Opinion ID: 1549476
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Committee: Committee means Committee on Professional Conduct or any successor committee designated to receive and investigate complaints against attorneys.

Text: B. Bar Counsel: Bar Counsel means the attorney or attorneys responsible for the prosecution of all the disciplinary proceedings before the Court, the Committee or any hearing panel. The Committee shall designate one or more active members of the New Hampshire Bar Association other than one of their number, to act as Bar Counsel in the investigation and presentation of evidence in the matter under consideration. 3. Committee On Professional Conduct: A. The Court shall appoint a Committee to be known as the Committee On Professional Conduct (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) which shall consist of fifteen members one of whom shall be designated by the Court as the Chairman and another as the Vice Chairman to act in the absence or disability of the Chairman. There shall be one member of the Committee from each county in the State or such other districts as the Court may designate. B. When the Committee is first selected, five of its members shall be appointed for a term of one year, five for a term of two years and five members for a term of three years and thereafter all regular terms shall be three years. No member shall serve for more than three consecutive terms, but he may be reappointed after a lapse of one year. The Committee shall act only with the concurrence of a majority of its members present and voting, provided, however, that eight members shall constitute a quorum. C. The Committee shall have the power and duty: 1. To consider and investigate the conduct of any attorney within the jurisdiction of this Court and may initiate any such investigation on its own motion or may undertake the same upon complaint by any person. 2. To appoint a Bar Counsel and such assistant Bar Counsel as may from time to time be required to properly perform the functions hereinafter prescribed. 3. To appoint as may be necessary and in the discretion of the Committee, hearing panels consisting of three members and to assign to such hearing panels complaints concerning charges of misconduct. 4. To make a determination either on its own findings or after review of findings by a hearing panel as to whether or not such conduct warrants dismissal, private reprimand or formal disciplinary proceedings in this Court. Upon the approval of such findings and recommendations, the committee can dismiss the complaint, administer private reprimand, or institute and oversee the prosecution of formal disciplinary proceedings in this Court as the case may be. 5. To reprimand attorneys subject to the jurisdiction of this Court for misconduct by issuing a letter of discipline. Any attorney aggrieved by a letter of discipline issued by the Committee shall have the right to appeal such discipline to the Court. Such right must be exercised within thirty days from receipt of the letter of discipline. The manner of appeal shall be determined by the Court. The Court may refer the appeal to a judge or referee in the same manner as provided in Rule 14. Such discipline may be affirmed, modified or reversed. 6. To adopt rules of procedure not inconsistent with the rules promulgated by this Court. 7. To appoint such investigative and other personnel as the Committee shall deem necessary. 4. Bar Counsel: A. The Committee shall appoint a Bar Counsel and such Assistant Bar Counsel as may be required.