Section 14-3812. APPEARANCES AND REPRESENTATION

 

3812.1In any proceeding, representation may be as follows:

 

(a)An individual, receiver, or trustee may appear in his or her own behalf;

 

(b)A member of a partnership may represent the partnership;

 

(c)An officer of a corporation may represent the corporation;

 

(d)A member selected by the members of an association or an employee of the association, a group of tenants or non-profit corporation may represent the association, group or non-profit corporation;

 

(e)A managing agent or property agent, licensed by the District of Columbia and employed by a housing provider for the day-to-day management and operation of a housing accommodation, may represent an owner if only the owner is named as a party; and

 

(f)An owner may represent the managing agent or property manager if only the managing agent is named as a party.

 

3812.2Nothing in § 3812.1 prohibits the provision of technical assistance by a non- profit community service agency.

 

3812.3Any person appearing before or transacting business with the Commission in a representative capacity may be required to establish authority to act in that capacity.

 

3812.4A person may be represented in any proceeding before the Commission by one (1) of the following:

 

(a)An attorney admitted to the practice of law in the District of Columbia, pursuant to the Rules of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals;

 

(b)An attorney admitted to practice before the highest court of any state upon the granting by the Commission of a motion for special appearance;

 

(c)Any law student practicing under the supervision of an attorney admitted to practice in the District of Columbia as part of a program approved by an accredited law school for credit; provided, that the law student’s representation before the Commission is undertaken pursuant to the student’s participation in the clinical program; provided further, that the law student’s supervising attorney is present at any hearing before the Commission; or

 

(d)A family member or close personal friend of a party, where the party is incapable of presenting his or her case because of a language barrier, physical infirmity, or mental incapacity; provided, that the family member or friend receives no compensation for representing the party before the Commission.

 

3812.5The Commission may disqualify or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of appearing or practicing before it or the Rent Administrator in any way, to any individual who is found by the Commission, after hearing, either to be lacking in the requisite qualifications to represent others or to have engaged in unethical, improper or unprofessional conduct; provided, that any individual who shall willfully mislead the Commission or its staff by a false statement of fact or law shall be disqualified permanently.

 

3812.6Any individual who wishes to appear in a representative capacity before the Commission shall file a written notice of appearance stating the individual’s name, local address, telephone number, District of Columbia Bar registration number, if applicable, and for whom the appearance is made.

 

source

Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 33 DCR 1336, 1343-45 (March 7, 1986); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 33 DCR 2656, 2657 (May 2, 1986).