Chap. 314.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act entitled | /in act Proven ne
the adoption and enforcement by the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia of
rules and regulations defining the practice of law, prescribing a code of ethics
governing the professional conduct of attorneys at law and a code of judicial
ethics, establishing practice and procedure for disciplining, suspending and dis-
barring 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 providing for the collection and disbursement thereof.”, approved

April 1, 1938. [S B 280]
Approved March 28, 1940

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That an
ct entitled ‘‘An act providing for the adoption and enforcement by
he Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia of rules and regulations
lefining the practice of law, prescribing a code of ethics governing
he professional conduct of attorneys at law and a code of judicial
thics, establishing practice and procedure for disciplining, suspending
nd disbarring attorneys at law, providing for the creation, govern-
nent and conduct of the Virginia State Bar, prescribing fees to be
said for the administration of this act, and providing for the collection
nd disbursement thereof.’’, approved April first, nineteen hundred
ind thirty-eight, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 1. The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia may, from
ime to time, prescribe, adopt, promulgate and amend rules and
-egulations.

(a) Defining the practice of law.

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

(c) Prescribing procedure for disciplining, suspending, and dis-
barring attorneys 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 o!
Appeals under this act to a court of competent jurisdiction for suck
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 Virginie
State Bar for the purpose of administering this act, and providing fo:
the collection and disbursement of such fees, provided, however, tha
the annual fees to be paid by any attorney at law shall not exceec
the sum of five dollars ($5.00).

Section 2. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this act
the Supreme Court of Appeals shall not adopt or promulgate rules o
regulations prescribing a code of ethics governing the professiona
conduct of attorneys at law, which shall be inconsistent with an:
statute: nor shall it adopt or promulgate any rule or regulation o
method of procedure which shall limit or supersede the jurisdictio1
of the courts to deal with the discipline of attorneys at law, as now oO
hereafter provided by law; nor shall there be any rule or regulatio:
or method of procedure adopted and promulgated which will provid
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.

Section 3. There is hereby established as a special fund in the
State treasury a fund to be known as the State Bar Fund. All fees
collected from the members of the Virginia State Bar as provided in
section one of this act shall be paid into the State treasury imme-
diately upon collection and credited to the State Bar Fund. All
moneys so paid into the said fund are hereby appropriated to the
Virginia State Bar for the purpose of administering the provisions of
this act. All disbursements from the said fund shall be made by the
State Treasurer upon warrants of the Comptroller issued upon vouch-
ers signed by such officer or officers of the Virginia State Bar as may
be authorized, by or in accordance with rules and regulations pre-
scribed, adopted and promulgated by the Supreme Court of Appeals
of Virginia, so to do.

No person shall receive any compensation out of the State Bar
Fund 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.