August 29, 2024

Volunteers Sought for VSB Disciplinary Board 2025

Three volunteer attorneys are needed to serve on the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board beginning on July 1, 2025.

Prior VSB Disciplinary District Committee service is required (if you want to serve on a local disciplinary district committee, recruitment for those positions starts in November).

What is the Disciplinary Board?

The 20-member Board, appointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia, is composed of 16 attorneys and 4 lay members. The Board hears the most serious cases of lawyer misconduct and issues written opinions following its hearings.

Appointed members may serve two consecutive three-year terms. An unexpired term appointment may serve two consecutive three-year terms after completing the unexpired term.

What is the application process?

There will be three (3) lawyer member vacancies on July 1, 2025. Interested attorneys should submit their application no later than November 8th. 

  • Prior District Committee service is required.
  • Attorney Applications:
    • The application period runs from September 9 through November 8, 2024.
    • The applicant must submit (i) statement of interest, (ii) a current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) and (iii) a writing sample responding to a disciplinary system hypothetical fact pattern.
    • Your statement of interest and/or resume/CV should highlight: (i) litigation experience; (ii) familiarity with Part 6, Section IV, Paragraph 13 of the Rules of Court; (iii) judicial or quasi-judicial experience; (iv) Familiarity with the Rules of Evidence; and (v) experience with the VSB Disciplinary System.
    • The hypothetical for the writing sample Word document is available for download.
  • All applications should be addressed to Chidi I. James, Chair, VSB Nominating Committee, Virginia State Bar, 1111 E. Main Street, Suite 700, Richmond, VA 23219 and emailed to [email protected].
  • The Disciplinary Board will initially review applications and refer them to the VSB Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will then make recommendations to the VSB Executive Committee and Council for consideration at their February and March 2025 meetings. The Council will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court in March 2025.
  • Additional information on the Disciplinary Board and the application process are available at the VSB website.
  • Questions should be directed via email to [email protected].

Learn more about the Disciplinary Board and other volunteer opportunities at the VSB.

VSB seeks balance and diversity in committee membership, not only in race and gender, but in geography, the types of practice areas in which lawyers are engaged, and the settings in which lawyers practice (e.g., solos to corporate counsel, prosecutors to defense).