The Standing Committee on Lawyer Discipline (COLD) oversees the attorney disciplinary process, including the Virginia State Bar’s investigation and prosecution of complaints. Members of COLD are assigned to monitor the progress of investigations and prosecutions in each of the district disciplinary committees through interactions and discussions with VSB counsel and committee chairs. In addition, the oversight subcommittee randomly reviews case files to ensure that VSB counsel handled them in a procedurally correct manner. COLD also formulates and presents proposed amendments to Part Six, Section IV, Paragraph 13 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia, which govern the disciplinary process.
The committee is composed of 10 attorneys, two laypersons, and one member of the VSB Disciplinary Board, who serves ex-officio. Members are appointed by the VSB President-elect after volunteers are solicited in the fall in Virginia Lawyer magazine, in emails, and online; applications are due in February. Applicants send a brief résumé and fill out a committee preference form. The committee meets six times a year between August and June and during the Disciplinary Conference in July. All inquiries regarding lawyer discipline and disciplinary system actions should be directed to Bar Counsel at (804) 775-0575.
Upcoming meetings may be found on the Calendar and are subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Agendas and call in numbers will be provided on the meeting entry on the Calendar.