Is Legal Profession Still Necessary?
We can get a number of data online today. Some material is free, and some paid. It seems that we no longer need lawyers to cope with legal tasks. So, we can raise the question, is the legal profession still necessary?
1. We need to focus on how many various fields of law we have today:
Civil, administrative, criminal law, etc. Branches of law are particularly broad further: business, land, real estate, competition law, etc. For each unique segment, you can assign a branch of law: aviation, information technologies, finance, capital markets, tax, wealth management, etc.
It would be naïve to state that we no longer need lawyers, comparing how many legal branches we have developed today.
2. It may be hard to cope with the segments or field of law requiring specific knowledge. There are hundreds of acts and other related information in the specific business industry. Further, we may require indeed a legal team for certain tasks.
3. Normally people do not study law or read case-law and laws. Accordingly, it is difficult to grasp all information. Likewise, it requires time, accuracy, and competence. We may face obstacles in the concrete legal problem if we do not invoke a professional hand.
4. It is difficult to represent yourself in court even if you are a lawyer. The stress may be overwhelming, and you may not think or evaluate some details of the case correctly and accurately.
5. To prepare professional procedural documents in certain jurisdictions, you may need some skills and practice. A legal professional with expertise is a better choice.
6. The law is different in each country or state. Sometimes we need supranational and international lawyers or a lawyer in a specific country with certain skills. It is always hard to analyse law in foreign jurisdiction for yourself.
7. Even if you get legal information or drafts online, you must know how to apply it. Most times, various interpretations are possible, and you need to choose the right one.
8. You may find instances or fields of law where you must have a lawyer to appeal. For instance, in some jurisdictions to make a cassation appeal you need an advocate.
Speaking generally, the law is changing fast nowadays. The shape or form of the law can change, but an entity remains intact. That means lawyers constantly adapt and follow over time according to the social impact and changes, technology, and other criterion. What we can feel and see today is a good try to reshape our fundamental values and morals. Governments crossing the line often of our private and public lives. Therefore, we need powerful lawyers who would stand solidly and rightly on our side to protect our legal interests.
The market itself can determine necessity of lawyers. For example, everyday we make millions of transactions. It would be naïve to think there are no disputes. The more the transactions, the more lawyers we may need to solve contractual disputes.
Sometimes, notably in criminal cases, not having a lawyer may lead to fatal consequences. The case is when someone is accused of physical violence and both parties suffered real physical pain. One side is the defendant, the other the victim. There are cases when both parties experienced physical pain, but the defendant used self-defence. That means the defendant is innocent and the victim may be liable for the crime because he also made physical pain and damages to the defendant. As we see, there are certain situations and cases where you need to weigh whether you need the lawyer in your case. One false move in a criminal case can predetermine your life and future.
Conclusion
We can firmly conclude that legal profession is still necessary according to the necessity of the law itself. As long as people are alive, it will exist. There will be times when law may change its form or shape, but the need of the law will co-exist jointly with the people.
