In December, the Virginia State Bar sidestepped an ethics investigation into Lindsey Halligan, an insurance lawyer who was controversially appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia by the Trump administration. Halligan reportedly took this opportunity to launch questionable cases against individuals perceived as adversaries by the president, and notably bungled them. Despite judicial reprimands, she continued her role until a stringent critique from Judge David Novak prompted the DOJ to withdraw its support.

The Virginia professional regulators initially declined a complaint from the Campaign for Accountability, arguing that issues of criminal indictments based on material misrepresentations and political motives should be determined by the courts, not by them. Now, with the courts having ruled on these issues, the Campaign has submitted a renewed complaint, hoping for a different outcome this time.

Federal judges have since found that Halligan acted without legal authority, defied judicial orders, and misrepresented the law. Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick pointed out her "fundamental misstatements of the law" during the grand jury process. Judge Cameron McGowan Currie determined that Halligan had been unlawfully serving as U.S. Attorney, which invalidated her indictments against high-profile figures like James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Despite these findings, the Virginia State Bar has not yet taken action against Halligan, even though it has previously disciplined prosecutors without needing judicial referrals. The new complaint by the Campaign for Accountability underlines a series of potential ethical violations by Halligan, emphasizing the importance of the state bar's role in maintaining legal and ethical standards.

The refusal of the Virginia State Bar to investigate these allegations initially might have been an attempt to avoid conflict with the Trump administration, which has a history of aggressively targeting critics. This situation underscores a broader issue within the legal profession: the necessity for robust self-regulation to ensure that lawyers who engage in unethical practices are held accountable.

As it stands, the responsibility to police such behavior ultimately falls upon the legal community itself. It is crucial for the integrity of the profession that lawyers capable of filing frivolous lawsuits or misleading courts are not allowed to return to prestigious positions unscathed. The Virginia State Bar now faces a critical decision on whether it will uphold its duty to enforce ethical standards among its members.

Earlier: [Virginia State Bar Whistles Past Lindsey Halligan Ethics Complaint Claiming It’s Not Their Job](https://abovethelaw.com/2025/12/virginia-state-bar-whistles-past-lindsey-halligan-ethics-complaint-claiming-its-not-their-job/) [Disbar Them All: The Only Accountability Left For Trump’s Lawyers](https://abovethelaw.com/2026/01/disbar-them-all-the-only-accountability-left-for-trumps-lawyers/)