(a) Appointment of Trustee or Supervising Lawyer
If a lawyer has been transferred to disability inactive status because of incapacity or disability, has disappeared or died, has been suspended or disbarred, or has surrendered his or her license, and there is evidence that the lawyer has not complied with Rule 26 of these Rules, and no partner, executor, or other responsible party capable of conducting the lawyer's affairs is known to exist, the presiding judge of the judicial circuit in which the lawyer maintained his or her practice, the Disciplinary Board, or the Disciplinary Commission, upon proper proof of that fact, shall appoint a member or members of the Bar to act as trustee or trustees or supervising lawyer or lawyers to inventory the files of the disabled, disappeared, deceased, suspended, or disbarred lawyer or the lawyer that has surrendered his or her license and to take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to protect the interests of the lawyer and the lawyer's clients. If a reasonable fee is approved by the court, the Disciplinary Commission, or the Disciplinary Board, the appointed member or members may apply to the Client Security Fund of the Alabama State Bar for the payment of the fee.

(b) Confidentiality
A member of the Bar appointed as trustee or supervising lawyer shall not be permitted to disclose any information contained in any file inventoried pursuant to the appointment without the consent of the client to whom the file relates, except as may be necessary to carry out the order of the court or Disciplinary Board or Disciplinary Commission to inventory the files and to take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to protect the interests of the lawyer and the lawyer's clients.

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