§4-12-3. Governing council and members.

(a) The institute shall have such members and committees as the governing body of the West Virginia law institute may direct. The governing body shall also elect a president, secretary and any other officers as it determines necessary.

(b) The governing body of the institute shall be a council composed of ex officio members and elected members as follows:

(1) One justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals to be selected by the justices thereof;

(2) One circuit court judge, selected by the West Virginia judicial association;

(3) One federal judge residing in West Virginia, selected by the federal judges residing in West Virginia;

(4) The Attorney General of the State of West Virginia;

(5) One legal counsel to the Governor of the State of West Virginia;

(6) The chairperson of the judiciary committees of the Senate and the House of Delegates of the West Virginia Legislature or an attorney member of the respective committees appointed by the chairperson of the committee;

(7) One member each from the majority and minority parties of the Senate and the House of Delegates of the West Virginia Legislature to be selected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, respectively;

(8) The director of West Virginia Legislative Services;

(9) The chairperson of the West Virginia commission on uniform state laws;

(10) The president and first vice president of the West Virginia State Bar;

(11) The chairperson of the young lawyers section of the West Virginia State Bar;

(12) The dean of the West Virginia University college of law;

(13) Two attorneys appointed by the Governor of the State of West Virginia for terms to run concurrently with the term of the Governor;

(14) The director of the continuing legal education program sponsored by the West Virginia State Bar and the West Virginia University college of law; and

(15) The editor-in-chief of the West Virginia law review.

(c) The elected membership shall consist of two faculty members who shall be elected from the members of the faculty of the West Virginia University college of law and four practicing attorneys from each of the congressional districts in the state who shall be selected by the board of Governors of the West Virginia State Bar.

(d) All ex officio members of the council shall hold their positions during their respective terms of office. The term of office of the elected members of the council shall be four years. The terms of office of the first elected practicing attorney members shall be appointed by the board of Governors of the West Virginia State Bar such that four shall be appointed for two years, four for three years and four for four years. Thereafter, appointments shall be for four years. Elected members of the council shall be eligible for reelection.

(e) Vacancies in the elected membership created by death, resignation or otherwise than by the expiration of the terms of office shall be filled by the council under such rules as it may adopt.