What is the role of an attorney-at-law?
Attorneys-at-law provide legal assistance. In particular, they counsel and give legal advice, prepare legal opinions, draft legal acts, and appear before courts and offices. They also act as defence lawyers in criminal cases and proceedings related to tax offences, having the same powers as lawyers.
As representatives of a profession of public trust, they are obliged to comply with the law and follow strict ethical principles. One of their basic duties is to keep professional secrecy that protects client’s interests.
Each attorney-at-law is covered by the obligatory civil liability insurance (OC) up to the amount of PLN 1.3 million to secure the client’s safety.
What does Warsaw Bar Association do?
Warsaw Bar Association is the national bar of attorneys-at-law in the Warsaw District and one of the nineteen largest bar associations in Poland. Its tasks include representing the professional interests of attorneys-at-law and ensuring the highest level of legal services they provide. Warsaw Bar Association is involved in the following activities:
- Training of trainee attorneys-at law by conducting the three-year attorney-at law’s training to prepare law graduates to obtain qualifications of an attorney-at law granted after passing the professional examination. WE RUN ATTORNEY-AT LAW’S TRAINING.
- Offering professional development by providing attorneys-at law with various forms of training courses and classes so that they can adhere to their obligation to constantly develop their knowledge. WE CONDUCT TRAINING COURSES FOR ATTORNEYS-AT LAW.
- Safeguarding of the proper performance of the profession and ethical conduct. In the event of any conduct contrary to the law or principles set forth in the Code of Ethics for Attorneys‑at‑Law and in the event of any breach of professional obligations, we conduct disciplinary proceedings against attorneys-at-law and apply statutory disciplinary procedures. WE HAVE OUR OWN DISCIPLINARY JUDICIARY.
- Helping to find a suitable lawyer. We give those in need of legal assistance access to the szukajradcy.pl search engine. The engine is a guarantee that a given attorney-at-law is professionally active and has the authority to practice a profession. WE HELP OTHERS TO FIND LEGAL AID.
- Enabling the provision of free legal assistance. We help attorneys-at-law and trainee attorneys-at-law actively engage in the activities of the Pro Bono Legal Aid Centre and other forms of free legal assistance. WE OPERATE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
- Fostering community unity by holding sports, recreational, and cultural meetings and events for its members (attorneys-at-law and trainee attorneys-at-law) and running the Attorney-at-Law Club. WE INTEGRATE.
- As a publisher, we prepare book and digital publications (LawBay mobile application, newsletter) and publish the Temidium magazine to promote knowledge about the profession of an attorney-at-law and the law itself. WE PUBLISH.
What matters can be consulted with Warsaw Bar Association?
If you are looking for legal assistance and want to find a specialist in a given field close to your place of residence, Warsaw Bar Association will give you the relevant information free of charge.
If you cannot afford paying for the services of an attorney-at-law, you can apply to the court for legal assistance ex officio. Once legal assistance has been granted by the court, we will appoint an attorney-at-law who will take your case before the court.
If you think that your current attorney-at-law is not fulfilling his or her duties properly, you may report it to the Disciplinary Proceedings Representative in Warsaw Bar Association to investigate and assess its performance.
What is the territorial range of activity of Warsaw Bar Association?
Warsaw Bar Association maintains a list of attorneys-at-law practising in the Warsaw District, which includes the following administrative districts and towns with district rights: Garwolin, Gostynin, Grodzisk, Kutno, Legionowo, Łuków, Mińsk Mazowiecki, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Otwock, Piaseczno, Płock, Płock town, Pruszków, Siedlce, Siedlce town, Sierpc, Sokołów Podlaski, Ożarów Mazowiecki, Warszawa, Węgrów, Wołomin, and Żyrardów.
Attorneys-at-law have the obligation to join the national bar. Warsaw Bar Association is composed of 13,881 attorneys-at-law and 1,639 trainee attorneys-at-law (as at 11 October 2021). The day-to-day services for members of the national bar are provided by the Warsaw Bar Association Office, which employs approximately 40 employees.
The activities of the Bar Association are directed by the Council. The Board, composed of the Dean, Vice-Deans, Secretary, Treasurer, and members, acts as an executive body of the Council. The Council is headed by the Dean.