President George Abela told budding lawyers yesterday to think about “not what you have to do, but what you must not do” in their legal careers.

Underlining the importance of ethical behaviour, he told them they had to work hard to build their reputation as news travelled fast on Malta and people often remembered the bad aspects and not the good.

“You have to look people straight into their eyes with a clear conscience,” he said.

Dr Abela was speaking during the inaugural seminar of the Junior Chamber of Advocates, which was called to formally introduce it to law course students and newly-graduated lawyers.

He told the young lawyers they had to go to court early in their studies and get familiar with the building and procedure and surround themselves with more experienced lawyers to gain knowledge and lessons.

Being in this building and going through this “mangle” builds character, he added. He said that the Commission for the Administration of Justice received many complaints but he could say with satisfaction that many of the reports were unjustified.

You have to look people straight into their eyes with a clear conscience

Also speaking, Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri gave the students something to laugh about as he shared some of his experiences as a lawyer starting out. The Chief Justice Camilleri told them that being a lawyer was much more than getting paid well. It was also the satisfaction of helping someone. Being a professional did not mean more money, but higher standards.

“I have a dream which is perhaps not as inspirational as Martin Luther King’s,” he said, adding he wished to see a structured way of lawyers giving services for free.

He said he felt the setting up of a junior chamber of advocates was a “brilliant” idea because he felt that a sense of community needed to be re-established.