The lawyer’s role
Legal ethics
In order to justify and preserve the trust at the heart of the lawyer-client relationship, lawyers adhere to strict professional rules established and regularly updated by the Bar Association, which makes sure that they are duly complied with (through disciplinary measures).
Updated and monitored by the Bar Association, these rules are handed down from one generation of lawyers to the next so as to the core values and integrity of the profession.
The relationships of lawyers with third parties are guided by three fundamental principles: independence, loyalty, and professional confidentiality.
What happens of these principles are breached?
Filing a complaint
The Bar Association is responsible for addressing and punishing lawyers for breaches of ethical conduct. If a lawyer fails to uphold his or her ethical duties, any affected party may file a complaint with the President of the Bar, who will investigate or delegate the matter to another member of the Bar, then decide whether to refer the case to the disciplinary council. Both the lawyer concerned and the complainant may be heard and represented by legal counsel if they so wish.
Disciplinary sanctions
The disciplinary council may impose various penalties, ranging from a warning to temporary suspension, or even permanent disbarment.
Other legal remedies
Although complainants do not participate directly in disciplinary proceedings, they may still initiate civil or criminal actions against the lawyer before the courts.