Our first article throws light on the difficulties of carrying through lawyers' work in conditions of extreme authoritarian reaction. It is noted,
Attorneys in Turkey may be under pressure especially when providing representation in politically sensitive matters of the left and Kurdish causes. In addition to detention, search of offices, seizure of documents and wire tapping of attorneys' conversations on charges of being members of a terrorist organization, police violence against attorneys is becoming increasingly common as lines between professional representation and identification with clients continue to blur. In this climate, presidents of bar associations have also not been spared and two judges have been placed into pretrial detention for judgments they rendered. In sum, legal professionals in Turkey have to operate in an increasingly hostile environment.
Elveris shows how even lawyers not usually involved in personal plight cases have come to the assistance of defendants in the Gezi disturbances.
Mrowczynski looks at how professionalism has developed in two post-socialist countries, Poland and Russia. These can be seen as important test cases for the development of the legal professions of other post-socialist countries, many of whom are developing a case for joining Europe by demonstrating an increase in the rule of law in their countries.
Hanretty asks whether the available information about lawyers, including their ‘rankings’ is a good predictor of actual performance. By comparing outcomes in litigation with such rankings it is possible to evaluate their strength of prediction of success. They do not appear to be useful and Hanretty suggests why this might be so.
Lopes, in the Management section, queries the methods for the development of lawyer performance, suggesting that talent management approaches should be both exclusive and inclusive if law firms wish to maintain sustainability over time.
Enjoy the read.