Advocacy of the Russian Federation

Advocacy in Russia is a professional voluntary association. It consists of qualified lawyers. The legal profession in the Russian Federation is formed with the purpose of rendering assistance of legal character to persons legal and physical.

Due to the fact that the services provided by this legal association are part of the protection of law, in a broad sense it should be attributed to its (association) to the category of law enforcement bodies, no less significant than the courts and the prosecutor's office. In cases where state bodies bring a charge against a person, when a citizen is arrested or detained, a civil dispute is being held in court, the state recognizes the right to use the services of a lawyer (advocate) for the person and ensures the realization of this right.

The fees of the defenders are not profit, but the payment of their labor. The legal profession of the Russian Federation is a non-profit organization and does not pursue profit-making goals. This is not a professional association and state structure. The legal profession of the Russian Federation is independent of the authorities. Defenders are considered to be people of a "free profession", not officials. Considering this status of lawyers and their associations (collegiums), effective protection of interests and rights of citizens, revealing of errors of court and investigation, polemics with state prosecution become possible.

The general task of professional association of defenders - rendering assistance of a legal nature - is concretized in separate types.

1. Explanations and consultations, written and oral information on legal issues.
2. Drawing up of complaints, statements of claim and other legal documents.
3. Representation in state bodies (courts and other) and organizations for administrative offenses and civil cases.
4. Participation in the proceedings as a representative of a civil defendant or plaintiff, victim or defender of the accused.
5. Participation in the Constitutional Court of Russia as a representative.
6. Ensuring the protection of the rights of citizens in the process of providing them with psychiatric care.
7. Representation of the principal in international arbitration (commercial), arbitration court and other bodies for conflict resolution.
8. Participation in the processes occurring in foreign, international law enforcement bodies and courts.
9. Representation in the enforcement proceedings in tax legal relations and in the process of execution of criminal punishment.

10. Other, statutory assistance: development of charters, contracting, preparation for registration of a legal entity, legal control over reporting and accounting, legal services and other activities.

The legal profession of the Russian Federation is building its activities on the following legal principles:

1. Legality.
2. Humanism.
3. Self management.
4. Voluntariness (entry and membership in the college).
5. Independence (the legal profession of the Russian Federation does not allow state and other interference in their affairs).
6. The secret of trusted information.
7. Equality and corporatism of defenders.

Humanism characterizes the professional association of lawyers as an institution intended for serving people - protecting a good name, dignity, honor, freedom, life, health, political and socio-economic rights, property and other things. The defender can be compared with a doctor - a representative of one of the most socially useful and humane professions.

The requirement of legality addressed to the lawyer is the duty of the lawyer to represent or protect, using only legal means, defending the legitimate interests of his clients, reacting immediately to violations by the prosecutor, the court and other participants in the proceedings of the law, entailing infringement of the freedoms or rights of clients.