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(b) The duty to defend does not apply in the case of malfeasance, gross negligence
or willful or wanton neglect of duty.
(c) If any complaint is made to the Oregon State Bar or other agency or court with
disciplinary jurisdiction over the Respondent or a disciplinary proceeding is brought
by the Oregon State Bar or such agency or court against an Respondent which on its
face falls within the provisions of subsection (a) of this bylaw, or which the
Respondent asserts to be based in fact on an act or omission in the performance of
his or her official duties on behalf of the bar and not within the scope of subsection
(b) of this bylaw, the Respondent may file a written request for a defense with the
General Counsel, or if the request is by the General Counsel, the President of the
bar. The General Counsel or President, as the case may be, will thereupon present
his or her recommendations to the Board of Governors regarding the approval of an
agreement to pay for the defense of the Respondent, including attorney fees and
costs during the investigation, prosecution, and appeal of a complaint of professional
misconduct. The Board of Governors will approve such terms and conditions of
payment for the defense as it deems appropriate under the circumstances, including
the Board’s right to select counsel to defend the Respondent, unless the Board
determines that the complaint does not arise out of an act or omission occurring in
the performance of official duties on behalf of the bar, or that the act or omission
amounted to malfeasance, gross negligence or willful or wanton neglect of duty, in
which case the Board will reject the request.
(d) If the Board agrees to pay for the defense of a complaint or disciplinary
proceeding, the Respondent shall cooperate fully with the lawyer(s) hired by the bar
to defend the Respondent. If the Board determines that the Respondent has not
cooperated with defense counsel or has otherwise acted to prejudice defense
counsel’s good faith decisions regarding the proper defense of the matter for which a
defense is provided, the Board may at any time terminate the continued defense of
the matter and require the Respondent to reimburse the bar for all funds it has paid
on account of the defense of the Respondent. The Board may condition the provision
of a defense under this bylaw on the Respondent’s agreement to make such
reimbursement upon the Board’s good faith determination that the Respondent has
failed to cooperate with defense counsel or otherwise acted to prejudice defense
counsel’s good faith decisions regarding the proper defense of the matter.
(e) If the Board concludes, after undertaking to pay for the Respondent’s defense,
that the conduct was malfeasance, grossly negligent, or the willful or wanton neglect
of duty, the Board will terminate the continued defense of the matter and require the
Respondent to reimburse the bar for all funds it has paid on account of the defense.
The Board may condition the provision of a defense under this bylaw on the
Respondent’s agreement to make such reimbursement upon the Board’s good faith
determination that the Respondent has engaged in such conduct.
(f) If the Respondent in a disciplinary proceeding is found to have violated the rules
of professional conduct, a disciplinary statute or disciplinary regulation, the
Respondent must reimburse the bar for all funds it has paid on account of the
defense of the Respondent. The Board may condition the provision of a defense
under this bylaw on the Respondent’s agreement to make such reimbursement upon
the entry of a final judgment imposing discipline on the Respondent. Discipline for
purposes of this bylaw should be a reprimand or greater sanction imposed by the
Disciplinary Board or the Oregon Supreme Court or other court or agency having