The Manifesto turns into concrete rules the idea that unites the firms of the Ethical Legal Alliance: access to legal advice and representation should be clear, predictable and responsible. Every commitment can be checked by the client.
- Always aim to exceed expectations. Understand what the client wishes to achieve, and not merely the request as it is put, and direct all the work towards that end. Seek in every matter the most useful solution, with technical rigour and attention to detail, anticipate risks and opportunities the client may not have identified and, where warranted, propose what goes beyond the request, without ever promising results. When each matter is closed, ask the client whether the objective was met and use the answer to improve.
- Transparent, comprehensive fees, known from the outset. Set out in writing, before work begins, the scope of the services, the fees or the method by which they are calculated, the taxes and the foreseeable expenses. Any additional work affecting the price requires the client’s prior acceptance.
- Fair fees, neither exploitative nor speculative. Set fees in proportion to the work actually carried out and to the complexity and value of the matter. Never charge for unnecessary tasks.
- Clear response times. Acknowledge receipt of communications by the following working day and respond to their substance within no more than three working days. Where the complexity of the matter calls for more time, give the expected date of reply within that period. Agree deadlines for the tasks within the practitioner’s control, distinguish them from those that depend on courts or third parties, and give advance notice of foreseeable delays.
- Professional secrecy and effective protection of information. Keep secret the facts learned in the course of professional practice. Use secure channels and systems, limit access to information to those who need it, and never enter confidential data into artificial intelligence tools without adequate guarantees of protection and confidentiality.
- Regular information on the matter. Inform the client of every relevant development and, in ongoing matters, provide an update at least once a month, even when there is nothing new to report.
- A named, accessible person in charge. Identify the practitioner responsible for the matter, make their contact details available and ensure an alternative contact during absences or unavailability.
- Informed decisions. Explain, in plain language, the options available, the risks, the costs and the foreseeable consequences. Obtain the client’s instructions before any significant decision, in particular settlements, withdrawals or steps that involve additional costs.
- A candid assessment of the prospects and usefulness of the work. Give an initial assessment of the possibilities and difficulties of the matter, without promising results. Recommend solutions proportionate to the client’s interest and consider alternatives to litigation whenever they are appropriate.
- Checking for conflicts of interest. Check for conflicts before accepting each matter and throughout its handling. Neither accept nor continue any engagement that is incompatible with professional independence and with the duties owed to the client.
Subscribed by
Portugal Economics and Legal
