Michigan Declines to Sanction GM Ignition Switch Attorneys

Six General Motors Co. lawyers who were fired over the company’s delayed ignition switch recall in 2014 won’t lose their licenses to practice law in Michigan, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Michigan’s Attorney Grievance Commission denied requests in February and March to investigate the former employees. The request came from the father of a woman killed in a crash involving a GM car with one of the defective switches. He also petitioned the commission to strip the lawyers of their Michigan law licenses.

But the grievance commission says deaths caused by the defective switches are not subject to its review, according to the Journal. The newspaper cites a letter to the plaintiff saying the former GM lawyers had no responsibility under Michigan’s professional conduct rules to alert senior GM executives or the general public about the dangerous switches.

GM has paid out more than $2 billion so far to settle claims by victims, shareholders and the U.S. Dept. of Justice. But no individuals have been charged with wrongdoing. The faulty switches can be easily jogged out of the "run" position, thus turning off the engine, airbags and power steering and brakes.