(a) Practice—

(1) By non-attorneys. An individual may appear pro se (on his own behalf); a general partner may represent the partnership; a bona fide officer of a corporation, trust or association may represent the corporation, trust or association.

(2) By attorneys. An attorney-at-law who is admitted to practice before the highest Court in any State or territory, or of the District of Columbia, who has not been suspended or disbarred from appearance and practice before the Commission in accordance with provisions of part 14 of this chapter may represent parties as an attorney in proceedings before the Commission.

(b) Debarment of counsel or representative during the course of a proceeding.

(1) Whenever, while a proceeding is pending before him, a Judgment Officer or an Administrative Law Judge finds that a person acting as counsel or representative for any party to the proceeding is guilty of contemptuous conduct, such official may order that such person be precluded from further acting as counsel or representative in the proceeding. An immediate appeal to the Commission may be taken from any such order, pursuant to the provisions of §12.309, but the proceeding shall not be delayed or suspended pending disposition of the appeal; Provided, That the official may suspend the proceedings for a reasonable time for the purpose of enabling the party to obtain other counsel or representative.

(2) Whenever the Judgment Officer or Administrative Law Judge has issued an order precluding a person from further acting as counsel or representative in a proceeding, such official, within a reasonable time thereafter, shall submit to the Commission a report of the facts and circumstances surrounding the issuance of the order and shall recommend what action the Commission should take respecting the appearance of such person as counsel or representative in other proceedings before the Commission.

(c) Withdrawal of representation. Withdrawal from representation of a party shall be only by leave of the decisionmaking official (or the Commission) before whom the proceeding is then pending. Such leave to withdraw may be conditioned on the attorney's (or representative's) submission of an affidavit averring that the party represented has actual knowledge of the withdrawal, and such affidavit shall include the name and address of a successor counsel (or representative) or a statement that the represented party has determined to proceed pro se, in which case, the statement shall include the address where that party can thereafter be served.