Legal practitioner or legal profession is known as advocate, Advokat, attorney, attorney-at-law, barrister, barrister-at-law, counsel, solicitor, lawyer, jurist, lawman etc. In Bangladesh a legal practitioner is called ‘Advocate’. The hierarchy of advocate in Bangladesh is as follows:
- Senior Advocate (**)
- Advocate of the Appellate Division (*)
- Advocate of the High Court Division
- Advocate of the Sub-ordinate Court
Law regulating Legal profession in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972- http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-387.html
Regulatory body of Legal profession in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Bar Council- https://www.barcouncil.gov.bd/
Qualification to be admitted as an advocate in Bangladesh [Article 27 of the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972]
A person shall be qualified to be admitted as an advocate if he fulfils the following conditions, namely:-
(a) he is a citizen of Bangladesh;
(b) he has completed the age of twenty-one years;
(c) he had obtained-
(i) a degree in law from any university situated within the territory which forms part of Bangladesh; or
(ii) before the 26th day of March, 1971, a degree in law from any university in Pakistan:
Provided that the Bar Council may recognise such degree obtained by such person after the 25th day of March, 1971, if it is satisfied that he was prevented by circumstances beyond his control from returning to Bangladesh after that date; or]
(iii) before the 14th day of August, 1947, a degree in law from any university in any area which was comprised before that date within India as defined by the Government of India Act, 1935; or
(iv) a bachelor’s degree in law from any university outside Bangladesh recognised by the Bar Council; or he is a barrister;
(d) he has passed such examination as may be prescribed by the Bar Council; and
(e) he has paid such enrolment fee and fulfils such other conditions as may be specified in the rules made by the Bar Council.
(2) Before a person is admitted as an advocate, the Bar Council may require him to undergo such course of training as it may prescribe.
(3) A person shall be disqualified from being admitted as an advocate if-
(a) he was dismissed from service of Government or of a public statutory corporation on a charge involving moral turpitude, unless a period to two years has elapsed since his dismissal; or
(b) he has been convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude, unless a period of five years or such less period as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, specify in this behalf, had elapsed from the date of the expiration of the sentence.
Skills of Legal Professionals
- Practical skills: Written communication skills, Problem solving, Numeracy and Use of IT.
- Personal skills: Time management skills, Professional and ethical behaviour, Organisational skills, Flexibility, Planning and Decision making.
- Interpersonal skills: Team working, Verbal communication, Customer service and Leadership.
- Professional skills: Legal research, Legal problem solving, Drafting, Negotiation, Advocacy, Knowledge of legal practice and procedure, Interviewing and Presentation skills.
Ref: Finch & Fafinski: Employability Skills for Law Students, Oxford University Press.
Syllabus for Enrollment Exam
https://www.barcouncil.gov.bd/enrolment-examination-syllabus/