Entrance Exam for Legal Professions Has Been Introduced

5/31/2023

The Regulation on Amendments to the Attorneyship Internship Regulation of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations ("Amendment Regulation") was promulgated on 09.05.2023. In essence, the Amendment Regulation imposes an obligation on individuals aspiring to practice legal professions in our country to obtain a success certificate in the Entrance Examination for Legal Professions. The innovations introduced by the Amendment Regulation shall come into force as of the date of publication, namely, 09.05.2023.

A. What Does the Amending Regulation Arrange?

According to the Amending Regulation, individuals who have enrolled in law faculties after 24.10.2019 are required to obtain a certificate of success from the Entrance Examination for Legal Professions in order to commence their lawyer internship. However, those who graduated or will graduate before March 31, 2024, are exempt from this regulation.

Furthermore, the Amending Regulation introduces a new provision regarding the internship period of trainee lawyers. During the second six months of their internship, trainee lawyers will be allowed to attend hearings at the Criminal Courts of First Instance, but only for trials concerning offenses punishable by imprisonment up to two years (inclusive of two years).

B. What Does the Amending Regulation Aim to Achieve?

In recent years, there has been a substantial rise in the number of Law faculties, resulting in a significant increase in the number of lawyers. However, this surge has raised valid concerns and uncertainties regarding the professional competence and qualifications within the field. It is believed that the Law Professions Entrance Examination aims to ensure that the legal profession is practiced by individuals with a certain level of competence.

The full text of the Amending Regulation is available here.

Cerensu Yenigün Çetin, Senior Associate
Kayra Menekşe, Trainee Lawyer

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