Moroccan Lawyers End Strikes After Government Withdraws Cautious Reform Bill

Moroccan Lawyers End Strikes After Government Withdraws Contentious Reform Bill MOROCCO Morocco Moroccan lawyers ended a weekslong nationwide strike this week after the government suspended a draft law regulating the legal profession that critics said would undermine lawyers’ independence, Agence France-Presse reported. The Association of Moroccan Bars (ABAM) said Monday that the breakthrough came after Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch pledged to “personally take charge” of the bill in cooperation with the association by “putting in place a mixed commission” of officials and legal practitioners to initiate dialogue. The government has decided not to forward the draft to parliament for a vote until the committee completes its review. The strike began on Jan. 7, a day before the government approved the bill, which was aimed at modernizing the sector and strengthening anti-corruption safeguards. Lawyers said the bill would limit their profession’s constitutional role in the justice system and demanded to be part of the drafting process. One key point of contention was a provision granting courts direct disciplinary power over lawyers, a function traditionally handled internally by bar associations. The draft also proposed new requirements to study law, including a master’s degree in legal sciences, an entrance exam to a training institute, and an age limit of between 22 and 40, the Rabat-based Morocco World News reported. Lawyers have questioned whether these conditions balance merit and equal opportunity. Others also voiced concern over the new administrative obligations and oversight mechanisms that lawyers said could affect professional autonomy. Morocco’s Ministry of Justice countered that the draft law was necessary to update legal frameworks that govern lawyers and strengthen the quality of legal services. Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi insisted that “the legal profession needs change.” However, Ouahbi, who initiated the bill, told parliament earlier this month he was “ready to drop, modify or reform anything that harms lawyers.”