Spain: Regulator fines Lawyers’ groups over competition foul

Spain’s CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia) has fined the Guadalajara College of Lawyers and the General Council for Spanish Advocates over a series of requirements which seriously restrict competition for lawyers practicing Free legal counsel in the province of Guadalajara.

The CNMC determined that the Illustrious College of Lawyers of Guadalajara, in the second article of their “Rules on the working, assistance to the convict or captive and right to free justice” violates, in it’s current wording, competition laws. The rulebook demands that lawyers belong to the College before lending their services of free legal counsel within the Guadalajara province. It also established residence and Legal Practice location restrictions, as well as a 3-year minimum experience requirement.

Spain’s regulators have considered that these requirements restrict competition and operate against the aim of the Professional Colleges figure, as well as being an unjustified territorial partitioning of the market, limiting the pool of lawyers on offer to those affiliated with the college.

Source: CNMC

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