I - General Principles

[Colt Daniels]

I - General Principles

1. The Code of Ethics establishes the principles and rules of conduct that attorneys shall at all times follow in fulfilling their professional responsibilities and in order to preserve the dignity of, and respect for, the legal profession.
2. The basic principles are contained in the solemn oath that every attorney takes when beginning his or her professional legal activity. These principles must be a component part of each attorney's own conscience and belief.
3. The attorney's relationship towards his or her client, the adverse party and the opposing attorney, other attorneys, courts, public attorneys and other government bodies and agencies possessing public authority shall be determined by the attorney's role as the protector of the rights of citizens and legal entities.
4. In his or her appearances, submissions, speeches and other official acts and public and private appearances in general, an attorney shall always consider the requirements of professional and general culture.
5. In fulfilling his or her professional responsibilities, an attorney shall behave in such a way as to gain and maintain the trust of the client, and of the judicial and other bodies he or she appears before.
6. An attorney shall fulfill conscientiously all his or her duties that arise from the attorney's profession and preserve the reputation and the dignity of the profession both at work and in his or her private life.
7. An attorney shall manifest conduct that is an example of humanity, respect, human dignity and progressive efforts in recognizing and accomplishing basic human rights and freedoms.
8. An attorney shall protect the interests of clients, using only the means that are in accordance with the law, with the dignity of the legal profession and good customs and that are not contrary to the attorney's conscience.
9. An attorney shall not accept jobs that are incompatible with the legal profession and could damage the attorney's independence and reputation and the integrity of the legal profession.
10. An attorney shall not use his or her previous job or office to attract clients, nor shall an attorney, in any way, encourage a client to believe that because of such job or office, the needed legal service will be more effective.
11. An attorney shall expand his or her scope of activity only by using the means that are in accordance with ethical standards and the reputation of the legal profession.
12. It is against the dignity and the reputation of the legal profession to act disloyally when practicing law.
13. An attorney who is written or talked about in the mass media in a way contrary to the provisions of the Law on the Legal Profession thus causing damage to the reputation of the legal profession, has the obligation to respond in a way so as to publicly disassociate himself or herself from such statements.
14. Unless otherwise determined by law, the Bar Ethics Review Board shall determine whether the violation of a rule from the Code in a particular case represents a disciplinary violation of the duty and reputation of the legal profession according to the Bar Association.
15. The provisions of the Code expressly applying to attorneys who work alone shall be applied in the same way to attorneys who work in judicial agencies or law firms. The provisions of this Code that expressly apply to attorneys shall accordingly be applied to law students and paralegals.