2024 Investigative Summary 9

Investigations of Five Suspended Bar Licenses

OPR investigated five separate reports that the District of Columbia (D.C.) bar licenses of AUSAs, a Special AUSA, and component attorneys had been suspended due to their failure to pay annual bar dues. The periods of suspension ranged from 9 to 36 days.  OPR determined that each attorney violated the Department’s bar membership policy, which requires Department attorneys to continuously maintain at least one active bar membership while employed as a Department attorney.  However, in each case, the D.C. Bar retroactively reinstated the attorney to the date of suspension.  Because the Bar’s action effectively nullified each attorney’s lapse, OPR concluded that the attorneys did not commit professional misconduct. The D.C. Bar’s decision to grant retroactive reinstatement is discretionary, however.  The attorneys’ failure to timely pay their bar dues, despite repeated warnings from the Bar regarding their dues and license status and multiple advisements from the Department or their individual offices about their obligations, placed their only active license at risk. Accordingly, OPR concluded in each case that the attorney exercised poor judgment.  OPR referred its findings to the attorneys’ respective offices to handle as management matters.