One of the purposes of the bar associations is collaboration in the operation, promotion and improvement of the Administration of Justice. He General Statute of the Spanish Legal Professionwhich has the status of a regulatory standard, gives us the important function of organizing and managing free legal assistance services and any other legal assistance and guidance services that may be statutorily created.
But this function goes further. The legal profession is imposed legal obligation to provide free legal assistance service. And so it has its reflection in the Spanish constitutionbeing the only profession to which our Magna Carta expressly refers.
He Royal and Illustrious College of Lawyers It not only provides this free legal assistance service, but also many others. Some, recognized by the Autonomous Law 9/2017, such as legal service and assistance to immigrants, women or the incarcerated population and others, by agreement or contract with the different administrations. Thus, with the Government of Aragon there are agreements on equality or mediation on equality and with the Zaragoza City Council the advisory agreement for those affected by illegal occupation and previously mortgage mediation.
“Today there are more than 700 lawyers assigned to the free legal assistance service and other services”
The involvement of lawyers with society is beyond any doubt. Today there are more than 700 lawyers assigned to the free legal aid service and other services, guaranteeing that, cAny citizen, at all times, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, will be assured, even if they do not have financial means, of the legal defense that corresponds to them.
Therefore, it is absolutely incomprehensible that the public powers, the different governments, keep, year after year, frozen the remunerations, already meager and scarce, of the lawyers who, generously and altruistically, provide these services.
7 years without review
The lack of updating fee schedules for public defenders It is a national problem that, unfortunately, is reflected in our autonomous community. So, In Aragón, we have gone 7 years without any revision of these scales when the CPIin this period, has increased by more than 15%. This is a duty of the outgoing government team that we hope does not make its own. new Administration of Justice of the Government of Aragon.
However, this disdain by the Administration towards the legal profession does not in any way diminish the dedication and professionalism of our lawyers who, despite everything, continue to provide, in an exemplary manner, the free legal assistance service. The defendant, the citizen, is not guilty of the disdain of the Administration to which they pay their taxes. Thus, The lawyer who assists a detainee, a victim of gender violence, or a beneficiary of the free legal aid service will not see a reduction in the treatment and dedication of his or her lawyer.
But this responsibility of the lawyer should not be understood as compliance or acquiescence with an unjust situation. The legal profession is being mistreated by the different Public Administrations and the loyalty that they will always find in the legal profession should not be misunderstood. The association and its lawyers will faithfully fulfill their obligations, but with the same firmness they will defend their rights.
He Zaragoza Bar Association He was a national pioneer in assistance services for women, immigrants, and prisoners. It is also the oldest bar association in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe and, consequently, in the world. Next year it will celebrate 625 years of existence. We hope that in 2024 the just demands of our members will be achieved and it will finally be the year of the definitive consolidation of rights that have been systematically denied to us.
2023-11-06 06:14:57
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