Letters

• Publication year: 1989
• Pages: 4
• Citation: Vol. 2 No. 8 Pg. 4

LETTERS Vol. 2 No. 8 Pg. 4 Utah Bar Journal October, 1989

Editor's Note Reminder:

One objective of the Utah Bar Journal is to provide a forum for the free expression and exchange of ideas. To facilitate this, members of the Utah State Bar are invited and encouraged to submit articles, artwork, letters to the Editor and advertising for publication in the Bar Journal.

Article topics are not limited to specific areas of the law and all articles of general interest will be considered for publication. Bar members are also encouraged to submit photographs and drawings for the Bar Journal's cover art.

Readers are also welcome to submit letters to the Editor. However, letters which are published may not be obscene, defamatory, advocate or oppose a candidate for office, solicit business or subject the Bar to civil or criminal liability.

Finally, readers are invited to use the Utah Bar Journal as a medium for advertising. Law firm announcements, display and classified ads, etc., may be placed at reasonable rates.

The Bar Journal Editorial Board feels that article quality and general content of the Bar Journal has improved dramatically in the past year. Its present and future success is dependent upon reader participation.

Appearing for the first time in this issue of the Bar Journal is a cartoon by Denver C. Snuffer of the firm of Maddox, Nelson and Snuffer. His work will also appear from time to time in future issues.

Editor:

The legal profession as a self-regulating profession in Utah will end not because of lawyers in general, but because of the actions and attitudes of Bar Commissioners and Bar Counsel.

In a pending action, Bar Counsel serves as defense counsel for the Commissioners. Simultaneously, she appears before her clients, as prosecutrix in quasi-judicial Bar disciplinary matters. Thus, as an advocate she convinces her clients, the impartial Commissioners, of the strength of her case and the guilt of offending attorney. Bar Counsel also recently testified in a contested case wherein she served as defense counsel.

A judge, serving as Bar Commissioner, helps determine what proposed laws the Utah State Bar shall lobby for or against and how much to spend for lobbying. She often hears confidential information regarding Bar applicants and confidential information about attorneys subject to disciplinary action. Might such action and information influence when favored legislation or a malfeasing attorney later comes before the...