The 董事会 on Professional Responsibility of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals has recently sought the guidance of the Court concerning the confidentiality requirements in Rule XI, 23节, of the 规则 Governing the 酒吧 of the District of Columbia as these may apply to requests from the Trustees of the Client Security Funds for access to 酒吧 Counsel's confidential files.
法院, in the exercise of its supervisory power over the disciplinary system, pursuant to its inherent powers over members of the legal profession and District of Columbia Code § 11-2501 (1981), hereby directs 酒吧 Counsel to make available confidential files of the Office of 酒吧 Counsel to the Trustees of the Client Security Fund. Such files shall be made available upon written request by a Trustee stating why the file is needed, and identifying the particular case at issue before the Client Security Fund Committee. No disclosure shall be made until after 酒吧 Counsel has given 14 days written notice to the respondent mailed by regular mail to the address given in the most recent registration statement filed by the attorney with the 酒吧 pursuant to Rule II, 第二部分(1). If the respondent files an objection in writing with the 董事会 within ten days of the date of the notice stating with particularity the reasons for thr objection, the 董事会 shall promptly determine the matter subject to discretionary review by this Court upon petition therefore, which must be filed with this Court within 10 days of the 董事会's determination. There shall be a presumption in favor of disclosure unless good cause is shown by the respondent why disclosure should not be made.
法院 also directs the 董事会 to consider whether other issues concerning the sharing of confidential information by 酒吧 Counsel with other law enforcement agencies, 栏组, and disciplinary authorities are implicated by the present directive being issued to the 董事会, and to report to the Court on whether further disclosure is required.
