The State Bar of Texas, Austin. Photo: Joel Salcido

The incoming chief disciplinary counsel for the State Bar of Texas is a familiar face.

In a unanimous vote Jan. 18, the bar board of directors consented to the Commission for Lawyer Discipline's selection of Seana Willing, 55.  Willing will replace Linda Acevedo, who is retiring after 33 years of service to the State Bar, including 10 years as the chief disciplinary counsel.

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel administers the Texas attorney discipline system and represents the commission in disciplinary litigation.

This will be a new focus for Willing. For almost two decades, she investigated complaints against judges in Texas for alleged unethical conduct.

Willing joined the State Commission on Judicial Conduct as a staff attorney in 1999 and became its executive director in 2003. During the time she served as executive director, the commission enforced the State Code of Judicial Conduct against everyone from justices of the peace to sitting judges on the state's two top courts. In a few instances, investigations led by Willing led the commission to remove judges who had committed serious violations of the code.

Willing left the judicial conduct commission in 2017 and has served as executive director of the Texas Ethics Commission for the past two years.

She also is familiar with the chief disciplinary counsel's office.

“That's where I started 20 years ago, in the San Antonio office,” Willing said.  “It feels good, like coming home.”

Noelle Reed, chair of the Commission for Lawyer Discipline, said in a State Bar news release, “We believe that Ms. Willing's demonstrated commitment to service and to ethics in government and the legal profession make her an excellent choice to lead us in our mission to serve the Texas attorney community and the public.”

Willing, who could assume her new responsibilities as early as the first week in March, said her focus as chief disciplinary counsel will be similar to what it was at the judicial conduct commission.

“You do it with an eye toward protecting the public and also improving the profession,” she said.

Willing said her focus also will include trying to help with mental health issues in the legal community.

“There have been too many suicides,” she said.