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	KBA Rules against President Ethics Panel: Bonar Acted Improperly Associated Press, carried in The Courier-Journal December 16, 2008 http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081216/NEWS01/812160402/1008/NEWS01 The president of the Kentucky Bar Association and the group's ethics committee have settled an investigation over her removal of committee members in a deal that will put limits on her power. The association's Board of Governors found that Barbara Bonar, of Covington, inappropriately removed several members of the ethics committee in August before their terms expired. Several have returned to the board, the association said. Under terms of the deal, Bonar needs approval of the Board of Governors or the association's executive committee for any future appointments or removal of committee members. Bonar declined comment yesterday. Buzz English, a Bowling Green attorney who is president-elect of the association, said the board did not reach a conclusion about why the ethics committee members were removed, only that it was done improperly. "These people should not have been removed," English said. Bonar took over the presidency of the state organization in July, despite a judge's findings last year that she acted unethically in litigation against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington over priest sexual abuse. Special Judge Robert McGinnis found last year that Bonar committed "numerous ethical violations" by settling cases for individual clients who claimed sexual abuse while she was co-counsel for a group of plaintiffs in an $84 million class-action lawsuit against the diocese. That case was settled in 2006. Lawyers in class actions generally are prohibited from settling cases for individual clients because it could reduce the pool of money available to class members. Bonar said at the time that she disagreed with McGinnis' findings and had appealed his ruling. McGinnis ruled that Bonar was entitled to none of the fees because of ethical violations that included settling her own cases while she was counsel for the class.
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