Fees Are Fixed for Bar Exams

Those lawyers who want to be attorneys should pay 50 lari to take bar exams. It had been free up to present. Having passed exams, attorneys should pay 200GEL to Bar Association a year. The first stage of the exams was passed by 40% only and it caused increase in 30% of legal service price.

According to attorneys they were not told that fee was fixed for bar exams. They doubt that it is done to reduce number of attorneys. Davit Managadze, Lawyer for 'Human Rights Information and Documentation' is one of those who speak about the problem. He stated that all exams and tests were free before and wonders why new financial obligations are adopted every year.

Davit Managadze: "They did not explain why we have to pay this money. Besides that, we have to pay additional 200GEL to Bar Association to get a license. That means Bar Association has some monopole rights in the legal system. The only place to get certificate is Bar Association. Students will have problems too. They used to take exams free, but now they will not pay the money."

One of the famous Lawyers, Vakhtang Talakvadze speaks about the problem too. "Foreigners used to fund exams before. Today association can not cover expenses and thus they decided to fix fee. I can not insist whether it is legal and correct. Similar exams are funded by government everywhere, since it is within its interests."

Talakvadze expresses his attitude to the monopolization of the legal activity. He said alternative should certainly exist. "It is impossible to have only one association in the country, another alternative service should be established to grant licenses for legal activity. There are separate legal companies with similar functions in developed, democratic and Legal Countries. This problem seems to be controlled by government in our country."

As for increased prices on legal service, it is directly influences socially excluded people who particularly can not afford to hire a lawyer.  Davit Managadze stated that prices on legal service increased in 30%.  That means you should pay 200USD to a lawyer when he/she attends one court hearing. Vakhtang Talakvadze stated increased prices have not resulted from reduced number of lawyers. "Who has passed exams thinks that he is more skilled and should be paid more. However attorney's qualification does not tell on verdict. Though socially excluded people can not afford to hire an attorney, the Government has taken this fact in consideration. Poor people can be defended by Assigned Attorney. However we can not insist on their competence and objectiveness. Everybody is fully aware what problems one can cope dealing with Assigned Attorneys."

As for the Chairman of the Bar Association, Kakha Aslanishvili, he stated, he is ashamed for those lawyers who think that Legal Activities should not be monopolized.

Kakha Aslanishvili: "Fifty lari is a fee to cover expenses for tests, documents, hall rent and VAT, which was previously funded by the US Bar Association. Each test costs four dollars; each participant needs three volumes of tests which cost 12dollars. As for monopolization of legal activities, I am ashamed for those who dare to resist it. It should certainly be monopolized."

Levan Bezhashvili, Chairman of Parliamentary Legal Committee agrees with the latter. He said Government can not involve every problem: "We have adopted a law on 'attorneys' which has granted absolute freedom and independence to lawyers. Bar Association is free at making decisions. Government should never interfere its activity."  

As for increased prices and population who can not afford to hire a lawyer, Bezhashvili stated: "We are drawing up legal aid program on the issue. According to it, people who can not afford to hire a lawyer can involve this Governmental Program."
 

Eka Gulua