Under what condition are supervising attorneys held responsible for the acts of their subordinates?

Supervising attorneys are held responsible for the acts of their subordinates primarily when they are aware of those actions and fail to take appropriate measures in response. This principle is rooted in the concept of vicarious liability and the duty of supervisors to oversee the work of those they supervise. When an attorney has knowledge of unethical or improper conduct by a subordinate and does nothing to address the issue, they can be deemed complicit in that misconduct.

This accountability serves to ensure that supervising attorneys actively maintain ethical standards within their practice and are vigilant about the actions of their team members. It emphasizes the importance of a supervising attorney's role in fostering a culture of compliance and ethical behavior, thereby protecting both clients and the integrity of the legal profession.

The other options do not meet the threshold for holding a supervising attorney responsible; being unaware, being out of the office, or actions being simply careless do not reflect an active failure to address known issues within the scope of supervision. It is the combination of knowledge and inaction that creates liability in this context.