MN OLPR Openly Admits Bias Toward Attorneys!

PAACLA Director Jessica Anlauf was in attendance at the most recent public meeting held for the MN Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (OLPR). OLPR Director Susan Humiston was also in attendance, sitting in the front row as Ms. Binh Tuong, Assistant Director of the OLPR discussed passed cases. As Ms. Tuong discussed one case in particular, a gentleman raised his hand to declare that he had worked on that case and began to express his concerns over his own mishandling of the complaint. The gentleman stated that he could not believe how badly he had mishandled the complaint, and then went further to admit his biased toward the attorney was the reason for his overt mishandling of that complaint. Not a single person in the room seemed surprised by the man's admission. There was no admonishment nor appearance of concern form anyone within the room, including Director Humiston. Here we had an OLPR member who was declaring his bias towards attorneys and admitted gross mishandling of a complaint yet not a single bat of an eye from anyone in the room. Clearly the public is justified in their loss of faith in the attorney profession, the OLPR and the justice system as a whole. The OLPR must be investigated by the MN Legislative Auditor to determine how many complaints are mishandled by the OLPR annually, what measures must be taken to ensure the OLPR eliminates their bias toward attorneys and what can be done to ensure the OLPR does not have "absolute discretion" without checks and balances.