Nova Scotia’s lawyers are expected to conduct themselves and their law practices ethically. The Code of Professional Conduct creates the standards of conduct for Nova Scotia lawyers.
Approved by Council September 23, 2011
Chapter 1 – Interpretations & Definitions
Chapter 2 – Standards of the Legal Profession
Chapter 3 – Relationship to Clients
- 3.1 Competence
- 3.2 Quality of Service
- Quality of Service
- Limited Scope Retainers
- Honesty and Candour
- Language Rights
- When the Client is an Organization
- Encouraging Compromise or Settlement
- Threatening Criminal or Regulatory Proceedings
- Inducement for Withdrawal of Criminal or Regulatory Proceedings
- Dishonesty, Fraud by Client or others
- Dishonesty, Fraud when Client an Organization
- Clients with Diminished Capacity
- 3.3 Confidentiality
- 3.4 Conflicts
- Duty to Avoid Conflicts of Interest
- Consent
- Short-term Summary Legal Services
- Dispute
- Concurrent Representation with protection of confidential client information
- Joint Retainers
- Acting Against Former Clients
- Acting for Borrower and Lender
- Conflicts from Transfer Between Law Firms
- Law Firm Disqualification
- Transferring Lawyer Disqualification
- Lawyer Due Diligence for non-lawyer staff
- Doing Business with a Client
- Transactions with Clients
- Borrowing from Clients
- Lending to Clients
- Guarantees by a Lawyer
- Payment for Legal Services
- Gifts and Testamentary Instruments
- Judicial Interim Release
- 3.5 Preservation of Client’s Property
- 3.6 Fees and Disbursements
- 3.7 Withdrawl From Representation
Chapter 4 – Marketing of Legal Services
Chapter 5 – Relationship to the Administration of Justice
- 5.1 The Lawyer as Advocate
- 5.2 The Lawyer as Witness
- 5.3 Interviewing Witnesses
- 5.4 Communicating with Witnesses
- 5.5 Relations with Jurors
- 5.6 The Lawyer and the Administration of Justice
- 5.7 Lawyers and Mediators
Chapter 6 – Relationship to Students, Employees and Others
Chapter 7 – Relationship to the Society and Other Lawyers
- 7.1 Relationship to the Society and the Profession Generally
- 7.2 Responsibility to Lawyers and Others
- 7.3 Outside Interests and the Practice of Law
- 7.4 The Lawyer in Public Office
- 7.5 Public Appearances and Public Statements
- 7.6 Preventing Unauthorized Practice
- 7.7 Retired Judges Returning to Practice
- 7.8 Errors and Omissions