Committee On Attorney Conduct Selects Chairman of Search Committee

Litigation Recovery Trust
515 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10022
Tel: 347-632-9775 email: lrtinformation@gmail.com
Fax: 801-926-9269 email: pcacinformation@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Ad Hoc Public Committee On Attorney Conduct Selects John T. Whitely As Chairman of Executive Search Committee

PCAC Formed To Review Actions Of New York State Ethics Committees Moves to Recruit Members As First Step to Replace Existing Grievance Committee Structures

New York, NY  - The Ad Hoc Public Committee On Attorney Conduct (PCAC) has announced the appointment of John T. Whitely as chairman of the PCAC Executive Search Committee. The PCAC was recently established by joint action of Litigation Recovery Trust, a New York based rights administration organization, and Integrity in the Courts and Expose Corrupt Courts, two Internet blogs focused on judicial and attorney disciplinary process and procedures. The objective of the new organization is to oversee New York State’s Attorney Disciplinary Committees. The Ad Hoc bar oversight committee is being headquartered in New York City.

In announcing the appointment of the search committee, William J. Hallenbeck, executive director of Litigation Recovery Trust, stated that efforts were being made to accelerate the establishment of the PCAC as a direct result of the continued filing of a growing number of federal lawsuits against the statewide attorney grievance committees and their parent organization, New York State Office of Court Administration. Mr. Hallenbeck noted, “As legal actions against the attorney disciplinary committees continue to multiply, it is clear that timing has now become a critical issue. We must move forward expeditiously to organize PCAC so that it can undertake a detailed review of the fatally flawed system, which allows attorneys in New York to oversee, protect and cover-up the unethical and often illegal conduct of their fellow lawyers.”

Mr. Hallenbeck continued, “ A former long time executive vice president of Grace & Company, and president - CEO of Amerace and Federation Chemical, both New York Stock Exchange registered companies, Jack Whitely brings decades of practical, high-level executive experience to the task of organizing the PCAC organization.” Mr. Whitely is a graduate of Notre Dame University and its law school.

In accepting the appointment, Mr. Whitely noted, “The well documented complaints of malpractice, personal attacks and even theft that have recently been filed with the federal courts against grievance committee executive staff, and individual lawyers allegedly shielded by the disciplinary committee process, reflects a system totally out of control and beyond repair. I look forward to assisting PCAC to speed the establishment of a new structure under which the public will become the controlling part of the lawyer oversight process.”

Expose Corrupt Courts blog issued the following statement: “We are gratified that Jack Whitely has agreed to assist with recruitment of PCAC members. What is sought is a committee made up of members with broad and diverse business experience and expertise, as well as impeccable records of fairness and sound judgment to review breaches of attorney ethics and past rulings which can be classified as highly suspect.”

Under the plan put forth by LRT, Integrity in the Courts. and Expose Corrupt Courts, the newly formed Public Committee On Attorney Conduct will review both past and present cases brought before the grievance committees to provide an independent review and analysis of the facts, and issue proposed findings. With respect to past cases, the committee will be particularly interested in hearing from persons who maintain that they have been treated unfairly and unjustly by the disciplinary committees. As part of its initial efforts, the new committee will actively seek documentation of all complaints against any attorneys dating to January 1, 1988.

According to the founding organizations, the Public Committee On Attorney Conduct will include as members individuals, who through their personal and professional lives have established a reputation of responsibility and fairness. While attorneys will be available to the PCAC as advisers, all voting members issuing formal reports and decisions will be non attorneys.

In commenting on the structure of the ad hoc committee, Mr. Hallenbeck noted that this will be the first time in the United States that a review body made up entirely of non attorneys will be assembled to investigate and practicing lawyers. He added, “By initially establishing a parallel committee structure to the New York State grievance committees, we will have the opportunity to determine that a bar review process made up entirely of non attorneys can achieve the desired result. We should make it clear that our immediate goal here is to create a practical, working model to replace the attorney grievance committees.”

Mr. Hallenbeck also reported that since news of the formation of the PCAC was first made public on June 17, individual complainants have begun submitting requests to PCAC to review both past and current matters before the New York State grievance committees. Requests and documents are being received by PCAC at its email address: pcacinformation @gmail.com. Telephone inquiries can be directed to 347-632-9775 .For additional information, contact the PCAC website at www.pcac.8k.com.

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For additional information please contact:

William J. Hollenbeck
Executive Director
Litigation Recovery Trust
515 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Telephone 6462019269
E-mail: lrtinformation@gmail.com
Web: litigationrecoverytrust.8k.com

Frank Brady
www.IntegrityintheCourts.wordpress.com
Email: integrityinthecourts@gmail.com

Expose Corrupt Courts
Email:corruptcourt@gmail.com
Web: www.exposecorruptcourts.blogspot.com

PCAC membership inquiries should be directed to:

John T. Whitely
Chairman Executive Search Committee
Public Committee on Attorney Conduct
515 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Telephone 347-632-9775 E-mail: pcacinformation@gmail.com
Web: pcac.8k.com



About Litigation Recovery Trust

Founded in 1995, Litigation Recovery Trust is a New York based claims and rights administration organization. LRT pursues claims and causes of action worldwide, and processes single and group litigation claims, as well as general rights fees and awards. LRT also participates in legislative and administrative initiatives designed to protect or advance individual claims and rights.


About Integrity in the Courts Blog

Integrity in the Courts is a daily blog, which focuses on ethical and legal issues related to the administration of justice nationwide. Issues impacting both the judiciary and the bar are investigated, including compliance with a codes of judicial conduct, the codes of professional responsibility. Violations of law and failure to abide by codes of conduct are monitored, together with actions leading to disciplinary rulings, including admonishment, reprimand, censure, suspension or loss of licenses to practice law.

About Expose Corrupt Courts

Since beginning publication in March 2007, Expose Corrupt Courts has become one of the leading sources of both public and inside information concerning bench and bar misconduct. While the blog focuses primary attention on the court system of New York State, it regularly covers stories of interest throughout the U.S. Expose Corrupt Courts has led coverage of the massive corruption charges that have been filed against the attorney grievance committees in New York that have resulted in the filing of over a dozen law suits with the federal district court in Manhattan.