Rule 118 - Appointment of Counsel to Protect Client's Interest1. Judicial action; compensation; right of reimbursement. Whenever an attorney has been transferred to disability inactive status, abandoned their practice, resigned, died, or been suspended or disbarred, and there is evidence that the attorney has not complied with SCR115, and a responsible person capable of conducting the attorney’s affairs cannot be found, the chief or presiding judge, or designee in the judicial district(s) in which the attorney maintained their practice, upon application by bar counsel, the state bar may appoint a disinterested attorney(s) to examine and inventory the attorney’s files and to take such action as is necessary to protect the interests of the attorney and the attorney’s clients. An appointed attorney may petition the board of governors for reasonable compensation. The board of governors may seek reimbursement from the attorney, out of the attorney’s property, or from the attorney’s clients whose interests are served under this rule.2. Confidentiality. An attorney appointed under this rule shall not disclose any information contained in the files examined or inventoried without the consent of the client for whom the file was maintained, except as necessary to carry out the order of the court which appointed the attorney.3. Immunity. Any attorney appointed pursuant to this rule shall be absolutely immune from civil liability for any act or omission in connection with, or in the course of, duties performed pursuant to the appointment.Added; effective 2/15/1979; amended effective 3/1/2007; amended effective 5/6/2011; amended effective 10/26/2023.