(a) The chief court administrator shall appoint an attorney to act as statewide bar counsel, and such additional attorneys to act as assistant bar counsel as are necessary. In the event that a vacancy arises in any such position, the chief court administrator shall fill the vacancy. Compensation for these positions shall be paid by the Judicial Branch. Such individuals shall be in the legal services division of the Office of the Chief Court Administrator and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to them in that capacity.
Section 2-34.Statewide Bar Counsel
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule establishes the office of statewide bar counsel, appointed by the chief court administrator, and spells out the counsel's duties in reporting discipline, maintaining records, certifying attorney status, and assisting the grievance committee.
Full Text of Section 2-34
(b) In addition to any other powers and duties set forth in this chapter, the statewide bar counsel or an assistant bar counsel shall:
(1) Report to the national disciplinary data bank such requested information as is officially reported to the statewide bar counsel concerning attorneys who have resigned pursuant to Section 2-52, or whose unethical conduct has resulted in disciplinary action by the court or by the Statewide Grievance Committee, or who have been placed on inactive status pursuant to Sections 2-56 through 2-62.
(2) Receive and maintain information forwarded to the statewide bar counsel by the national disciplinary data bank.
(3) Receive and maintain records forwarded to the statewide bar counsel by the clerks of court pursuant to Sections 2-23 and 2-52 and by complainants pursuant to Section 2-32.
(4) For a fee established by the chief court administrator, certify the status of individuals who are or were members of the bar of this state at the request of bar admission authorities of other jurisdictions or at the request of a member of the bar of this state with respect to such member’s status. In certifying the status of an individual, no information shall be provided to the requesting entity, other than public information, without a waiver from that individual.
(5) Assist the Statewide Grievance Committee and the reviewing committees in carrying out their duties under this chapter. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 27H.)
Amendment History
(Amended June 24, 2002, to take effect July 1, 2003; May 14, 2003, effective date changed to Oct. 1, 2003; Sept. 30, 2003, effective date changed to Jan. 1, 2004; amended June 22, 2009, to take effect Jan. 1, 2010; amended June 12, 2025, to take effect June 24, 2025.) HISTORY—2025: In the first sentence of subsection (a), ‘‘judges of the Superior Court’’ was deleted and replaced with ‘‘chief court administrator’’ and ‘‘, for a term of one year commencing July 1’’ after ‘‘necessary’’ was deleted. Prior to 2026, the second sentence of subsection (a) read: ‘‘In the event that a vacancy arises in any such position before the end of a term, the executive committee of the Superior Court shall appoint an attorney to fill the vacancy for the balance of the term.’’
Rules Committee Commentary
Plain-English Summary
This rule creates the position of statewide bar counsel. The chief court administrator appoints an attorney to the role, along with as many assistant bar counsel as are needed, and fills any vacancy that arises. These positions sit in the legal services division of the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, and the Judicial Branch pays their compensation. The statewide bar counsel and assistant bar counsel also perform other duties assigned to them within that division.
Among the counsel's specific duties: reporting requested information to the national disciplinary data bank about attorneys who have resigned, faced disciplinary action, or been placed on inactive status; receiving and maintaining information the national disciplinary data bank sends back; keeping records forwarded by court clerks and by complainants; certifying, for a fee, the bar status of current or former Connecticut attorneys at the request of other jurisdictions' bar admission authorities or the attorney themselves — without disclosing anything beyond public information absent a waiver; and assisting the Statewide Grievance Committee and reviewing committees in carrying out their duties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who appoints the statewide bar counsel in Connecticut?
The chief court administrator appoints the statewide bar counsel and any assistant bar counsel, and fills any vacancies in those positions.
Can the statewide bar counsel disclose an attorney’s disciplinary information to another state?
The counsel can certify an attorney’s status to bar admission authorities in other jurisdictions, but may not disclose anything beyond public information unless the attorney waives that limit.
What does the statewide bar counsel do for the grievance committee?
The counsel maintains records, reports to the national disciplinary data bank, certifies attorney status, and assists the Statewide Grievance Committee and reviewing committees in carrying out their duties.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 2-34). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: statewide bar counsel Connecticutwho is CT bar counselattorney status certification Connecticutnational disciplinary data bank reporting CTassistant bar counsel duties
COMMENTARY—2025: Number 24-108 of the 2024 Public Acts, An Act Concerning Court Operations and Administrative Proceedings, among other things, consolidated under the Chief Court Administrator the responsibility for many personnel and administrative matters that historically were acted on by the Executive Committee and/or the judges of the Superior Court but which now are consistent with the current duties and responsibilities of and properly undertaken by the Chief Court Administrator. The changes to this section conform to the provisions of that public act.