Professional Responsibility Advisory Office (PRAO)

The mission of the Professional Responsibility Advisory Office (PRAO) is to ensure prompt, consistent advice to Department attorneys and Assistant United States Attorneys with respect to areas of professional responsibility and choice-of-law issues. PRAO provides definitive advice to government attorneys and the leadership of the Department on issues relating to professional responsibility. It assembles and maintains state rules of professional conduct including, inter alia, all relevant interpretative decisions and bar opinions of the District of Columbia and every state and territory, and other reference materials, and serves as a central repository for briefs and pleadings as cases arise. PRAO provides coordination with the litigating components of the Department to defend attorneys in any disciplinary or other hearing where it is alleged that they failed to meet their ethical obligations. It serves as a liaison with the state and federal bar associations in matters related to the implementation and interpretation of 28 U.S.C. § 530B, the Ethical Standards for Prosecutors Act, and any amendments and revisions to the various state rules of professional conduct. Among other related duties as assigned, PRAO coordinates with other Department components to conduct training for Department attorneys and client agencies in order to provide them with the tools to make informed judgments about the circumstances that require their compliance with the Hyde Amendment and 28 U.S.C. § 530B, the Ethical Standards for Prosecutors Act, or that otherwise implicate professional responsibility concerns. FOIA Reference Guide FOIA Regulations