Harvard Law School Association

Club and Shared Interest Group (SIG)
Operating Guidelines

Summary of the fundamental operating guidelines the HLSA (global organization) expects each HLSA Club or SIG to function


These guidelines must be electronically approved by the Club and Shared Interest Group (SIG) President and submitted to the HLSA and HLS Alumni Relations Office annually as part of the Annual Club/SIG Certification process. The purpose of this document is to summarize the fundamental operating guidelines under which the HLSA expects each Club/SIG to function. It is critically important to the HLSA and HLS, as each Club/SIG represents the School to their alumni membership and should, therefore, operate consistently with and reinforce the core purpose and brands of the HLSA and HLS.  
 

I. Mission/Purpose of HLSA Clubs and SIGs
The purpose of HLSA Clubs and SIGs is to advance the cause of legal education, to promote the interests and increase the usefulness of the Harvard Law School, and to promote mutual acquaintance and good fellowship among all members of the Harvard Law School community and its alumni. This is accomplished by working in cooperation with the HLSA Executive Committee, the School, and the HLS Alumni Center by:

  • Providing opportunities for alumni to remain connected to the School and each other;

  • Encouraging life-long learning, intellectual enrichment, professional growth, and social interaction through forums of continuing education and development;

  • Providing opportunities for alumni to meet and serve as advocates, helping to promote and elevate the stature of the School within the community through Club/SIG programming.


II. Operating Guidelines
The Operating Guidelines require the following from each HLSA Club or SIG:

1. Inclusive Access: Allow access to all HLSA Members (see Members of the HLSA for all qualifications which grant HLSA Member status).

2. Bylaws/Governance: Operate under the direction of a written set of bylaws that provides clear and appropriate operating procedures as to the governance of the Club/SIG.

  • The bylaws should be available to all alumni and posted on the Club/SIG website.  

  • Should Club/SIG bylaws be amended, they must share a copy of the suggested amendments with the HLSA President and HLS Alumni Relations staff (hlsa@law.harvard.edu). The amendments will be reviewed to ensure they align with the HLSA Constitution (global organization) and meet the operating procedures set forth by HLS. Once approved and formally endorsed by the HLSA Executive Committee, the Club/SIG can administer the adjustments in accordance with their bylaws.  

3. Volunteer Roles: Governance roles must be established and defined to oversee the operations of the Club/SIG. 

  • Officer positions should be defined and include a President, Vice President, Programming Chair, Communications/Technology Chair, and Treasurer. All Officers in the Club/SIG should be HLSA Members. The Club/SIG must have clearly defined Officer roles and responsibilities, succession plans with explicit term limits, and election/nomination procedures stated in the Club/SIG organizational bylaws. 

  • A Board of Directors may be established to oversee Club/SIG operations and Officers. If a Board of Directors is established, the Club/SIG must have clearly defined Board of Director roles and responsibilities, succession plans with explicit term limits, and election/nomination procedures stated in the Club/SIG organizational bylaws. 

  • The Club/SIG list of Officers and Board of Directors should be available to all alumni and posted on the Club/SIG website.

4. Financial Controls: Ensure financial controls are in place and that funds are managed prudently. 

5. Ethics/Conflicts of Interest: Operate in a professional/ethical manner that does not allow mixing personal, political, or commercial business with the Club/SIG activities or communications. 

  • No Officers, Board of Directors, or volunteers should benefit financially from involvement with the Club/SIG. Club/SIG communications should not contain "advertisements" for or listings of any businesses unless those businesses have a formal Club/SIG volunteer leadership-approved sponsorship agreement. 

  • Clubs/SIGs must not endorse any political party, platform, or candidate for office in any way. Membership and alumni data may not be used for political campaigning or solicitation for support. 

6. Alumni Data: Alumni data must be considered confidential information. Alumni data may only be used by Club/SIG Officers, Board of Directors, or volunteers and only by non-alumni where the non-alumnus is a paid Web Administrator managing the Club/SIG website (AlumniMagnet).  All Club/SIG Presidents are responsible for requiring all non-alumni Web Administrator(s) to sign the HLS Alumni Data Confidentiality Agreement.   

  • All signed Confidentiality Agreements must be submitted to the HLS Alumni Center to obtain alumni data. The Club/SIG volunteers, as defined above with access to alumni data,  must sign and submit the HLS Alumni Data Confidentiality Agreement before access to alumni data is granted. Please get in touch with hlsa@law.harvard.edu to request the HLS Alumni Data Confidentiality Agreement and describe the Club/SIG data you wish to receive and the purpose for use. This signed agreement must be resubmitted with every Club/SIG data request.  

  • Club/SIG Officers, Board of Directors, or volunteers may request a list of alumni in their Club/SIG population. The data they will receive following signing the HLS Alumni Data Confidentiality Agreement is as follows: name, class year/degree type, home and business address (only city/state/country), employer name, and title.

  • HLSA Club/SIG cannot distribute or publish Alumni data in print or electronic form. Only HLSA Club/SIG volunteers with signed NDAs are to access and view alumni data. 

  • Alumni data and Alumni Directory information may only be used for outreach and engagement to further Club/SIG activities.  

7. Communication: The Club/SIG should communicate clearly and regularly to its members and HLS.

  • Clubs/SIGs should send regular communications to their members, whether in print or electronic form. 

  • Club/SIGs must use the website and electronic communication tools (AlumniMagnet) provided by HLS to communicate with their members. Third-party email communication tools do not meet the security, management, and email privacy standards set forth by HLS.  

  • Clubs/SIGs are required to host at least one meeting for its members each year, where Board of Director or Officer elections are conducted.  

  • Clubs/SIGs must post all events on their website (AlumniMagnet).  

  • The Club/SIG must also complete the annual HLSA Clubs & SIGs Certification, which provides the HLSA Executive Committee and the School with information on current Officers, Board of Directors, volunteers, programming, and organizational documents of the Club/SIG. 

  • Clubs/SIGs agree to follow the HLSA Policy on issuing statements about campus, national, or international developments.

8. Representation: The Club/SIG must represent itself appropriately as a separate and independent alumni organization, not as the Harvard Law School.  

9. Brand: The Club/SIG must adhere to the HLSA Partnership Guidelines and Harvard University and HLS Logo/Trademark Guidelines. Non-compliance with School and University policies may result in the Club/SIG losing the right to use the "Harvard" name. The HLS Alumni Relations Staff will provide an approved Club/SIG logo that must be used for marketing purposes in alignment with the abovementioned Guidelines.  
 

III. Dissolution  
The HLSA Executive Committee and the School shall have the discretion at all times to revoke the status of a Club/SIG and/or require the removal of a Club/SIG Officer if, in the HLSA Executive Committee, Harvard University, Harvard Law School’s judgment, such Club/SIG Officer, Board of Director, or volunteer has committed a severe violation of the Club/SIG mission, has breached the spirit in which Clubs/SIGs function, has been negligent in the management of the Club/SIG, has brought discredit to the reputation of the HLSA, the Club/SIG, or the School, or has otherwise acted in ways deemed inappropriate by the HLSA Executive Committee or the School. 

 

Should a Club/SIG fail to register annually (Certification) with the Association per the requirements set by the Association (Association Constitution Article VI Section 6.2), the Executive Committee of the Association, by majority vote at a regular or special called meeting, or the HLS Alumni Relations Office, may revoke the recognition and registration of a Club/SIG. This includes violation of the Association's operations guidelines, misuse of alumni data or contact information, inappropriate communication, or any other conduct by a Club/SIG Board of Director or Officer detrimental to the interests of the Association or Harvard Law School (Association Constitution Article VI Section 6.3). 

 

The HLSA Executive Committee expects Clubs/SIGs to evaluate whether their activities are fulfilling the mission of the HLSA and to work cooperatively with the Executive Committee and Alumni Relations Office to ensure resources are optimized for alumni engagement. 

 

In the event of the dissolution of the Club/SIG, all funds and other property, if any, shall be transferred to the Association and the HLS Alumni Relations Office.