Moroccan Parliament Committee Approves Contested Lawyers' Law Amidst Protests

Morocco's Justice Committee has approved a draft law governing the legal profession, marking a significant step despite ongoing protests from lawyers. The committee in the House of Representatives voted 17-5 to pass the bill, known as Law No. 66.23, during a second reading.

The approval followed heated discussions between Justice Minister Abdelatif Ouahbi and parliamentary members. Several amendments previously approved by the House of Councillors were rejected. Notably, the maximum age for entering the profession's entrance exam was lowered from 50 to 45, though law school graduates retain the right to enter the defense profession.

The committee also adopted Article 75 bis, at the insistence of the Justice Minister. This article subjects lawyers' accounts and financial transactions to oversight by the Court of Auditors to ensure legality and financial integrity. Annual accounts must be submitted to the Court of Auditors by each bar association's president.

Further revisions include reducing the allowed break period for senior lawyers to be exempt from the competency and training certificate from 15 to 12 years. The committee also reverted to a previous rule preventing members of a bar association's council from running for re-election if they have already served two terms, consecutively or not.

The composition of bar association councils was also adjusted. Councils will now have 10 members for associations with 100-800 lawyers, 20 members for 801-2000 lawyers, and 30 members for those exceeding 2000 lawyers.

This legislative development occurs amidst widespread "professional anger" among Moroccan lawyers, who have continued a full strike, halting all judicial services. The Association of Moroccan Bar Associations announced the continuation of the suspension of legal aid services and called for an open sit-in outside parliament. The association also plans to form an international advocacy committee to explain the situation of the legal profession in Morocco to international organizations, describing the legislative push as an "unprecedented fierce legislative attack."

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The legal profession in Morocco, practitioners and institutions, will not be concerned with any law issued outside the participatory methodology and against the constitution, and in contradiction with the universal principles of the legal profession.