Model Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement
Disciplinary counsel shall maintain or have ready access to current information relating to all lawyers subject to the jurisdiction of the board including:
(a) full name and all names under which the lawyer has been admitted or practiced;
(b) date of birth;
(c) current law office address and telephone number;
(d) current residence address;
(e) date of admission in the state;
(f) date of any transfer to or from inactive status;
(g) all specialties in which certified;
(h) other jurisdictions in which the lawyer is admitted and date of admission;
(i) location and account numbers in which clients' funds are held by the lawyer;
(j) nature, date, and place of any discipline imposed and any reinstatements in any other jurisdiction;
(k) date of death; and
(l) the universal lawyer identification number [together with the jurisdiction's prefix or suffix number, if any, issued by the court].
Commentary
A permanent registration system should be established from which the agency can determine whether an individual is licensed to practice in the state, is living or deceased, and where the individual is located. The registration records may be maintained by the court, a court-designated agency, or in unified bar states by the state bar. Disciplinary counsel should have ready access to the records.
The individual lawyer has the responsibility of keeping his or her registration information current, and should be required to promptly inform the registration agency of any change. Generally, the address listed in the roster is the lawyer's legal address for purposes of service of process and any other notices. See Rule 13.
When a lawyer has disappeared or is deceased or disabled, the lawyer's relatives or law partners or associates in the firm, corporation, or agency in which the lawyer was employed should report that fact to the registration agency. See Rule 28(A).
Upon the convening of a hearing on formal charges against a lawyer, disciplinary counsel should require the lawyer to verify the accuracy of the information contained in the roster, and to correct any part thereof which is out of date.
A coordinated system of assigning a universal registration number is urgently needed to make interstate reciprocal enforcement of discipline effective.
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