Chap. 410.—An ACT providing for the adoption and enforcement by the Su-
preme Court of Appeals of Virginia of rules and regulations defining the
practice of law, prescribing a code of ethics governing the professional con-
duct of attorneys at law and a code of judicial ethics, establishing practice
and procedure for disciplining, suspending and disbarring attorneys at law,
providing for the creation, government and conduct of the Virginia State
Bar, prescribing fees to be paid for the administration of this act, and pro-
viding for the collection and disbursement thereof. [fH B 113]

Approved April 1, 1938

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia as follows:

Section 1. The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia may, from
time to time, prescribe, adopt, promulgate and amend rules and regula-
tions, st” , |

(a) Defining the practice of law.

(b) Prescribing a code of ethics governing the professional con-
duct of attorneys at law and a code of judicial ethics.

(c) Prescribing procedure for disciplining, suspending, and dis-
barring attornevs at law. , , : ,

(d) Organizing and governing an association to be known as the
Virginia State Bar composed of the attorneys at law of this State,
to act as an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Appeals
of Virginia for the purpose of investigating and reporting the violation
of such rules and regulations as are adopted by the Supreme Court of
Appeals under this act to a court of competent jurisdiction for such
proceedings as may be necessary, and requiring all persons practicing
law in. this State to be members thereof in good standing.

(e) Fixing a schedule of fees to be paid by members of the
Virginia State Bar for the purpose of administering this act, and pro-
viding for the collection and disbursement of such fees, provided,
however, that the annual fees to be paid by any attorney at law shall
not exceed the sum of five dollars ($5.00). No person shall receive
any compensation out of the funds collected under the provisions of
this act for services performed in and about the administration of this
act if at the time of the performance of such services he is a regular
employee of the Commonwealth of Virginia, nor shall any of the
funds derived hereunder be devoted to publishing decisions of the
Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia or to law magazines or to buying
any such publications.
Provided, however, that the Supreme Court of Appeals. shall not
adopt or promulgate rules or regulations prescribing a code of ethics
governing the professional conduct of attorneys at law, which shall be
inconsistent with any statute: nor shall it adopt or promulgate any rule
or regulation or method of procedure which shall limit or supersede
the jurisdiction of the courts to deal with the discipline of attorneys at
law, as now or hereafter provided by law; nor shall there be any rule
or regulation or method of procedure adopted and promulgated which
will provide for any additional method for the trial of attorneys in
disbarment or suspension proceedings except those now provided
for by statute, and in no case shall an attorney be tried for the violation
of any rule or regulation adopted under this act except by a court of
competent jurisdiction.