SRA Code & Legal Ethics: Fundamental Principles for Advocates

This essay delves into the fundamental principles of legal ethics, emphasizing the importance of ethical conduct for advocates in upholding public interest. It highlights the role of the SRA Code of Conduct in the United Kingdom, which mandates ethical behavior, professional integrity, and adherence to moral principles for legal practitioners. The essay addresses the challenges faced by advocates, particularly conflicts of interest, and underscores the necessity of maintaining confidentiality and impartiality. It further discusses the advocate's duty to provide accurate information, avoid conflicts, and support clients while adhering to rights-based approaches as outlined in the SRA Code. The essay concludes by reinforcing the significance of these ethical principles in ensuring justice and protecting public interest. Desklib provides a platform for students to access similar solved assignments and study resources.

Running head: LEGAL ETHICS
Fundamental principle on legal ethics
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1LEGAL ETHICS
It is a well known concept of legal practice that every Advocate should have to follow
certain legal rules for the sake of public interest. In United Kingdom, the Code of Conduct
encompasses the necessary provisions on the subject. According to the SRA Code of
Conduct, every legal professional should be committed in ethical acting and should abide by
the mandatory principles engraved under the Code1. However, the term legal practitioner
includes solicitors, junior advocates and their managers.
According to the SRA Code of Conduct, every Advocate is required to act in such way
to maintain the professional integrity and should follow the moral principles while dealing
with the clients. Ethics are playing an important role in case of the professional conduct. It
guides the professionals so that they can perform their duties in a proper way and can act
rationally2. The objective of the ethics is based on the theories of serving for the interest of
the consumers and provides them all the legal necessities for the interest of justice.
However, the above noted statement regarding the ethical approach of the advocate is
true. It has been observed that a legal practitioner has to face lots of problems while dealing
with the clients or performing their businesses. The foremost dilemma is conflict of interest.
It happens when an advocate is representing two clients in a same matter of dispute.
According to the ethical principles and professional code of conduct, an advocate is required
to maintain every kind of confidentiality regarding each client and must not be partial to any
1 Schmidt, Bonnie J., Brent R. MacWilliams, and Leslie Neal-Boylan. "Becoming Inclusive: A Code of Conduct
for Inclusion and Diversity." Journal of Professional Nursing 33.2 (2017): 102-107.
2 Vaughan, Steven. "Guidance and the regulatory space for solicitors." (2015).

2LEGAL ETHICS
of the clients3. The learned advocate should realistically perform all the possible duties for the
protection of law and on behalf of the principle of justice.
According to the principles of the Advocate’s Code of Conduct, an advocate is
required to have certain clarifications regarding the purpose and aim of their professional
activities. A solicitor should know how to manage the pressure by the clients. An advocate
should treat all the clients equally and legal advice should be given to the eligible people in
free of cost. The advocates should avoid all the conflicts of interest and should take all the
possible steps to support their clients. According to the professional code of conduct, an
advocate should always provide accurate information to their clients regarding any legal
dispute. A rights based approach has been made by the SRA Code of Conduct4. A solicitor
should inform his or her client regarding any changes made in the terms of specific contract.
These are the basic principles of legal ethics that should be maintained by the advocates in
their dealing with the clients and for the protection of public interest.
3 Hardy, Margaret C. "Drafting an effective ethical code of conduct for professional societies: A practical
guide." Administrative Sciences 6.4 (2016): 16.
4 Mason, Marc. "Making way for change at the Bar: The practical implications of the new Bar Standards Board
Handbook." Journal of Professional Negligence 31.3 (2015): 139-155.

3LEGAL ETHICS
Bibliography:
Hardy, Margaret C. "Drafting an effective ethical code of conduct for professional societies:
A practical guide." Administrative Sciences 6.4 (2016): 16.
Mason, Marc. "Making way for change at the Bar: The practical implications of the new Bar
Standards Board Handbook." Journal of Professional Negligence 31.3 (2015): 139-155.
Schmidt, Bonnie J., Brent R. MacWilliams, and Leslie Neal-Boylan. "Becoming Inclusive: A
Code of Conduct for Inclusion and Diversity." Journal of Professional Nursing 33.2 (2017):
102-107.
Vaughan, Steven. "Guidance and the regulatory space for solicitors." (2015).