Constitution of the Circle of Legal Trust “C.O.L.T.”
Welcome to our printed Constitution. We deliberately limit our lawyer contributors to one member per county, per state. There are no memberships presently. We are an organization of contributors, donors, and volunteers trying to help clean up the web and the reputation of lawyers in general. The Committee will review this decision at some point in the future. You may still apply to be a Referral attorney if you meet our honesty requirements.
But it’s a limited situation, yet extremely elite.
1.) As a member of the Circle of Legal Trust, you agree to adhere to your conduct to our mission statement, rank, and duty requirements. Hence, you consent to receive assignments from our ceremonial President, which changes by vote from time to time. Or any other member designated by the President may assign tasks.
2.) Also, you are expected to participate in social media to support and advance the public interest efforts of the Circle of Legal Trust regularly.
3.) All contributors must participate in actively posting quality, value-adding content, along with endorsing and occasionally sharing the quality and helpful posts of fellow members. Under our mission statement, it is the goal of this organization to improve the individual internet and social media presence. And this will be for each respective lawyer/contributor. And this is to improve the value of available online professional legal materials and information.
4.) You will be expected to participate (as schedule permits) in member hangouts/video/podcasts that will occur once every two weeks, or as otherwise stated at a designated time.
5.) Each Referral attorney contributor is expected to abide by our referral attorney rules and agree and accept the terms of the referral membership form. And they must actively engage in researching the latest trends in SEO, social media, and content drafting as it relates to attorneys and law firms to facilitate the goals of this organization
6.) Members will receive assignments once every two weeks at our designated meeting. But the task will relate to topics and trends in internet marketing. And it could cover legislation, net neutrality lobbying efforts, and social media. Also, before being listed as a Master, each member must draft an article/blog or create a presentation concerning the topic and relate the subject matter to ethically marketing our law firms on the internet and through social media or related legal issues of important to lawyers and clients. So, for example, Florida has very tough marketing laws for lawyers, and we need someone to help focus on this with us.
7.) Each Original and Masters Class volunteer of the Circle of Legal Trust has been vetted for having the necessary attributes to advance the goals of the organization and its fellows. But the President retains the ability to add and remove donors based on merit. So if a contrubutor cannot advance the mission of the Circle of Legal Trust, they are out.
8.) Each lawyer and outside vendor understand they are entering a brotherhood/sisterhood and must remain selfless towards all other individuals. Also, we will be expected to work together to assist individuals with problems they may encounter with marketing.
So they may need help with social media, website issues, or some other difficulties related to SEO. And sometimes, the fellowship may require more than just business help. This is an elite Corps of trusted lawyers and will not become tarnished. So we remain unsullied.
9.) Each member will be expected to attend an “annual retreat of the Circle of Legal Trust” held at a designated time in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will facilitate team-building exercises; trust falls, and breakout sessions. Also, waivers can be granted on a case-by-case basis, such as internet attendance.
10.) Each member understands that not all members can attend meetings, and those members will make the best efforts to attend or contribute in another substantial way upon proof of the Leadership.
Leadership:
1.) In this order: Senior Officers: President, Originals, “In arma serviens” [Sgt. At Arms], Intelligence/Development. Junior Officers. All officers are appointed by the President and serve at his/her pleasure.
Officers: Originals are considered lifetime members and can only be removed by the President. Each Original has veto power over new potential poolees and plebiscites.
Chapterheads: All Chapterheads are junior officers who remain responsible for the administration, tutelage, and growth of their chapters. Junior officers are directly accountable to Chapter Heads. Chapter heads can be removed by the President, by a vote of senior officers, by a full vote of the Chapters, or any combination thereof or not.
“Territorium” [Territories]:
a.) Chapters: Chapters are divided by State. There is one chapter head appointed per state’s County. Only one attorney per state and County in each state is allowed to be involved in our Dominus Mastermind Groups. So if, for example, you practice law in California and are based in Los Angeles County, then you are responsible for Leadership. And that means the tutelage of each attorney in each other County as a Chapter Head. Chapter Heads are appointed and removed by the President.
Ranking Structure:
1.) At least one attorney must achieve all these things to be a full-patch member and display the full-patch COLT badge on their site.
a.) Level One: Circumpendeo [Hangaround]: Attends meetings, helps with podcasts, videocasts, and any site admin issues. Also, they will write educational articles about their education in ethical search and referral fee practices.
b.) Level Two: *Referre et Stipendium [Refer and Pay]: This can be a volunteer who really does not participate in the advanced duties to become a true participant or who cannot but who has the trust to be part of our Referre et Stipendium attorney referral network. On a case-by-case basis, we allow some superior lawyers into the COLT attorney referral network. Unfortunately, there is a very arduous vetting process designed to prevent lawyers from joining who later make up excuses, try and weasel their way out of paying, or do not give regular case status updates.
Good Status
Upon vetting and payment of your yearly membership fee, you can maintain your membership so long as you remain in good status. *Should any fee disputes between you and another member of COLT regarding your payment of a referral fee, your account and access to groups may be terminated or placed into automatic suspension. There is an appeal process in place for those parties to come to terms with the other lawyer upon proof of reconciliation.
Referre et Stipendium: Are allowed to maintain their listings in our private membership directory and update it with their contact info, social media, etc. These are non-publicly displayed profiles and will not be displayed in the search engines by COLT.
Other Privileges may include: Posting and commenting on the COLT site. Becoming eligible to advertise on the site in order to try and achieve prospect status.
c.) “Prospectus” [Prospect]: Eligible to guest speak at video hangouts and expected to continue in the same duties as when a Circumpendeo. So you are expected to recruit for your Chapter Head in your state. And you must help examine the site architecture of new prospects and Circumpendeo. Naturally, understanding Basic WordPress, or MoveAble Type, type CMS remains a requirement. Basic to be defined by the Originals and/or President. Last, Circumpendeo must master a particular facet of social, organic, or local search.
d.) “Bellator” [Full Patch Knight]: Receives full patch membership badge status. Also, the Bellator gets white-listed on web-o-trust.org. So this member gets his or her own whitelist profile. Next, this member continues locating resource material. And they never stop writing educational articles on circleoflegaltrust.com. Last, the Bellator is expected to spearhead Chapters. And that means lots of pods and video casting.
e.) “Dux Capitulum Civitus” [State Chapter Head] f. “Dux Capitulum Common” [County Chapter Head]. See above for more.
Affiliates/Friends:
1.) Non-Attorney, or “Friend” Class: Although we are committed to attorney search, the backbone of C.O.L.T. is the consumer, outside search expert, and contributor. Although this class is not eligible for Bellator, attorney, or honorary attorney positions. exist. Also, other rewards and responsibilities remain.
2.) Attorney:
Attorneys who can’t be members can collaborate on a case-by-case basis. And that is with consent after consultation by Chapter Heads and Originals. However, the President and/or originals must have a line of communication with the collaborating attorney. Also, affiliates must contribute in some meaningful way to the organization. But these non-members must still agree to maintain their site architecture and quality rules under the C.O.L.T. standards.
Donation Fees:
- Currently, our partners donate fees on a sliding scale. Call to learn more.
- Lifetime donors contribute $5000.00. All levels of donors pay differently.
- Merit and paying dues are the only keys to a superior position of trust within COLT.
At some point in the future, members may be asked to contribute to sponsoring event services. And this could be cocktail service, meeting space, etc.. Currently, you are encouraged to donate to the web developer. (Click here).
Quality Guidelines:
Local Search: click here. see also here.
Organic Search: click here. see also here.