Updated: April 12, 2024

Intellectual Property Section Executive Committee Elections

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Every year, the Intellectual Property Section holds elections for open seats on its executive committee. On this page you will find information about the election process, how to run for an executive committee position, and other helpful info.

Election Information

Election Timeline

How to Apply

Executive Committee Roles


Election Information

Shape Your Section for the Future: Apply Today to Become a Section Leader

Application Deadline is 5 p.m., May 8, 2024.

The following section executive committee positions are open for applications. All terms begin Oct. 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted.

  • Secretary/Treasurer: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2024, and ending Sept. 30, 2025.
  • At-Large Member: (two positions open) two-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2024, and ending Sept. 30, 2026.

To learn more about roles and expectations for serving on the section executive committee, review this volunteer position description, which provides a general overview of section executive committee positions and may differ for each section.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be a current section member and eligible to vote in accordance with the section's bylaws.

Application Process: Go to the myWSBA.org Portal to complete the online application for open executive committee positions. The Section has requested that each applicant submit a statement of interest. This document must be uploaded with your online application (pdf format only). Please be advised that application materials may be posted on this website for public viewing during the election.

Note: If you are applying for more than one position on this or multiple sections' committees, you must complete and submit all applications at the same time, as you will not be allowed back into the portal at a later time. Please make sure you are completing the applications within the application window for all of the relevant sections.

Nominating Process: The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of nominations for open At-Large Executive Committee member positions, i.e., to fill the positions of At-Large Executive Committee members who will step down from the Executive Committee on September 30 of the following year, and to fill vacancies then existing for unexpired terms. The committee shall also prepare a list of nominations for open Officers. The Nominating Committee shall present its list(s) to the Executive Committee at an Executive Committee meeting occurring no later than in March of the same Bar fiscal year. The Executive Committee will select final nominees from the Nominating Committee’s list(s) at its March meeting. The Executive Committee should reflect diverse perspectives. To assist this, all such applicants will apply through an electronic application process administered by the Bar when such electronic application process is available. The application form in the electronic application process administered by the Bar will, on a voluntary basis, solicit information including, but not limited to, the person’s ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, area of practice, years of practice, employer, number of lawyers in law firm, previous involvement in section activities, and skills or knowledge relevant to the position. Any such applicants that apply through the Bar’s electronic application process will be considered by the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee should actively take factors of diversity into account when making recommendations to the Executive Committee.

Alternate Nominating Process: The Executive Committee may also solicit, each year, from the Section’s members, nominations for open positions to the Executive Committee (hereinafter, “Solicitation Process”).The Solicitation Process will be by way of a call for applications for nominees. The Solicitation Process will commence March 1 of each year and will close no later than March 31. If more than three applications are submitted in any given year, the Executive Committee shall review the applications and select three final nominees from the applications based on demonstrated interest and excellence in the area of intellectual property law, commitment to service, and factors of diversity. If three or fewer applications are submitted in any given year, the three applicants shall be the final nominees from the Solicitation Process, unless one or more of the applicants is not eligible, pursuant to these Bylaws, for the applicable open position(s), in which case the ineligible applicants shall not be included in the list of final nominees. The Executive Committee shall approve a list of nominees for the open Executive Committee positions no later than the end of April each year. The list of nominees shall include the final nominees from the Nominating Committee process and the final nominees from the Solicitation process.

Elections Process: All voting members of the section will receive an electronic ballot sent to their email on June 3, 2024. Return to this webpage in early June for election updates and voting instructions.

Questions?
For more information about the section, its executive committee roles, and elections process, please review the section's bylaws. You may also contact any member of the Section Executive Committee or email sections@wsba.org.

 

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How to Apply

Interested in applying for one of the open positions on your section's executive committee? Here's how to get started.

  • Head over to myWSBA.org and log in using your bar number and password.
  • On the left toolbar, under the "CONNECT & SERVE" heading, click "Section Executive Committee Application."

PLEASE NOTE: You must be a current section member to apply. If you have not joined a specific section or renewed your membership, that section's name will not display in the drop-down menu. If you are not a current member of any sections, you will see this message in the Step 1 box: You are not eligible to apply for a position on the section executive committee because the application deadline has passed or because you are not a voting member of the section.

  • Step 1
    • Select the section whose executive committee you'd like to apply for.
    • Select the position within the section you'd like apply for.
    • Click "Add."

PLEASE NOTE: You must add all positions you'd like to apply for in this step before continuing, and especially before you complete your application. You will not be able to apply for additional positions through the portal after submitting your application.

  • Step 2 — Upload the request documents.
  • Step 3 — Respond to any/all of the Voluntary Demographic Information questions (optional).
  • Click "Submit Application."

And you're all done!

If you have any questions, or issues with applying, please contact Noah Baetge, or the sections team at sections@wsba.org.

 

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Election Timeline

The election season for the FY 2025 term year has begun. This election will determine who will serve in executive committee positions opening as of Oct. 1, 2024 as well as some current vacancies. Please see the following timeline for important dates regarding your section's election timeline.

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Executive Committee Roles

The Intellectual Property Section's bylaws currently list the following required executive committee positions. Open positions are listed above in the Election Information section.

  • Chair
  • Chair-Elect
  • Immediate Past Chair
  • Secretary-Treasurer
  • Five (5) At-Large Members

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