Administrative Order No. 2011-44Supreme Court of Arizona.
May 4, 2011.
REBECCA WHITE BERCH, Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice created a Lawyer Discipline Task Force to propose revisions to the Arizona lawyer discipline system. The Task Force issued its report in January 2010. In addition to the rule petition filed by the Task Force which the Court has acted on, the Task Force recommended the creation of an advisory committee to monitor the implementation of the new process, to periodically review the entire attorney admission and discipline system, and to make recommendations for any further needed changes.
Now, therefore, pursuant to Article VI, Section 3 of the Arizona Constitution,
IT IS ORDERED as follows:
1. The Attorney Regulation Advisory Committee (ARC) is established as a committee of the Supreme Court of Arizona.
2. PURPOSE: The Committee shall review rules governing attorney examination, admissions, reinstatement, and the disability and disciplinary process and make recommendations to the Supreme Court on how these rules of the attorney regulation system can be revised to reinforce lawyer competency and professionalism and strengthen the Supreme Court’s oversight of the regulation and practice of law in this state. The Committee may meet, conduct research, gather information, and hear public comment as it deems necessary to carry out this purpose.
As its first order of business, the Committee shall consider the current administrative expenses assessed in lawyer discipline, disability, and reinstatement cases, and the philosophical basis for setting and assessing these expenses, and recommend an expense schedule to the Supreme Court by December 31, 2011. Additionally, the Committee shall consider any technical or clarifying revisions to the new rules governing lawyer discipline and, as it deems appropriate, file a Rule 28 petition on or before January 10, 2012.
3. MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS: The membership and terms of each member of the Committee is attached as Appendix A. The Chief Justice may appoint additional members as may be necessary. Initially, members are appointed for fixed, staggeredPage 2
terms of one (1), two (2), or three (3) years. After the initial appointment, terms shall be for three (3) years.
4. MEETINGS: The Committee chair shall schedule meetings as necessary to carry out the duties of the Committee. All meetings shall comply with the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-202: Public Meetings.
5. REPORTS: The Committee shall submit an annual report to the Supreme Court by April 30th of each year. The report shall contain case statistics on the processing of attorney admission and discipline cases and recommendations on specific issues addressed by the Committee. The recommendations also may include suggested rule revisions and changes to policies and procedures of the State Bar of Arizona and the Administrative Office of the Courts.
6. STAFF: Staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Supreme Court will provide administrative support to the Committee and may conduct research for the Committee, under the direction of the Administrative Director of the Courts.
Dated this 4th day of May, 2011.
Page 3
APPENDIX A ATTORNEY REGULATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ARC) MEMBERSHIPChair
The Honorable Michael D. Ryan, (retired) Chair of Probable Cause Committee Term Expires: May 4, 2013
Vice-Chair
The Honorable William J. O’Neil Presiding Disciplinary Judge Term Expires: May 4, 2014
Attorney Members
Alan Bayham, President Board of Governors and Task Force Member Term Expires: May 4, 2012
John Tuchi, Member Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness Term Expires: May 4, 2014
James Drake, Member Supreme Court Committee on Examinations Term Expires: May 4, 2014
George Reimer, Member Attorney Discipline Hearing Panel Term Expires: May 4, 2013
J. Scott Rhodes Respondent’s Counsel and Task Force Member Term Expires: May 4, 2014
Maret Vessella, Chief Bar Counsel State Bar of Arizona and Task Force Member Term Expires: May 4, 2014
Attorney Members (continued)
Pamela Treadwell-Rubin Term Expires: May 4, 2012
Patricia Sallen, Director Special Services Ethic Counsel State Bar of Arizona Term Expires: May 4, 2012
Public Members
Benny Click Attorney Discipline Hearing Panel Committee on Character and Fitness Term Expires: May 4, 2013
Dr. Ron Watson, PhD. Committee on Character and Fitness Term Expires: May 4, 2012
Emily Johnston Arizona Judicial Council Term Expires: May 4, 2014
Staff Support
Kathy Curry Supreme Court Staff Attorneys’ Office
Emily Holiday Administrative Office of the Courts
Page 1