CHAPTER II
RELATIONS WITH CLIENTS
THE CLIENT¡¯S INTERESTS
Subject to due observance of all rules of law and professional conduct, the lawyer must always act in the best interests of his client and must put those interests before his own interests or those of fellow members of the legal profession.
DUTY TO INFORM THE CLIENT
(1) A lawyer explains to the client the law and the course of action he intends to undertake pointing out potential favorable and unfavorable legal consequences.
(2) A lawyer keeps the client informed about the significant matters relating to the representation in time for the client.
(3) A lawyer promptly responds to the questions in connection with the representation.
RESTITUTION OF DOCUMENTS
On request of his client, the lawyer shall return without delay any original documents received from the client in connection with the representation.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS: GENERAL RULE
(1) The lawyer shall not counsel, represent or defend clients in case of a conflict of interest between them. In this case, the lawyer may act for clients with conflicting interests only with the clients¡¯ express consent and only if this will not lead to an unjustified detriment of the clients¡¯ interests or to a violation of other provisions of this Ethics Code.
(2) If a conflict of interest arises, the lawyer must cease to act and immediately ask for the clients¡¯ consent.
FEES
(1) The Lawyer should be entitled to a fee for its services. The fee should be determined in a written agreement between the lawyer and the client. In the absence of a written agreement the fee shall be defined in accordance with the tariff rates set in an ordinance.
(2) The lawyer¡¯s fee should be reasonable and fair. The factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of a fee include the following:
a. the amount involved and the results obtained;
b. the time and labor required, the novelty and the difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal services
c. the time limitations imposed by the circumstances;
d. the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client;
e. the experience, reputation and ability of the lawyer or lawyers, performing the services;
WITHDRAWAL OF REPRESENTATION
(1) The lawyer should not withdraw from an undertaken representation, unless there are reasonable grounds, such as:
a. Overload or insufficient knowledge in a particular legal field;
b. Immorality of the client¡¯s reasons to seek legal assistance;
c. When the client insist the lawyer to undertake actions, which contradict to the law or the ethics code;
d. When the client insists the lawyer to undertake actions, which contradict to his professional assessment;
e. When the client cannot pay for the assistance or does not fulfill his contractual obligation for payment of the already rendered assistance;
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