Translation of the official version. Status: May 18, 2017
The Association shall bear the name "German-Russian Lawyers' Association e.V.".
It is a non-profit association and registered in the Hamburg Register of Associations.
The seat of the association is Hamburg.
The Association shall act selflessly; it shall not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. It shall exclusively and directly pursue non-profit purposes within the meaning of the section "Tax-privileged purposes" of the German Fiscal Code. The purpose of the Association is the promotion of science and research as well as national and professional education.
The Association provides a forum for mutual exchange on Russian and German law. It is dedicated to improving knowledge of the law applicable in the Russian Federation and in the territory of the former Soviet Union in the Federal Republic of Germany as well as of German law in the Russian Federation, to promoting the exchange between lawyers and persons interested in the law of both countries as well as to stimulating and supporting comparative legal considerations.
This goal is achieved in particular through
- events on questions of Russian law or on questions of German-Russian legal relations,
- regular regional meetings of the members
- the publication of contributions from academia and practice
- the awarding of a German-Russian Lawyers' Prize,
- the promotion of cooperation between lawyers of both countries as well as the support of scientific work.
The Association may join other organisations.
The Association shall consist of ordinary members and honorary members.
Ordinary members of the Association may become natural and legal persons as well as partnerships who affirm its objectives.
The appointment of honorary members shall be decided by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Executive Board.
Admission to the Association shall be decided by the Executive Board on the basis of a declaration of membership.
Membership in the Association shall expire
– by declaration of resignation, which must be communicated to the Executive Board in text form. Resignation is only possible at the end of a calendar year and must be received by the Executive Board before the end of the year.
– if a member has not paid the annual subscription levied in accordance with § 6 even after three reminders. Termination under this subparagraph shall take effect as soon as the Executive Board determines that membership has ended.
– by expulsion, which may be decided by the Executive Board after hearing the person concerned in the event of a violation of the interests of the Association. The person concerned may request the decision of the General Assembly. In this case, the majority of the votes cast shall decide on the retention of the person concerned,
– in the case of natural members by death, in the case of corporate members by their dissolution.
The financial year of the Association shall be the calendar year.
Ordinary members are obliged to pay an annual membership fee. The membership fee shall be due at the beginning of the financial year. In exceptional cases, the Executive Board may grant deferment of payment, reduce or waive the fee. Honorary members shall be exempt from the obligation to pay the fee. The General Assembly shall decide on the amount of the fees on the basis of a proposal by the Executive Board.
The Association's funds may only be used for the purposes set out in the Statutes. The members shall not receive any benefits from the Association's funds; this shall also apply to the activities of the Executive Board. The members are not entitled to any of the Association's assets upon their resignation or upon the dissolution or annulment of the Association. No person may be favoured by expenses that are alien to the purposes of the Association or by disproportionately high remuneration.
The organs of the Association are the Executive Board, the General Assembly and the Advisory Board.
The Executive Board consists of the Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons and at least two other members, including the Secretary and Treasurer. The members of the Executive Board shall each have sole power of representation in and out of court.
The Executive Board shall be elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years, either individually or as a block; it shall remain in office beyond that time until a new Executive Board has been elected. Re-election is possible. The Executive Board shall conduct the business of the Association on the basis of the resolutions of the General Assembly. It may adopt rules of procedure. The Executive Board shall draw up the Association's budget and decide on the use of the funds. The Board shall meet at the request of the Chairperson or two other members of the Board. It passes its resolutions by a simple majority of the members present. The Board shall not constitute a quorum if fewer than three members are present. In the case of written resolutions, the consent of more than half of the members is required.
The association may form an Advisory Board. The General Assembly shall decide on its appointment. The Advisory Board has the task to support and advise the organs of the Association. The work of the Advisory Board is honorary. The members of the Advisory Board shall be elected by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Chairperson for a term of three years. The Advisory Board may adopt rules of procedure.
The ordinary general meeting shall take place annually. It shall be convened in text form by the Chairperson or, if he/she is prevented from doing so, by another member of the Executive Board, giving four weeks' notice and stating the agenda. The Chairperson shall chair the General Assembly; if he/she is prevented from doing so, another member of the Executive Board shall do so. The General Assembly should be combined with a professional event. An extraordinary General Assembly may be convened by the Chairperson. It shall be convened if at least one third of the members request it in writing to the Executive Board, stating the purpose and the reasons. Each member has one vote at the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall pass its resolutions by a simple majority of the votes cast; absent natural persons shall not be represented. with exemption of the election of the Executive Board. Votes shall be cast openly unless a secret ballot is requested, except for the election of the Executive Board. Amendments to the Statutes require a majority of three quarters of the votes cast. The resolutions of the general meeting shall be recorded in minutes to be signed by the chairman of the meeting and another member of the Executive Board.
The Association may be dissolved by resolution of the General Assembly with a majority of two thirds of the members.
In the event of the dissolution or termination of the Association or in the event of the discontinuation of its tax-privileged purpose, the assets of the Association shall pass to a public corporation or to a corporation specially recognised as tax-privileged for the purpose of using them for the purposes of popular education and vocational training as defined in the Articles of Association. The recipient shall be determined by the General Assembly at the same time as the resolution under paragraph 1.
