Chamber of Advocates President George Hyzler said that he has had what he hopes was the last meeting with the Justice Ministry over a bill which will regulate the legal profession, ironing out the last points of dispute over its creation.
Delivering his speech during the opening of the forensic year, he made certain observations of the legal profession and said that there have been major changes over the years. Traditionally he said, the legal profession was tied to the courts, now, he said, this has changed and only a few practice in court.
He said that the number of graduates exploded. The majority choose not to practice in court.
He said the code of ethics does not change for those who do not work in court, and said that those who do not work in court are also exposed to regulations of other professions but do not have the same ethical codes. This is a disadvantage, he said, mentioning for example, advertising restrictions. Hi hinted at his wish to exclude people who work in business, adding that such people who took their warrant years before cannot and are no longer considered lawyers, and do not need to be tied to professional regulations. He said that business regulations are incompatible with a lawyer’s ethics.
He said that the Chamber of Advocates has been campaigning for the need for regulations of the legal profession, he said, highlighting that lawyers who do not work in court sometimes mix their work with other jobs, with different ethical practices.