Legal counsel and authorized representative conduct.

§ 232.5 Legal counsel and authorized representative conduct. (a) Notices of appearance. If a party elects to be represented by legal counsel or other authorized representative in a proceeding, such legal counsel or authorized representative, other than the legal counsel or authorized representative who filed the claim on the claimant's behalf, must file a request to link their eCCB user account to the case and to the party or parties in that case whom they represent. The legal counsel or authorized representative must make sure that their eCCB user account accurately contains the legal counsel's bar number in a State in which the legal counsel has been admitted to practice (if applicable), and the legal counsel or authorized representative's mailing address, email address, and telephone number. If a legal counsel or authorized representative wishes to withdraw its representation, the legal counsel or authorized representative must file a Request to Withdraw Representation. (b) Bar admissions. A legal counsel must be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, the District of Columbia, or any territory or commonwealth of the United States. A law student representative must qualify under regulations governing law student representation of a party set forth in part 234 of this subchapter. The legal counsel or authorized representative must file with the Board a written statement under penalty of perjury that the legal counsel or authorized representative is currently qualified and is authorized to represent the party on whose behalf the legal counsel or authorized representative appears. (c) Disbarred legal counsel. Any legal counsel who has been disbarred by any Federal court, a court of any State, the District of Columbia, or any territory or commonwealth of the United States shall not be allowed to represent a party before the Board. If a legal counsel in any proceeding active or pending before the Board is disbarred, the legal counsel must report the disbarment to the Board and withdraw representation from any proceeding. (d) Duties toward the Board and the parties. A legal counsel or authorized representative has a duty of candor and impartiality toward the Board, and a duty of fairness toward opposing parties. In assessing whether a legal counsel has breached its duties, the Board shall consider the rules of professional conduct of the District of Columbia and the State in which the legal counsel practices. (e) Penalties for violation. Any legal counsel or authorized representative found to be in violation of any of the rules of conduct as set forth in this section, or who is otherwise found to be behaving unethically or inappropriately before the Board, may be barred from representing parties in proceedings before the Board for a period of twelve months. [87 FR 30090, May 17, 2022; 87 FR 36061, June 15, 2022]