Law Society Northern Territory - Rules of Professional Conduct and Practice - May 2005

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

Rules of Professional Conduct and Practice of the Law Society Northern Territory (May 2005) define professional obligations governing legal practitioners. The document sets out how practitioners must manage relationships with clients, including retainer acceptance, confidentiality, conflicts avoidance, and termination-related responsibilities. It also establishes duties to the court such as preparation of affidavits and court documents, evidentiary integrity, advocacy conduct, and handling delinquent or guilty clients, along with provisions for communications, undertakings, and dealings with third parties.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages34

Reading Time1 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Definitions

Relations with Clients

Acceptance of Retainer

Confidentiality

Restraint on acting against a former client

Termination of a Retainer

Acting for more than one party

Avoiding a conflict between a client's and a practitioner's own interest

Receiving a benefit under a will or other instrument

Practitioner and Client - Borrowing transactions

Diligence and Efficiency

Practitioners' Duties to the Court

Preparation of affidavits

Preparation of Court Documents

Admission of guilt

Admission of perjury

Bail

Advocacy Rules

Frankness in court

Integrity of evidence

Duty to opponent

Integrity of hearings

Prosecutor's duties

Relations with Other Practitioners

Communications

Undertakings

Taking over a matter from another practitioner

Transfer of a practitioner's practice

Communicating with another practitioner's client

Relations With Third Parties

Contracting for services

Undertakings

Communications

Debt collection or mercantile agencies

Legal Practice

Conducting another business

Referral fees - Taking unfair advantage of potential clients - Commissions

Payment of Counsel’s fees

Waiver

Dealings with the Law Society

Repeal and Transition

LAW SOCIETY NORTHERN TERRITORY Rules of Professional Conduct and Practice May 2005 CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................4 Definitions ...................................................................................................5 Relations with Clients .................................................................................7 1. Acceptance of Retainer ......................................................................7 2. Confidentiality.....................................................................................7 3. Restraint on acting against a former client .........................................7 4. Practitioners employed otherwise than by a practitioner ....................8 5. Termination of a Retainer ...................................................................8 6. Ownership of clients' documents-Termination of Retainer ...............8 7. Acting for more than one party ...........................................................9 8. Avoiding a conflict between a client's and a practitioner's own interest ......................................................................................10 9. Receiving a benefit under a will or other instrument.........................10 10. Practitioner and Client-Borrowing transactions...............................11 10A. Diligence and Efficiency ...................................................................12 Practitioners' Duties to the Court ............................................................13 11. Preparation of affidavits....................................................................13 12. Preparation of Court Documents ......................................................13 13. Practitioner a material witness in client's case..................................14 14. Admission of guilt .............................................................................14 15. Admission of perjury.........................................................................14 16. Bail ...................................................................................................14 17. Advocacy Rules................................................................................15 17.1-17.2 Duty to a client ..................................................15 17.3-17.5 Independence-Avoidance of personal bias.....15 17.6-17.17 Frankness in court ............................................15 17.18-17.20 Delinquent or guilty clients................................17 17.21-17.27 Responsible use of privilege .............................18 17.28-17.34 Integrity of evidence..........................................19 17.35-17.42 Duty to opponent ..............................................20 17.43-17.45 Integrity of hearings ..........................................22 17.46-17.58 Prosecutor's duties ...........................................23 Relations with Other Practitioners ..........................................................26 18. Communications..............................................................................26 19-20 Undertakings ...................................................................................26 21 Taking over a matter from another practitioner................................26 22 Transfer of a practitioner's practice .................................................27 23 Communicating with another practitioner's client.............................28 Relations With Third Parties ....................................................................29 24 Contracting for services....................................................................29 25 Undertakings ....................................................................................29 26 Communications...............................................................

FAQs

What is the scope of these Professional Conduct and Practice rules?

The rules apply to all legal practitioners except those practising solely as barristers. Annexure A covers barristers practicing solely as such, and the Advocacy Rules apply when practitioners are engaged in advocacy.

What core duties do practitioners have toward clients?

Key areas include acceptance of retainer, maintaining confidentiality, avoiding restraint issues involving former clients, managing conflicts between client interests and practitioner interests, and handling termination of retainers and related document ownership.

What duties are required of practitioners in court and advocacy?

Practitioners must follow advocacy and court duty requirements, including proper preparation of affidavits and court documents, truthful and frank conduct in court, integrity of evidence and hearings, and specific responsibilities when handling guilty or delinquent clients and prosecutor duties.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven