Closure Alert

The Virginia State Bar has scheduled a training with CLE credit on December 8 for lawyers who have agreed to serve as guardian ad litem (GAL) for Impairment Proceedings. The VSB seeks additional attorneys across the Commonwealth to serve as GALs for lawyers appearing before the Disciplinary Board in impairment proceedings. The GALs further the VSB’s mission of protecting the public and regulating the legal profession by serving as intermediaries between the respondent and the Disciplinary Board and advocating for the respondent’s best interests.

GALs are essential to our privilege of self-regulation and provide a critical service to the public, the VSB, and the lawyer respondents who may be struggling with a variety of physical or mental conditions impacting their fitness to practice law.

The Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia Paragraph 13-23.G states, “The Board may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of a Respondent at any time when it appears that such an appointment may be appropriate to protect the interests of a Respondent who is the subject of an Impairment Proceeding and unrepresented by counsel.”

GALs may be compensated at the hourly rate authorized by the Supreme Court of Virginia or may perform this work as a pro bono service. All travel expenses will be reimbursed. To serve as a GAL, the attorney must be active, in good standing members of the VSB and have a professional liability insurance policy.

Please contact Jo Fronfelter, Clerk of the Disciplinary System, for more information on how you may be of service to your profession and to register for this CLE if you want to serve as a GAL.