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article by Anthony Ciavola
Forensic Code of Ethics: the new changes introduced
article by Anthony Ciavola
Forensic Code of Ethics: the new changes introduced
the sitting of 12 June 2008, the CNF has amended some articles of the Code of Conduct, following observations made by Authority for Competition and Market, in finding investigation on the professional associations.
Article. 17a, in so far as allowing use of their Web sites with domain lawyer, has been amended so that the launch of the site must be promptly reported to the Council of the Order, with removal of prior authorization.
Article. 18, which concerns relations with the press, was amended to similar effect, and the prior opinion of the Bar Council in the case of headings on the press and television is replaced by a simple communication.
Article. 24, Canon IV, was modified by prefixing the words "for the keeping of registers" the first of disclosure and openness of the setting-up of studies and contact details.
Article. 45 has been amended to clarify that in the event of a contractual compensation benchmarks to achieve the objectives (contingency fee agreement) does not rotate the principles of art. 2233 of the Civil Code.
Apparently the proposed amendment is a minor one, however, examining the relationship of the CNF, the observations of the Guarantor and especially the changes requested and made becomes illuminating.
The first two changes tend to reduce the power of control order of advice and leave more freedom to the lawyers, remember that not long ago any form of advertising was prohibited, and then there was a timid opening to professional information, always strictly controlled in advance by the Council of membership. The author's note guarantor
tended to liberalize all forms of advertising, in line with the Bersani reform, and even the request was to delete the reference to the respect and dignity of the profession, including the ban on comparative advertising and laudatory.
Even more specifically, the authorities sought to amend Art. 17 nella parte in cui vieterebbe una forma di pubblicità autoreferenziale.
Secondo l’autorità, pertanto, ogni avvocato dovrebbe avere la possibilità di farsi pubblicità come un’azienda commerciale, utilizzando anche il classico dolus bonus e cioè presentandosi sul mercato come il migliore, il più preparato, il più vincente, senza motivazione.
La resistenza del CNF, davvero lodevole, punta all’interesse generale che l’informazione data risponda a correttezza e verità, evitando che gli iscritti all’albo compiano azioni di promozione o propaganda che possano pregiudicare la dignità della professione.
In particolare, il CNF individua l’informazione advertising as an activity that aims to provide utility customers, and not as motivated by economic activity of the trader.
For the reasons set out briefly above, the CNF has not accepted the findings aimed at simplifying art. 17a and made no reference in the new version, the prices of services offered.
This position, however well reasoned and well justified by the whole history of ethical rules, but seems destined to give way if it is not definitively clear in the legislation, a fundamental EU principle of the liberal professions.
should say precisare, in modo definitivo, che tra i liberi professionisti e gli imprenditori vi sono differenze sistematiche di fondamentale importanza, poiché ai secondi è richiesto, molto più dei primi, di rispettare regole di natura etica nel loro comportamento, regole che spesso sono anteposte al loro interesse economico.
La legislazione più recente, e mi riferisco in particolare alla legge Bersani, sembra invece andare nella errata direzione di una totale equiparazione tra professionisti ed imprenditori.
Senza un mutamento di rotta da parte del legislatore, che giustifichi la sopravvivenza delle regole deontologiche ed il loro autogoverno, ogni limite etico è destinato a cadere, con conseguenti danni irreparabili a borne by society and individual users.
(American Lawyer, July 10, 2008. Note Anthony Ciavola)
National Bar Council, acting June 12, 2008, No. 15
National Bar Council
MINUTES of Aduno
No. 15-A (2007-2010)
year two thousand eight, the 12th day of June, at 10, in Rome at the headquarters Administrative via del Governo Vecchio, No 3, the National Bar Council met in extraordinary session administration, advance notice sent by e-mail to all Directors on June 6, 2008, with the intervention of the Lords:
Mr. Guido ALPA President
Mr. Pierluigi
TIRALI
Secretary
Attorney Charles LAUREL
Component
Mr. Antonio BAFFO
Component
Attorney Joseph Bassu
Component
Mr Nicola BIANCHI
Component
Mr. Alessandro BONZO
Component
Lawyer . Borsacchio Stefano
Component
Mr. Aldo BULGARELLI
Component
Mr. Luigi CARDONE
Component
Mr. Lucio OF PAGE
Component
Mr. John D'Innella
Component
Mr. Florio Fabio
Component
Mr. Bruno GRIMALDI
Component
Mr. Corrado Lanzaro
Component
Mr. Andrea MASK
Component
Mr. Ubaldo PERFECT
Component
Mr. Silverio SICA
Component
Attorney John VACCARO
Component
Attorney Charles VERMIGLIO
Component
other components are absent.
President assumes the Presidency, Chambers. prof. Guido Alpa.
The Chairman confirmed that the members present is larger than that prescribed by art. DDL 22, November 23, 1944, No 382, declares valid the meeting.
AGENDA of today's meeting includes the discussion of these topics:
OMISSIS
Alpa The President drew the attention of the Council sulla necessità di fornire quanto prima le risposte ai rilievi sul Codice deontologico forense formulati dalla Autorità per la Concorrenza e il Mercato nel corso della audizione del 18 aprile scorso e alla quale hanno partecipato, oltre a questi, il Cons. Segretario Tirale, il Vice Pres. Perfetti e il Cons. Stefenelli, nell'ambito dell'indagine conoscitiva sugli Ordini professionali avviata dalla medesima Autorità nel gennaio 2007.
Il Consiglio, sentita la relazione del Presidente, premesso che, nel corso dell'audizione avvenuta il 18 aprile 2008, l'Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato ha formulato i rilievi di seguito indicati al vigente codice deontologico forense:
a) con riferimento all'art. 45, reiterated his hope that the standard be integrated with the wording "without prejudice to the principle of free determination of compensation";
b) with reference to information on professional discipline, noted that the advertising ban Comparative advertising and the expected laudatory article. 17, paragraph 4, of ed. lawyers can not be justified and, as the requirement of laudatory publicity, said that it would be desirable to change the standard, with reference to the requirement of self;
c) the reference to the limits of respect and decorum of the profession, provided the same art. 17 CDF, can not be justified under the competition concerns, because they could significantly deter the use of leverage of advertising;
d) with reference to art. 17 bis of the Code of Ethics lawyers called for the modification of the standard, eliminating the list of what advertising can and must indicate or, alternatively, with the rider that's allowed to appear clearly between the prices of services offered and is eliminated prohibition to account for the names of customers, even if they have given their consent;
e) with reference to art. 18, paragraph 3, has expressed the wish that the obligation to request a favorable opinion should be replaced with the requirement of giving notice;
f) in relation to the prohibitions contained in art. 19, paragraphs III and IV in that they rely on the correctness and decorum, or prohibitions on offering services to home users, or in public places or places open to the public or specific persons for a specific transaction, called modification of the rule by identifying specific legal precepts disadvantage or physical or mental weakness of potential customers;
g) called the amendment to the provision under Article. 24, paragraph 4, with the clarification that the requirement of disclosure without delay of the formation of associations or societies 'professional or study or major or minor details', is related to the keeping of registers.
The Council took note of the comments and the views expressed by the International Commission for the revision of the Code of Conduct at its meeting on May 30 last
a resolution. to grant the relief given by the Italian Competition Authority, set out in paragraph a) of the premises with reference to the wording of Article. 45 CDF and to add the text of that provision with the phrase "stay the principle provisions of art. 2233 of the Civil Code";
2. to grant the relief given by the Authority as set out in the preamble of this resolution to the letter e), in the opinion as it provides estimate of the Bar Council, replacing the following wording: "subject to timely reporting;
3. to accept, also, the call to integrate the art. 17a. cdf, paragraph 2, change the text, replacing the term "prewar communication" that "after timely notification";
4. to ask the Commission to review the code of ethics of lawyers-will review the wording of Article. 17a entitled "Information Mode" to assess the advisability of simplification;
5. to grant the relief given by the Authority in respect of Article. 24 of the CDF, with the clarification that the notification required da tale norma al canone IV sia preceduta dalla dizione "ai fini della tenuta dell'albo";
6. di non accogliere i rilievi riportati alle lettere b), c), e) ed f) delle premesse per le seguenti ragioni:
6.1. Il richiamo ai doveri di dignità e decoro della professione è esplicitamente contenuto nell'art. 12 del R.d.l. 27 novembre 1933 n. 1578, e costituisce il parametro normativo generale, alla stregua del quale deve essere valutata la condotta degli esercenti la professione forense.
Il carattere di norma di legge del codice deontologico deriva dalla delega effettuata dall'ordinamento professionale al Consiglio Nazionale Forense, il cui potere trova origine e limite nel parametro normativo previsto dalla norma generale, collective autonomy, which refers to the function of integrating the white piece of legislation dictated by the legislature. In this sense, the Supreme Court has recently expressed by giving the rules of the disciplinary code forensic nature of "legal sources of additional legal precept" (Cass. Civ. Sec. U. 20.12.2007 No 26810).
Hence the need for the rule of professional conduct to be drafted in relation to that self-regulatory parameter.
6.2 The prohibition of comparative advertising is to publish laudatory are functional in the general that the information given by the Advocate complies with principles of fairness and truth.
The ethical rules that provide for consistent with similar provisions in the codes of ethics for European Union countries close to us, such as France and Spain and are compatible with the art. 81, in conjunction with art. 10 EC. They incorporate a restriction justified on the basis of the general to the proper administration of justice and the dignity of the profession, since this limitation is to avoid that members can make the professional promotion or propaganda which might endanger confidence of those who turn to them and undermine the dignity of the profession. The information is in fact permissible in so far as is given to promote public awareness of useful information to raise awareness the existence and identity of the trader and the place where the activity takes place, as well as the kind of performance that he is able to provide, the information may not exceed this function because, if it were accepted, information would be at least partly motivated by economic interests to promote their professional performance, even regardless of their needs or they may have utility for the customer.
It is, moreover, a limit consistent with the Court of Justice in Case C-446/05 and pronounced with the conclusions in that case taken by the Advocate General.
6.3. The same reasons militate for the conservation provisions of dell'art. 19, canoni III e IV, con l'ulteriore precisazione che le norme ivi indicate hanno come obbiettivo la tutela della professione dall'esercizio di forme di acquisizione della clientela illegittime e comunque scorrette.
Il Consiglio, pertanto
DELIBERA
A) che il nuovo testo dell'articolo 17 bis c.d.f. è il seguente:
ART. 17 bis - Modalità dell'informazione.
L'avvocato che intende dare informazione sulla propria attività professionale deve indicare:
* la denominazione dello studio, con la indicazione dei nominativi dei professionisti che lo compongono qualora l'esercizio della professione sia svolto in forma associata o societaria; *
the Bar Council in which each member joined the study;
* headquarters of exercise, any branch offices and contact details, indicating the address, telephone numbers, fax, e-mail and Website, if activated,
* the title of training to enable the foreign lawyer working in Italy, Italian lawyer or allows the operation abroad, the legal profession in accordance with EU directives.
may indicate: *
academic qualifications;
* specialist qualifications obtained from academic institutes;
* enabling to carry forward to higher courts;
* the areas of exercise of the profession and within these, the main activity of any materials;
* languages \u200b\u200bspoken;
* the logo of the study, the details of the policy
* professional indemnity insurance;
* any quality certification of the study, the lawyer who wishes to make mention of a quality certification must file with the Bar Council of supporting the certification valid and complete claim certifier and the scope of the certification officially recognized by the Stato;
* i settori di esercizio dell'attività professionale e, nell'ambito di questi, eventuali materie di attività prevalente;
* le lingue conosciute;
* il logo dello studio;
* gli estremi della polizza assicurativa per la responsabilità professionale;
* l'eventuale certificazione di qualità dello studio; l'avvocato che intenda fare menzione di una certificazione di qualità deve depositare presso il Consiglio dell'Ordine il giustificativo della certificazione in corso di validità e l'indicazione completa del certificatore e del campo di applicazione della certificazione ufficialmente riconosciuta dallo Stato.
L'avvocato can only use the Web sites with their own domains and directly attributable to him, the law firm or law firm in which he participates, subject to timely reporting to the Council of the Order of the membership form and content in which it is expressed.
The professional is responsible for the content of the site and it must contain the information contained in the first paragraph.
The site can not contain commercial references and / or advertising by showing either direct or through banners or pop-ups of any kind.
B) The new Article 18 cdf is:
ART. 18 - Relations with the press. In relationships
con la stampa e con gli altri mezzi di diffusione l'avvocato deve ispirarsi a criteri di equilibrio e misura nel rilasciare interviste, per il rispetto dei doveri di discrezione e riservatezza.
I. Il difensore, con il consenso del proprio assistito e nell'esclusivo interesse dello stesso, può fornire agli organi di informazione e di stampa notizie che non siano coperte dal segreto di indagine.
II. In ogni caso, nei rapporti con gli organi di informazione e con gli altri mezzi di diffusione, è fatto divieto all'avvocato di enfatizzare la propria capacità professionale, di spendere il nome dei propri clienti, di sollecitare articoli di stampa o interviste sia su organi di informazione sia su altri mezzi di diffusione; is also forbidden to hold press conferences without prejudice to the defense needs of the customer.
III. E 'allowed the lawyer, upon notice to the Bar Council of
membership, to hold or treat regular column about the press giving the
own name and participate in regular columnist and television broadcasts.
C) The new text of Article 24 cdf is:
ART. 24 - Relations with the Bar Council.
The lawyer has a duty to cooperate with the Bar Council of belonging, or in any other, upon request, for the implementation of institutional purposes in strict the duty of truth. To this end, each member is required to report to the facts in its possession relating to the life forensic or administration of justice, initiatives or actions that require collective.
I. In the context of disciplinary proceedings, the failure to answer the objections of the member and communicated to the failure to submit observations and self-defense does not constitute a disciplinary offense, although such behavior could be assessed by the Panel in the formation of his own free conviction.
II. If the Council to the member of the Order requires clarification, information or obligations in relation to a request by a party or a co-worker tends to get news and obligations in the interest of the same complainant, the failure to prompt response of the member is a disciplinary offense.
III. The lawyer appointed to the Council of the Order must fulfill the task with diligence, impartiality and public interest.
IV. For the purpose of keeping the registers, the lawyer has a duty to inform without delay the Council of the Order of the membership and possibly responsible for the area, the establishment of associations or professional societies and the subsequent modifying events, as well as the initiation of studies main, secondary and even professional contacts.
D) The new text of Article 45 CDF, and il seguente:
ART. 45 - Accordi sulla definizione del compenso.
E' consentito all'avvocato pattuire con il cliente compensi parametrati al raggiungimento degli obiettivi perseguiti, fermo il divieto dell'articolo 1261 ce. e sempre che i compensi siano proporzionati all'attività svolta, fermo il principio disposto dall'art. 2233 del Codice civile.
OMISSIS
IL CONSIGLIERE SEGRETARIO IL PRESIDENTE
f.to Avv. Pierluigi Tirale f.to Avv. Prof. Guido Alpa
E' ESTRATTO CONFORME ALL'ORIGINALE.
Roma, 12 giugno 2008.
IL CONSIGLIERE SEGRETARIO
Avv. Pierluigi Tirale
