Guardians of justice: The ethical and social functions of lawyers in modern society

Abstract

This study examines the social, ethical, and institutional roles of lawyers in contemporary legal systems and answers the central question of how these roles contribute to strengthening the rule of law, ensuring fair trial, and promoting public trust. The study’s theoretical framework is based on concepts such as access to justice and lawyer independence. The research method is qualitative and based on document analysis of national legal sources, international instruments, and academic literature. The findings show that lawyers, in addition to legal representation, play a fundamental role in areas such as monitoring power, law reform, promoting legal awareness, and strengthening public trust. Also, the limitation of the right to a defence in the criminal sphere and inequality in access to legal services are among the main factors contributing to the justice gap. This article first examines the historical and theoretical foundations of the legal profession, then analyses the right to a defence and the role of lawyers in law reform, legal awareness, and public trust, and finally examines the challenges of access to a lawyer and lawyers’ role in human rights. The results show that lawyer independence is a fundamental condition for the effective performance of these functions, and without ensuring equal access to legal services, the realisation of justice, and the legitimacy of the legal system will face challenges.