Disciplinary system recommendations and actions are available from 1979 to the present and updated as information is received from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and Board on Professional Responsibility. For pending matters, not yet included here, contact those offices directly.
Disclaimer
Members of the D.C. Bar who have violated one or more of the Rules of Professional Conduct may receive a sanction that does not involve a suspension from the practice of law. The "nonsuspensory sanctions" are, from least severe to most severe: an "informal admonition" by Disciplinary Counsel, a "reprimand" by the Board on Professional Responsibility, and "public censure" by the Court. In more serious cases, the D.C. Court of Appeals may impose a suspension of up to three years (and may also require the lawyer to prove fitness to practice prior to reinstatement), or disbarment (in which the respondent may apply for reinstatement after five years and must prove fitness).
The online summaries provided at this site are not intended to be complete
records of disciplinary actions involving D.C. Bar members. Rather, individuals
researching an attorney should consult the full text of any disciplinary decision
either online through the link provided in the summary to the Board on Professional
Responsibility report or the D.C. Court of Appeals decision or in records
maintained by the Office of Bar Counsel. Because some Bar members may share
the same name, individuals using these summaries should ensure that they have
correctly identified the lawyer using other identifying information. The D.C.
Bar is not responsible for any coincidence in names of disciplined attorneys
and of members in good standing as a result of individuals having identical
names.
Questions about disciplinary matters should
be directed to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel at 202-638-1501 or the Board on Professional
Responsibility at 202-638-4290.
