Lawyers ethics are sometimes criticised for the absence of a clear duty to the public interest. Critics might argue that it suggests that legal professional ethics are something of a mirage. Without duties to third parties legal ethics amount to little more than service to clients and courts. Client duties are, largely, self-interested rather than altruistic; it is, after all, clients who are paying the bill. This deficit is particularly noticeable regarding collective responsibilities, such as those that might be owed to shareholders or the public generally.
Lawyers Ethics and Professional Responsibility Andrew Boon page 261
Explain and discuss in relation to the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors 2019 and the ethical dilemmas faced by corporate solicitors.
In particular consider to what degree do solicitors owe a duty to the public generally.
