The lawyer is the guarantor of a fair trial, he ensures the rights of the defense. He is therefore the essential representative of Justice as we know it today. Nevertheless, a lawyer is not a profession that always existed, even though certain civilizations knew an organized judicial system.
The first outstanding advocate of history is Cicero, a Roman litigators. In Rome, certain rights of the defense were recognized, including the right to be assisted by a person exercising a liberal profession. Nevertheless, strictly speaking, the profession of a lawyer, or a legal counsellor, did not exist, because the status was not recognized. People had to wait until the sixth century for the creation of the Bar Association in the Byzantine Empire – the profession was finally created.
Over the last 50 years the profession of a lawyer has been changed. But this metamorphosis is due to a rapid evolution of the society. Indeed, the lawyer can be seen as a mirror or an angle of analysis of society. For example, one of the major features of the evolution of the profession these recent years is the emergence of new areas of specialization.
That is why a lawyer is a profession in constant evolution.
New challenges for lawyers and law firms
Justice has been demystified, more and more people are using it and require legal advice and practical legal assistance. Now, today’s society is based on speed – people just cannot wait to have an appointment with a lawyer. The lawyers must be available immediately.
Justice is no longer just interested in classic business, but has been overwhelmed by the emergence of new conflicts created by new technologies. In addition, customers are increasingly demanding, and therefore require specialist lawyers and solicitors in the field of the conflicts that affect them, rather than generalists.
Therefore, lawyers are becoming more and more specialized. Indeed, it is impossible to follow legal news in all areas at the same time.
Moreover, today’s society is globalized. Conflicts are therefore more and more often international. Lawyers, attorneys and solicitors must therefore adapt, since many alternative modes of settlement of disputes are created. It’s the same for delinquency that knows no more borders.
Modern trends in law business
Undeniably, the legal profession is not the only one to have evolved. Well at contrary, its evolution reflects to a large extent the adaptation of this profession to the transformation of the geographical, economic and social context in which evolve our customers.
Beyond the evolution of customer expectations, the business of law firm and legal advice services is experiencing those striking trends today:
- the race to size
- the emergence of niche cabinets
- bankruptcy filings
- the end of life partner status.
The term “globalization” describes one aspect of this evolution; the term “judicialization” describes another, the latter aspect being of importance particularly for the legal and judicial professions.
Judicialization of the lives of individuals and businesses has partly absorbed the growing number of lawyers. Because, unlike other judicial or legal professions (magistrates, notaries, bailiffs, solicitors) the lawyer’s profession is not protected by a numerus clausus.
Over the last four decades, the number of lawyers has increased dramatically everywhere. Law firms now act as legal counsel and accompany their business customers on a daily basis. Law companies also provide for practical assistance to individuals in the fields of business law, labor law and work, real estate law, criminal law and family law.
The list is as follows:
Business Law
- Competition Distribution Consumption
- Commercial litigation
- Company Law / Collective Procedures
- Personal data
- Transport law
- Labor law
- Execution of the contract
- Dismissal / Conventional Breakdown
- Requalification / Detachment
- Work accident
- Social Security Litigation
Real estate law
- Neighborhood troubles
- Co-ownership
- Litigation lessor / tenant
- Hidden defects
- Goodwill / Commercial lease
Criminal Law
- Defense / Civil Party Constitution
- Accident compensation for the road and life
- Medical Error / Domestic Violence / Aggression / Attack
- Abuse of social good
- Press law / Defamation
Family law
- Divorce
- Parental authority
- Civil status / Nationality / Stay
- Patrimonial right
- Succession