Rule 2.4 - Disciplinary board(a) The supreme court shall appoint a board to be known as the "Disciplinary Board of the Hawai'i Supreme Court" (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") that shall consist of eighteen members, each of whom shall be nominated and appointed separately. At least one-third of the members shall not be lawyers. To the extent possible, membership shall include at least one person from each of the four counties. All appointments shall be made from a list of nominees submitted by the Nominating Committee of the Hawai'i Supreme Court. The Disciplinary Board shall elect from among its members, a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a secretary, and a treasurer(b) All members shall be appointed to staggered three-year terms; however, to maintain a Board with staggered terms, initial appointments may be for less than three years. The Board shall act only with the concurrence of seven or more members. Members shall receive no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for their traveling and other expenses incidental to the performance of their duties.(c) Board members shall refrain from taking part in any proceeding in which a judge, similarly situated, would be required to abstain. If, in any given case, it shall become necessary for the continuation of a case, or the orderly operation of the Board, the supreme court may appoint, for that case only, one or more ad hoc members as it deems necessary. Each ad hoc member shall fulfill all the responsibilities of a Board member.(d) Periodically, the Chairperson shall designate at least two Board members to review the proposed decisions of the Disciplinary Counsel, as mentioned in subsection 2.7 hereof.(e) The Board shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred and imposed upon it by these Disciplinary Rules, including the power and duty: (1) To consider and investigate any alleged ground for discipline or alleged incapacity of any attorney called to its attention, or upon its own motion, and to take such action with respect thereto as shall be appropriate to effectuate the purposes of these Disciplinary Rules.(2) To employ, supervise, and terminate a Chief Disciplinary Counsel, hereinafter Chief Counsel, a Deputy Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Assistant Disciplinary Counsel, and staff employees, and to appoint volunteers to assist the Board in the exercise of its duties. The Board may delegate to Chief Counsel the authority to employ and supervise the Deputy Chief Counsel and Assistant Counsel, to employ, supervise and terminate staff, and to appoint volunteers. (3) To appoint Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel when Chief Disciplinary Counsel and all full time Assistant Disciplinary Counsel are disqualified.(4) To appoint from time to time, and establish the terms of office of, an appropriate number of persons to serve as hearing committee members and officers.(5) To approve assignments made annually by the Chairperson for rotation of members of the Board to review for stated periods all recommended dispositions by Counsel and to authorize changes in such assignments from time to time necessitated by unforeseen circumstances. (6) To adopt rules of procedure governing the Board and hearing committees and officers which are not inconsistent with these rules.(7) To adopt and publish advisory opinions interpreting the Hawai'i Rules of Professional Conduct.(8)(i) To develop an annual budget for operating the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and performing the functions of the Board, to develop appropriate financial policies for managing of all funds received by the Board, and to propose an annual fee; (ii) to submit, no later than September 15 each year, the developed budget, financial policies, and fee structure to the Hawai'i State Bar to allow an opportunity for meaningful review, analysis, input, and comment by the Hawai'i State Bar prior to submission to the supreme court; (iii) to receive written comments, if any, from the Hawai'i State Bar regarding the budget, financial policies, and fee structure; (iv) to reply in a timely fashion in writing to any written comments from the Hawai'i State Bar regarding section (iii), provided the comments were received no later than October 15; and (v) to submit, no later than November 1 each year, the budget, financial policies, and annual fee along with any and all written comments received from the Hawai'i State Bar, and any replies thereto, to the supreme court for its review and approval.(9) To receive from the Bar all funds collected by the Bar for the Board, and to have exclusive control and responsibility over all financial transactions; and to develop and maintain appropriate accounting records showing the receipt and disposition of those funds, which records shall be subject to audit as directed by the supreme court.(10) To retain, as needed, private counsel to assist the Board in the performance of its duties.(11) To establish committees to assist the Board in the performance of its duties.Amended November 20, 1979, effective 11/20/1979; renumbered September 1984; further amended October 27, 1989, effective 11/1/1989, subject to transitional orders; further amended February 7, 1992, effective 2/7/1992; further amended December 6, 1993, effective 1/1/1994; further amended May 11, 1995, effective 5/11/1995; further amended and effective 1/9/1996; amended January 13, 1998, effective 2/13/1998; amended April 8, 2002, effective 7/1/2002; amended May 12, 2003, effective 7/1/2003; further amended November 23, 2007, effective 1/1/2008; further amended June 25, 2013, effective 7/1/2013.