Rule 7 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners

Rule 7 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC) 2023 is about Engagement in business. It is under Part 1 (Practice as a Legal Practitioner) of Chapter 1 (Conduct) of the Rules. It provides as follows:

(1) Unless permitted by the Bar Council, a lawyer shall not practice as a legal practitioner at the same time as he practices any other profession.

(2) A lawyer shall not practice as a legal practitioner while personally engaged in—
(a) the business of buying and selling commodities :
(b) the business of a commission agent ; or

(c) such other trade or business which the Bar Council may from time to time declare to be incompatible with practice as a lawyer, or as tending to undermine the high standing of the profession.

(3) For the purpose of this rule, “trade or business” includes all forms of participation in any trade or business, but does not include—

(a) membership of the Board of Directors of a company which does not involve either executive, administrative or clerical functions ;

(b) being Secretary of a company ; or
(c) being a shareholder in a company.