The Bermuda Bar Association has updated its professional code of conduct, banning members from discriminating against clients and colleagues under any of the terms of the Human Rights Act.

However, the local governing body for lawyers has gone one step further than the Human Rights Act, and extended its code of conduct to cover discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation too.

Bar Association President Kiernan Bell said of this: “The Bar Association supported the lobbying efforts of the Human Rights Commission to have the legislation amended to include protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

“While we feel confident that the Bermuda legislation will be remedied in the future, the Bar Council felt that we should not wait, and should do our part to make it plain that the legal profession does not tolerate discrimination on any basis, including an individual’s sexual orientation.”

See Monday’s edition of The Royal Gazette for more on this story.