Ethical Considerations for Missouri Lawyers Practicing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Conversation with the Chief Disciplinary Counsel & Legal Ethics Counsel
Join the Chief Disciplinary Counsel and Legal Ethics Counsel for a conversation regarding the ethics of working remotely of for lawyers, the need for continuity of care for clients, and the Missouri Judiciary response to COVID-19 and the impact of local stay-at-home orders.
Speakers:
Alan D. Pratzel, Chief Disciplinary Counsel
Melinda J. Bentley, Legal Ethics Counsel
Alan Pratzel was appointed as the Chief Disciplinary Counsel by the Supreme Court of Missouri in April 2007. In that position, Mr. Pratzel oversees the system that receives, investigates and litigates ethics complaints against lawyers in Missouri. He began working for the attorney discipline system in 1985, serving as a Special Representative in the City of St. Louis. Prior to becoming Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Mr. Pratzel was in private practice for 30 years in St. Louis, engaging in various types of litigation. He is also an adjunct professor of Professional Responsibility at the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia and at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
Melinda J. Bentley serves as Legal Ethics Counsel in Missouri where she provides oral and written informal advisory opinions to attorneys on issues related to the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct. In that position, she also serves as administrator and counsel to the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She began serving in that position in 2012. Prior to that she worked for the Illinois State Bar Association as Assistant Counsel from 2001-03, First Assistant Counsel from 2003-11, and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs from 2009-11. She is a frequent speaker and author on professional responsibility matters. Ms. Bentley currently serves as a member of the Planning Committee for the American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Professional Responsibility’s National Conference on Professional Responsibility, the Planning Committee for The Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference, The Missouri Bar’s Special Committee on Remote Public Access to Case.net, and the National Organization of Bar Counsel’s Committees on Amicus, Website, Program, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She was a board member and officer of the National Organization of Bar Counsel from 2015-2020, including a term as President from 2018-2019, and formerly served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (2020-2023), Editorial Board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct as a member (2015-2016) and Chair (2016-2018), as well as a member of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility Coordinating Council (2016-2018). She is licensed in both Missouri and Illinois, and is a member of The Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, National Organization of Bar Counsel, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Cole County Bar Association, and Mid-Missouri Women Lawyers’ Association.