Digest:  A judge who is a member of the Board of Directors of a county bar association may solicit judicial colleagues to become members of the association.
 

Rule:  22 NYCRR 100.4(C)(3);
           Opinions 96-19 (Vol. XIV );
           92-07 (Vol. XI).
 

Opinion:

            A full-time judge who serves as a member of the Board of Directors of a county bar association asks if it is permissible to solicit other judges to join the bar association.

            Section 100.4(C)(3) of the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct, provides that a judge may serve as a member, officer, or director of an organization or government agency devoted to the improvement of law, the legal system or the administration of justice. This would, of course, include bar associations.

            In our opinion there is no ethical prohibition to a judge's solicitation of judges to become members of a county bar association. Such activity is not coercive, provided that the solicitation is limited to judges and correspondence relating thereto or other information is not sent to the judge's chambers. See Opinions 96-19 (Vol. XIV); 92-07 (Vol. IX).