Thuringia Faces Lawyer Shortage, Bar Association Expresses Concern

Thuringia is facing a dwindling number of lawyers, raising concerns about citizens' access to legal counsel. The state now has roughly 80 lawyers per 100,000 residents, a notable drop from approximately 95 per 100,000 in 2015. This decline has prompted the regional Bar Association to express significant worry, although they currently assess that access to justice is not yet critically endangered.

Data from the state government, responding to an inquiry from the Left Party parliamentary group, reveals a substantial loss of hundreds of lawyers in recent years. At the beginning of 2026, Thuringia had 1,651 licensed lawyers, down from 2,061 in 2015. The primary driver behind this decrease is an imbalance between lawyers leaving the profession and new admissions. In the past year alone, 71 lawyers relinquished their licenses, while only 30 newly qualified jurists were admitted.

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There is currently no serious threat to access to justice.

The reasons why lawyers choose to leave the profession are not systematically recorded by the Bar Association. However, the Left Party points to potential factors such as retirement, transitions to other legal fields, government administration, or the private sector. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming years as a significant portion of the current legal workforce approaches retirement age.

Currently, nearly 600 of Thuringia's practicing lawyers are between 56 and 67 years old, placing them close to retirement. An additional 200 lawyers are already working beyond the age of 67. This demographic trend suggests that waiting times for appointments with lawyers in Thuringia are likely to increase further.

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The density of lawyers is certainly cause for concern.