So you want to start a private club, a members-only kind of thing. You should have an aim, goal or purpose for the club that tells the public exactly why you are establishing a new club. Just like most kids and their clubhouses, you will also need a list of rules. Then you will need a list of allowable exceptions to those rules. Before you get too carried away with these first steps, you may want to decide if anyone is excluded from your club. Additionally, you may need the help of private club consulting so that you can legally exclude certain persons from club membership. Here is how all of that business works.

Club Exclusions Are Not Illegal If They Are Done Correctly

You can exclude people from becoming members of your club, but it has to be done correctly. For example, you want to establish a "men's only" or "women's only" club. When you establish in your club charter exactly why it is just one sex and not the other, you may also want to establish what goals you want the men or women to accomplish as members of the club. The legal wording is also important, and a private club consultant can help you word things effectively. To make it airtight and avoid possible lawsuits over being "sexist," you may also consult with a lawyer before fully establishing your club.

Club Exclusions That You Should Avoid

Most private clubs are based on wealth, status or level of income. They may be all-inclusive of sex, age and race, but some choose to exclude anyone under middle age, or may choose to exclude persons of one sex. You should definitely avoid exclusions based on race, because there is almost no way you could avoid a lawsuit around that, unless your exclusions only accept the very affluent or W.A.S.P.s (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) who are usually holders of "old money"(money garnered by several generations before them).

Additionally, your exceptions to the rules should allow for members to bring dates to special events, or allow excluded persons the chance to see inside your club building. Doing so can help alleviate some tensions that excluded people may feel in regards to your club. A private club consultant can address these issues in a way that allows your club to flourish and the consultant can provide options to prevent these problems before they arise. Before you open your club doors for the first time, and before you register your club with the state and federal governments, hire a private club consultant to help you with these important details.