Primary Rules of Conduct for a Criminal Defence Lawyer in British Columbia

For criminal defence lawyers practicing in British Columbia, there is a long list of rules of conduct for lawyers that can be found on the British Columbia Law Society website, noted at the bottom of this article. And the designated rules of conduct are the same for all lawyers, regardless of their area of specialty. Criminal defence lawyers do not have a separate set of rules than other lawyers.

The rules of conduct are too many to discuss fully here. However, they can be divided into several areas:

There are obligations to the state, to the courts, to the client, to other lawyers, and to oneself.

The point of the rules of conduct is to be professional, ethical, and courteous. The law society reminds lawyers that they are part of an old and honoured profession, and they are expected to act as such at all times.

To cite a few examples, lawyers are supposed to work hard for their clients and equally hard if they are assigned a case by the court that may not be remunerated. They must never assist any person in any way that is contrary to the law. And lawyers should work efficiently and in a manner that commands respect.

Integrity is the main trait that should be associated with a lawyer and his or her conduct. The point is that one lawyer’s conduct and actions can have a ripple effect on other lawyers and the whole law society. So, you can expect your criminal lawyer to act professionally and with integrity at all times.

Source:

https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/support-and-resources-for-lawyers/act-rules-and-code/code-of-professional-conduct-for-british-columbia/chapter-2-%E2%80%93-standards-of-the-legal-profession/

Michael Bloom is a very experienced criminal defence lawyer, who started his career as a Crown Prosecutor.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to schedule a free consultation with Mr. Bloom, please call his office at (604) 603-5513 or Toll-Free at (877) 603-5513.