Sunlight In Vermont

In my final class last evening of American Legal Profession (a three-credit version of the required Professional Responsibility course), I mentioned that one notable trend in bar regulation has been the move toward greater public access to information about disciplined lawyers.

I note today that the Vermont Supreme Court recently imposed  anonymous reciprocal discipline on an attorney who had been admonished in Arizona.

I believe that Arizona admonitions (here imposed by the Arizona Supreme Court) publicly identify the attorney and provide at least some information concerning the ethical lapse. It is thus a bit ironic that the reciprocal sanction is In the Matter of Anonymous.

It also promotes a lack of information and transparency.

Maybe Vermont should make the identity of admonished attorneys a matter of public record.

This title is for you, Paul Burgoyne. (Mike Frisch)