Rule IX Center Administration.

A. Staff. The Center will be staffed by a Director and an assistant to the Director. Additionally, the Center will routinely recruit interns from a local law school who will receive school credit but no pay for their work at the Center.

B. Telephone. 1. The Center will maintain an automatic voice-mail service to answer the telephone and to take messages when the staff is unavailable. 2. The outgoing message on the service will be changed daily so that callers will receive an up-to-date recording. 3. Voice mail will be checked periodically during the day. 4. The goal is to return telephone calls on the same day, or within 24 hours of receiving the call.

C. Correspondence. 1. Each piece of mail will be placed in a file to be acted upon or reviewed. 2. The goal is to respond to incoming mail within five working days. 3. A copy of all outgoing and incoming correspondence and fax cover sheets with attachments, as necessary, will be kept in a chronological file. 4. Model responses to typical requests will be generated as needed, and will be stored on the computer for future use.

D. Time Sheets. 1. The Director will maintain a daily time sheet; on that sheet the Director will keep a record of telephone calls, meetings, and activities of the day. 2. The names and numbers of incoming and outgoing telephone calls and the action, if any, taken in response to a call will be recorded.

E. Record of Information Requests. 1. The Center will maintain a record of all information requests filled by the Center. That record will include the date, the name and the address of the person to whom the information is sent, and the nature of the information provided. 2. The Center will keep a separate record when requested for the Alabama State Bar Committee on Public Relations regarding the number and nature of calls made to the Center as the result of public service radio and television announcements and other public relations efforts developed by the Committee and the Center to promote ADR.

F. Hours/days of Operation. Since the Center office is located at the Alabama State Bar, the Center's hours and days of operation shall be consistent with those of the Bar.

G. Accounting. 1. Accounting procedures for the Center will be compatible with Alabama State Bar accounting procedures. 2. The Center will maintain a checking account with a local bank. 3. The Center will keep a computer record of all bank deposits and disbursements. 4. Deposits will be made as received and will be posted. 5. Invoices will be paid once a month and will be posted. 6. The bank statement will be reconciled to the checkbook monthly. 7. The checkbook will be reconciled to the computer record on a regular basis. 8. The Center will generate a year-end financial report. 9. Under the reimbursement contract between the Supreme Court, the Commission, and the Center, all documentation for reimbursement will be sent to the Supreme Court clerk's office on a regular basis.

H. Internal Files. 1. Center office files will include, but are not limited to, the following matters: a. Business Stationery/Logo b. Computer Information/Web Site c. Invoices Paid by the Center d. Invoices to be Paid to the Center e. Office Supplies f. Publications on Order or Under Consideration g. Postage h. Publications and Memberships i. Telephone and Fax j. Chronological Correspondence File k. Fax Covers l. Bills to Pay m. E-mail n. Printing

I. Budget. Under the direction of the Commission, the Center will prepare an annual budget.

J. Facilities for ADR Proceedings. In cooperation with the Alabama State Bar, the Center will provide neutral facilities for ADR proceedings upon request.

[Adopted eff. 1-11-2001.]