Lawyer in Poland

A lawyer in Poland is different from a legal adviser. Lawyers in Poland are called Adwocat and Legal Advisers in Poland are known as Radca Prawny. There are fewer lawyers in Poland than legal advisers. The first category can also deal with criminal issues. The profession of legal advisers in Poland falls under the regulations of the National Council of Legal Advisers. There are 19 local Councils that form the National Council. The profession of a lawyer is regulated by the Polish Bar Council, covering 24 local Bar Associations. Lawyers in Poland can be members of the both Council, but they cannot perform both types of activities. 

Admission

In order to be admitted to a Bar Association and practise as a lawyer in Poland, one must hold a Magister’s degree in Law or a Ph.D. It is necessary to follow a three-year period of training in a Bar before the final exam. Each applicant has a different tutor that supervises the legal activity and teaches practical matters in terms of legal activities. Last but not least, a candidate is eligible only after passing the bar exam. The test consists of knowledge in different fields of law. High qualifications in academic legal sciences are also sufficient for a person to be registered in a Bar Association. 

Forms of practice

A lawyer in Poland can perform an individual practice in legal assistance, but he may also choose to be part of a law firm in Poland. Most of the international firms are in Warsaw, but there are Polish law firms in other cities too. Some lawyers in Poland remain in-house attorneys in public administration, police or other bodies in the public area. For this type of practice, lawyers in Poland do not need to register with a Bar Association. European lawyers can establish in Poland under the Establishment Directive and choose between the two professions. However, they must remain under the Code of Ethics of only one profession. 

Activities

When it comes to the activities performed by a Polish attorney, he must specialize in one or more fields. A lawyer in Poland can either provide legal advice or represent a client’s interests in court. Usually, lawyers in Poland have the competence in practising criminal law, infraction law, financial law, civil law, family law, public business law, commercial law, labour law, administrative law, constitutional law. 

BridgeWest offers assistance for setting up a company in Poland, including virtual office and other related services.