By ‘Majirata Latela
The Law Society of Lesotho has expressed disappointment in false and misleading information that the Society has banned legal practitioners from expressing their views and opinions to the public and social media platforms.
The Society indicates in a statement that in a MEMO of the 22nd June 2021, the Law Society, through its Committee on Professional Conduct and Ethics, “reminded” the legal practitioners that “touting and/or soliciting business” is a professional misconduct in terms of section 30 (q) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1983, which section renders an errant legal practitioner “liable to a fine, suspension or to be struck off the roll” of legal practitioners for touting or soliciting for business.
“The Committee on Professional Conduct and Ethics, greatly perturbed by the spectre of infractions and non-compliance with section 30(q) of the Legal Practitioners Act on social media and court premises entrances, by some members of the Profession, members of the public and consultancy firms, who pry on unsuspecting public (litigants) for briefs, deemed it appropriate and befitting to take the stand to remind Legal Practitioners of their professional and ethical obligations against “touting and/or soliciting for business” and warned that remedial action should be taken by those whose conduct conflicts with section 30(q).
“The Law Society instructed that this conduct must stop and that any touting or soliciting material on social media platforms be removed within the specified period of time, failing which an action would be taken by the Law Society Council.
“The said MEMO had little or nothing to do with the freedom of expression by Legal Practitioners enshrined in the Constitution of Lesotho,” reads the statement.
