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”. There are ca. 2,000 advocates in Finland. The 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. Presentation updated 21 Feb 2014.

2. The Finnish
Legal Profession
of Advocates

3. 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.

4. Advocates in numbers
• There are ca. 2,000 advocates.
• Of the about 200 public legal aid attorneys 100 are
advocates.
• Of the advocates 28 % are women, 72 % 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

5. 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 highquality legal services to both private and
corporate clients.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Finnish Bar Association
The 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.

9. 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 highquality legal service all over Finland provided by advocates to

10. 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.

11. Advocates are effectively supervised*
•
•
•
•
511 new supervisory matters and fee disputes
Disciplinary Board issued 487 decisions
Average duration of the process was 7 months 13 days
32 % of the complaints led to a disciplinary sanction:
•
•
•
•
88 reprimands (70 %)
29 cautions (23 %)
2 monetary penalties
2 disbarments
• 17 % of the fee disputes led to a recommendation about
a fee reduction
*Key figures of 2013

12. 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.

13. Contact us!
Finnish Bar Association’s office
• Ms. Minna Melender, Secretary General
+358 9 6866 1212
• Ms. Pirkko Kivikari, Deputy Secretary General +358 9 6866 1213
• Mr. Janne Laukkanen, Head of Development
& Communications
• Ms. Johanna Kainulainen,
Communications Expert
• Ms. Heidi Enne, Communications Officer
Tel: +358 9 6866 120
web: www.barassociation.fi
Email: info@barassociation.fi
+358 9 6866 1225
+358 9 6866 1233
+358 9 6866 1221

14. www.barassociation.fi