Time commitment: Generally requires attending one to three hearings per year that may last from one hour to one or more days. Also requires reviewing documents before and after the hearing.

The ARDC’s Hearing Board is composed of lawyers and nonlawyers appointed by the Commission in a ratio of two lawyers for each public member. The Hearing Board sits in panels of three – two lawyers and a public member – to hear disciplinary cases brought against attorneys by the ARDC’s Administrator and petitions for reinstatement filed by suspended and disbarred attorneys. One lawyer member serves as Panel Chair and is responsible for scheduling and conducting pre-hearing conferences, supervising discovery, ruling on pre-hearing motions, scheduling the hearing, and presiding over the hearing.

At hearings, which are open to the public, the parties present evidence and witness testimony and make arguments in favor of a specific outcome. After hearings, panel members deliberate in private, make findings of fact and decide on a recommendation for appropriate discipline or dismissal of charges. The ARDC employs lawyers to assist panels in preparing written reports of their findings and recommendations.

The length of hearings varies greatly, with some lasting for as little as 30 minutes and some taking several days. Members are advised in advance of the date(s) and expected time commitment associated with scheduled hearings and may decline hearing assignments if their schedules are prohibitive. Hearings have customarily been held at the ARDC’s Chicago or Springfield offices, although hearings may also be conducted remotely by videoconference. New Hearing Board members are required to attend a training session before their first hearing assignment.

Additionally, Hearing Board members will be invited to attend the ARDC’s annual Board Member Seminar and dinner.

Time commitment: Three to four hours per month on average. About half of this time will involve reviewing documents and the other half, attending meetings.

The ARDC’s Inquiry Board is composed of lawyers and public members appointed by the Commission in a ratio of two lawyers for each public member. The Board is organized into four panels, three based in Chicago and one in Springfield. Each panel consists of a lawyer Chair, a lawyer member, and a public member.

ARDC investigations are referred to an Inquiry panel when evidence indicates that a lawyer has engaged in serious misconduct warranting disciplinary action or other conduct warranting peer review and regulatory response. Investigations that produce evidence of unauthorized practice by a lawyer, nonlawyer, or entity may also be referred to an Inquiry panel. The panel’s job is to determine whether sufficient evidence exists for filing a formal disciplinary complaint with the Hearing Board, an unauthorized practice of law proceeding, or whether the investigation should be closed or deferred with remedial conditions. Two members of the Panel constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority is necessary for a decision.

ARDC staff provides panel members with written materials summarizing the evidence developed in investigations before panel meetings, which are generally held five to six times a year. During meetings, panel members review and discuss the evidence. Panels may also hear testimony from witnesses or the respondent and may direct that further investigation be conducted. Meetings may be held at the ARDC’s Chicago or Springfield offices but are frequently conducted by videoconference or conference call. The time commitment associated with Inquiry Board service is typically three to four hours per month.

Additionally, Inquiry Board members will be invited to attend the ARDC’s annual Board Member Seminar and dinner.

Time commitment: One to four hours per month on average.

The ARDC’s Oversight Committee members conduct quality assurance reviews of a representative sample of investigations closed by ARDC staff attorneys without referral to the Inquiry Board. The Committee is composed of a mix of lawyers and non-lawyers. The Oversight review process is intended to help identify ways to improve the handling of investigations generally. Occasionally, the process also identifies investigations that should be reopened. Oversight reviews are not an appeal but rather serve as a check on the agency’s investigative work product.

The Oversight Committee is aligned into four teams, each consisting of one or two Commissioners, two or three Oversight members, and one or two practice group managers. Investigations are assigned from the practice group to one of the Oversight members for review. Members are provided with investigative file materials through a secure cloud-based file-sharing service, review those materials online, complete an online evaluation form for each investigation reviewed, and return the evaluation forms to the ARDC, where they are reviewed by staff and shared with a Commissioner assigned to the Oversight team.

Oversight members are generally assigned one or two investigative files per month for review. The time commitment required for Oversight work is typically one to four hours each month.

Additionally, Oversight Committee members will be invited to attend the ARDC’s annual Board Member Seminar and dinner.

Time commitment: Six to eight hours of preparation for meetings lasting two to three hours held three to four times each year.

The Client Protection Program (CPP) reimburses claimants for losses caused by dishonest conduct of lawyers or involving unearned fees paid to lawyers who later died. CPP staff investigate claims and present reports and recommendations for the disposition of claims to the Commission. The Commission votes on claims at its regular meetings. Claimants and respondent attorneys may request reconsideration of Commission decisions. The CPP Review Panel, which consists of two lawyers and one public member, considers those requests.

The panel generally meets about three times a year and considers between five and ten claims at each meeting. Panel members are sent information packets about the claims on the agenda before each meeting. During meetings, which may be in-person, by videoconference, or by conference call, panel members discuss the facts and the Commission’s decision on each claim and determine whether to recommend affirming, reversing, or modifying the Commission’s decision. The panel can also request that further investigation be conducted on a claim or can determine to hold an informal hearing on a claim, at which the parties may appear. Panel meetings usually last about two hours. The estimated preparation time per meeting is six to eight hours.

After the panel reaches a decision, staff drafts a Panel Report and Recommendation for the panel members’ approval. Once the panel approves the Report and Recommendation, it is sent to the Commission for a final decision on the claim.

Additionally, Client Protection Review Board members will be invited to attend the ARDC’s annual Board Member Seminar and dinner.

What skills and experience are required for a volunteer position with the ARDC?

We are looking for a diverse set of skills and experience. Attorney members can practice in any area of law. Public members can work in any field. We are primarily looking for individuals who are responsible and open-minded, have good judgment and a high degree of integrity, and can decide a matter objectively and impartially.