JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Construction has begun on new facilities for Missouri’s attorney discipline system. Verslues Construction Inc. of Jefferson City, the low bidder, is the general contractor for the project.

The new 13,100-square-foot, two-level building is being constructed on a lot owned by the chief disciplinary counsel’s office next to its existing office, which it has occupied for more than two decades.

The new building, expected to be complete in about nine months, will be located at 3327 American Avenue and will house the office’s 11 employees. The new facility, which will allow for modest future expansion of the office, will include 12 lawyer offices, four paralegal offices, two conference rooms, smaller meeting rooms and training space.

“For years, our employees have worked in cramped conditions without adequate space for work, filing or storage,” Chief Disciplinary Counsel Alan D. Pratzel said. “With this new building, our office will be better able to carry out its mission of protecting the public and the integrity of the legal profession.”

Once they into the new building, renovations will begin on its existing 5,500-square-foot, two-level building to improve office space as well as overall
building infrastructure. Once renovations are complete, expected in June 2015, the lower level will be used for storage while the upper level will house the
staff and operations of the advisory committee and legal ethics counsel, who currently operate in leased space in The Missouri Bar building in downtown Jefferson City.

In addition to investigating complaints of misconduct made against attorneys and pursuing discipline in the Supreme Court of Missouri, the chief disciplinary counsel’s office also is responsible for handling trust account overdraft problems, offering an “ethics school” for attorneys, increased use of diversionary and probationary programs for attorneys, and making the system more transparent to the public. It largely has handled these changes with existing staff. More information about the chief disciplinary counsel’s office is available at www.mochiefcounsel.org.