French Intellectual Property Code
In forceThe industrial property attorney:
1° Refrains in the same case from advising, assisting or representing clients with opposing interests; he also refrains from accepting a new case if the secrecy of information entrusted by a former client is likely to be violated;
2° Observes professional secrecy: this secrecy extends in particular to consultations he gives to his client, to professional correspondence exchanged as well as to any documents prepared on this occasion;
3° Conducts to its conclusion the case for which he is responsible, unless his client relinquishes it;
4° Reports on the performance of his mandate, in particular with regard to the handling of funds; to this end, he shall provide his client with an account showing separately, on the one hand, the fees, and on the other hand, the expenses and royalties : this account shall indicate any sums previously received by way of retainer or payment;
5° Hand over to the client who has dismissed him, or to the latter's new agent, all documents of an official nature of which he is the custodian, as well as all documents and information necessary for the performance or completion of the assignment entrusted to him; handover must take place within a period of time that avoids any foreclosure or limitation period.
