Opinion ID: 1095462
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A Lawyer By Any Other Name Is Still A Lawyer

Text: I concur in affirmance on the Ethics Commission's cross-appeal, with one exception. That I have disagreed with the Commission on the merits does not mean I doubt the sincerity of their present efforts to perform their important public responsibilities. The Ethics Commission had lawful authority to bring its suit. When the Attorney General refused to proceed as the Commission thought best, the Commission had the authority even the duty to obtain private counsel and proceed. The reasonable and necessary attorneys fees and legal expenses incurred by the Commission should be paid, not by the Commission members nor out of its budget, but by the Attorney General from his budget. I concur in the result in the portion of the majority opinion labeled Legality of the Ethics Commission's Suit and in much of its reasoning en route. My view of the point may be simply put. The Attorney General is a lawyer, albeit a very special kind of lawyer. His specialty in the present context is by reference to his ultimate client, the people of this state and the agencies that serve them. When the Attorney General and a state agency, such as the Ethics Commission, reach an impasse regarding litigation strategy, resolution should proceed much as in private law practice. The lawyer gives advice. The client decides whether to accept that advice. The lawyer then advocates the client's interests as the client defines them. In this case, the client, the Ethics Commission, has the prerogative of controlling the actions of its lawyer, the Attorney General, the same as any other client has ultimate authority to tell his lawyer what to do, who to sue, what litigational strategies to pursue. If the Attorney General disagrees, he has two courses. He may afford the Commission counsel who does the Commission's bidding or, he may decline to proceed, allowing the Commission to obtain private counsel at the Attorney General's expense. In either case the Attorney General, as lawyer for the people answerable at the polls, may appear on behalf of the people qua State of Mississippi and proceed as he sees his duty. But he may not deprive the agency, the Ethics Commission, of the effective and free assistance of counsel. ANDERSON, J., joins this opinion.