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ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP
(This Article Revised Effective September 16, 2004)

Membership in this association shall be open to all Landmen and those professionals who are directly, primarily and regularly engaged in performing services in the oil, gas and mineral industries.

A “Landman” (regardless of title) is defined as a professional person regularly and primarily responsible for the negotiation, acquisition, divestment and management of interest in oil, gas and/or any other mineral estates in land.

Eligibility for membership, approval of classification and the acceptance of any applicant therefor shall be determined by a Screening Committee appointed by the President, such committee to include the President.

Only active members may hold office, chair committees, vote in association affairs or sponsor membership applications.  New membership in this association shall consist of the following classifications:

 

(a) Active membership in the association shall be available to Landmen. This includes people classified by their employer as a Landman and those engaged in rendering professional services as Landmen on an independent contractor basis. It would include those dealing with oil and gas, coal or other minerals. It does not include attorneys that predominantly practice law and provide legal services as opposed to land services, nor does it include those professionals who are directly, primarily and regularly engaged in performing other services or activities in the oil, gas and mineral industries.

(b) An active member shall have a minimum of three (3) years of active experience as a Landman and the recommendation of at least two (2) active members who know the applicant, provided that CPLs and RPLs in good standing with the AAPL are not required to obtain said recommendations.  (Article V. (1) (b) Revised April 17, 2007)

(c) Eligibility for active membership shall not be affected by a change in location, classification of employment, departmental or managerial assignment.

 

(a) Associate membership in the association shall be available to (i) those persons otherwise qualifying as an active member with less than three (3) years active experience as a Landman, (ii) attorneys that predominantly practice law and provide legal services in the energy industry as opposed to land services, and (iii) those other professionals directly, primarily and regularly engaged in performing services in the oil, gas and mineral industries, other than land services.

(b) An associate member must also have the recommendation of at least two (2) active members who know the applicant.

(c) Upon meeting the criteria for qualification of active membership, an associate member shall re-apply as a new member in accordance with Article V. 1. a above.

 

(a) An honorary life membership shall be extended to all past presidents of the association.

(b) An honorary life membership shall be conferred on any other person closely associated with the energy industry whom the Executive Committee might recommend.  Such recipient of the honorary life membership shall not be required to pay annual dues nor shall he be eligible to vote or hold office.  Other than these exceptions, the recipient of such honorary life membership shall be entitled to the full privilege accorded an active membership.

 

Upon request, a life membership shall be extended to any active member of the association upon reaching sixty-five (65) years of age who retires from his status as being directly, primarily and regularly engaged as a Landman, provided he has been an active member of the association for a minimum period of five (5) years preceding his retirement.

*The honorary life and life memberships defined in (3)(a) and (4) above shall carry the full privilege accorded an active membership, except that the payment of annual dues shall be abated.  A member qualifying for the life membership under these categories shall, in the event said member elects to receive publications, be assessed an amount equal to one-half the annual dues assessed on active members, to cover the cost of printing and mailing.

Any change in a membership classification shall be effective at the end of the calendar year during which such change occurs.

 

(a) Student membership in the association shall be available to those students who are currently enrolled in a degree program for mineral, petroleum, or energy land management at an AAPL recognized college or university.

(b) Student membership shall be renewable annually upon confirmation of current enrollment status by the program director of the college or university attended. Eligibility shall terminate upon graduation or termination of enrollment.

(c) Nothing in this paragraph shall deny any student from qualifying for any other type of membership provided for under Article V.

 

Any active or associate member who ceases to be actively engaged in the energy industry, as defined in Article 111 Section (1), shall be subject to termination as a member of this organization.  It shall be the responsibility of the Screening Committee to give written notice by Certified Mail to said party’s address last known to the association that said party’s membership is being terminated and such party shall have thirty (30) days from the date said letter is mailed within which to satisfy the Committee that said party is still actively engaged in the energy industry.  Unless reinstated by the Screening Committee, said membership will automatically terminate thirty (30) days from the date of written notice or at the expiration of the current fiscal year if dues have been paid, whichever is the later date.

 

(7) Any questions of misconduct of a member which may result in disciplinary action against the member should be referred to the Ethics Committee as prescribed in Article XI.1.  Such violation shall include but not be limited to:

(a) Violation of any provisions by the By-Laws, Code of Ethics, or any rule, regulation, or order adopted pursuant thereto;

(b) Aiding or abetting any unauthorized use of the title “Certified Professional Landman”;

(c) Any act or conduct which causes disrespect for or lack of confidence in the member to act professionally as a Landman.

Note concerning dues: When paying initial or renewal dues online, a small additional fee is added to the dues amount to offset online transaction costs assessed to HAPL.