Sec. 1.24  Censure, suspension, or disbarment of attorneys.

    (a) The Commission may censure, suspend, or disbar any person who 
has practiced, is practicing or holding himself out as entitled to 
practice before it if it finds that such person:
    (1) Does not possess the qualifications required by Sec. 1.23;
    (2) Has failed to conform to standards of ethical conduct required 
of practitioners at the bar of any court of which he is a member;
    (3) Is lacking in character or professional integrity; and/or
    (4) Displays toward the Commission or any of its hearing officers 
conduct which, if displayed toward any court of the United States or any 
of its Territories or the District of Columbia, would be cause for 
censure, suspension, or disbarment.
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, before any 
member of the bar of the Commission shall be censured, suspended, or 
disbarred, charges shall be preferred by the Commission against such 
practitioner, and he or she shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard 
thereon.
    (c) Upon receipt of official notice from any authority having power 
to suspend or disbar an attorney in the practice of law within any 
state, territory, or the District of Columbia which demonstrates that an 
attorney practicing before the Commission is subject to an order of 
final suspension (not merely temporary suspension pending further 
action) or disbarment by such authority, the Commission may, without any 
preliminary hearing, enter an order temporarily suspending the attorney 
from practice before it pending final disposition of a disciplinary 
proceeding brought pursuant to Sec. 1.24(a)(2), which shall afford such 
attorney an opportunity to be heard and directing the attorney to show 
cause within thirty days from the date of said order why identical 
discipline should not be imposed against such attorney by the 
Commission.
    (d) Allegations of attorney misconduct in Commission proceedings 
shall be referred under seal to the Office of General Counsel. Pending 
action by the General Counsel, the decision maker may proceed with the 
merits of the matter but in its decision may make findings concerning 
the attorney's conduct only if necessary to resolve questions concerning 
an applicant and may not reach any conclusions regarding the ethical 
ramifications of the attorney's conduct. The General Counsel will 
determine if the allegations are substantial, and, if so,

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shall immediately notify the attorney and direct him or her to respond 
to the allegations. No notice will be provided to other parties to the 
proceeding. The General Counsel will then determine what further 
measures are necessary to protect the integrity of the Commission's 
administrative process, including but not limited to one or more of the 
following:
    (1) Recommending to the Commission the institution of a proceeding 
under paragraph (a) of this section;
    (2) Referring the matter to the appropriate State, territorial, or 
District of Columbia bar; or
    (3) Consulting with the Department of Justice.
[ 28 FR 12415 , Nov. 22, 1963, as amended at  57 FR 38285 , Aug. 24, 1992; 
 60 FR 53277 , Oct. 13, 1995]