The Hellenic Competition Commission to decide on the legality of territorial restrictions on legal practice

After concluding its examination acting on a complaint, the HCC’s Directorate General of Competition has found that the long-standing legal restrictions on lawyers to represent their clients in courts (in particular civil and administrative courts) or to sign notarial deeds outside the territory of their local Bar Association, to which they are members, distort free competition in the legal services market and should no longer be enforced.

Under current legislation, for a lawyer to act before a civil or administrative court outside the territory of his/her Bar Association, he/she would need to act together with another lawyer registered in the Bar Association of that other territory. As a result, clients who wish to appoint their trusted lawyers have to incur increased costs in terms of judicial expenses and legal fees. The HCC is expected to convene on 17 April 2008 to decide on the recommendation of the Directorate General of Competition. For more information, please visit the HCC’s website.