Hazlett to head attorney discipline office

TOPEKA—The Supreme Court today announced the appointment of Stanton A. Hazlett as state disciplinary administrator, the official in charge of investigations relating to possible ethical violations by Kansas attorneys.

Hazlett, 46, Lawrence, has been acting disciplinary administrator since April when Mark Anderson, his predecessor, died in Wichita. He has been a deputy disciplinary administrator and chief deputy disciplinary administrator in the office since 1986.

The office is responsible for investigating and prosecuting attorney violations of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the attorney code of ethics. All costs incurred in the office and by its volunteer Board for the Discipline of Attorneys are paid by Kansas attorneys when they register annually with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts, with no tax money involved.

Last year, the office handled more than 960 citizen complaints of attorney malfeasance; however, only 75 were determined following investigation to warrant formal proceedings. The Kansas Supreme Court has the ultimate jurisdiction to discipline attorneys for the most serious infractions of the code of ethics.

Prior to joining the Office of Disciplinary Administrator, Hazlett had been engaged in private law practice since his graduation from the Washburn law school in 1977. During that period, he served as a part-time assistant district attorney in Douglas County and maintained a general law practice.

Hazlett received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas in 1974, and has received post-graduate education in trial advocacy from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

He is a member of the Douglas County Bar Association and the National Organization of Bar Counsel. He also is a member of the Judge Hugh Means American Inn of Court and has served as judge for various law school competitions, including moot court and client counseling. He is a contributing author for the Kansas Ethics Handbook.