President’s Message by Marni E. Byrum The Privilege of Self-Regulation In July , I had the opportunity to attend the Disciplinary Conference which is conducted by the Committee on Lawyer Discipline and is a training program for new and current mem-bers of the 17 district committees and members of the Disciplinary Board. Engaging with this dedicated group of volunteers reinforced to me the impor-tance of our ability to self-regulate. As a mandatory bar, the primary role of the Virginia State Bar is regula-tion of the profession. We are the only profession that retains the privilege of self-regulation. I believe we maintain that privilege by being vigilant in our overarching mission — to protect the public. The individual elements of the mission statement of the VSB are: • to protect the public, • to regulate the legal profession, • to advance access to legal services, and • to assist in improving the legal profession and the judicial system. All activities of the VSB fl ow from this mission statement but, I would assert, they all come back to protection of the public. Further, with regard to this goal, there is nothing more important in fulfi lling this mission than the volunteers of the disciplinary system. Those members, lawyers and nonlawyers, who volunteer countless hours of their time to protect and pre-serve the integrity of our profession, form the basic underpinning of our mission and promote public confi -dence in our self-regulation. We are a profession of rules. Our rules of professional conduct are initially written and interpreted by the Standing Committee on Legal Ethics. But the enforcement of those rules falls to the components of the disciplinary system — the Offi ce of Bar Counsel, the local district committees, and the Disciplinary Board. Those members, lawyers and nonlawyers, who volunteer countless hours of their time to protect and preserve the integrity of our profession, form the basic underpinning of our mission and promote public confi dence in our self-regulation. Their task is not an easy one: sitting in judgment of their colleagues. But it is crucial to the integrity of our profession. Sometimes the more seri-ous violations can be dealt with most easily. For instance, stealing client funds is a sure way to lose your license. But, more often, the violations require a more nuanced approach to cor-rection. The job of interpreting and applying the rules gives one a unique opportunity to see how the rules ac-tually impact our day-to-day practice as well as providing an appreciation that the rules are the fl oor, and not the ceiling, for ethical behavior. Members of the district commit-tees are elected by Bar Council. Each year, council members, who have been elected by the lawyers in their circuits, seek interested district committee candidates from their respective cir-cuits. Once someone has served on a district committee, they are eligible for nomination to the Disciplinary Board. Members of the board are nominated by Bar Council but the selection and appointment rests with the Supreme Court of Virginia. Both the district committees and the Disciplinary Board have lawyer and lay members. With this composition, we remain mindful of protecting the public and give greater credibility to the outcome. In fact, it is often the lay member on the panel who has the most critically incisive position on the attorney mis-conduct. So, as you look around for a way to be involved or to become more engaged, I strongly encourage you to consider a position on your district committee. We are privileged to be a self-regulated profession, and the work of the district committees and the Disciplinary Board is the very heart and soul of our ability to maintain that self-regulation. INCLUSION DIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT ✺ ✺ 8 VIRGINIA LAWYER | August 2019 | Vol. 68 www.vsb.org