QUESTION OF ETHICS

Q I am employed in-house by a commercial company.

My employer has entered into a joint venture with various other companies.

One of the other...Q I am employed in-house by a commercial company.

My employer has entered into a joint venture with various other companies.

One of the other companies has asked whether I can act for it in an unrelated transaction.

Is this all right, as this company is part of the joint venture?

A Law Society practice rule 4 and the Employed Solicitors Code 1990 set out the framework within which an in-house solicitor can provide legal services.

Paragraph 5(a)(ii) of the code allows you to act for a partnership, company or syndicate by way of a joint venture in which the employer and others have an interest.

You would be able to act for the joint venture company and, of course, for your employer but not for the companies which are in the venture.Please noteLimited liability partnerships (LLPs)The government has announced that the legislative changes to provide for LLPs will come into force on 6 April 2001.

However, it does not follow that practitioners will be able to convert to LLP status on that date.

The process will involve two successive steps registration as an LLP at Companies House followed by recognition as a recognised body by the Law Society under the new Solicitors Incorporated Practice Rules 2001.

These rules will regulate all incorporated practices, whether companies or LLPs.

An information pack including the draft rules is now available from Professional Ethics.

l Question of ethics is compiled by the Law Societys professional ethics guidance team.

Send questions for publication to Austin OMalley, the Law Society, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch B98 0TD; DX 19114 Redditch; tel: 020 7242 1222.