Discipline standards task force to meet May 12

State Bar Board of Trustees President Luis J. Rodriguez has appointed a 14-person task force to review discipline standards for attorneys. The first meeting is set for May 12 in San Francisco.

The Discipline Standards Task Force will review the Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct to determine whether a comprehensive overhaul is needed. The standards are used to determine the appropriate sanction in a particular case and  ensure consistency in how cases are dealt with.

The standards, written in 1986, underwent a general clean-up and reorganization last year. However, the question was raised of whether more substantive changes were needed. The current standards can be found in Title IV of the Rules of Procedure.

“The work of this task force is extremely important to the bar’s mission of public protection. I’m confident this group will conduct a thoughtful review of the guidelines,” Rodriguez said.

The task force is chaired by former State Bar Trustee Karen Goodman, the former chairwoman of the board committee that oversees discipline. Its members are: Raul Ayala, Office of the Federal Public Defender; Glenda Corcoran, board of trustees member; Evan Davis, U.S. Department of Justice; Daniel Dean of Ribera Law Firm and board of trustees member; Jim Fox of the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel; David George, public member; James O. Heiting of Heiting & Irwin Attorneys at Law; Beth Jay, Supreme Court advisory member; Carol Langford, Law Office of Carol M. Langford; Steve Lewis, Steven A. Lewis, Attorney at Law; Ellen Peck, Ellen R. Peck, Lawyer; Judith Sklar, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office; and Adam Torres, Stroz Friedberg.

Those interested in following the work may sign up for email notification of board meetings on the bar’s website.