Morocco: Adoption by Committee of the Bill Regulating the Legal Profession After 493 Amendments
Approval of Bill No. 66.23 on the Organization of the Legal Profession
On Thursday, the Justice, Legislation, Human Rights, and Freedoms Commission of the House of Representatives approved Bill No. 66.23 regarding the organization of the legal profession.
The draft was adopted by a majority, with 16 votes in favor and 7 against, following a session that lasted over eight hours to review amendments.
Significant Adjustments to Access Conditions for the Profession
Several modifications were introduced during discussions, with the agreement of the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, on certain points proposed by parliamentary groups.
Among the main developments:
- The age limit for access to the profession has been raised from 40 to 45 years.
- A revision of eligibility conditions, including the exclusion of candidates convicted of financial crimes or forgery, even in cases of rehabilitation.
- The extension of the application period for registration for internship from 3 to 6 months after obtaining the aptitude certificate.
Debates on Internship and Exemptions
The text also sparked discussions about access conditions for certain professional categories.
University law professors remain exempt from the aptitude certificate and the internship, provided they have practiced for at least eight years after attaining tenure and complete a year of practice in a law firm.
The initially proposed age limit of 55 years for this exemption has ultimately been removed.
Reduction of Tenure Requirement for the Court of Cassation
Another notable change is the reduction of the required tenure for pleading before the Court of Cassation from 12 to 10 years, while preserving acquired rights.
A Widely Amended Text
In total, members of parliament proposed 493 amendments, of which approximately 50 were fully or partially retained by the government.
The president of the commission, Saïd Baaziz, emphasized the importance of this bill in structuring the profession, its access conditions, practice, and its disciplinary and organizational mechanisms.
