Refrain from soliciting work either directly or indirectly, Bar Council of Delhi cautions Advocates

The Bar Council of Delhi has issued a public notice advising advocates to refrain from publishing advertisements for soliciting work either directly or indirectly..The Notice dated October 24, 2019, has stated that any advocate found in contravention shall be liable for prosecution under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961..The public notice was issued after the Bar Council of Delhi discovered that certain advocates and NGOs were soliciting professional work through advertisement on Social Media, i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp, etc..Putting the erring Advocates and the NGO to notice, the Bar Council of Delhi cautioned,.“Everyone publishing such advertisements are put to notice that issuance of such advertisements are not permissible and State Bar Council has taken suo moto action against these Advocates and have issued notices for misconduct under Section 35 of the Advocates Act and the Rules made thereunder.”.The Notice also draws the advocates’ attention to Chapter II, Section IV, Clause 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules which reads as under,.“Section IV – Duty to Colleagues.36. An advocate shall not solicit work or advertise, either directly or indirectly, whether by circulars, advertisements, touts, personal communications, interviews not warranted by personal relations, furnishing or inspiring newspaper comments or producing his photographs to be published in connection with cases in which he has been engaged or concerned. His sign-board or name-plate should be of a reasonable size. The sign-board or name-plate or stationery should not indicate that he is or has been President or Member of a Bar Council or of any Association or that he has been associated with any person or organisation or with any particular cause or matter or that he specialises in any particular type of worker or that he has been a Judge or an Advocate General. .That this Rule will not stand in the way of advocates furnishing website information as prescribed in the Schedule under intimation to and as approved by the Bar Council of India. Any additional other input in the particulars than approved by the Bar Council of India will be deemed to be violation of Rule 36 and such advocates are liable to be proceeded with misconduct under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961.**..”.Recently, the Bar Council of Delhi had also issued notice to UrbanClap for “soliciting legal profession” on its portal..Read the Notice: