SUMMARY
The State Bar of Georgia dismissed my grievance on April 10, 2026, stating no rebuttal had been received. On April 21, Assistant General Counsel Leigh Burgess acknowledged that the submissions were received but misclassified and were not added to the file at the time. On April 30, I asked the State ADA Coordinator’s Office for help with ADA access.
What the Bar publishes
The State Bar of Georgia says on its own site: “All persons authorized to practice law in this state are required to be members.” Its complaint page says “The Supreme Court of Georgia created the State Bar of Georgia in 1964” and authorized it to enforce the rules for lawyers “by bringing disciplinary proceedings against lawyers who violate them.”
The grievance file
On February 3 and February 20, 2026, I sent two written rebuttals to the State Bar of Georgia. On April 10, the Bar issued a dismissal stating no rebuttal had been received. On April 21, Assistant General Counsel Leigh Burgess acknowledged in writing that the submissions were received but misclassified and were not added to the file at the time. I did not start with a disability accommodation request. I started by asking that the ordinary file handling problem be fixed.
The access route
On April 30, 2026, I sent the State ADA Coordinator’s Office an urgent request for help with ADA access. On May 12, Deputy General Counsel William D. NeSmith III wrote that the Bar was not a public entity. On May 13, the Bar’s ADA Coordinator, John J. Shiptenko, wrote: “The State Bar has approved your accommodation request.” On May 29, Shiptenko wrote that the Bar was not subject to Title II.
Two sets of words
On May 12, 2026, NeSmith wrote: “The State Bar of Georgia is not a department or agency of the State of Georgia, therefore we are not required to have a published ADA Coordinator.” On September 22, 2026, Shiptenko wrote: “I am the State Bar’s ADA Coordinator.”
Where the record stands
As of October 19, 2026, the State Bar page records what officials wrote, signed, received or did, with the source beside each dated act.