On March 5, 2026, the Department of Justice published a proposed rule that would shield its own attorneys from investigation by state bar disciplinary authorities, the independent bodies responsible for holding all lawyers accountable. Under this proposal, the Attorney General can intercept ethics complaints against DOJ attorneys, freeze state bar investigations indefinitely, and face no real obligation to act on the underlying misconduct. This comes at the very moment the DOJ has eliminated its own internal oversight, firing both its chief ethics official and the head of its Office of Professional Responsibility. A strong, organized response from the legal community creates both a record for future litigation and a signal to policymakers that the profession is paying attention. Volunteer to submit a comment by the April 6 deadline.

Volunteers will draft and submit a public comment on the proposed Department of Justice rule. To volunteer for this project, click “Volunteer for this Project" or enter your email address and click the green “Join” button. After signing up, a link to directly submit your comment will be sent to your email along with webinar resources.