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

Heading: Counsel shall have the power and duty to prosecute all disciplinary proceedings before hearing panels, the Committee and this Court as the case may be.

Text: C. Counsel shall appear at hearings conducted with respect to motions for reinstatement by suspended or disbarred attorneys, cross-examine witnesses testifying in support of the motion and marshall available evidence, if any, in opposition thereto. D. Within the budgetary authorization approved by the Committee, Counsel shall appoint such investigative and other personnel as Bar Counsel shall deem necessary. 5. Immunity: Each person shall be immune from civil liability for all of his statements made in good faith to the Committee, the office of the Attorney General or to this Court or given in any investigation or proceedings pertaining to alleged misconduct of an attorney. The protection of this immunity does not exist as to statements made to others. The Committee, its staff, counsel, investigators and any members of the Hearing Panels, shall be immune from civil liability for any conduct arising out of the performance of their duties. 6. Subpoena Power For The Committee: At any stage of an investigation witnesses may be summoned by subpoena issued by the Court upon request of the Committee or a respondent attorney. Witnesses before the Committee shall be examined under oath or affirmation. 7. Attorney's Financial Records: Every attorney shall maintain complete records of the handling, maintenance and disposition of all funds, securities and other properties of a client at any time in his possession from the time of receipt to the time of final distribution and shall preserve such records for a period of six years after final distribution of such funds, securities or other properties or any portion thereof. Funds of a client and funds in which a client has an interest shall be deposited in a trust account and shall in no way be commingled with the funds of an attorney or the funds of the firm of the attorney. The Court may at any time order an audit of such financial records or trust accounts of an attorney and take such other action as it deems necessary to protect the public. 8. Attorneys Convicted Of Serious Crimes: A. Upon the filing with the Court of a certified copy of any Court record establishing that an attorney has been convicted of a serious crime as hereinafter defined, the Court may enter an order suspending the attorney, whether the conviction resulted from a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or from a verdict after trial or otherwise, and regardless of the pendency of an appeal, pending final disposition of a disciplinary proceeding to be commenced upon such conviction. B. The term serious crime shall include any felony and any lesser crime a necessary element of which, as determined by the statutory or common law definition of such crime, involves interference with the administration of justice, false swearing, misrepresentation, fraud, deceit, bribery, extortion, misappropriation, theft, or an attempt or a conspiracy or solicitation of another to commit a serious crime. C. A certified copy of any Court record establishing the conviction of an attorney for any serious crime shall be conclusive evidence of the commission of that crime in any disciplinary proceeding instituted against him based upon the conviction. D. Upon the receipt of a certificate of conviction of an attorney for a serious crime, the Court may, and shall if suspension has been ordered pursuant to sub-paragraph A above, institute a formal disciplinary proceeding and refer the matter to a referee, in which the sole issue to be determined shall be the extent of the final discipline to be imposed provided that a disciplinary proceeding so instituted will not be brought to hearing until all appeals from the conviction are concluded. E. Upon receipt of a certificate of a conviction of an attorney for a crime not constituting a serious crime, the Court shall refer the matter to the Committee for whatever action it may deem warranted including the institution of an investigation, provided, however, that the Court may in its discretion make no reference with respect to convictions for minor offenses. F. An attorney suspended under the provisions of A above may be reinstated upon the filing of a certificate demonstrating that the underlying conviction for a serious crime has been reversed but the reinstatement will not terminate any proceeding then pending against the attorney. G. The clerk of any court within the State in which an attorney is convicted of any crime shall, within ten days of said conviction, transmit a certificate thereof to this Court. H. Upon being advised that an attorney has been convicted of a crime within this State, the Committee shall determine whether the clerk of the Court where the conviction occurred has forwarded a certificate to this Court in accordance with the provisions of G above. If the certificate has not been forwarded by the clerk or if the conviction occurred in another jurisdiction, it shall be the responsibility of the Committee to obtain a certificate of conviction and to transmit it to this Court. I. Whenever an attorney is indicted or bound over for any felony the Court shall take such actions as it deems necessary, including but not limited to the suspension of the attorney.