There are 2950 lawyers in Azerbaijan. This means approximately 29 lawyers per 100,000 people. For a country with a population of more than 10 million 264 thousand, is it reasonable to have nearly 3 thousand lawyers?
Medianews.az's question was answered by lawyer Vamiq Shukurov, who said that increasing the number of lawyers in Azerbaijan is one of the major institutional reforms carried out in the legal system in recent years: “Especially, serious steps have been taken in this direction within the framework of the strategic line determined by the country’s President concerning the development of the advocacy institution and expanding citizens' access to legal assistance. In line with this policy, since the day Anar Bagirov was elected Chairman of the Bar Association, active work has been carried out to increase the number of lawyers, expand legal practice in the regions, and organize the admission to the profession more systematically. While previously the number of lawyers in Azerbaijan was very limited, this number has increased significantly as a result of consecutive admission exams held in recent years.
Nevertheless, nearly 3,000 lawyers for a country with a population exceeding 10 million is not considered a high indicator. For comparison, I note that in Turkey there is one lawyer for every 450-500 people, while in Azerbaijan there is approximately one lawyer for every 3,500 people. In Georgia and some European countries, the number of lawyers per capita is several times higher than in Azerbaijan.”
In his statement, V. Shukurov also drew attention to the issue of the number of lawyers in the regions. He noted that currently, the majority of lawyers operate in the capital: “It is important to continue measures aimed at creating new lawyer institutions and encouraging young legal professionals to move to the regions in order to expand access to legal assistance in the regions.
Despite all this, it is clear that the dynamics in the development of the advocacy institution in recent years have been positive. The efforts to increase the number of lawyers, enhance the prestige of the profession, and expand citizens’ opportunities for legal protection are of significant importance for the construction of a legal state.”
It should be noted that in Azerbaijan, persons who have been admitted to the membership of the Bar Association in accordance with the established procedure and who have taken the lawyer’s oath can practice law.
Defense of a suspect or accused person in criminal cases, defense of an individual in administrative offense cases heard by the court, representation of a person in civil cases and administrative disputes at the Supreme Court, as well as representation of a complainant who filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding violations of rights and freedoms, fall within the exclusive domain of legal practice.
Lawyers participate in the following matters related to the provision of legal aid:
- representation of individuals and legal entities in state and non-state bodies and organizations, including foreign countries and international organizations;
- providing oral and written advice, explanations, and references on legal issues;
- drafting petitions, complaints, and legal documents;
- providing necessary legal assistance to individuals and legal entities, ensuring the legal support of their activities;
- providing other types of legal assistance.
Naila Gasimova,
Medianews.az