Each year, the National Council of Lawyer Disciplinary Boards (NCLDB) holds its annual conference, bringing together disciplinary adjudicators and staff from around the country. This year’s conference, held in New Orleans from February 7th-9th, featured educational sessions on myriad subjects ranging from expungement to the use of technology in the disciplinary system.
The Honorable John L. Weimer, Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, delivered this year’s keynote address. A volunteer firefighter, former educator, and amateur painter, Chief Justice Weimer impressed the value of diversity of thought and experience in state disciplinary systems and legal communities at large, remarking, “If you do not have diversity in your staff, you have gone to the wrong place.” To adjudicators, he urged to “balance toughness with compassion” and emphasized deterrence and rehabilitation over mere punishment. Noting that consistency is key to trust in disciplinary systems, Chief Justice Weimer underscored public service and duty.
Three conference sessions featured members of the Pennsylvania delegation. Along with representatives of the Maryland and District of Columbia disciplinary bodies, Disciplinary Board Executive Director Jesse G. Hereda sat on a panel which explored both the challenges and opportunities presented by technology compelled by the COVID-19 pandemic and its transformation of the workplace. Special Counsel Kimberly M. Henderson expounded useful tools for managing obstructionist respondents and ensuring efficient and fair proceedings. She was joined by Aisha L. Cassis and Lucy Pittman of the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility. Disciplinary Board Members David S. Senoff and Shohin H. Vance led a thought-provoking discussion on collateral estoppel within the disciplinary process.
Complementing themes of the week’s discourse, conference participants also attended special receptions at the Louisiana Supreme Court building and the National WWII Museum. Lieutenant General Christopher F. Burne of the United States Air Force and JAG Corps led the event which included a private viewing of the Tom Hanks-produced short film “Beyond All Boundaries” and an excursion through the museum’s Campaigns of Courage Pavilion. In an address to the convocation, Lieutenant General Burne reflected upon personal lessons in ethics and leadership. He recalled an indelible episode from his deployment to the Persian Gulf region in support of Operation Desert Storm, amidst the formidable environment in which he and his subordinates were positioned, that forever shaped his style of leadership.
The National Council of Lawyer Disciplinary Boards is a non-profit organization serving as a clearinghouse for the adjudication process of attorney discipline throughout the United States and Canada. Executive Director Hereda and Board Prothonotary Marcee D. Sloan currently serve as President-Elect and Secretary, respectively, of the NCLDB Board of Directors. Jesse Hereda led programming for this year’s annual conference.