A code of conduct for Lawyers — an urgent need of the hour

Niranjan de Silva of Battaramulla has given us several details as to the manner in which some lawyers have been conducting their "services" — "which is perhaps the oldest profession that has never seen any development in the 20th and the 21st century".

Perhaps, this may well be his experience in dealing with them in the recent past. I am aware of two instances which may be of much interest and concern to individuals who intend taking legal action, to solve their problems in a just manner.

This is a case connected with land where the client produced a document — a report by the examiner of questioned documents before the lawyer and insisted that this too be produced as evidence before court. This report mentioned that there were sentences ‘introduced’ into the deed and also gave details of such illegal acts as well.

In spite of the client pleading with his lawyer to include same, the lawyer ‘claimed’ that it was not necessary to do so. The end result was — having spent several lakhs of rupees and attending courts for many years, he lost the case.

The pertinent question to be asked may well be — whose interests is the Lawyer appearing for? Your guess is as good as mine.
Concerned Citizen
Colombo.