Board on Professional Responsibility

Rule XI confers on the Board on Professional Responsibility the authority to adjudicate cases of attorney misconduct and disability and the responsibility for administering the disciplinary system. The nine-member Board is appointed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and includes seven attorneys and two members of the public. Board members are unpaid volunteers and are eligible to serve two three-year terms.

The Board meets twice a month for 11 months of the year. Its caseload includes the review of recommendations for discipline by the Hearing Committees, and cases referred by the Court of Appeals, including criminal conviction referrals, reciprocal discipline matters, petitions for negotiated discipline, and petitions for reinstatement. The Board also considers petitions for emergency temporary suspension of attorneys. If a party objects to a Hearing Committee recommendation, all nine members of the Board will hear oral argument, unless they are recused or otherwise unable to participate. A Board member is assigned to each case and prepares a formal report for review by the full Board, which, if approved, is filed with the Court. The Board also has the authority to issue final disciplinary orders dismissing complaints, orders directing Disciplinary Counsel to issue letters of informal admonition, and orders imposing reprimands. All these orders are subject to review by the Court of Appeals.

The Board’s administrative responsibilities include the promulgation of procedural rules and policies, preparation of the Board’s budget, and oversight of the Board’s Office of the Executive Attorney and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. The Board also appoints Hearing Committee members to preside at hearings and oversees their training. In addition, the Board hosts an annual Disciplinary Conference, which discusses a topic of interest to the disciplinary system. The conference is attended by Judges of the Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court, present and former Board and Hearing Committee members, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, counsel for respondents, and the leadership and staff of the District of Columbia Bar.

Board Meetings Schedule

Below is the schedule of upcoming Board on Professional Responsibility meetings.

Fall 2023 Board Term

September 7, 2023
September 21, 2023
October 5, 2023
October 19, 2023
November 2, 2023
November 16, 2023
December 7, 2023
December 21, 2023

Hearing and Oral Argument Schedule

An upcoming schedule of hearings and oral arguments held in Courtroom II of the Historic Courthouse of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Rules of the Board on Professional Responsibility

Effective November 6, 2018, the Board on Professional Responsibility has amended its rules of procedure.

Forms and Documents

Various Board on Professional Responsibility forms and documents.

Disciplinary Decisions

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.