Making an Ethics Complaint The least known, and most powerful remedy you have is filing a complaint with the official body that monitors the conduct of your lawyer. This committee, or panel, can ultimately have your lawyer's license taken away if your complaint is serious enough, or if there is a history of other complaints about unethical conduct by your attorney. But keep in mind that only some kinds of problems are good candidates for the grievance process. For example, theft of client funds and allegations of sexual contact by a matrimonial attorney are generally appropriate for disciplinary complaints. However, problems such as fee disputes, claims of negligence, or even deceit, are not suitable for the grievance approach.
Every state has a lengthy set of rules governing the conduct of attorneys.
The standards are very high. You should obtain a copy of the rules adopted by the judicial system in your state and read them thoroughly. Your state's disciplinary committee will provide you with both a copy of the rules and information on registering a complaint against your lawyer. Each state has a somewhat different procedure for reporting and reviewing the misconduct of an attorney. In general, the complaint you write will eventually be sent to your attorney for a response.