§2996c Board of Directors

Summary

Create a Board of Directors with eleven voting members chosen by the President and approved by the Senate. No more than six may be from the same political party. A majority must be lawyers admitted to a State’s highest court, and none may be a full-time U.S. employee. For appointments made after December 28, 1977 (and no later than July 31, 1978), the Board must include eligible clients and broadly represent the organized bar, lawyers who help eligible clients, and the public. Members serve three-year terms, except five first appointees (picked by the President) serve two years. Members stay until their successor is ready. Vacancies are filled for the rest of the term. After the initial term, a member may be reappointed to at most two consecutive terms. Board members are not U.S. officers or employees. The President picks a chairman from the voting members for three years; after that the Board elects a chair each year. Seven members can remove a member for malfeasance, serious neglect, inability to do the job, or crimes of moral turpitude. Within six months of the first Board meeting, the Board will ask each Governor to name a nine-member state advisory council (mostly lawyers, with annual reappointment); if a Governor does not act within 90 days the Board may appoint the council. The council must report apparent violations to the Corporation and give affected recipients a copy; recipients get a reasonable chance (at least 30 days) to reply. All Board, executive committee, and advisory council meetings must be open under the rules of section 552b of title 5. The Board must meet at least four times each year.