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Board Candidate Information and Criteria

To be considered to serve on the NCBA Board of Directors, interested NCBA members must be a practicing creditors rights attorney, and complete and submit the candidate application and questionnaire. The 5-member Leadership Development Committee (LDC) will review and evaluate all completed candidate applications to recommend a slate of candidates for each vacant slot.

The LDC’s evaluation considers existing Board member composition and alignment with desired competencies and traits. The LDC may interview finalist candidates before preparing a final slate. 

Please note: Excessive or inappropriate campaigning, lobbying or other activities directed at LDC members to seek influence on who is selected for any slate is prohibited.

Now accepting applications through July 15, 2026!

Candidate Key Traits and Competencies | Qualifications | Essay Questions

Complete Application

Candidate Key Traits and Competencies

Effective Communicator

  • Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Deep understanding of and ability to articulate issues facing the creditors bar and their impact on a national level.

Proven Leader

  • Has held leadership roles within their firm or other bar organizations.
  • Demonstrated volunteer engagement with NCBA.
  • A willingness to develop leadership attributes in others to promote NCBA volunteer service and future NCBA Board members.

Strategic Thinker

  • Capacity to provide innovative thinking and make new ideas possible for NCBA’s organizational growth and development.
  • Experience with the development of strategic plans within NCBA or other organizations.

Relationship Builder

  • Ability to build and maintain relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders who are committed to advancing NCBA’s mission.
  • Willing to promote positive teamwork and cooperation within the Board and staff.
  • Willing to promote inclusiveness, diversity of ideas, and achievement of mutual goals.

Governance and Fiduciary Steward

  • Encourages adoption of best practices for governance of NCBA.
  • Willingness to uphold NCBA Bylaws, policies, and procedures.
  • Reputation for high ethical standards and personal integrity.
  • Commitment to monitoring and protecting NCBA’s assets and promoting the responsible use and allocation of NCBA’s resources.
  • Understanding of organizational budgeting processes and how to read and interpret financial statements.

Qualifications

To qualify for NCBA Board service, you must:

  • Be employed by an NCBA Law Firm Member in good standing.
  • Have attended at least one in-person NCBA event in the past two years (Conference or Executive Experience); and
  • Currently be practicing as a creditors rights attorney.
  • Board members are also encouraged to support the association through annual contributions to the Advocacy Support Fund, the NCBA PAC, and/or the NCBA Foundation.

NCBA defines creditors rights law as:

  1. The collection of or attempts to collect, by an attorney or law firm, any type of debt owed or due or asserted to be owed or due by the obligor or others, including but not limited to the enforcement of creditors’ rights in collateral;
  2. The representation of creditors in proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Courts; or
  3. The representation of creditors and/or their agents, including lawyers and law firms, in connection with the creditors’ or their agents’ attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due, including in connection with lawsuits brought against such creditors and their agents, investigations by governmental or quasi-governmental agencies, and proceedings brought by governmental or quasi-governmental agencies.

Essay Questions

Helpful tip: Before you start the application, we recommend you copy the questions below into your own document, type out your answers first and then when you're ready, paste them into the board application online. You won't be able to save your progress in the application and come back to it later.

  1. List all professional, civic and/or charitable associations you are or have been a member of in the past 5 years. Please include any volunteer roles you have had within these organizations and include the full name of the organization and years of membership. Limit to 250 words.
  2. Describe the leadership qualities you possess that make you a strong leader. Please include any leadership awards received, development initiatives and/or mentor activities you have engaged in. Limit to 200 words.
  3. Why do you want to serve on the NCBA Board of Directors? How will you help NCBA advance its mission statement, advocacy goals, organizational growth, and development? Please list your specific experiences with strategic plan development both within NCBA and/or other organizations. Limit to 500 words.
  4. What are the biggest challenges facing our industry and Association? What suggestions would you implement to face those challenges? Please be specific. Limit to 300 words.