Lawyer Code of Conduct

• You must be an enrolled advocate in good standing with a Pakistani Bar Council — the Pakistan Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association, or a provincial Bar Council.
• Your enrolment must not be suspended, terminated, or under disciplinary inquiry.
• You must provide your current Bar Council enrolment number, CNIC, and any other identification we reasonably request for verification.
• If your enrolment status changes — suspension, surrender, removal — you must notify PakLawAI within 7 days.

Your profile must accurately describe your qualifications, years of practice, areas of specialisation, court of enrolment, and fees. No invented credentials, no exaggerated experience, no fabricated testimonials, no AI-generated bar credentials.

• Display your name as it appears on your Bar Council roll.
• List only specialisations in which you have genuine experience.
• Use a current, recognisable photograph of yourself.
• Do not claim "AI assistance" on a profile in a way that misleads clients about who is providing the advice — a human licensed advocate must own every consultation.

• Show up on time. If you must reschedule, give the client at least 24 hours' notice through the platform.
• No-shows are tracked. Three unjustified no-shows within 60 days will result in suspension.
• Conduct consultations professionally. No abusive, demeaning, discriminatory, or sexually inappropriate conduct.
• Use the platform messaging and video for the consultation itself. Off-platform contact (WhatsApp, phone) before the scheduled time is allowed for logistics only and must not be used to bypass platform fees.

• Advise within your competence. Refuse matters outside your practice area or refer the client to a qualified specialist.
• Tell the client clearly when an issue requires a second opinion, a senior counsel, court representation, or in-person follow-up.
• Do not give advice that you know to be wrong, that violates a court order, or that would constitute professional misconduct under Bar Council canons.
• If a matter is urgent (custody, bail, deportation, medical emergency), say so — and either accept it immediately or refer it to a colleague who can.

Everything the client tells you in connection with a consultation is privileged. You must not disclose it to any third party (including other PakLawAI lawyers, your colleagues, family, social media) without the client's informed written consent or where required by Pakistani law.

Video recordings, transcripts, and the AI-generated post-call summary are confidential records of the consultation. Treat them as you would a file in your office. PakLawAI staff have access only for support, abuse investigation, and compliance — never for substantive review.

• Advertise honestly. Your listed fee is what the client pays before the platform commission split.
• Do not solicit additional payment outside the platform for the booked consultation. Off-platform payments are a serious breach.
• Do not condition advice on accepting an off-platform retainer.
• Tips and bonuses sent through the platform are allowed. Cash gifts or property transfers from a client are not.

Before accepting a consultation, check that you do not represent the opposing party in any related matter. If you discover a conflict during the consultation, terminate it, return the fee in full, and notify PakLawAI through the booking dispute flow.

Do not act in matters where a close family member is the opposing counsel without disclosing it to the client first.

The Lawyer Copilot (case workspace, AI drafting, hearing briefs) is a tool, not a substitute for your professional judgment. You remain the sole author of every document you produce for the client. Review every AI-generated draft before sending; you are responsible for its accuracy.

Do not paste privileged client material into third-party AI tools that are not on the PakLawAI sub-processor list (see the Privacy Policy).

If you become aware of another lawyer on the platform breaching this Code, the Bar Council canons, or any law of Pakistan, report it confidentially to conduct@paklawai.pk. We investigate every credible report.

Breaches are dealt with proportionately: warning → suspension → termination of the lawyer account → reporting to the Bar Council. Serious misconduct (fraud, abuse of a client, off-platform extortion, false credentials) is grounds for immediate termination and Bar Council referral.

Disputes about discipline are resolved internally first. If unresolved, the matter is referred to a three-person panel that includes one external advocate of at least 15 years' standing.

Questions about this Code, or self-reporting a breach, may be sent to conduct@paklawai.pk. We respond within 7 working days.