Lawyer in Greece

A lawyer in Greece must be a member of a Bar Association in Greece. There are 63 Bar Associations and the ones in Athens, Piraeus and Thessaloniki are the largest. Members of these Greek Bar Associations differ on their degree of specialization. An attorney in Greece can only practice law in the district he belongs to or where the Bar Association to which he belongs is. There are however some exceptions when it comes to criminal cases when a Greek lawyer can represent a client in court in another district of Greece. The legal profession is usually transcended from generation to generation in Greece, therefore partnerships between members of the family who are lawyers in Greece are very common. There are about 15,000 lawyers in Athens and about 5,000 in Thessaloniki.

Admission

In order to become an attorney in Greece, one must graduate from a Greek law school. After graduation, they must train under the supervision of a lawyer in Greece for a period of 18 months. After this training period, they can take the bar examination. If this test is passed, they are qualified to become barristers or solicitors. If a foreign lawyer from a European Union member state wants to practice in Greece, they must pass a language exam. If one desires to become a judge or a public prosecutor, they must pass a special examination after graduating law school in Greece.

Forms of practice

A lawyer in Greece can choose to work in a law office, but the disadvantage is that he may have to share the space with another lawyer. They might however share expenses even if they are not partners. Law firms are not very common in Greece and attorneys usually prefer the traditional small offices. Greek law offices are usually divided into two categories. One type regards specialized attorneys in one area such as in private maritime law or criminal law. Most of the law offices in Greece are however in the other category of general practice lawyers. These Greek lawyers deal with legal matters in pretty much all fields of activity. 

Activities

A lawyer in Greece can represent clients in front of the court. A Greek attorney deals with international affairs, real estate, divorces, inheritance, contracts and all other situations that require the presence and specialization of a legal representative in Greece.

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