Icelandic Association of Patent and Trademark Representatives
Lög félagsins
Bylaws for the Icelandic Association of Patent and Trademark Representatives
I.
The association's name and domicile
Art. 1
The Association is named 'Félag umboðsmanna vörumerkja og einkaleyfa', in English: Icelandic Association of Patent and Trademark Representatives. Its domicile is in Reykjavik.
II.
The Association's object
Art. 2
The Association's object is:
2.1 to work for the protection of industrial intellectual property rights,
2.2. to promote professional and safe handling of the matters defined in 2.1,
2.3 to engage in development and progress of laws and the legal practice in the field of intellectual property rights.
2.4 to promote good cooperation between its members and to guard their interests in all aspects.
III.
Members
Art. 3
Only those can become members who meet the following requirements:
3.1. are engaged in the work of providing independent advice in matters regarding legal protection of industrial intellectual property rights,
3.2. are domiciled in Iceland and are fully fluent in the Icelandic language,
3.3. have completed a degree in law from the legal faculty of the University of Iceland or a university degree in engineering from the University of Iceland or a corresponding University degree,
3.4. have worked, as lawyer, engineer or with corresponding qualifications in a trademark- or patent office for at least 5 years, thereof involved with trademarks or patents as main activity for at least 3 years. It is presumed that an owner or partner of the mentioned trademark- or patent office is a member.
The provisions of this article (3.4) may be excused under special circumstances if ¾ of members attending the annual meeting agree.
Art. 4
When a person desires to become a member in accordance with Art. 3 he shall submit to the board a written request to that effect. The board will bring the request before the next annual meeting for a vote.
Art. 5
Members should exercise good fellowship between each other.
Art. 6
The board is authorized to decide annual fees as it deems necessary at any time.
Art. 7
Should a disagreement arise between members due their professional activities a party to such matter can bring the matter before the board of the association. The board will attempt to settle the matter. If a settlement cannot be reached, a party can request a ruling by the board.
Art. 8
A member ceases to be a member:
8.1 if he has been convicted by a court for an act which is considered shameful in the public opinion,
8.2 if he has lost custodianship over his estate,
8.3 if an annual meeting has decided to expel him,
8.4 if a he ceases professional activities as defined in 1st sentence of Art. 3,
8.5 if he does not pay the annual fee, despite repeated reminders,
8.6 if he resigns in writing from being a member.
IV.
Board and inspector
Art. 9
The board is composed of three persons, elected at the annual meeting for one year, and one vice member. The board will itself elect a president, treasurer and secretary. The annual meetin shall also elect an inspector to inspect the accounts of the association for the past budget year and comment on these.
V.
Meetings of the association
Art. 10
An annual meeting of the association is held annually in Reykjavik, no later than in May of each year. The following matters should be addressed at the annual meeting:
10.1 report of the board of the association's activities for the past year,
10.2 the accounts of the association are presented,
10.3 election of the board and an inspector of the accounts,
10.4 other matters.
Art. 11
The board shall announce the annual meeting in a verifiable manner with at least 7 days notice. The announcement shall include the agenda of the meeting. The annual meeting is chaired by an elected chair, who first examines the validity of the meeting. The annual meeting is valid if at least half of all members are in attendance. If sufficient number of members are not present as required in accordance with the 1st sentence of this article, a new annual meeting shall be announced and that meeting is valid if it is validly announced.
Art. 12
Brief reports of what takes place at meetings of the association are recorded in the journal of the association, in particular any decisions. Minutes should be read at the end of a meeting and put to vote. The chair together with the secretary sign the minutes. The report of a meeting is considered full proof of what took place at the meeting. Reports of board meeting should also be recorded in a journal and attending board members undersign the reports.
Art. 13
The board of the association invites to general meetings three times per year, but not in June, July and August unless a special occasion arises. The duty to invite to general meetings is not applicable should the number of members exceed 40. The board can designate members to a working group.
Art. 14
A decision to dissolve the Association shall be taken at the Annual meeting, by simple majority of votes, and property of the Association shall be donated to Geðhjálp (The Icelandic Mental Health Alliance).
Art. 15
The bylaws can only be amended in an annual meeting, when 2/3 of attending member approve the amendments.
These bylaws were first accepted by the annual meeting of the association in 1984. They were amended in 1988, 1993, 2003, 2005 and 2017.