Struggling Lawyer Population in Saxony-Anhalt
Lawyers in the region of Saxony-Anhalt are experiencing a significant decrease in numbers. According to Christian Lisec, Managing Director of the Saxony-Anhalt Bar Association, the number of lawyers has dropped from 1813 in 2013 to roughly 1500 in the present day. The lack of new registrations and the concentration of lawyers in major cities like Magdeburg and Halle are contributing factors to this declining trend, Lisec stated.
In an attempt to reverse this situation, the Bar Association has resorted to organizing regional conferences to entice prospective lawyers to establish their practices, particularly in rural areas. One such event is planned for this Wednesday at the Stendal District Court, with around 60 registrations expected from lawyers, students, and trainees. Lisec highlighted that young lawyers tend to settle in rural areas due to their native origins.
Although rare in Germany, these regional conferences, arranged by the bar association in Saxony-Anhalt, are intended to exhibit the city and its surrounding area to prospective lawyers. They aim to mitigate the lawyer shortage in rural regions, which often results from a lack of interest among young lawyers.
In rural areas like Genthin, Jerichower Land, the untimely demise of a lawyer has left just six lawyers, most of whom are nearing retirement age. Without a new generation, the town could potentially be devoid of legal counsel within a few years. Lisec envisions a scenario in which a young lawyer (eventually) takes over an established lawyer's practice. He underlined the readiness among established lawyers to pass on their practices.
However, Lisec pointed out a declining tendency towards risk-taking among young lawyers and highlighted the appeal of jobs in the civil service, which Saxony-Anhalt offers to graduates. He also touched upon a more profound issue - a larger wave of retirements among judges and public prosecutors in Saxony-Anhalt compared to most eastern German states. By 2033, the state is expected to lose 390 of its 810 judges and public prosecutors currently in service, according to the Association of Judges.
Despite a nationwide increase in the number of lawyers, the efforts of the Saxony-Anhalt Bar Association focus on encouraging new lawyers to establish practices in rural areas suffering from a scarcity of legal professionals. Lisec remains confident in the willingness among established lawyers to pass on their practices.
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