Parliamentarians
(as the term is used in the United States of America)
The term "parliamentarian" refers to a certain type of law maker, a member of parliament, in a country which has a form of government with a parliament.
In the USA, there is no parliament. The national government has in its place a congress, with members of congress. The term "parliamentarian" in the USA refers to an expert on the rules for meetings of deliberative assemblies. The US Congress has a Senate and a House of Representatives, each of which has a parliamentarian. But any organization, including the neighborhood school's Parent - Teacher Association, may have a parliamentarian to assist the president with the rules.
This site concerns the parliamentarian consultant, not the member of parliament.
Parliamentary Authorities
(manuals of rule of order for meetings)
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR)
12th edition, 2020
American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (AIPSC)
2nd edition, 2022
Parliamentarian Associations
(and the credentials they confer)
National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP)
Membership (must pass a basic knowledge exam for membership)
Registered Parliamentarian (RP, pass an extensive test on RONR)
Professional Registered Parliamentarian (PRP, RPs who demonstrate abilities to preside, advise, teach and consult)
American Institute of Parliamentarians (AIP)
Membership open without an exam
Certified Parliamentarian (CP, tested on RONR and other PAs)
Certified Professional Parliamentarian (CPP, oral and written exams on expertise)
Professional Parliamentarians
(manuals of rule of order for meetings)
Many organizations do not have a parliamentarian under normal circumstances. Some appoint one from among their members, someone who simply knows the rules better than most.
Even NAP and AIP have levels of membership below the professional levels.
But sometimes an organization needs to hire a professional parliamentarian. Here are some of the reasons:
It is a state or provincial or national or international convention held infrequently and at a lot of expense, where it would be very expensive or inconvenient to have to come back a month later to fix a mistake made in parliamentary procedure.
It is a meeting with a potential controversial decision to be made with a huge impact.
It is a meeting with the potential result of being taken to court, and the officers wish to ensure that if that happens that they don't lose a court case due to improper procedures.
Leaders want all sides of all questions to be confident that all decisions were reached fairly and according to the rules, so that those who didn't get the outcomes they wanted nevertheless are satisfied that the process was fair.
A professional parliamentarian is needed due to expected aggressive, hostile members attending meetings.
Find a Professional Parliamentarian
(manuals of rule of order for meetings)
At NAP:
https://www.parliamentarians.org/find-a-professional-registered-parliamentarian/
At AIP:
https://aipparl.org/find-a-parliamentarian/
(After the list of paid advertisements, click on link for "All Credentialed Parliamentarians."
Internet search, e.g., [PRP parliamentarian Seattle]
Site hosted by Paul McClintock, PRP, CP-T