Rule 21 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners

Rule 21 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC) 2023 is about Withdrawal from employment. It is under Part II (Relation with Clients) of Chapter 1 (Conduct) of the Rules. It provides as follows:

(1) A lawyer shall not abandon or withdraw from an employment once assumed, except for good cause.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1) of this rule, “good cause” for which the lawyer may be justified in withdrawing from the client’s employment includes the following—
(a) conflict of interest between the lawyer and the client ;

(b) where the client insists on an unjust or immoral course in the conduct of his case ;
(c) where the client persists against the lawyer’s advice and remonstrance in pressing frivolous defences ; or
(d) where the client deliberately disregards an agreement or obligation as to payment of fees or expenses.

(3) Where the lawyer is justified in withdrawing from the employment, he shall give reasonable notice to the client to allow him time to engage another lawyer.

(4) Where the lawyer withdraws from an employment after a fee has been paid, he shall refund such part of the fee which has not been clearly earned.