The Bounty Hunters' Guild was an ancient institution that regulated the bounty-hunting trade. It was led by a guildmaster who held members to the Bounty Hunters' Creed, the unwritten rules of the bounty hunters. Its rules were the laws that kept bounty hunters together, but the guild was full of loose cannons, who would often break the rules for their own benefit. The guild was more a coalition of the professionals than a proper organization, and rivalries between its houses were a common occurrence. The bounty hunters who joined the guild had the benefit of notifications of bounty postings before they were broadcast through official channels, which gave guild members a head start. Many Imperial agents preferred to deal exclusively with guild bounty hunters.