PASO's performance results in 2024

What events and trends shaped the development of the legal profession in the past year? How was the legal community doing?

Amendments to the Federal Law "On Advocacy and the Bar in the Russian Federation," based on our comments and suggestions, have been introduced. These changes include the creation of a unified state register of lawyers, increased educational requirements for applicants to the bar, the introduction of a 15-year validity period for lawyer's licenses, and the termination of the status of a Russian lawyer who has not resided in the Russian Federation for more than a year.

At the annual conference of lawyers in the Samara Region held in April, the leadership of the regional office of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation recognized the significant contribution of PASO lawyers to strengthening the rule of law and protecting the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of citizens. More than 100 of our colleagues received well-deserved recognition for their professional achievements!

The PASO Council and the PASO Qualification Commission have been formed, allowing us to declare that the bodies of lawyer self-government are working flawlessly! The legal profession is well represented in all legislative and executive institutions, as well as public organizations at the regional and federal levels.

As a result of the successfully implemented audit system, the number of disciplinary proceedings has decreased significantly compared to the previous year, demonstrating the high quality of the work of appointed defense attorneys (most PASO members are involved). This is also an indicator of the health of the legal profession.

The Samara Region Bar Association retained its leading membership in the Volga Federal District: 1,888 attorneys are ready to represent citizens. Despite the nationwide decline in the overall number of applicants for attorney status, interest in the legal profession remains strong, including among prosecutors and investigative agencies.

The requirements for the qualification exam have changed: to successfully pass the testing stage, you must correctly answer at least 80 out of 90 questions within 60 minutes (previously, 50 correct answers out of 70 were considered valid). This measure is aimed at attracting more qualified and prepared professionals to the legal profession. Conscientious, competent, and intelligent lawyers are welcome in all law enforcement agencies, and especially in the bar.

In 2024, lawyers in the Samara Region set a record for meeting the Professional Development Standard. This record number of completed training hours was achieved thanks to the organizational efforts of the PASO, providing a variety of offline and online training options. Only the lazy – those who don't need status – don't study in the bar!

The bar association's interaction with the government and society has reached a new qualitative level.

The All-Russian Criminal Law Forum "Dialogues on Defense" held in Samara was a significant event for the entire legal community and a shining example of constructive interaction between lawyers, legislators, judges, experts, and journalists.

The PASO team was awarded the "Lawyer of the Year" award in the "Legal Education" category! This is significant recognition of our work!

It's impossible not to mention the year's landmark cultural event—the release of the TV series "Plevako," which convincingly demonstrated to a mass audience that the true meaning of the legal profession is to protect people!

Colleagues! Looking back over 20 years of modern legal history, it's worth emphasizing: the professionalism of lawyers in the Samara Region is growing, which means that the rights and freedoms of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation are reliably protected.

Happy New Year! We wish you attentive and respectful treatment of one another to ensure that investigation and trial deadlines are met, the rights and freedoms of citizens are properly protected, and a more comfortable emotional interaction so that adversarial legal proceedings do not degenerate into hostility, because we are all lawyers who champion the rule of law and justice.

We wish you and your loved ones good health, prosperity and well-being to your families, and success in your professional endeavors!

PASO Press Center