Exams – testing professional suitability

On September 14, 2023, the regular meeting of the Qualification Commission of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region was held.

The agenda of the meeting included consideration of three disciplinary proceedings initiated based on complaints from clients, as well as the acceptance of a qualification exam for the assignment of the status of an advocate for twenty-five applicants who successfully passed the test.

Two disciplinary proceedings were postponed for reasons recognized by the Commission as valid.

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The subject of discussion in the disciplinary proceedings against attorney B. was the possibility of combining the status of an advocate with another status, in this case, the status of a liquidator.

Having found violations of the norms of the legislation on advocacy and the bar in terms of formalizing relations with the client in the actions of attorney B., the commission pointed out that the legislation on advocacy and the bar, as well as the Code of Professional Ethics of an Advocate, do not contain a direct prohibition on combining the status of an advocate and the status of a liquidator. At the same time, in practice, combining the status of a lawyer and the status of a liquidator can lead to a conflict between these statuses. The activities of a person in the event of a conflict between their professional statuses may lead to the fact that the exercise of powers in accordance with one of the statuses will indicate a violation of the restrictions established in relation to the status of a lawyer.

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After a lively discussion, the Commission moved on to accepting the qualification exam...

In our essays about the meetings of the qualification commission, we usually limit ourselves to general information about the number of those who passed the exam.

Today, we would like to slightly lift the curtain of secrecy about passing the qualification exam at the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region.

Around nine in the morning, sleep-deprived and slightly agitated candidates begin to arrive at PASO, having passed the test the day before. It should be noted that this time, seven out of twenty-five people passed the maximum number of points (70 correct answers to 70 test questions)!

Before the meeting, the Chairman of the Commission greeted his future colleagues (if they pass the exam), wished them good luck and handed out tickets.

The PASO conference hall began to resemble a university auditorium; the future lawyers, nervously, began preparing for the exam: the main thing is to have time to outline the main points in the answer on a piece of paper (phew, and there are four questions), look in more detail at what you did not deal with at your previous place of work (and this happens: you have not worked in criminal proceedings, but there are two questions on the ticket, and all this in just 45 minutes!!!!), not to let the excitement cover you completely, not to get confused and convey your knowledge to the examiners.

The Commission meticulously examines applicants for status so that the corporation is not replenished with illiterate lawyers.

And then everything is like... in a real trial: the presiding judge, judges, lawyers, questions and answers and... the cherished words: "Congratulations, you have successfully passed the qualification exam, you are invited to the PASO Council meeting to take the oath."

Today, 24 people successfully passed the exam.

And we would like to wish our colleagues good luck in their professional activities!

PASO Press Center