The President of the Bar insists on using court‑appointed counsel for mega‑cases and wants the Bar's disciplinary procedures to be quicker so that lawyers can “gain credibility and respectability”.
João Massano. "The legal profession cannot be a dumping ground"
Tuesday, 27 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados) is the professional body that regulates lawyers in Portugal, manages ethics and professional registration, and organises legal aid and court-appointed defence. The association can set up permanent teams of court-appointed lawyers if it judges the current system inadequate, which is why the Ministry of Justice said it would not object to such a move.
