Italian legal ethics: Criminal acquittal does not halt disciplinary proceedings

Under Italian law, a criminal acquittal does not automatically terminate disciplinary proceedings against lawyers. The legal system maintains a clear distinction between criminal guilt toward the State and professional misconduct toward colleagues.

Following the professional reform introduced by Law No. 247 on December 31, 2012, the Consiglio Nazionale Forense possesses significant autonomy to evaluate the ethical conduct of its members independently of criminal court rulings. This autonomy is only restricted in specific instances where a judge explicitly determines that the alleged facts did not exist.

In cases where a fact occurred but is no longer classified as a crime, or where the acquittal is based on technical grounds, the disciplinary judge may still impose sanctions to protect the prestige and ethical standards of the legal profession.