42 U.S.C. § 2996k — Board of Directors

**(a) Establishment; membership** The Corporation shall have a Board of Directors consisting of eleven voting members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, no more than six of whom shall be of the same political party. A majority shall be members of the bar of the highest court of any State, and none shall be a full-time employee of the United States. Effective with respect to appointments made after December 28, 1977, but not later than July 31, 1978, the membership of the Board shall be appointed so as to include eligible clients, and to be generally representative of the organized bar, attorneys providing legal assistance to eligible clients, and the general public. **(b) Term of office** The term of office of each member of the Board shall be three years, except that five of the members first appointed, as designated by the President at the time of appointment, shall serve for a term of two years. Each member of the Board shall continue to serve until the successor to such member has been appointed and qualified. The term of initial members shall be computed from the date of the first meeting of the Board. The term of each member other than initial members shall be computed from the date of termination of the preceding term. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which such member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. No member shall be reappointed to more than two consecutive terms immediately following such member’s initial term. **(c) Board members not deemed officers or employees of United States** The members of the Board shall not, by reason of such membership, be deemed officers or employees of the United States. **(d) Chairman** The President shall select from among the voting members of the Board a chairman, who shall serve for a term of three years. Thereafter the Board shall annually elect a chairman from among its voting members. **(e) Removal** A member of the Board may be removed by a vote of seven members for malfeasance in office or for persistent neglect of or inability to discharge duties, or for offenses involving moral turpitude, and for no other cause. **(f) State advisory councils** Within six months after the first meeting of the Board, the Board shall request the Governor of each State to appoint a nine-member advisory council for such State. A majority of the members of the advisory council shall be appointed, after recommendations have been received from the State bar association, from among the attorneys admitted to practice in the State, and the membership of the council shall be subject to annual reappointment. If ninety days have elapsed without such an advisory council appointed by the Governor, the Board is authorized to appoint such a council. The advisory council shall be charged with notifying the Corporation of any apparent violation of the provisions of this subchapter and applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines promulgated pursuant to this subchapter. The advisory council shall, at the same time, furnish a copy of the notification to any recipient affected thereby, and the Corporation shall allow such recipient a reasonable time (but in no case less than thirty days) to reply to any allegation contained in the notification. **(g) Open meetings; applicability of Government in the Sunshine provisions** All meetings of the Board, of any executive committee of the Board, and of any advisory council established in connection with this subchapter shall be open and shall be subject to the requirements and provisions of [section 552b of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section552b&num=0&edition=prelim) (relating to open meetings). **(h) Quarterly meetings** The Board shall meet at least four times during each calendar year.