OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
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The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) was established by Attorney General Edward H. Levi under Attorney General Order No. 635-74, dated December 8, 1975, to investigate allegations of misconduct by Department of Justice employees.
Under Attorney General Order No. 1931-94, OPR has jurisdiction to investigate allegations of misconduct by Department of Justice attorneys that relate to the exercise of their authority to investigate, litigate, or provide legal advice; and to investigate allegations of misconduct by law enforcement personnel when they are related to allegations of misconduct by attorneys within the jurisdiction of OPR.
The major functions of OPR are to:
- Receive and review allegations of misconduct by a Department attorney, criminal
investigator or other law enforcement personnel.
- Make such preliminary inquiry as may be necessary to determine whether the matter
should be referred to another component within the Department.
- Review instances of judicial findings of misconduct or judicial criticism of
Department attorneys to determine whether an investigation is warranted.
- Conduct full investigations of allegations of misconduct where warranted.
- Report its findings and conclusions regarding alleged misconduct to the
appropriate supervisory official.
- Make recommendations to the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General on
what further specific action should be undertaken with regard to any matter
involving a violation of law, regulation, order or standard.
- Report significant violations of policies or procedures of the Department that
become evident in the course of an inquiry and submit recommendations which may
have significant impact on organizational or personnel realignments to the Attorney
General.
- Report findings of professional misconduct by Department attorneys to the
appropriate state attorney disciplinary authority.
- Serve as the Department’s liaison to the National Organization of Bar Counsel.
- Prepare summaries of OPR investigations, findings and conclusions.
- Receive and review any allegations of reprisal against an employee or applicant
who discloses information concerning misconduct by a Department attorney, criminal
investigator or other law enforcement personnel.
- Recommend improvements in the present departmentwide reporting system in which
misconduct and criminal allegations against Department attorneys are brought to the
attention of this office and the Attorney General.
- Periodically report to the Attorney General significant trends in attorney
misconduct issues in the Department and recommend corrective action where available.
- Support the Department’s efforts to ensure that Department attorneys maintain the
highest ethical standards by participating in training seminars, conferences, and
policy development initiatives as appropriate.
- Identify and report to the Department leadership trends in new allegations of professional misconduct and make recommendations for additional training or education.
- Review proposals from Department employees to refer to bar disciplinary authorities apparent professional misconduct by attorneys outside the Department.
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