ANKARA - Protested by bar associations and foreseeing the establishment of more than one bar in a city, the bill has been submitted to the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office. Considering the number of its members, it will affect İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir Bars.

 

Foreseeing the establishment of more than one bar association in a city, the Bill on Amendments to the Attorneys' Act and Some Laws was submitted to the Parliamentary Speaker's Office today (June 30).

 

According to the bill jointly prepared by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) MPs, lawyers can register in any bar association if there are more than one bar association in the city. The bill foresees that a bar association will be established by a minimum of 2,000 lawyers if there are over 5,000 lawyers in a city.

 

According to the figures of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB), while 17,598 lawyers are registered in Ankara Bar Association, 46,052 lawyers are registered in İstanbul Bar and 9,612 lawyers in İzmir. The total number of registered lawyers across the country is 127,691.

 

That being the case, the bill "to split bar associations" is likely to affect these three bars with over 5,000 lawyers.