As a continuation to our investigations about the situation of our profession in various countries, we have this time collected insights from our Israeli colleagues. They, too, face an increasing number of lawyers on the market, and unscrupulous schools may share some responsibility in it...
Echoing our insights about Greece last month (see the article at this link), we have received information that, on the other shore of the Mediterranean sea, another country finds itself with too many lawyers: Israel.
Our colleague Gilad Berman (EJ Israel), from Tel Aviv, tells us about it: “We have far too many lawyers here, and you know why? Well, look at a good Jewish mother: she always wants her children to be lawyers!” he says with a laugh. Although he is good-humoured about it, Gilad says it is a real problem. Interestingly, this perception of the legal profession as the perfect social ladder is also one of the reasons why Greece has too many of them. But there is more to it than that...
According to Gilad, the perceived attractiveness of becoming a lawyer has tempted a lot of people in the school market. “In the past”, he explains, “you could only study law at universities. But seven or eight years ago, we witnessed the opening of many private schools. They offer courses and a diploma for an increasingly high fee but it is actually far too easy to be accepted in them. The entry exam should be harder!” Many unscrupulous educators would then take advantage of unsuspicious and motivated young people, taking their money in exchange for a poor training, which damages the quality of service. “These schools are making a business out of our problem! They should be more regulated. These young lawyers then can't find a job, because there are too many of them and because their training is not as good. So they have no other choice but to open their own lawfirm, at such a young age and with no experience. You can imagine what happens next!”
The difference between the dream of becoming a respected lawyer and the reality of young graduates struggling to find a situation is something young people will only realise once it is too late. “Unexperienced people opening lawfirms will not be able to offer a proper service,” says Gilad, “they will lose their customers very soon, and damage the reputation of the entire profession in the process. They also lower the price of our services. In the past, for example, real estate transactions included a fee of 2 percent for the lawyer. Now, these youngsters charge a fixed fee that represents perhaps half of one percent. Can you imagine the consequences?”
Gilad says only regulation can bring solutions. “The trainee period should be expanded. It used to be two years, but it was reduced to one, and that was a poor decision that should be reversed. We are like any job: if you're good, the customer will want you! It should be made harder to join our profession, and there should be an obligation to do seminars in your first years of practice”.
The problem has apparently reached the justice system. Because of the scarcity of cases for so many lawyers, some have accepted cases they know are not defendable, resulting in clogged courts. This is likely to provoke a reaction from the authorities. “This is why I think it is important to be part of a network like ours”, concludes Gilad, “because it maintains high standards. If you want my personal advice: don't forget to be a human before being a lawyer. We all tend to forget that. Recently, the highest court of Israel said it best: 'in a place where there are no human beings, try to act like one!'”
Will this problem find an end? Gilad hopes so but doesn't seem to see it coming anytime soon: “Mothers still want their sons to be lawyers... if you throw a stone in Tel Aviv today, you are sure to hit a lawyer!”
