Professional Conduct Committee

The 12-member Professional Conduct Committee consists of eight lawyers and four non-lawyers. The Committee meets in Concord once a month.

The Committee, acting as a whole, considers hearing panel reports and memoranda submitted by respondent attorneys and Disciplinary Counsel. Often the Committee also holds oral arguments.

The Committee considers the entire record and takes certain actions including the following:

• Dismiss the complaint.
• Find Rule violations and impose disciplinary sanctions, including reprimand, public censure or a suspension not to exceed six months.
• Attach appropriate conditions to any discipline it imposes.
• Offer diversion to respondent attorneys if appropriate.
• File a recommendation and the record of the proceedings with the New Hampshire Supreme Court on all matters in which the Committee decides that the appropriate sanction should be disbarment or suspension of more than six months.
• When appropriate, assess to a disciplined respondent attorney expenses incurred by the Attorney Discipline Office in the investigation and enforcement of discipline.