Venable partner George Constantine will present “Regulating Conduct and Ethics While Minimizing Legal Risks” at the ACCESSE23 Leadership Conference hosted by CESSE in Detroit on July 12.
Organization leaders face a growing number of complaints about member conduct at meetings, on social media, and in their professional lives. Many societies have decided that enough is enough—rather than hide behind a policy of non-enforcement, they are now pursuing resolutions that may end with member suspension or expulsion. However, organizations need to take care to minimize legal risk while they enforce codes of ethics and conduct. Expulsion and suspension decisions that are arrived at hastily and are not pursuant to established procedures may be challenged in costly court actions as inconsistent with the organization’s internal documents and applicable law. Our experts will address practical and legal issues that can arise, including:
- Are your organization’s ethical and conduct standards properly worded?
- What do your bylaws and state law say about member expulsion or suspension?
- What level of due process is owed to someone facing an ethics complaint?
- Are your organization’s procedures for handling complaints effective and compliant?
- How “public” should any final decision be?
- Can and should an organization allow for anonymous complaints?
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