New code of conduct for lawyers soon:BCI Chairman

Hyderabad, Feb 6 (PTI) The Bar Council of India isframing new guidelines drawn from overseas jurisdictions forethical conduct of lawyers and would notify the new code bythe end of this year, its Chairman and Solicitor-General GopalSubramaniam said today.

"We are trying to frame new �ethical guidelines code�based on international principles. The guidelines have beenpublished in the draft form. Now it will be circulated widelyfor various stakeholders and we will go into it elaboratelyand notify the new code hopefully before the end of the year,"he said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 17thCommonwealth Law Conference that began here, Subramaniam saidit would be a brand new code which will be based oninternational principles that would be applicable to Indianconditions.

"We have drawn the new ethical guidelines from overseasjurisdictions particularly from South Africa which are meantfor all lawyers in the country. The new guidelines are simpleand easy to understand," he said adding the need for shiftingto new model was felt because nobody had revisited the oldguidelines which were framed in 1962-63.

"We decided to update the guidelines (on ethicalconduct of lawyers) to make it more realistic. We have sentthe draft code to various State Bar Councils so that we canhave elaborate consultation and we are also sending it to themembers of the judiciary, the BCI Chairman said.