Lawyers in Poland
In Poland, any person holding a Magister's degree in law is called a jurist.
Lawyers
Polish lawyers may work in licensed legal professions, public administration, law enforcement, tax services and governmental agencies. Since a legal entity can be represented in a court of law by its employees, companies do not employ advocates or attorneys-at-law but instead rely on in-house lawyers, counsellors or associates not admitted to the bar.Because an agent can act for any person under Polish law, some lawyers do what in the UK is done by solicitors. Thus, specialized persons write legal agreements, conduct negotiations, or execute debts. Polish law expressly permits persons with Magister's degree in law to provide legal counselling.
In the reasons for judgment of the Constitutional Tribunal of 26 November 2003, the view was expressed for the first time that the provisions in force in Poland allow persons holding a Magister's degree in law to carry out legal counselling on their own account. A consequence of the judgment was the legal sanctioning of legal counselling offices run by persons who graduated from law schools but do not belong to bar associations. The person with qualifying legal education can work as:counsellor at law, legal counsellor or legal advisor who provides legal advice, drafts documents and legal opinions; with a permanent contract of commission with a client, a counsellor has power of attorney in administrative proceedings and selected civil proceedings.
Licensed legal professions
The licensed legal professions are as follows:judge ;prosecutor, a legal representative of the State, except for trials involving the Treasury, their primary duties include prosecution, supervision over police investigations and acting on behalf of public interest in all trials;counsel of the State Attorney Office, a legal representative of the Treasury where significant State property is at stake, their representation is also mandatory in all trials involving the Treasury at central courts,- legislative counsel, a legal profession whose practice consists in providing professional assistance to public authorities in the law-making process,advocate, whose primary function is to provide legal assistance, prepare legal opinions and drafts of legislative acts, and represent persons before a court in civil, administrative and criminal trials;attorney at law, whose primary function is to provide legal assistance, prepare legal opinions and drafts of legislative acts, and represent persons before a court in civil, administrative and criminal trials;notary, whose job consists of a blend of civil law notary and notary public duties;bailiff, a public officer whose primary function is to execute court's decisions concerning civil claims.
Standard of courtesy – ''Mecenas''
In modern Polish language, mecenas is an honorific title addressed to a person working in a legal profession and authorised to appear in a court of law on behalf of a client – advocates and attorneys at law.The distinction between advocates and attorneys at law
The division between adwokat and radca prawny was created by a 1959 law that forbade advocates from advising socialised economy units and introduced the new profession of radca prawny for that purpose.Advocates and attorneys at law have their independent bar associations ; membership is obligatory for those willing to practice the respective profession:
Currently, admission to the National Bar Council of Advocates is open to the National Bar Council of Attorneys-at-Law members and vice versa. Lawyers can be members of both bar associations simultaneously; however, they cannot practice both professions concurrently.
Since 2015, the position and rights of advocates and attorneys at law are identical in almost all matters, leading to public discussion on the unification of the two professions. Legal regulations regarding the two professions slightly differ:
The two bar associations have their own rules and ethical codes according to which:
While the Polish term radca prawny was usually literally translated to a legal advisor, in 2018, the bar adopted attorney at law as the official translation to avoid a misconception that its members only provide legal consultation and advice, rather than the full range of legal services, including representing their clients in courts.
Admission to practice law
There are no bar associations for judges and public prosecutors. The Ministry of Justice is in charge of the administration of the professions, while the President of the Republic of Poland appoints judges. Advocates, attorneys at law, notaries, bailiffs, patent attorneys, and tax advisors have their bar associations.There are several ways of admission to the bar. As to advocates and attorneys at law, the following options are available:
- Magister's degree in law followed by apprenticeship and bar exam;
- Magister's degree in law followed by five years of legal professional experience and bar exam;
- Doctorate in law followed by either bar exam or three years of legal professional experience;
- High academic qualification in legal sciences.
Apprenticeship (''aplikacja'')
An examination for admission to bar apprenticeship for advocates and attorneys at law is a written test. A hundred out of a hundred and fifty points guarantee admission. The examination covers: 1) criminal law and criminal procedure; 2) infraction law and infraction court proceedings; 3) financial criminal law and financial criminal proceedings; 4) civil law and civil procedure; 5) family law; 6) public economic law; 7) commercial companies and partnerships law; 8) labour law and social security regulations; 9) administrative law and administrative procedure; 10) administrative court proceedings; 11) European Union law; 12) constitutional law; 13) organization of justice in Poland.Bar training for advocates and attorneys at law lasts for three years and consists of theoretical and practical courses. Each trainee has a patron, who must be a practitioner from the respective bar. The bar examination is a written exam that lasts four days and consists of preparing various documents and briefs in the following areas: criminal law, civil or family law, commercial law, administrative law, ethics.
Bar training for notaries is slightly shorter and covers different areas of law.