POSITION DESCRIPTION
MAJOR, LINDSEY & AFRICA | 600 13TH STREET, NW, SUITE, 750, WASHINGTON, DC 20005 | 202.628.0660
January 2017
District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility
Washington, D.C.
https://www.dcbar.org/attorney-discipline/board-on-professional-responsibility/
The District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility (“D.C. Board on Professional
Responsibility” or the “Board”) has exclusively retained Major, Lindsey & Africa to conduct a
search for its Disciplinary Counsel to be located in Washington, D.C. Interested candidates
please submit your resume and cover letter in MS Word to the recruiters managing this search,
Deborah Ben-Canaan at [email protected],
Michael J. Herald at
[email protected], or to the MLA recruiter who contacted you about this position, or by
submitting your resume to [email protected]. The D.C. Board on Professional
Responsibility is an equal opportunity employer.
DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL
Overview: Rule XI of the Rules Governing the District of Columbia Bar 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 who volunteer their service. The Board’s administrative
responsibilities include the oversight of the Board’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Compensation: Competitive base with excellent benefits.
Experience: Attorney with a minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience.
Bar: Must be an active member of the D.C. Bar or eligible to become an active member.
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POSITION DESCRIPTION
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel was created in 1972 as a result of the Court Reorganization
Act, which established the D.C. Court of Appeals. Pursuant to Rule XI of the D.C. Court of Appeals
Rules Governing the Bar, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel serves as the chief prosecutor for
attorney disciplinary matters involving active or inactive attorneys who are members of the D.C.
Bar.
In this capacity, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel has a dual function: to protect the public and
the courts from unethical conduct by members of the D.C. Bar and to protect members of the D.C.
Bar from unfounded complaints.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel investigates all complaints and allegations of ethical
misconduct and initiates appropriate resolutions, ranging from diversions, dismissals, and
informal admonitions, to the preparation of formal charges.
In cases in which charges are formally presented by petition, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel
has responsibility for prosecuting the charges before a hearing committee, the Board on
Professional Responsibility and ultimately the D.C. Court of Appeals.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Disciplinary Counsel is responsible for investigating and disposing of all matters involving
alleged misconduct by an attorney subject to disciplinary jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals. The
Disciplinary Counsel participates in the development and communication of professional
standards, directs the investigation of complaints, conducts or directs prosecutions of selected
cases, and manages the resources and staff of the office. This position reports to the Chair of the
Board on Professional Responsibility.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
 Consideration of Allegations of Attorney Misconduct:
o Monitors the receipt and initial review of complaints about attorney misconduct.
o Evaluates whether reports of disciplinary proceedings in other jurisdictions require
further response.
o Ensures that complaints are investigated in a timely manner.
o Creates policies and standards for docketing complaints and for their disposition.
o Reviews staff recommendations regarding dismissal of complaints, diversion of
respondents to appropriate educational programs, informal admonition, and
referral of charges.
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POSITION DESCRIPTION
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Ultimately responsible for obtaining subpoenas and/or prosecuting for contempt
when respondents fail to cooperate with the disciplinary process or continue to
practice in an unauthorized manner.
Prosecution of Selected Complaints:
o Advises Executive Attorney of the Board regarding the determination to prosecute
selected complaints.
o Assigns staff to prosecute selected cases and participates in the review of case
law and the development of legal strategy.
o Prepares or supervises the preparation of briefs and the development of oral
arguments.
o Monitors prosecutions by staff before Hearing Committees of the Board.
o Confers with Hearing Committee contact person regarding proposals to dismiss
complaints, informally admonish, or proffer charges.
o Responsible for determining if Hearing Committee recommendations should be
appealed to Board on Professional Responsibility and conducts or directs the
appeal.
o Responsible for determining if the Board decisions should be appealed to the
Court of Appeals and conducts or directs the appeal.
Management of Resources and Staff of Office:
o Prepares and submits operating budget and staffing plan to the Board and the
budget committee of the D.C. Bar.
o A strong leader, capable of mentoring and coaching the Disciplinary staff.
o Responsible for allocating office space and resources to staff.
o Conducts annual performance reviews and determines salary merit increases,
subject to review by the Board.
o Provides opportunities for professional development and continuing education.
Development and Communication of Professional Standards:
o Represents the Office at professional meetings and conferences to provide
information about the disciplinary function of the Court of Appeals and the attorney
discipline process.
o Responsible for teaching the D.C. Disciplinary System for Regulation of Attorney
Conduct section of the Mandatory Course for New Admittees or assigning
individuals to teach.
o Drafts articles for the Washington Lawyer magazine of the D.C. Bar to educate
members of the Bar on professional and ethical standards and developments in
disciplinary law.
o Represents the attorney discipline system before the Board on Professional
Responsibility, the Board of Governors of the District of Columbia Bar and the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
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POSITION DESCRIPTION
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Proposes changes to disciplinary rules to the Rules Committee of the Board on
Professional Responsibility and/or the Rules of Professional Responsibility
Committee.
Serves as a resource to members of the public regarding the D.C. Bar’s
professional standards and of procedures for filling a complaint against an
attorney.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
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Education:
o A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
o An active member of the D.C. Bar or eligible to become an active D.C. Bar
member.
Required Experience:
o Attorney with a minimum of 15+ years of relevant work experience.
o At least 8 years of experience including litigating complex civil and criminal cases
and supervising other attorneys in such work.
o Demonstrated leadership and management skills with the ability to develop and
manage collaborative business relationships both internally and externally.
o Strong familiarity with information technology systems, with the ability to keep
abreast of new technologies.
o Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.
CONTACT INFORMATION
To submit a resume and cover letter, or request additional information, please contact:
Deborah Ben-Canaan
Partner, In-House Practice Group
[email protected]
Michael J. Herald
Director, In-House Practice Group
[email protected]
No phone calls please.
Additional information can be found on www.mlaglobal.com
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