The Norwegian Bar Association is the representative organization for advocates that safeguards the interests of its members and the legal profession in Norway.
The Association has four priority areas:
1. To ensure good framework conditions for advocates
2. To promote the rule of law and the principles of a state governed by law
3. To develop Code of conduct for lawyers and to administer the advocates’ disciplinary council
4. To serve the members through counselling and membership benefits
The Association works actively for the advocates’ financial interests and framework conditions. The Association safeguards the basic principles of the legal profession, such as independence and professional confidentiality. Furthermore, the Association is the most important arena for the advocates’ political engagement in relation to the rule of law.
Through the Association the advocates themselves must take responsibility for their profession’s ethics. The Norwegian Bar Association has developed Code of conduct that have been ratified as a regulation by the Ministry of Justice. The Association’s Disciplinary Council handles complaints concerning fees and breaches of regulation.
The Association has developed competency within professional ethics and management of legal practice, and offers counselling to the members in these fields.
More than 90 percent are members
More than 90 percent of all Norwegian assistant lawyers and advocates are members of the Association. The membership growth is stable and follows the professions general development.
Membership in the Association is individual and voluntary. Both private practicing advocates and advocates employed by companies and organisations can become members of the Association.
Assistant lawyers can also become members of the Association. However, issues concerning their employment will be handled by the Norwegian Association of Lawyers.
At the end of the year 2007, the Norwegian Bar Association had 6,500 members.
What we do for you as a member
- Promote the interests of the profession towards politicians and public authorities
- Promote you and your services through the public directed website www.advokatenhjelperdeg.no
- Send you Advokatbladet, which monitors the profession and discusses normative legal issues.
- Provide advice and assistance in questions concerning professional ethics.
- Provide advice and assistance on how to start and manage a legal practice.
- Negotiate insurances with beneficial terms for you.
- Intervene and in other ways assist you in individual cases that may be of principal importance for the profession.
- Provide help through the Support Committee if you have serious problems with your legal practice.
- Facilitate your professional development and updating through the Center for Continuing Legal Education.
- Promote advocates and the legal profession in the media.
- Give you an arena for your engagement in normative discussions.
The advocate title is valuable. We will make sure that it continues to be so! Therefore, the Association’s work with professional ethics, disciplinary issues and handling complaints are important for you as an advocate.
What we expect from you as a member
Further education
All members of the Norwegian Bar Association must use an average of two days per year on further education. The requirement is 80 hours during a period of five years, of these must at least five hours be focussed on professional ethics.
Assignment confirmation
All members of the Association must give their clients a written confirmation when they start an assignment.
Code of conduct for lawyers
Furthermore, it is expected that you know and follow Codes of conduct for lawyers.
What you can do for the Association
The Norwegian Bar Association has a large number of active and competent representatives, both locally in the districts and in the Association’s law committee and other central committees. The duties are rotated and there is a constant need for competent candidates.
Performing a duty for the Association will give you an opportunity for development and professional engagement.
If you wish to engage yourself in the Associations work, please contact the local departments of the Association or the Secretariat.