.1010 Committees

(a) Standing committee(s): The standing committees shall be the Nominating Committee, Pro Bono Committee, Grievance Committee, and Professionalism Committee provided that, with respect to the Grievance Committee, the district meets the State Bar guidelines relating thereto.

(b) Grievance Committee:

(1) The Grievance Committee shall consist of at least five but not more than thirteen persons appointed by the president to staggered three year terms as provided by the Rules and Regulations of the North Carolina State Bar governing Judicial District Grievance Committees.

(2) The Grievance Committee shall assist the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar by receiving grievances, investigating grievances, evaluating grievances, informally mediating disputes, facilitating communication between lawyers and clients and referring members of the public to other appropriate committees or agencies for assistance.

(3) The Grievance Committee shall operate in strict accordance with the rules and policies of the North Carolina State Bar with respect to district bar grievance committees.

(c) Special Committees: Special committees may be created and appointed by the president.

(d) Nominating Committee:

(1) The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the officers (or the board of directors) of the district bar and shall consist of at least three active members of the district bar who are not officers or directors of the district bar.

(2) The Nominating Committee shall meet as necessary for the purpose of nominating active members of the district bar as candidates for officers and councilor(s) and the board of directors, if any.

(3) The Nominating Committee members shall serve one-year terms beginning on ___________________ and ending on _________________.

(4) Any active member whose name is submitted for consideration for nomination to any office or as a councilor must have indicated his or her willingness to serve if selected.

(e) Pro Bono Committee:

(1) The Pro Bono Committee shall consist of at least five active members of the district bar appointed by the president.

(2) The Pro Bono Committee shall meet at least once each quarter and shall have the duty of encouraging members of the district bar to provide pro bono legal services. The committee shall also develop programs whereby attorneys not involved in other volunteer legal service programs may provide pro bono legal service in their areas of concentration and practice.

(3) The members of the Pro Bono Committee shall serve one-year terms commencing on __________________.

(f) Professionalism Committee:

(1) The Professionalism Committee shall consist of the three immediate past presidents of the district bar or such other members of the district bar as shall be appointed by the president.

(2) The purpose of the Professionalism Committee shall be the promotion of professionalism and thereby the bolstering of public confidence in the legal profession. The committee may further enhance professionalism through CLE programs and, when appropriate, through confidential peer intervention in association with the Professionalism Support Initiative (PSI) which is sponsored and supported by the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. The PSI effort is to investigate and informally assist with client-lawyer, lawyer-lawyer, and lawyer-judge relationships to ameliorate disputes, improve communications, and repair relationships. The Professionalism Committee shall have no authority to discipline any lawyer or judge, or to force any lawyer or judge to take any action. The committee shall not investigate or attempt to resolve complaints of professional misconduct cognizable under the Rules of Professional Conduct and shall act in accordance with Rules 1.6(c) and 8.3 of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The committee shall consult and work with the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism when appropriate.

History Note: Statutory Authority G.S. 84-18.1; 84-23

Adopted by the Supreme Court March 7, 1996

Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: March 6, 2002; March 6, 2008; September 25, 2019