Italian lawyers on Monday began a 12-day strike to protest government plans to deregulate their sector as a means of encouraging competition and lower costs.
Civil, penal and administrative lawyers will stay out of the courtroom until July 21. On the last day of their strike they will stage a national rally in Rome. The government's so-called decree, which has has already gone into effect but must still be approved by parliament, abolishes the minimum fee regime adopted by lawyers, thus opening the way for no-win, no-fee practices in Italy.
Lawyers will now be allowed to advertise their services and set up partnerships.
According to the Italian Association of Young Lawyers, "lowering fees and allowing indiscriminate advertising does
not mean liberalising the market. "On the contrary, it means putting it in the hands of large companies, the only ones who will be able to face the costs and offer cheap services".
In announcing the strike last week, the National Lawyers Association said the decree "violates rights and prerogatives which are guaranteed under the Constitution". The association added that it was ready to work with the government on an overall reform of their profession but this only after these latest reforms were scotched.
The competition decree also deregulates the taxi sector and authorizes non-prescription drug sales in supermarkets.
Other measures in the competition decree include the simplification of sales of second-hand cars, boats and motorcycles by eliminating the costly involvement of a notary. According to Premier Romano Prodi, the competition measures will help jump start the Italian economy and allow Italy to "lose 10 kilos of fat and gain 5 kilos of muscle".
