Deontology Code

of the

Company Lawyers Professional Association

 

 

Definitions:

 

The following definitions shall apply to this Deontology Code:

 

-         Company lawyers (also called in- house legal counsels): In in-house situations, the client is at the same time the employer of the lawyer. We only consider company lawyers to those who bear a labour/employment relationship with his/her company/client.

 

-         Company Lawyers Professional Association (hereinafter “The Association”)

 

 

1.- Having regard to company lawyers are subject to the Spanish Bar General Statute (“Estatuto General de la Abogacía”), passed 22 of June by virtue of Royal Decree 658/2001, The Association agrees to abide by the code of deontology set forth by the Bar General Council (“Consejo General de la Abogacía”), the highest official representative body of the lawyers´ profession in Spain.   

 

2.- A company lawyer shall do care to make compatible the duty of loyalty owed to the company to whom he/she renders his/her services, with the general principles that govern the profession of lawyers. 

 

3.- Educational growth and training must conform a permanent goal for company lawyers, also as a recognizable feature of reputation of the profession.

 

4.- A company lawyer shall act in good faith in his/her relationships with competitors, colleagues and organizations.

 

5.- Company lawyers shall always retain their intellectual independence and their ability to advise their clients independently and objectively, and shall not allow their  independence to be compromised by a conflict between their own personal interests and the interests and rights entrusted to them by the company.

 

6.- A company lawyer shall be committed to constructively bear upon the vocational guidance and training of juniors colleagues. Seniors lawyers shall encourage trainees and juniors to follow the profession´ best practices, setting an example with their own professional conduct.

 

7.- A company lawyer has a professional duty to keep confidential all matters coming within his/her professional activity. This obligation of confidentially shall survive even after the termination of the professional relationship with the company.

 

8.- A company lawyer shall promote within his/her professional and business environment the core values and principles that ground the legal profession.

 

 

 

 

9.- A company lawyer shall safeguard and watch over the confidentiality of any and all documentation of the client stored in the lawyer´s records and/or offices. These matters can only be disclosed pursuant to the Statutory Legislation. 

 

10.- A company lawyer shall consider the abuse of law and the antisocial use of rights as a conduct against the progress of the society and its moral and economic development.