§ 776.8 Professional Responsibility Committee.

(a) Composition. This standing committee will consist of the Assistant Judge Advocate General (AJAG) for Military Justice; the Deputy Chiefs of Staff for Naval Legal Service Offices (or Defense Services Offices, effective 1 October 2012), and Region Legal Service Offices; the Chief Judge, Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary; and in cases involving Marine Corps judge advocates, the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (DSJA to CMC); and such other personnel as the JAG from time-to-time may appoint. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum. The Chairman of the Committee shall be the AJAG for Military Justice. The Chairman may excuse members disqualified for cause, illness, or exigencies of military service, and may appoint additional or alternate members on a permanent basis. (b) Purpose. (1) When requested by the JAG, the SJA to CMC, or the Rules Counsel, the Committee will provide formal advisory opinions to the JAG regarding application of subpart B of this part to individual or hypothetical cases. (2) On its own motion, the Committee may also issue formal advisory opinions on ethical issues of importance to the DoN legal community. (3) Upon written request, the Committee may also provide formal advisory opinions to covered attorneys about the propriety of proposed courses of action under subpart B of this part. If such requests are predicated upon full disclosure of all relevant facts, and if the Committee advises that the proposed course of conduct does not violate subpart B of this part, then no adverse action under this rule may be taken against a covered attorney who acts consistently with the Committee's advice. Such requests must be made via the Rules Counsel. (4) The Chairman will forward copies of all opinions issued by the Committee to the Rules Counsel. (c) Limitation. The Committee will not normally provide ethics advice or opinions concerning professional responsibility matters that are then the subject of litigation.