Hong Kong Bar Association

Circular No. 019/04

To : Members of the Bar Association

From : Andrew Mak - Hon. Secretary

Date : 8 March 2004

ADDITION TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT

At the meeting held on 26 February 2004, the Bar Council resolved that the following Paragraph 13 be added to the Definition section of the Code of Conduct with immediate effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there will be a 3 months grace period allowed for compliance in so far as those practices that may be affected by this new provision.

"13. In this Code the expressions "professional chambers" and "chambers" mean premises used by one or more barristers to carry on their practices and not shared with persons who are not barristers. For example, business centres or other premises shared with persons who are not barristers are not professional chambers as defined in this Code."

The mischief under the existing code which the Bar Council intends to remedy is that first of all it is a matter of confidentiality that chambers should not be shared (or having an impression that it has been so shared) with other professions, and secondly, chambers must not be operated so as to give rise to possible misconception of having a multidisciplinary practice or a practice involving both a barrister profession and other business practice.