Ethical Grievances: What the Bar Cannot Do

You should be aware of what the Alaska Bar Association cannot do:

• The Bar Association does not investigate complaints about judges. Complaints against Alaska judges should be referred to the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct.
• The Bar Association cannot remove a judge or assign a different judge to your case.
• The Bar Association does not investigate complaints against lawyers who are not licensed in Alaska. Complaints usually must be filed in the state where the lawyer is licensed. For a list of attorney disciplinary agencies in every state, please click here.
• The Bar Association cannot direct the Public Defender Agency, the Office of Public Advocacy (OPA), or any other public assistance agency to assign your case to a new attorney.

A client may end his/her relationship with a lawyer for any reason. However, not every reason is grounds for the Bar to discipline the attorney.

For more information, please call the Alaska Bar Association at 907-272-7469.