State bar council warns lawyers against advertising legal services on social media
The council issued the warning after noticing some lawyers indulging in such practices to solicit work by way of advertisement, either directly or indirectly, through circulars, advertisements, touts, personal communications, interviews, furnishing or inspiring newspaper comments, or producing their photographs to be published in connection with the cases in which they are engaged or concerned.
As per the formal letter sent to all the bar associations in the region, the State Bar Council mentioned that it observed advocates leveraging religious, cultural, or public events for self-promotion through banners, stalls, and digital advertisements.
Such methods clearly constitute unethical canvassing, infringing upon professional ethics and the dignity of legal practice. "In the age of the internet and digital media, the rise of self-styled legal influencers has compounded these ethical concerns.
The Bar Council of India (BCI), as well as the State Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, notes with serious concern the rapid growth of legal influencers who, even possessing appropriate credentials, spread misinformation on critical legal issues," says the bar council's letter dated July 31.
It was further stated that certain advocates published their photographs with clients, stating that due to the arguments advanced by such advocates, the courts decided the cases in their favour. This is all prohibited in view of Rule 36 of the BCI Rules. It was further warned that any violation of the aforementioned Rule 36 of the BCI amounts to serious misconduct, and the guilty advocate can be proceeded against under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, which can even lead to the suspension or cancellation of the advocate's licence, says the letter.
The formal communication in this regard was sent on behalf of Rakesh Gupta, chairman of the State Bar Council, to the presidents and secretaries of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, all bar associations in the state of Punjab, Haryana, UT Chandigarh, all Tax Bar Associations, and State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions of both the states and UT for compliance.
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