October 2, 2006

To the Editor and to Members of the Bar of Missouri:

For the past five years I have had the honor of serving as your chief disciplinary counsel and as one of the stewards of Missouri’s attorney discipline system. I look back on these years with appreciation and satisfaction for all that has been accomplished through the collective efforts of the volunteers, staff, Advisory Committee, interested members of the bar, and of course, the Court.

When I arrived here in Missouri, one of the things that most impressed me was the dedicated participation by members of the Bar in matters both in and outside of the attorney discipline system. A shining example of that is the Complaint Resolution Program operated by The Missouri Bar, as a complement to attorney discipline — a trend-setting program not shared by most states.

Even more amazing to me were the non-lawyers, all respected members of their communities, who selflessly gave their time to the disciplinary process. The regional disciplinary committee members, appointed by the Supreme Court, who serve as the eyes, ears, and voice of the local legal community and legal consumers, spend many hours looking into complaints directed to them by the OCDC. Disciplinary hearing panel members act as judge and jury over cases in which formal charges are filed. In these two capacities alone, the volunteer lawyers and lay people who have accepted this mantle of responsibility number well over 125. Unfortunately, I will not be able to thank and salute each of them individually, so I appreciate the opportunity to do so in this fashion. None of this would exist, but for the attitude of service cultivated and promoted in our state. I remember commenting to someone that the motto “the volunteer state” enjoyed by Tennessee was perhaps more deserved by Missourians.

While much progress has been made – implementing a state-of-the-art case tracking and management system; introducing diversion and probation options in the area of disciplinary sanctions; the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel’s Informal Resolution Program designed to resolve minor complaints outside the normal investigation process; establishing the Legal Ethics Counsel position; providing formal training and manuals for volunteers – there are ever challenges on the horizon to maintain and improve the responsiveness, quality, and efficiency of our system. It is with some regret that I leave those opportunities behind to pursue new horizons in my own life. However, I can rest assured that the challenges ahead rest in the hands of these dedicated people.

Sincerely,

Maridee F. Edwards