The axiology of the oath of an advocate and the notion of an advocate’s work

The paper discusses the values embodied in the oath of an advocate, which has to be taken as a prerequisite for entering this profession. Said values include: dignity, honesty, fairness and social justice, and an advocate should hold to them in both their professional and private life. Even though the aforementioned values are often invoked in the professional milieu, as well as before the disciplinary judiciary, their meaning has not yet been the subject of a broader discussion. Furthermore, the article discusses qualities such as reliability and dedication, which should characterize both the performance of duties by and the work of an advocate. Attention is drawn to the fact that such statutory requirements carry contractual consequences, as well as have a bearing on the assessment of the standard of diligence. In addition, an attempt is made at defining the advocate›s work, with references to both the subject and goals of the advocate’s activities, while taking into account the general human needs of the advocate as a human being. The article draws both from legal and extra-legal sources, especially philosophical ones. The article was created primarily with reference to the deontological ethics of the profession of an advocate, which can further assist the disciplinary judiciary in evaluating the examined cases through the prism of faithfulness to the contents of the oath of an advocate.