KUALA LUMPUR: There is nothing in the Legal Profession (Practice And Etiquette) Rules 1978 that prevents a lawyer from acting for himself, the High Court ruled.
Justice V.T. Singham made this ruling yesterday, allowing three lawyers who have been sued by Bank Pertanian (M) Bhd in a RM19.7mil negligence suit to represent themselves in court.
He dismissed the preliminary objection made by Bank Pertanian against Zulpadli Mohammad, Ahmad Edham Abdulwani Mohamad and Yusfarizal Yussoff.
“When a lawyer elects to conduct his own defence in the High Court where he is a party, he does not appear as counsel and should disrobe himself.
“In this case, the court is of the view that there is nothing in the Legal Profession (Practice And Etiquette) Rules which prohibit a lawyer who is a party or named as a party from acting in person,” Justice Singham ruled yesterday.
He then asked the three to file their notice of intention to act in person as a substitution for the memorandum of attendance.
The suit was filed by Bank Pertanian on May 19 against the three over professional negligence, claiming that they had failed in their duty to exercise reasonable care in their advice to the bank over the matter involving two properties in Ulu Selangor.
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