Article VII: Attorney Admission and Discipline | PART B. REGISTRATION AND DISCIPLINE OF ATTORNEYS
Rule Text
Conduct of attorneys which violates the Rules of Professional Conduct contained in article VIII of these rules shall be grounds for discipline by the Court. Discipline may be: (a) disbarment; (b) disbarment on consent; (c) suspension for a specified period and until further order of Court; (d) suspension for a specified period of time; (e) suspension until further order of the Court; (f) suspension for a specified period of time or until further order of the Court with probation; (g) censure; or (h) reprimand by the Court, the Review Board or a hearing panel.
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
When a lawyer in Illinois breaks the professional conduct rules, the Illinois Supreme Court can punish them in different ways depending on how serious the violation was.
The most serious punishment is disbarment, which means the lawyer permanently loses their law license. A lawyer can also agree to give up their license voluntarily, which is called disbarment on consent. Less severe options include suspension, which temporarily stops the lawyer from practicing law. A suspension can last for a set amount of time, an open-ended period, or a combination of both, and it can sometimes include probation.
The least severe punishments are a censure or a reprimand. These are formal warnings that go on the lawyer's record but do not stop them from practicing law.
Summary generated April 01, 2026
Committee Notes
(March 23, 2004) Effective April 1, 2004, former Rule 771 (“Types of Discipline”) was renumbered as Rule 770 and a new Rule 771 (“Finality of Orders and Effective Date of Discipline”) was adopted.
Adopted May 26, 1978, effective July 1, 1978; amended June 3, 1980, effective July 1, 1980; amended August 9, 1983, effective October 1, 1983; amended October 13, 1989, effective immediately; amended and renumbered March 23, 2004, effective April 1, 2004; amended Jan. 25, 2017, eff. immediately.
Disclaimer
The information on this site is for general reference only and is not legal advice.
Rule text may not reflect the most recent amendments. Always verify against official
sources before relying on any rule in a legal matter.
By using this site, you agree to our
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy,
whether or not you click this button.
