The State Bar Association of North Dakota Winter 2014 Gavel Magazine | Page 4

SBAND
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR

Tony J. Weiler

SBAND Executive Director

“What, exactly, do you do?” That’s
a question I’ve heard quite frequently
since I became executive director of the
State Bar Association of North Dakota
(SBAND). There is no easy answer. Connie Sprynczynatyk, who recently retired
after serving as executive director of the
League of Cities for 17 years, told me she
answered that question, “I fly around a
million miles an hour with my hair on
fire!”
While Connie’s answer sums it up
pretty well, I’d like to give you a bit more
insight into SBAND and my role as executive director. The meaning of “association” is important. The word means a
group organized for a common purpose.
It also generally relates to a status as
tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue
Service rules. SBAND is a 501(c)(3)
charitable organization. SBAND is not a
charity – however, SBAND is not driven
by a need to generate profit.
As a professional association of attorneys, SBAND is mission-based. The mission is clear and straightforward: “The
mission of the Association is to serve the
lawyers and the people of North Dakota,
to improve professional competence,
promote the administration of justice,
uphold the honor of the profession of
law, and encourage cordial relations
among members of the State Bar.”
Associations have dues-paying members. SBAND is a unified bar, which
means that if you are licensed to practice law in North Dakota, you are a

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dues-paying member of the association.
SBAND became the first unified bar in
the nation in 1921, through legislative
action. There are now 32 unified bars in
the United States.
Under state law, the first $75 of each
attorney license fee must be received
by SBAND “for operation of the lawyer
discipline system.” Eighty percent of the
remaining amount of the annual license
fee is paid to SBAND “for the purpose
of administering and operating the
association,” and 20 percent is paid to
the State Board of Law Examiners. The
fees designated for discipline are used to
offset SBAND’s share of the cost of the
combined operations of the Disciplinary
Board and the Judicial Conduct Commission. SBAND is responsible for almost half of the cost of those operations.
Other services provided by member
dues payments include:
• Continuing Legal education Programs. In 2012 and 2013, SBAND offered 20 programs with varying topics
of interest to North Dakota lawyers.
Lawyer Assistance Program. The program provides assistance to lawyers
struggling with addiction, depression,
and other mental health conditions
which impact their ability to practice
law.
• member assistance Program. This
program offers confidential, professional counseling services in locations across the state for a variety of
concerns.
• Casemaker. Casemaker is a free tool
available for North Dakota lawyers to
assist with legal research.
Coordination of Pro Bono legal services. The Volunteer Lawyer Program
allows North Dakota lawyers to fulfill
their ethical obligation to provide
legal services and allow even the
impoverished to have access to the
justice system.
• Lawyer referral service. This service is a valuable resource for lawyers
to be connected with prospective

clients.
• represent lawyers in legislative and
governmental matters which impact
the practice of law. SBAND has an
active legislative committee and continues to work with legislative committees and executive branch agencies
during legislative interims.
• sBand Committee work. The
professionals at SBAND provide staffing and support services to the many
SBAND committees which provide
services and develop policies for those
practicing law in North Dakota.
• Judicial selec ѥ