How can an attorney or parliamentatian speak at a meeting?

[Anthony]

Some board members have decided to retain an attorney/parliamentarian.  How is this person allowed to speak at a meeting when only members of the executive board are allowed to participate?

[Gary Novosielski]

On 2/17/2024 at 1:44 PM, Anthony said:

Some board members have decided to retain an attorney/parliamentarian.  How is this person allowed to speak at a meeting when only members of the executive board are allowed to participate?

With the permission of the assembly in session (i.e., the board) any non-member may be present and may be heard. 

This is usually accomplished by unanimous consent, but if anyone objects, a majority vote can allow a non-member to be heard, as long as it is not during debate on a pending motion. 

Speaking in debate would require a suspension of the rules, and therefore a two-thirds vote.

[Joshua Katz]

Agreeing with Mr. Novosielski that that would be how it is done, I'd add that I don't see much reason for a parliamentarian to speak at a meeting.

[Gary Novosielski]

I agree with @Joshua Katz, and RONR agrees with both of us:

47:52
Only on the most involved matters should the parliamentarian actually be called upon to speak to the assembly; and the practice should be avoided if at all possible.

[Atul Kapur]

Putting it in other words: if this person starts to speak at a meeting, you can interrupt to object to a non-member speaking. The chair should then hold a vote on whether to allow the non-member to speak. If it is during a debate/discussion on a motion, that requires a two-thirds vote to allow the non-member to speak. If no motion is on the floor, then it requires a majority vote.

This doesn't prevent the non-member from quietly discussing with those who brought them, as long as tjis does not disturb the meeting.

If you wish, and depending on any laws or rules that may apply regarding public attendance, you could also make a motion to remove non-members from the meeting.

[Joshua Katz]

One point that may be helpful to clarify: have these board members decided to retain a parliamentarian for themselves, i.e. a floor parliamentarian advising a particular faction, or was this a board motion that established that the organization shall have a parliamentarian, who will advise the chair?

[Atul Kapur]

Good point. My response above assumed, from the description, that this is a floor parliamentarian brought in by one group/faction of the membership.