The Professional Secret, Confidentiality and Legal Profession ...

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E. RESOLUTION OF THE COMMISSION CONSULTATIVE DES BARREAUX DE 50 LA COMMUNAUTE EUROPEENNE. [The French text is the primary text but, as this Report is published in English, the English translation is printed first.] THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BARS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MEETING AT DUBLIN ON 21ST NOVEMBER 1975 - FINDS AS FOLLOWS:- 1. The rights and obligations of the lawyer in relation to professional confidentiality rest upon common principles but involve particular methods of application in each state related to its own legal system. They are, however, recognised in the law of every state as' being an essential guarantee of the liberty of the individual and of the proper administration of justice and as constituting one of the basic attributes of the legal profession. 2. Elimination of all the differences which have been found to exist cannot be achieved without alteration of the legal systems themselves. 3. Nevertheless it appears that those difficulties which arise most frequently through the application in an international context of the rules of professional confidentiality can be resolved if account is taken of the underlying principles which justify those rules. 4. Lawyers should not suppose that they are entitled, under cover of THEREFORE / professional confidentiality, to transgress their legal obligations or their moral duties, and they must not, in whatever capacity or whatever circumstances, be the accomplices of their clients.
LA / THEREFORE ADOPTS THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION 1. The high authorities of the Community and national governments should be reminded that any restriction upon the rights and legal privileges of the lawyer in relation to professional confidentiality (which are already recognised by all the member states) prejudices the liberty of the individual, the independent administration of justice and the proper defence of accused persons. 2. While lawyers may not lend aid and assistance to their clients 3. 4. in the commission of crimes or offences, they are nevertheless protected by the rules of professional confidentiality in the interests of their clients, it being the task of the professional disciplinary authorities to prevent and punish any abuse on the part of their members. The high administrative and judicial authorities should be reminded that, when in another country, the lawyer must also obey the law and rules of professional conduct of his country of origin and the basis of that law and those rules should be explained to the authorities where necessary. The bars of the host country should assist the lawyer from another country in order to safeguard the principles of liberty and justice. In those countries where the foreign lawyer is not a beneficiary of the rules which protect professional confidentiality for a lawyer of that country, all necessary steps must be taken to ensure that this disparity is removed. 51
Page 1 and 2: COMMISSION CONSULTATIVE DES BARREAU
Page 3 and 4: THE PROFESSIONAL SECRET, CONFIDENTI
Page 5 and 6: I· I I every person who requires t
Page 7 and 8: I I L I 1 6. For the sake of brevit
Page 9 and 10: 6. In none of the Six is the obliga
Page 11 and 12: positive steps must be taken to lip
Page 13 and 14: C. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS - DETAI
Page 15 and 16: advocate in a trial governed by sta
Page 17 and 18: if his client consents to disclosur
Page 19 and 20: most exceptional cases in accordanc
Page 21 and 22: 12. In GERMANY, there is a major di
Page 23 and 24: 14. Documents in the hands of lawye
Page 25 and 26: maintaining secrecy extends are in
Page 27 and 28: (iv) Protection of correspondence b
Page 29 and 30: item of information is a "secret" i
Page 31 and 32: THE UK recognised as a specific leg
Page 33 and 34: or in detail, as the law of Eriglan
Page 35 and 36: 34. For the same reason also, the l
Page 37 and 38: information. This legislation does
Page 39 and 40: states the question of whether evid
Page 41 and 42: the proper functioning of the commo
Page 43 and 44: de la meme maniere que l'avocat nat
Page 45 and 46: law" in this context includes gener
Page 47: 15. The Community and national auth
Page 51 and 52: ADOPTE LA RESOLUTION SUIVANTE 10 Qu

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