State Lawyers Assistance Committee Review and Intake(a) Any person may submit directly to SLAC, either orally or in writing, the name of any lawyer whose performance or conduct appears to be impairing the lawyer's professional competence or ability to practice law. A referral of a lawyer to SLAC should include a description of the circumstances and copies of any relevant documents. SLAC members who are contacted regarding a complaint or referral will obtain preliminary information and refer the matter to the chairperson. The chairperson will confirm receipt of a referral in a letter to the person making the referral. The letter must contain a disclosure substantially as follows: "We appreciate your interest in bringing this matter to our attention. Our Committee will respond by contacting the lawyer to discuss the problem. It is important for you to understand, however, that the purpose of this Committee is to provide confidential assistance to lawyers who are impaired in the practice of law for reasons such as drug or alcohol problems, emotional problems or lack of competence. For that reason, we focus our work on determining the specific assistance that the lawyer needs and making sure that the lawyer follows a treatment or assistance program. This Committee does not deal with lawyer discipline issues. All information we receive from you will be kept confidential and will not be reported to the bar disciplinary authorities. If you believe that this lawyer has acted improperly and you wish to make a complaint to the bar, you should write to Client Assistance Office, Oregon State Bar, P.O. Box 231935, Tigard, OR 97281.""
(b) If a referral is received from a member of the Bar, the letter required in paragraph (A) must also contain the following statement: "If you are a member of the Bar, please review Oregon RPC 8.3(a) to determine whether you may have an independent obligation to contact the Bar."
(c) The OSB Client Assistance Office and the OSB Disciplinary Counsel may refer to SLAC the name of any lawyer whose performance or conduct appears to be impairing the lawyer's ability to practice law or professional competence. The referral will include a description of the circumstances and copies of any relevant documents. The State Professional Responsibility Board may refer to SLAC any lawyer whose performance or conduct may be impairing the lawyer's ability to practice or professional competence whether or not the SPRB authorizes prosecution for misconduct. The chairperson will confirm in writing referrals from the Client Assistance Office, Disciplinary Counsel's Office, or the SPRB.Adopted effective 4/14/2023.