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The Executive Director shall have no authority to enter into agreements with vendors
in any of the following circumstances: (i) the agreement concerns a product or service
that is illegal, reflects poorly on the legal profession, or detracts from the fair
administration of justice; (ii) the agreement would violate any of the written policies of
the LSBA, including, without limitation, the conflict of interest policy; (iii) the
agreement would raise divisive or controversial social or political issues; or (iv) the
agreement is with a vendor who is the subject of public disrepute or a criminal
investigation.

Vendor Endorsements
The LSBA Board of Governors has established a policy that the LSBA will not endorse
vendors or otherwise permit vendors to hold themselves out as having been endorsed
by the LSBA except when a vendor offers a significant and unique benefit or service
to the members of the LSBA. The Executive Director has been granted the authority,
directly or through her staff, to investigate and negotiate endorsement agreements, but
the LSBA Board of Governors has reserved for itself the sole authority to approve such
agreements and has directed the Executive Director to investigate fully all proposed
endorsement agreements before presentation to the LSBA Board of Governors in order
to confirm that: (1) the benefits offered are significant and unique and otherwise
unavailable to members of the bar; (2) the vendor has an impeccable reputation; (3) the
endorsement agreement will not harm or diminish the reputation of the LSBA; and (4)
the endorsement agreement is otherwise in the best interest of the LSBA and its
members.

Vendor Acknowledgements
The Executive Director has been granted the authority to publish information to LSBA
members about vendors who offer discounts, products, services, or other benefits to
LSBA members without any endorsement by the LSBA. Information regarding these
offers may be communicated to the LSBA membership via publications of member
benefits lists and discounts available to LSBA members through any of the LSBA’s
normal communication vehicles. No vendor is entitled to the publication of their
information to members and the LSBA Executive Director is granted broad discretion
to determine whether to communicate particular vendor offers to LSBA members.

Adopted January 20, 2012

U. Whistleblower Protection
In an effort to maintain the highest standards of conduct and ethics, the Louisiana State
Bar Association will investigate any suspected fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of
the LSBA’s resources or property by staff, Board of Governors members, consultants
or volunteers.

Staff, Board of Governors, consultants and volunteers are encouraged to report
suspected fraudulent or dishonest conduct (i.e., to act as “whistleblower”), pursuant to
the procedures set forth below.

Definitions

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