The Bar Council of Bhutan has reviewed over 60 complaints received since 2020 against individuals misrepresenting themselves as legal practitioners and unlawfully offering legal services to the public. The council is cautioning the public to refrain from seeking services from such individuals. More recently, the council confirmed cases of two men allegedly offering such services and accepting payments.
The Bar Council of Bhutan has found that an individual named Kinley Wangchuk falsely claimed to be a licensed lawyer, provided legal services, and accepted payment despite not being registered with the council. As a result, the council issued a warning and recommended the revocation of his licence.
Similarly, the council ordered the revocation of Kuenphen Legal Firm, operated by an individual named Tashi Phuntsho, who allegedly falsely claimed to be a licensed legal representative. He had accepted fees without delivering the promised legal services and failed to communicate or translate documents as agreed.
The Bar Council said it has received numerous complaints, particularly from Bhutanese living abroad, expressing dissatisfaction with the quality and reliability of the legal services they obtained.
Many of these complainants reported issues surrounding the lack of communication, inadequate representation, non-responsiveness after payment, and unprofessional conduct by some lawyers, among others.
Rinzin Penjor, the Vice President of Bar Council of Bhutan said, “Complaints are now coming from various sources. Some of the most prominent include courts, lawyers, paralegals, and clients. The nature of these complaints usually involves breaches of the code of conduct.”
As numerous law firms operate without proper regulation, the Bar Council urges the public to ensure accessing services from lawyers registered and licensed by the Bar Council of Bhutan who are legally permitted to provide legal advice, represent clients, or prepare documents for legal proceedings.
“I think you need a highly qualified lawyer to handle your cases because legal experience is essential to minimise risks. Qualified lawyers also represent clients in court professionally, which can be challenging even in an average case,” added Rinzin Penjor.
Meanwhile, the Bar Council is working on strengthening its regulatory role to ensure that legal practitioners uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. It intends to do so by enhancing its collaboration with the dungkhag and district courts to monitor unauthorised legal practice.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Phub Gyem
