1
Friday, October 25, 2013 10:
15am — 11:45am
Saturday, October 26, 2013 10am
— 12pm
Introduce
➔
➔
Candidates
Resolutions
1. Resolution Publications
2. Fundraising Solicitations
➔ Amendments
1. Legal Worker on NEC
Evaluate whether
➔
➔
officer elections are
contested
resolutions are opposed
(if not opposed, then
deemed non-controversial)
●
●
●
Evaluate whether resolutions
are “controversial.”
Vote applying corresponding
voting procedures.
Proponents of Resolutions and
Amendments & Candidates must be in
attendance at both the Friday and
Saturday plenaries, and be ready to
speak. If they will not be present,
proponents should notify the Resolutions
Committee and appoint an alternate
delegate to present and answer questions
during both plenaries.

6. Voting Eligibility & Preparation
See NLG Bylaws Section 8
Voting Eligibility
➔
➔
Must be a current dues paying member before plenary 1 starts
Need not vote at the convention (can vote later if attended
convention).
Preparation Checklist
➔
➔
Do you have a complete registration packet?
◆ When you register, you should receive an orange “vote” card
◆ This year voting is electronic at www.nlg.org/survey. So you
should not have received a ballot.
Have you read the candidate statements & resolutions/amendments
◆ Located here http://www.nlg.org/convention
◆ Resolutions/amendments are online. A limited number are
passed out during both plenaries. If submitted in advance,
candidate statements are online.

7. Summary
3 Plenary Voting Processes
Resolutions
➔
➔
Passed if 2/3 plenary attendees support.
If less than 2/3 of plenary supports, then full membership votes electronically (or
affirmatively requests paper ballot). If 2/3 of full membership supports, then passes.
2 Distinct Resolution Types
➔ Regular — Deadline for inclusion in convention materials is earlier. Friendly
amendments not accepted.
➔ Emergency — Deadline for proposal and inclusion in materials is later. Friendly
amendments accepted.
3 Distinct Resolution Voting Outcomes
➔ Non-Controversial —not up for debate — Passed by acclamation (verbal motion
and 2nd verbal confirmation – as opposed to vote) in Plenary 2
➔ Controversial — up for exploration and debate in the 2nd plenary – and full vote –
first orange “vote” cards are raised and volunteer vote counters tally counts
➔ BM2 NOTE: There was no Number 3 in the original PPT. Lil’ help? Maybe I just read
this section incorrectly.

8. Summary
3 Plenary Voting Processes
Amendments
➔
➔
Substance can be to constitution or bylaws
Eligibility — all membership always vote - convention attendees can’t decide alone
Officer Elections
➔
Eligibility — to run, candidates must be paid members and declare their candidacy by the
end of the first plenary, Friday (the deadline for being included in materials/on
website/publicizing candidate statement is earlier).

9. Voting Process Date & Time Overview
Officers
➔
➔
if non-contested as of Friday Plenary end
◆ elected by acclamation at Saturday plenary
if contested
◆ Friday — Candidate/Supporter Statements — 3 minutes per candidate
◆ Saturday — No statements
◆ eVote — nlg.org/survey
Resolutions
➔
➔
Friday
◆ if not opposed, then initially deemed non-controversial
◆ If opposed, then deemed controversial and given extra time Sat.
Saturday — card vote conducted
◆ if non-controversial (card vote of more than than 66%)
● passes on Saturday plenary floor with orange card vote
◆ if not supported (less than 50% card vote)
● fails on Saturday plenary floor with card vote
◆ if controversial (card vote more than 50% but less than 66%)
● eVote (via nlg.org/survey, done wherever eligible voters prefer)
Amendments Constitutional & Bylaw
➔
All — eVote (via nlg.org/survey, done wherever eligible voters prefer)

10. Note About eVoting Process
Decided During Saturday Plenary by Show of Hands/Cards
➔
➔
Officers — uncontested
Resolutions — non-controversial (card vote of more than than 66%)
Decided by Full Member Vote
➔
➔
➔
Officers — contested
Resolutions — controversial (card vote more than 50% but less than 66%)
◆ Triggers further discussion
Amendments (constitutional or bylaw) — all must go to full membership vote
◆ introduced at the plenary, and debated pro/con – then electronic voting
Decided After Plenary Presentation/Debate
➔
➔
Electronic voting will be live immediately after the Saturday plenary will continue until
December 1, 2013, 11:59pm Pacific.
Everything else will be voted electronically at nlg.org/survey
◆ Attendees do not need to vote at convention.
◆ Non-attendees: All those who do not attend the convention but are eligible to vote
(i.e., dues paid and in good standing as of the start of the first plenary) will get
instructions from the NO.

11. First Matter
Officer Elections
See NLG Bylaws Section 8.5

12. Candidates for Non-Elected or
Non-National Positions
Candidates for national office which are selected by
caucasus, regions, projects, or committees (e.g., National
Law Student Vice President, National Legal Worker Vice
President, National Jailhouse Lawyer Vice President,
Regional Vice Presidents, representatives from The United
People of Color Caucus, and representatives from up to
ten NLG projects and national committees) should refer to
their respective entities for procedures and available
offices.
http://www.nlg.org/structure-nlg

13. Candidates for Elected National Office
All candidates for elected national office (e.g., President,
Treasurer, Executive Vice President, and National Vice
President) are elected via the plenary process.
http://www.nlg.org/structure-nlg

14. 2013 Positions Elected at Plenaries
Not all offices are elected every year. Officer terms run from the time the
election is determined, to the convention in the final year of the term. In 2013,
the following offices are up for election:
➔ Executive Vice President
◆ 1 position is up for election (There are 2 EVPs total)
◆ Three year term: 2013-2016
◆ Both EVPs serve on the EC (Executive Council).
◆ Responsible for fundraising, and leading major initiatives and
projects of the NEC (National Executive Committee) and NLG.
➔ National Vice President
◆ 2 positions are up for election (There 3 NVPs total)
◆ Two year term: 2013-2015
◆ Responsible for fundraising, and leading major initiatives and
projects of the NEC and NLG.
◆ The 3 NVPs share responsibility for contact and assistance to national
committees, projects, task forces, and other NLG entities which do
not have representation on the NEC.

15. Executive Vice President - Candidates
➔ Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan
◆ lyciaora@gmail.com

16. Executive Vice President
Candidate Statement Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan [slide 1/2]
● *Dime con quién andas y te diré quién tu eres*.¨ In
Spanish, this means tell me who you walk with and I´ll tell
you who you are.
● I have had the privilege of walking with some of the most
thoughtful, brilliant, insightful, talented and radical lawyers,
law students and legal workers over the past several years
since I became involved with the Guild. I have been inspired
and supported, provoked and encouraged, roused and
humbled by this body. I have seen the faces of people I work
with, advocate with or do activist work with when I mention
the name of the Guild – they all light up with appreciation at
the years of solidarity, advocacy and legal representation
this organization has given them.
● And because I have experienced firsthand the significance of
our work, I am running for the position of Executive Vice
President to continue to support it.

17. Executive Vice President
Candidate Statement Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan [slide 2/2]
●
●
●
●
●
●
I got involved with the Guild while a law student at CUNY School of Law, namely through the
International Committee, which I currently co–chair, along with the Puerto Rico Subcommittee.
And it has been an honor to help plan this year´s convention, the first time the Guild has held
its convention outside the United States.
I traveled to Venezuela last year as part of a Guild delegation to observe the Presidential
election of then
President Hugo Chavez and have helped plan this year´s delegation to Colombia to meet with
human rights defenders from various sectors.
Just last month, I filed a petition in the Guild´s name before the Inter–American Commission
on Human Rights against the United States for human rights violations in the Puerto Rican
island of Vieques, the first of ts kind ever presented in an international forum. I have also been
a member of TUPOCC and the Anti–Sexism Committee.
And yet I see so much more possibility for our work and the role the Guild can play, particularly
in communities of color. Four years ago I initiated an annual joint forum with the Puerto Rican
Bar Association to discuss human and civil rights issues in Puerto Rico which has proven to be
successful each year. PRBA members will come to this year´s convention, including the PRBA
President. Building alliances with other legal institutions representing or working in
communities of color to jointly engage in radical work is critical and yet remains largely
unaddressed institutionally within the Guild.
I am running for EVP to not only continue to ensure that the Guild remains a known, engaged
and thoughtful radical institution, but to also ensure that we remain relevant.
I ask for your support for my candidacy, *y te pido que andes conmigo*.

18. National Vice President - Candidates
➔ Gabriela Lopez
◆ gabacules@gmail.com

19. National Vice President
Candidate Statement Gabriela Lopez [slide 1/2]
●
●
●
I first became involved in the NLG as a student at CUNY law through the street law program.
The Street Law program allows law students to go into public schools and talk to young
people about their rights when being stopped by the police. Through this program I was able
to connect with young people of color who are directly affected by the school to prison
pipeline and listen to their stories about law enforcement abuses. I went on to become the
first paid Street Law coordinator and conducted several trainings for trainers at NYC area law
schools. I also helped draft the curriculum and pushed for larger involvement from students
of color in curriculum development and in the trainings.
Since then I never looked back. I can proudly say that I am a very active member of the
Guild both at the chapter level and nationally. I participated as a legal observer during the
occupy protests in New York City, provided research and investigative support for Guild
attorneys defending arrestees, helped create the curriculum for the Muslim Defense Project’s
know your rights program, and participated in trainings in Muslim and South Asian
community centers around surveillance and racial profiling.
As a new member the Bay Area’s demonstration committee I provide pro bono legal
representation for activists and was a Guild representative, on the now defunct, Coalition for
Safe San Francisco. I also served on the National Executive Community (NEC) as TUPOCC
co-chair and helped develop this year’s anti-oppression trainings for the board and members
at the convention. As a member of the NEC I am active in the membership committee,
whose goal is to conduct outreach to new members. I have also helped plan for this year’s
Convention Safer Spaces Harassment & Anti-Violence hotline.

20. National Vice President
Candidate Statement Gabriela Lopez [slide 2/2]
●
●
●
●
Without the Guild I don’t know how I would have gotten through law school or found
so many amazing people who share my political beliefs. I love being a member of a
passionate and dynamic organization that promotes human rights over property
rights and is not afraid to push for radical change in all spectrums of the law.
It is my strong devotion to the Guild that has pushed me to run for National Vice
President. I want to help grow our membership and make the Guild become
relevant once again with a new generation of lawyers, law students, and legal
workers.
As a young member I have seen first hand how the NLG’s culture can make it
difficult for new members, particularly people of color, to become active in the Guild.
This problem is something that I wish to change as National Vice President. I would
like to push the Guild to connect with other legal and activist organizations to
promote cooperation as a means to make us relevant once more. This is something
that the Bay Area chapter has been to some extent successful in doing and I would
like to help the national organization create similar connections.
I look forward to working on these issues as National Vice President and ask for
your support in the upcoming election.

21. Timing
➔
➔
Friday – Decided if Contested
◆ Each Candidate (or their supporters) Entitled to Make
◆ 3 Minute Statement
Saturday – If Contested, Vote
◆ Announced, No Statements
◆ Candidate gets acknowledged (from audience).
2013 Candidates
➔
➔
➔
Proponents of Resolutions and Amendments & Candidates must be
in attendance at both the Friday and Saturday plenaries, and be
ready to speak.
If national officer elections are unopposed, they will be elected by
acclamation at the plenary.
If the election is contested, it will go to a ballot of the entire current
membership

22. Second Matter
Resolutions
See NLG Bylaws Section 8.4

23. Resolutions are an opportunity for our
membership to propose and agree on
statements of programmatic priorities for our
organization and to take stances on various
issues.
Examples of the breadth and depth of past
resolution topicscan be found online at: http:
//bacil.io/NLGbyres

24. Proposed resolutions and amendments must
➔ be no longer than three pages, using 12 point type, and
shorter resolutions are encouraged. Any additional endorsing
entities or names must be included within this three page
limit.
➔ on their face
◆ include the name and contact information of the person
submitting the resolution or amendment.
◆ have a specific and explicit implementation clause that
indicates what person or entity will be tasked with what
specific work
◆ have the explicit agreement of such persons or entities
obligated entity to do the work of implementing the
resolution
Only emergency resolutions may be submitted after August 24, 2013.
● Emergency resolutions are resolutions based on events that take place after August 24, 2013
and therefore could not have been submitted earlier.
● May be submitted up to twenty-four (24) hours prior to the voting plenary, Emergency
resolutions must comply with all other resolution requirements.
See Bylaws, Section 8.4 nlg.org/members/constitution-resolutions/

25. Background on 2 Types of Resolutions
Non- Emergency & Emergency
Non-Emergency
➔
➔
➔
➔
Proposed resolutions must be submitted to the Convention Resolutions
Committee in writing not less than 60 days prior to the commencement of the
National Convention and must contain a specific implementation clause.
Whenever possible, resolutions proposed for consideration by the National
Convention should be published to the entire membership before the
Convention, preferably in the pre-Convention issue of Guild Notes.
August 24th, 2013 Resolutions Deadline
October 18, 2013 Revisions Deadline — Revisions are not accepted on the floor of
the plenary. Therefore, members may send suggested revisions to the proponents. If
proponents accept the revisions, the new proposal will be re-vetted by the Resolutions
Committee and Re-Posted on the website by October 22nd.
Emergency
➔
➔
Emergency resolutions may be submitted after the 60 day deadline, and up to
24 hours prior to the voting plenary (in 2012, Saturday 1-3), as long as they
are based on events that have taken place after the sixty day deadline.
The twenty-four hour deadline may be waived in the event that an emergency
resolution is non-controversial as determined by the Resolutions Committee
and confirmed by the actual vote. Emergency resolutions must comply with all
resolution requirements not related to timeliness.

26. Background on 2 Types of Resolutions & Processes
Non-Controversial & Controversial
Non-Controversial
➔
Timing
◆ Friday
● If no one opposes, initially deemed non-controversial.
◆ Saturday
● If card vote yields 66%, remains non-controversial.
Controversial
➔
Timing
◆ Friday
● If statement made in opposition, deemed controversial.
◆ Saturday
● A resolution shall be deemed controversial if it fails to pass on the
Convention floor during the Saturday plenary by at least a twothirds majority of those present and voting
● Controversial resolutions approved by a majority vote of those
present and voting at the Convention shall be submitted to the
entire membership.
● Must be ratified by a majority vote of ballots.

27. Resolutions
How to Participate in Debate
➔
Proponents of Resolutions and Amendments & Candidates must be in
attendance at both the Friday and Saturday plenaries, and be ready to
speak.
➔
Just get in line at the microphone after proponent introduces
◆ Friday — Only proponents stand up to mic.
◆ Saturday — Eligible voters may stand up to mic
● Non-Controversial
○ Proponent, intro, (3 min)
○ No pro, no con
● Controversial
○ Proponent, intro, (3 min)
○ Alternating
◆ 3 pro (1 min each)
◆ 3 con (1 min each)

28. Third Matter
Amendments
See NLG Bylaws Section 8.4

29. Amendments
How to Participate in Debate
➔
Proponents of Resolutions and Amendments & Candidates must be in
attendance at both the Friday and Saturday plenaries, and be ready to
speak.
➔
Just get in line at the microphone after proponent introduces
◆ Friday — Only proponents stand up to mic.
◆ Saturday — Eligible voters may stand up to mic
● Non-Controversial
○ Proponent, intro, (3 min)
○ No pro, no con
● Controversial
○ Proponent, intro, (3 min)
○ Alternating
◆ 3 pro (1 min each)
◆ 3 con (1 min each)

30. Amendment Constitution
Proposed Amendment to the Constitution Regarding the Composition of the Executive Council
of the National Executive Committee
Nadia Kayyali, Executive Vice President, National NLG Board Member, NLG-SF evp1@nlg.org
This amendment is endorsed by the Legal Workers Caucus.
Purpose: to add a Legal Worker Vice President to the National Officers that comprise the Executive Council
Article 5.8 of the National Lawyers Guild Constitution, entitled “Executive Council Actions Between Meetings” shall be amended as follows:
●
The Executive Officers and the Executive Director are authorized as the Executive Council (EC) to govern the business of the organization
between meetings of the full National Executive Committee and to take any action on behalf of the organization that the full National
Executive Committee is entitled to take. "Executive Officers" refers to the President, Executive Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Legal Worker
Vice President and the senior Student Vice President. The national officers shall report to the full National Executive Committee all actions
taken by the Executive Council between meetings; important decisions shall be reported within 15 days.
Rationale:
●
The National Lawyers Guild preamble states : “We seek to unite the lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers of
America in an organization which shall function as an effective political and social force in the service of the people, to the end that human
(rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests.
●
Furthermore, Article 2.1 of the Constitution, entitled “No Discrimination,” states “No member or other person qualified to participate
(including, for public events, members of the public) shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity of the organization based on sex, sexual preference, age, color, race, religion or political
belief or affiliation, disability, formal educational level, or condition of restraint within any institution.”
●
One of the National Lawyers Guild’s strengths is its inclusion of non-attorney members, including legal workers. Legal workers contribute
an incredible amount of experience, knowledge, expertise, and passion to this organization. Their full inclusion also has the potential to
break down the hegemonic model of the practice of law, which is oppressive and hierarchical.
●
However, Legal Workers as a group with the National Lawyers Guild remain less visible than our Constitution implies. They seldom serve
as the President- in fact, we have only ever had one legal worker serve as President. Their interests are oftentimes not strongly represented
at conventions and in chapters. Their work on landmark legal cases in demonstrations and other areas is under recognized.
●
The Executive Council makes important decisions in between the quarterly NEC meetings. It also occasionally deals with sensitive or
confidential matters. Thus, the EC serves an important function, and yet excludes legal workers from that work. It is time to ensure the full
inclusion of legal workers in the National Lawyers Guild. While this will not address the entire issue, it is a good start.

31. Results
Voting will be conducted at nlg.org/survey
Voting will begin after the plenary
Voting will end December 31, 2013

32. Please Help us Improve the Convention
Take the convention survey
at nlg.org/survey

33. Convention Safer Spaces
Harassment & Anti-Violence Hotline
305-767-3263
NLG Sexual Harassment & Complaint Procedure www.nlg.
org/file/846