Why Advertising their services is a no-no for Lawyers

In a public notice, the Bar Council of Delhi recently announced that recalcitrant lawyers violating the rules and regulations of the Bar Council would face prosecution under the Advocates Act, 1961. The Bar Council of Delhi publicly announced that notices of misconduct were issued to lawyers found to have published social media advertisements inclusive of Facebook and WhatsApp. The notice mentioned that lawyers violating or flouting Bar Council rules would face prosecution under the provisions of The Advocates Act, 1961.

What is the problem with lawyers advertising their services?

According to the rules and regulations in India, advocates are disallowed by publicizing their services. The Advocates Act, 1961’s subsection 1(c) of Section 49 of General power of the Bar Council of India authorized to make rules also empowers the Bar Council of India to create and implement Rules on the standard of professional conduct and etiquette that advocates ought to follow and indeed abide by.

Clause 36 under Section IV which is essentially about Duty to Colleagues of the Standards of Professional Conduct and Etiquette that advocates ought to abide by as laid down by the Bar Council of India states that advocates should not be soliciting work or advertising either in a direct or indirect manner through circulars, ads, touts, communicating personally, interviews, giving or organization newspaper comments or obtaining photograph for publishing in regards to cases concerning the lawyer.

Besides, the lawyer’s sign-board or name-plate should be of an appropriate size. The sign-board or name-plate or stationery should not mention that he is or was President or Members of a Bar Council or of some Association or that the lawyer was attached to any person or organization or with a particular cause or matter that the advocate may have the sp[ecialization in or the other exception to the rule being the lawyer is a former judge or an Advocate-General.

An advocate who circumvents these Rules is liable to be prosecuted under Section 35 of The Advocates Act, 1961. Based on this Section sweeping powers including reprimanding or suspending the advocate from practice for a fixed period, removing the advocate’s name from the state roll of advocates and last but not the least, dismissal of the complaint have been granted to a State Bar Council.

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