Qualified legal assistance to business entities

With the transition to market economy in the 1990s, a system of providing qualified legal assistance to business entities by lawyers was formed, which is expressed in drafting procedural and other documents, advising on legal issues, as well as in defending the interests of clients in court proceedings. The advantages of the legal assistance of lawyers are attorney-client privilege, specialisation of the lawyer on a certain range of issues, as well as the fact that the latter is not bound by official relations with the client. A lawyer's monopoly in criminal proceedings is appropriate, while in other types of proceedings the introduction of a monopoly seems premature. The right to receive qualified legal assistance in criminal proceedings arises from the moment the person is actually subjected to criminal proceedings, and not from the moment the person obtains the procedural status of an accused person. At the trial stage, as well as during the execution and appeal against a court judgement, the role of a lawyer is to realise the rights of the defendant by filing motions, participating in expert examinations, challenging judges, reclassifying the offence, changing the sentence imposed and otherwise improving the situation of the convicted person. In proceedings on cases of administrative offences, a lawyer shall ensure the correct qualification of the offence, identify grounds precluding proceedings on the case, mitigate the punishment imposed or achieve requalification when appealing against the ruling. The advocate's powers are identical to those granted to him or her in criminal proceedings. The right to participate in the proceedings is also certified by presenting an advocate's warrant.