Beverly Hills Bar Association

What it reported doing in 2024

Beverly hills bar association and beverly hills bar association personnel referral service, inc., collectively, are defined as "the association." the association is a nationally recognized major metropolitan bar association based in beverly hills, California, and serves more than 60,000 lawyers primarily in California. The mission of the association is to serve its members, to lead its profession, and to advocate for justice in its community. To these ends, the association operates the following programs: membership activities this program focuses primarily on providing mandatory continuing legal education ("mcle") courses for attorneys in more than 45 substantive law practice areas, almost all of which are presented as live webcasts per year. The association also maintains mcle records for attendees of association education programs and maintains a recap of the mcle programs attorneys attend on an annual basis. Members may improve their leadership skills through participation in section executive committees and the board of governors. Members may also take advantage of a range of member benefits and services, including [genna] suitable for legal practitioners ranging from sole practitioners to large firms, legal research services, and more. These member benefit agreements, along with event and section sponsorships, increase revenues for the association. The association offers in-person networking opportunities for its members to build their professional profile, increase referral opportunities, and expand their personal networks. These networking opportunities are typically sponsored and those sponsorships increase revenue for the association. Public service activities the association sponsors a number of public service activities, including: - the roxbury park legal clinic, a free monthly workshop where the public can consult with attorneys. - pro bono opportunities to provide free legal aid to those in need. Continuing education programs through this program, members are able to fulfill the state bar-mandated requirements for continuing legal education. Each year, more than 400 state bar-approved courses are offered on leading-edge topics of interest in each practice area. Barristers' activities the barristers program is an important resource for newer attorneys (under age thirty-seven or practicing ten years or less). This program includes community outreach activities and social events geared toward law students and new attorneys. Lawyer's fee arbitration the association operates one of only two state bar-approved mandatory fee arbitration programs servicing los angeles county. Attorneys are trained to serve as mediators or arbitrators for attorney-client fee disputes. Participants provide a valuable service while gaining neutral experience. Placement services the personnel referral service provides screened and tested permanent and temporary legal secretaries and other support personnel.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 20%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.09; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.49; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 26%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -1.2% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings