“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” says a character in Henry VI by Shakespeare. Unbeknownst to many, this line implies that lawyers stand in the way of tyranny. It underscores the significance of legal professionals in societies. While the legal profession in the modern sense was nonexistent in ancient times, practicing law is one of the oldest learned professions across the world. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolutionary role of the legal profession in strengthening the rule of law in the Arab world, a region that has long suffered from the absence of adequate rule of law. In this paper, I will examine the following question: To contribute effectively to the strengthening of the Rule of Law, lawyers working
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In a region like the Arab world, where some countries follow a common law system, some a civil law system, and many are influenced by Sharia, how is the legal profession defined? Who are the actors, drivers, and enforcers of the profession? Law is one of the three oldest learned professions. It originated from a need for individuals as constituents, in a way acceptable to the community, to administer the demands for the public, and to legalize and regulate the disposal of the worldly goods. But what is a profession? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “profession” as: “An occupation in which a professed knowledge of some subject, field, or science is applied; a vocation or career, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.” In legal terms, a profession is “a self-selected, self-disciplined group of individuals who hold themselves out to the public as possessing a special set of skills derived from education and training, and who are prepared to exercise these skills primarily in the interests of others.” Hence, the legal profession is a “ learned vocation that is based on expertise in the law and in its application.” Individuals who pursue a legal profession collectively formulate a body of individuals who are certified to practice law in particular jurisdictions.” They study, promote, uphold, and enforce the collection of rules imposed by the authority, thus, forming the legal profession. They develop a specialized knowledge of the various principles, rules and laws that govern the legal
In a region like the Arab world, where some countries follow a common law system, some a civil law system, and many are influenced by Sharia, how is the legal profession defined? Who are the actors, drivers, and enforcers of the profession? Law is one of the three oldest learned professions. It originated from a need for individuals as constituents, in a way acceptable to the community, to administer the demands for the public, and to legalize and regulate the disposal of the worldly goods. But what is a profession? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “profession” as: “An occupation in which a professed knowledge of some subject, field, or science is applied; a vocation or career, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.” In legal terms, a profession is “a self-selected, self-disciplined group of individuals who hold themselves out to the public as possessing a special set of skills derived from education and training, and who are prepared to exercise these skills primarily in the interests of others.” Hence, the legal profession is a “ learned vocation that is based on expertise in the law and in its application.” Individuals who pursue a legal profession collectively formulate a body of individuals who are certified to practice law in particular jurisdictions.” They study, promote, uphold, and enforce the collection of rules imposed by the authority, thus, forming the legal profession. They develop a specialized knowledge of the various principles, rules and laws that govern the legal