professional secrecy

English edit

Noun edit

professional secrecy

  1. (law) The legal protection of confidentiality for disclosures made to certain professionals by their clients.
    Synonyms: professional confidentiality, professional privilege, duty of confidentiality
    Hyponyms: attorney-client privilege, solicitor-client privilege, doctor-patient confidentiality
    • 1936, George W. Jacoby, Physician, Pastor and Patient: Problems in Pastoral Medicine, page 332:
      All medical men recognize the binding character of the obligation of professional secrecy.
    • 1989, Kaarle Nordenstreng, Hifzi Topuz, Journalist: Status, Rights and Responsibilities:
      All pieces of information handed over confidentially shall be covered by the professional secrecy which must be respected unless the person(s) involved explicitly authorize(s) the journalist to quote his (their) name(s) or information has been provided by a person who knew it was untrue and who, in one way or antoher, misused the good faith of the journalist.
    • 1989, Paul Joan George Kapteyn, Pieter Verloren van Themaat, Laurence William Gormley, Introduction to the Law of the European Communities, page 464:
      Since this provision does not lift bankers' professional secrecy and does not imply an obligation to institute an inquiry it does not ensure that complete information is obtained.
    • 2006, Benedict M. Ashley, Health Care Ethics, page 151:
      This requires that a therapist carefully maintains professional secrecy, be truly concerned for the patient, be prompt in appointments, and be reasonably available for consultation.
    • 2006, John Williamson Nevin, Sam Hamstra, The Reformed Pastor, page 71:
      The minister is bound to professional secrecy, in such a case, of course, like the lawyer or physician.
    • 2013, Professional Secrecy of Lawyers in Europe, page 393:
      In Norway, legal professional secrecy is regarded as a fundamental guarantee of the rule of law promoting the interests of the client, respect for the administration of justice and the laws of society.

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