(a) The Board of Trustees of the State Bar is authorized to formulate and adopt rules and regulations necessary to establish an alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program to resolve complaints against attorneys that do not warrant the institution of formal investigation or prosecution. The program should identify sources of client dissatisfaction and provide a mediation process to resolve those complaints or disputes unless the client objects to mediation. The refusal of an attorney to participate in the State Bar’s alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program established pursuant to this section, or the failure of an attorney to comply with any agreement reached in the State Bar’s alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program may subject that attorney to discipline. The rules may authorize discipline mediation under this article to proceed under discipline mediation programs sponsored by local bar associations in this state. The rules shall authorize a local bar association to charge a reasonable administrative fee for the purpose of offsetting the costs of maintaining the discipline mediation programs.
(b) The board of trustees shall have the authority to formulate and adopt standards and guidelines to implement the alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program. The standards and guidelines formulated and adopted by the board, as from time to time amended, shall be effective and binding on all licensees, and may encompass any discipline mediation programs sponsored by local bar associations.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the authorization of an alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program not be construed as limiting or altering the powers of the Supreme Court of this state or the State Bar to disbar or discipline licensees of the State Bar. The records relating to the alternative dispute resolution discipline mediation program may be made available in any subsequent disciplinary action pursuant to any rule, standard, or guideline adopted by the Board of Trustees of the State Bar.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 659, Sec. 74. (AB 3249) Effective January 1, 2019.)
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