Provision of legal services under directive 2006/123/WE and directive 2000/31/WE

Abstract

The article attempts to analyze changes in regulations governing lawyer advertising, with a particular focus on the amendments introduced in § 23 of the Code of Ethics for Lawyers (CEA) and the impact of 1) Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market (OJEU L 376, 36); 2) Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce in the internal market (e-commerce directive) (OJEU L 178, 1), along with Resolution No. 93/2023 of the NRA, on the promotional practices of lawyers. The aim of the paper is to identify changes in the provision of legal services in the context of the implementation of the directive and to examine the benefits and challenges they bring to legal practice in the Republic of Poland. The article posits that the new regulations allow lawyers to use marketing tools while upholding professional ethics, increasing the availability of information on services provided while maintaining ethical standards. The research problem focuses on the balance between service promotion and professional ethics, examining how these changes will impact competition among lawyers. The article analyzes the ethical, legal, and practical aspects of the new advertising regulations, emphasizing their impact on society, clients, and the legal profession itself.