D I S T R I C T O F C O L U M B I A B A R Attorney/Client Arbitration Board The Attorney/Client Arbitration Board (ACAB) provides a system of binding arbitration for fee disputes between members of the District of Columbia Bar and their clients or former clients. Arbitration offers the public and members of the Bar an inexpensive, private method of resolving these disputes, which may range from small matters to complex controversies involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. The ACAB needs willing, conscientious arbitrators to hear these sensitive, important cases. The ACAB relies entirely upon volunteer arbitrators selected from the membership of the District of Columbia Bar and non-lawyers from the general public. Lawyer and non-lawyer arbitrators serve in the same capacity on arbitration cases as panel members, chairs, and sole arbitrators. Arbitrators approved by the ACAB serve fixed terms of two years and may be considered for reappointment. Although arbitrators serve without compensation, service as an arbitrator provides a unique opportunity to step into the role of judge, an opportunity that provides substantial insight into the legal and especially the judicial process, as well as serving a vital public function. To be considered as an arbitrator for the ACAB, a lawyer must have been admitted to the D.C. Bar for at least five years as an active member, and maintain membership with the D.C. Bar, either in active, inactive, judicial or inactive/retired status. A lawyer must have no pending disciplinary complaints at the Office of Bar Counsel or the Board on Professional Responsibility. A non-lawyer must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university and at least seven years of relevant experience and knowledge acquired in the business or professional world following completion of an undergraduate degree. All arbitrators must have good moral character and no pending criminal, professional or other complaints, which put into question their moral character or fitness to serve as a neutral. ACAB arbitrators must complete an ACAB training session for new arbitrators before accepting assignment to cases. If you wish to be considered as a volunteer, please complete the arbitrator application form and attach your resume and the names of two references who can be contacted by this office. Return the completed form and attachments to the address below: ATTORNEY/CLIENT ARBITRATION BOARD The District of Columbia Bar 1101 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20005 Fax: 1.866.550.9330 Email: acabinfo@dcbar.org For additional information about the ACAB s services, please visit the D.C. Bar s website at www.dcbar.org/acab. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Kathleen Lewis at (202) 737-4700, ext. 3238 or klewis@dcbar.org. 1101 K Street NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20005-4210 202-737-4700, FAX 1-866-550-9330, www.dcbar.org
LAWYER ARBITRATOR APPLICATION ATTORNEY/CLIENT ARBITRATION BOARD (ACAB) FEE ARBITRATION SERVICE Name: Business Address: Home Address: Phone: (Business) (Home) (Cell) Fax: Email: Where do you prefer to be contacted? Date of Admission to the D.C. Bar: Bar number: List Specialty or Areas or Practice: Describe any disciplinary complaints that you currently have, or have had in the past, with the Office of Bar Counsel or the Board on Professional Responsibility: Are there any pending criminal charges or other professional complaints against you? If so, please describe: 2014 Lawyer Application Page 1
EDUCATION: (Please include date(s) of degree(s) received from all institutions.) EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: (Please include Name and Address of Place of Employment, Date(s) of Employment, Job Title(s), and Brief Descriptions of Employment Activities.) Please attach a current resume List Foreign Language Capability: Describe previous experience and training, if any, in resolving or arbitrating disputes, or in conflict management: Briefly describe your experience(s) as a volunteer: Specify whether you have ever been convicted of a crime, other than minor traffic violations? (A Yes response does not automatically exclude you from volunteer consideration.) Yes (please give details below.) No 2014 Lawyer Application Page 2
Are you willing to complete a half-day training session for new ACAB arbitrators anticipated to be held from 12 pm to 4 pm on June 5, 2014? Yes No Are you willing to accept assignment to a minimum of two ideally three cases a year? Yes No Are you willing to attend future ACAB refresher training sessions as may be required by the ACAB? Yes No Are you able to conduct arbitration hearings and attend training sessions during the business day? Yes No Arbitrators approved by the ACAB serve fixed terms of two years and may be considered for reappointment. NOTE: Please attach to this form the names and contact information of two references who may be contacted by the ACAB office. All information submitted in this application is considered to be confidential. I, the undersigned, affirm that the facts in this application are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that false statements or other misrepresentations may result in termination of this application or grounds for immediate dismissal if placed in a volunteer position. Signature Date 2014 Lawyer Application Page 3
Qualifications for Lawyer ACAB Arbitrators A lawyer arbitrator applicant for the ACAB must have: A current membership with the D.C. Bar (Active, Inactive, Judicial or Inactive/Retired status); Been an active member of the D.C. Bar for a minimum of five years; No pending disciplinary complaints at the Office of Bar Counsel or the Board on Professional Responsibility; and Good moral character and no pending criminal, professional or other complaints which puts into question the arbitrator s moral character or fitness to serve as a neutral. In order to be eligible to serve on ACAB cases as a lawyer arbitrator you must: Be appointed by the ACAB; and Complete a training session for new ACAB arbitrators.* In order to remain on the ACAB roster of lawyer arbitrators you must: Be a member of the D.C. Bar (Active, Inactive, Judicial or Inactive/Retired status); Abide by the rules and policies promulgated by the ACAB; Accept assignment to a minimum of three cases during each two-year term;* Attend periodic refresher training sessions as required by the ACAB;* Update the ACAB promptly of any changes in your contact information; Respond promptly to staff inquiries about case assignments; and Notify the ACAB within five business days of any pending criminal, professional or other complaint filed against you, which puts into question your moral character or fitness to serve as a neutral. 2014 Lawyer Application Page 4
* ACAB training sessions and arbitration hearings take place during the business day. Training sessions and hearings are generally held at the District of Columbia Bar. RETURN TO: ATTORNEY/CLIENT ARBITRATION BOARD The District of Columbia Bar 1101 K Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, D.C. 20005 Fax: 1.866.550.9330 Email: acabinfo@dcbar.org 2014 Lawyer Application Page 5