Ethics
Lindsey Halligan being investigated by the Florida Bar
Lindsey Halligan, the former interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is a member of the Florida Bar, which has confirmed it is investigating her.(Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press)
Update: The Florida Bar reversed its statement that it was investigating Halligan. See story.
Lindsey Halligan, the former interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia forced to leave in January, is under investigation by the Florida Bar, according to a letter the association sent last month.
Halligan, the former interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia forced to leave in January, is under investigation by the Florida Bar, according to a letter the association sent last month. was appointed interim United States Attorney for the district on September 22, 2025, but her four month tenure was marked with controversy and apparent missteps.
With no prior experience prosecuting cases or practicing criminal law, Halligan pursued indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both cases were ultimately dismissed when a federal judge found her appointment to the post to be unlawful.
The Florida Bar’s letter responded to complaints regarding Halligan’s conduct in those investigations that had been filed by the nonprofit organization Campaign for Accountability. The New York Times and CBS also reported on the Florida Bar’s investigation into Halligan.
“We already have an investigation pending,” the bar association said in its letter to the Campaign for Accountability.
The U.S. Department of Justice posted a proposed regulation in the Federal Register on Wednesday that pitches a new system for intervening in state bar associations’ disciplinary proceedings against current and former DOJ lawyers—a move criticized within the legal community. The rule, if finalized, would allow the Attorney General to effectively halt state bar disciplinary proceedings.
Last November, a magistrate judge, William E. Fitzpatrick, said that it appeared Halligan had made “fundamental misstatements of the law that could compromise the integrity of the grand jury process” during the case against Comey. Even after her appointment was found to be unlawful, Halligan continued in that role for several months.
The Justice Department said it had no comment. Halligan did not immediately respond to an email sent to the address she’s listed on the Florida Bar website.
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