Lawyers will be punished for unethical statements and inaccurate information

Lawyers will be punished for distributing inaccurate information and unethical statements.

As reported by Zakon i Biznes (Law and Business) publication citing the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA).

It is reported that on May 11 the working group has worked out changes to the Rules of Advocate’s Ethics. They take into account the practice of the disciplinary commissions and the decision of the decision of the Bar Council of Ukraine.

According to these rules, lawyers’ unethical statements against each other, dissemination of inaccurate information are recognized as the basis for disciplinary responsibility.

“The Rules of Advocate’s Ethics is the fundamental document and the advocacy must be guided with this document, as well as the legislation. This is a code of professional standards and rules with mechanisms for accountability in case of violation. And exactly the existence of such rules gives the special status to the advocacy as a self-governing institution”, – noted Valentyn Gvozdiy, Deputy President of the UNBA, during the meeting.

He believes that the rules should evolve in the direction of clarity of wording and unification of application. They should not only provide for responsibility, but also provide protection in situations when complainants are using unreasonable pressure against lawyers.

The UNBA states that the current version of the Rules corresponds to the European standards and, in particular, to the Code of Conduct of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE). At the same time, correspondence with the requirements of the largest professional organization in Europe does not mean that there is no need for further improvement refinement of these rules and in the light of Ukrainian realities.

As previously reported consideration of draft amendments to the Rules of Advocate’s Ethics, constituent documents of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, the Higher Qualification and Disciplinary Bar Commission of Ukraine and the Higher Audit Commission of the Bar of Ukraine is planned at the next meeting of the Bar Council of Ukraine, which is scheduled on May 26-27 in Mukacheve.