The Finnish Legal Profession of Advocates

Who is an advocate?An advocate is an experienced lawyer specialised in handling legal matters of his clients. Only a member of the Bar Association is allowed to use the professional title ”advocate”.

An advocate is a safe choice for solving legal issues. The quality of the legal services is continuously developed and monitored.

Advocates in numbers

• There are ca. 2,000 advocates.• Of the about 200 public legal aid attorneys 96 are

advocates.• Of the advocates 29 % are women, 71 % men.• Yearly about 130 new advocates enter the

profession. • In addition to the advocates there are ca. 600

lawyers working in the law offices.• The number of law offices is about 800

What is the mission of the profession?

• An advocate is a guarantee for a state governed by rule of law.A constitutional state requires an independent legal profession of advocates who offers high-quality legal services to both private and corporate clients.

What is the vision of the profession?

• Everyone has confidence in advocates.Both private and corporate clients perceive advocates as proficient providers of legal services. The society acknowledges the significant role of the advocates as contributers to advancing legislation. Being part of the profession is valued and experienced as advantageous.

Advocates’ activity rests on five core values• Loyalty• Independence• Avoidance of conflicts of interest• Confidentiality• Personal integrity

These core values are stated in The rules of proper professional conduct. Obeying these rules is efficiently monitored.

Finnish Bar AssociationThe aims of the Finnish Bar Association are • to regulate and supervise advocates’ activity• to advance the quality of legal services• to train and support advocates and• to advance legislation.

The Finnish Bar Association is a statutory body whose activities are regulated by the Advocates Act. The Bar is not a registered association, a trade union or an entrepreneurs union.

What does the Bar Association do? (1/2)

• Regulates and supervises advocates’ activity: The law requires advocates to act according to the rules of proper professional conduct. The Bar defines the contents of the proper professional conduct independently and supervises the activity of advocates. Dissatisfied clients may make a complaint against an advocate to the Bar Association’s Disciplinary Board free of charge. The Bar accepts only experienced lawyers as advocates. The professional title “advocate” may be used only by members of the Bar.

• Advances the quality of legal services: The Bar ensures high-quality legal service all over Finland provided by advocates to both private and corporate clients.

What does the Bar Association do? (2/2)

• Trains and supports advocates: The Bar provides the advocates with substantial amount of training. An annual quote of training hours is required of advocates and the fullfillment of this requirement is controlled. The Bar supports the advocates’ professional activity for example by sharing information about best practices.

• Advances legislation: Advocates are actively participating in the developing of legislation as members of working groups and by drafting expert’s opinions. The aim of the Bar’s activity in this respect is to advance the general judicature and the rule of law in Finland.

Advocates are effectively supervised*

• 618 new supervisory matters and fee disputes• Disciplinary Board issued 632 decisions• Average duration of the process was 6 months 14 days• 34 % of the complaints led to a disciplinary sanction:

• 112 reprimands (61 %)• 55 cautions (30 %)• 2 monetary penalties• 2 disbarments

• 19 % of the fee disputes led to a recommendation about a fee reduction

*Key figures of 2014

Independent Disciplinary Board

• The Disciplinary Board carries an independent responsibility for the disciplinary process.

• 12 members of which 5 are not members of the Bar• Non-members of the Bar are persons attending to a judicial

office or working within jurisprudential research as well as representatives of the licenced jurists

• Convenes in pleanary sessions and four divisions• An advocate has the right to appeal against the

decision of the Disciplinary Board to the Helsinki Court of Appeal.

www.barassociation.fi