When a practicing Texas attorney receives a grievance complaint, the first thing he or she should do is seek counsel and prepare to make the best response immediately. The current rules governing the grievance process make it even less advantageous for an attorney to represent himself or herself than it was under the old rules.
The complaint process is governed by the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure with which all attorneys practicing in Texas are presumed to be familiar. In the interest of serving the public, the Texas Supreme Court adopted the Sunset Commission’s recommended changes to the disciplinary rules in 2004. Mere familiarity with the current Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure may prove insufficient to protect the attorney from an aggrieved member of the public.
