Targeting Lawyers For The Clients They Represent Is Unfair- Bar Council Of Punjab And Haryana

Due to the instances of public targeting of some Advocates for the clients they defend, the Chairman of Punjab and Haryana Bar Council has issued a circular against morally associating lawyers with their briefs/clients.

Taking a serious view of the matter the Bar Council said "Just as a doctor has the sacred duty to treat the patient to the best of his abilities and accept every patient irrespective of his caste, creed, religion, character, misdoings etc. – a lawyer is duty bound to accept every client aiming to protect the physical, moral, and intellectual integrity of the individual to the best of his/her abilities and this is not his/her personal profile/identity."

The Chairman of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council noted it had become a common practice across the socio-political spectrum to speculate, malign, ridicule and cast aspersions on Senior Advocates and members of the bar for representing clients who did not find favor in opinions or discourse.

Terming such practice as malicious attack, he said that "Morally associating lawyers with their briefs/clients, whom they represent is beyond logical parlance. A lawyer is a patriot in pursuit of justice, confined to his brief/client only to the extent he represents such interests in Courts and this allegiance, by itself, must not be construed as having personal affection beyond brief. Targeting lawyers for the clients they represent or once represented is unfair and any such attack is reprehensible."

The Bar Council's circular further states that the central and state law enforcement agencies should deal with such malicious attacks on lawyers effectively.

"The Central and State law enforcement agencies need to deal with such malicious attacks on lawyers effectively. The governments are expected to create a secure environment so that lawyers can function fearlessly without even an iota of doubt in their minds that they may be called to question or publicly ridiculed for the act and conduct of their client or their legal representation of the same". the circular read.

The Bar Council also warned of legal action in case of violation of its advisory.

"Bar Council has viewed such malicious attacks very seriously and via this intends to issue this advisory to all concerned. In case of violation, the Council reserves the right to contemplate legal recourse, in accordance with the law.", the circular read further.

Click here to read/download the Circular