A lawyer is a person who practices law, as an advocate, barrister, attorney, counselor or solicitor. Working as a lawyer involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific individualized problems, or to advance the interests of those who hire lawyers to perform legal services. The role of the lawyer varies greatly across legal jurisdictions, and so it can be treated here in only the most general terms.
In practice, legal jurisdictions exercise their right to determine who is recognized as being a lawyer. As a result, the meaning of the term “lawyer” may vary from place to place. Some jurisdictions have two types of lawyers, barristers and solicitors. Whilst others fuse the two. A barrister is a lawyer who specialises in higher court appearances. A solicitor is a lawyer who is trained to prepare cases and give advice on legal subjects and can represent people in lower courts. Both barristers and solicitors have gone through law school, completed the requisite practical training. However, in jurisdictions where there is a split-profession, only barristers are admitted as members of their respective bar association.
We are an exclusive association of highly qualified lawyers, who offer their services as counsel, attorney, solicitor, barrister or procurator throughout Europe.
Our members belong to the higher legal professions and are designated by a long academic training and practical experience.
The membership in our association is limited to leading personalities with a long professional experience and an excellent reputation.
The member law firms have high expertise in the following fields of law:
Corporate Law and Tax Law; Antitrust and Competition Law; Intellectual Property Rights; Trademarks, Patents and Designs Law; Commercial Law; Bankruptcy Law; Labour Law; Mergers & Acquisitions; Real Estate Law; Civil Litigation, Arbitration and Mediation; Criminal Defense against tax evasion, fraud, money laundering and organized crime; Litigation before all Courts in Europe.
The legal profession is experiencing a period of dramatic change. Today’s legal system is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Lawyers are confronted with advancing technology, globalization, consolidation of law firms, the emergence of non-traditional competitors and clients demanding greater value for legal services. The profession must address these changes in order to continue to serve the needs of the public and the economy.
In response to these changes, the Law Society of Upper Canada has embarked on an ambitious program of reform under the heading “Creating Great Lawyers.” This wide-ranging initiative aims to ensure that all lawyers continue to meet their responsibilities as set out in the Rules of Professional Conduct. As part of this effort, we are seeking your feedback on ways to strengthen our Law Practice Program (LPP).
The legal profession has traditionally been self-regulating. The basic premise of the self-regulating profession is the idea that lawyers, acting in the public interest, can be trusted to regulate themselves. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that this premise is true.
The legal profession is premised on a lie. The lie is that, by calling someone a “lawyer” or an “attorney,” you have said something meaningful about him. It’s not true. There is no generally accepted definition of competence in the legal profession; there are only a variety of tests for particular skills and knowledge in specific areas of law. You are no more likely to get competent legal advice from a “lawyer” than you are to get medical advice from a person with an M.D. credential and a shingle outside his office that says “General Practitioner.”
THE practice of the law is a learned profession. An attorney applies his learning and his skill in the interest of his client. His duty is to act in good faith, and with fidelity, honesty and integrity towards his client, and with fairness and candor towards the court.
In representing a client an attorney does not assume the role of an advocate for the sake of contention merely, but to advance the cause of justice. A lawyer should strive at all times to uphold the honor and to maintain the dignity of his profession by courteous behavior, by cooperation with his brother lawyers, by placing service before profit in rendering professional service to clients, by being honest in all dealings with others, and by avoiding any conduct which might lessen public confidence in our system of law or in the legal profession.
The rules of the Bar Association prohibit an attorney from making false or misleading statements about his or her services, from guaranteeing results and from soliciting business in a manner intended to harass.
In addition, an attorney may not share legal fees with a non-lawyer or permit a non-lawyer to interfere with the lawyer’s independent professional judgment. The rules also prohibit an attorney from accepting employment in a matter without first advising the client of the right to seek the advice of independent counsel on whether the proposed arrangement is compatible with the client’s interests.
An act is a group of sections. An act can contain many sections.
The purpose of an act is to give legal effect to objects. For example, a section may declare that a contract is valid and enforceable in court, or it may provide for the creation of a new government agency, or it may define a crime and the penalties for breaking that law.
An act is often called legislation, and the process of creating an act is called lawmaking.
A section provides a legal framework for related matters and should not be confused with other types of acts such as regulations, which are subordinate legislation made by the executive under powers conferred by the original act. A section may also include other subsidiary legislation within its text.
