Troubles of the troubleshooting profession
after careful deliberation, the board of directors of the kuwait lawyers society (kls) decided to remove 11 lawyers from the society’s register for failing to meet one of the requirements stipulated in the law regulating the legal profession, following the completion of the necessary legal procedures.
the kls board also decided to suspend three law firms after it was proven that they were being managed by individuals not authorized to practice law and had committed serious violations of professional standards and legal provisions.
in the same context, the board approved fi ling several reports against expatriates who posted videos on social media offering legal advice in violation of the law regulating the legal profession. the board emphasized that these measures are part of its ongoing efforts to protect the legal profession, preserve its prestige, and address violations that undermine its regulation or harm legal practice in kuwait.
for over half a century, i have dealt with numerous law firms, and some of my experiences have been extremely frustrating, either due to a lawyer’s inefficiency or lack of integrity.
dealing with lawyers is often similar to dealing with doctors, as clients typically do not require them to verify the source or validity of their academic credentials. instead, clients rely on official bodies to handle these oversight responsibilities on their behalf.
therefore, there is nothing preventing individuals or companies from requesting the cv of a law firm before signing any contract, especially in a market as saturated as kuwait’s, which likely has one of the highest ratios of lawyers relative to its population.
this situation arose during a dark era, when graduates of islamic law (sharia) institutes were allowed to practice as lawyers and later assume judicial positions. this decision overlooked the fact that these graduates had not studied procedural law, the penal code, international law, or other essential legal fields. the ministry of justice eventually intervened and suspended this system after its shortcomings became clear.
some lawyers use social media to promote themselves or their firms, but they should uphold the dignity of the profession rather than reduce it to commercial publicity. a lawyer appearing in a video to announce a lawsuit victory without providing context is highly problematic.
the ruling he obtained may have been issued by the court of first instance and could later be overturned by a higher court. will that attorney then post another video to announce his defeat?
i hope the board of directors of kls continues reviewing the status of law fi rms. we are going through a phase - perhaps one that may not recur - where all doors are open for a comprehensive revision of mistakes committed over the past two to three decades.
kls should actively encourage citizens harmed by the actions of certain law firms to come forward and submit their complaints. such a measure would provide a sufficient degree of deterrence, even if the society’s ability to take direct action is limited.
note: what is the truth behind the rumors of holding by-elections in kls?
