Lawyer (gr)
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Greece
The status of the Greek lawyer is defined by the Code of lawyers who entered into force in 1954.
To become a lawyer you have first to enter into one of the three university law schools that exist in Greece:
- Athens University,
- Thessaloniki University and
- Komotini University.
These exams are considered as the most difficult in Greece together with the exams for the medicine school. The program of the studies normally lasts 4 years but most of the students finish after 5 years. If someone finishes a foreign university, he has to take special exams to have his diploma recognized as equivalent of the Greek ones.
Once he has a recognized law school diploma in his hands, the future lawyer must complete an 18 month practice in a lawyer’s office and participate in the court hearings at least 30 times. During this period the trainee lawyer is subject to the disciplinary regulations stipulated in the lawyer’s Code. He can also benefit from the social security for lawyers and arrange that his training period counts for his retirement.
At the end of his practice, the future lawyer participates in the exams held in the seat of the Court of appeals after the relative issue of the Minister of Justice in order to become a member of the law bar association of his district. He has to pass the written exams first and then the oral. In order to pass the written exams one has to get an average of 6/10 points and not less than 6points in each subject separately. The oral exams are more difficult since they are open to the public and the jury is composed by judges, prosecutors and lawyers who can ask you no matter what. The candidate cannot be more than 35 years old.
Once he passes the exams, he can ask to be subscribed at the seat of the first instance court of his district. The Minister of Justice publishes a his decision for his appointment as a lawyer in the Gazette and the new lawyer gives the oath of the public servant since according to Greek law he is considered as an honorary public servant. In the same time he becomes a member of the law bar association of his district.
During the first 4 years of his career he can only present himself in hearings of the first instance court, after these 4 years he can also present himself in the hearings of the Court of appeal and after five years from this moment he can also present himself in the Supreme Court.
