CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION AS A CONDITION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE IN THE PUBLIC FUNCTION OF ATTORNEYS – THE CASE OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA IN A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The legal profession plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring the proper administration of justice. Its functions extend beyond representing private interests and include safeguarding fundamental rights and maintaining public trust in legal institutions. In Europe, attorneys increasingly fulfil these responsibilities in a context marked by deeper integration, cross-border legal practice and the growing complexity of legal regulation. These developments underscore the importance of professional competence, expertise and ethics as prerequisites for the effective fulfilment of the legal profession’s public function. This paper examines the significance of continuing legal education as a key instrument for maintaining high professional standards and competence of attorneys, with particular focus on the Republic of North Macedonia. Admission to the profession marks the beginning of a lawyer’s professional trajectory. Our position is that it should be assured that further down that professional road, attorneys remain capable of responding to evolving legal, institutional and societal challenges. Continuing Legal Education is therefore essential in enabling lawyers to develop, adapt and refine their professional competence throughout their careers. The analysis primarily focuses on the legal and institutional framework of continuing legal education for attorneys in North Macedonia. The system is evaluated to see if it effectively promotes professional growth and maintains quality standards in the legal profession. The study further situates the Macedonian framework within a comparative European perspective, drawing on examples from selected EU Member States, notably Croatia and Germany. These jurisdictions illustrate different approaches to regulating continuing legal education and to balancing professional self-governance, regulatory oversight and academic involvement. While common European values emphasise the public role of attorneys, significant differences remain in institutional design and in the methods employed to ensure sustained professional competence. The research is based on doctrinal legal analysis and comparative law, complemented by empirical findings from a survey conducted among practising attorneys, representatives of professional organisations, and justice-sector representatives. These insights are used to assess the practical functioning of the existing framework and perceptions of the effectiveness of continuing legal education, and to inform policy recommendations. The authors conclude that a coherent, principle-based system of continuing legal education is indispensable for preserving public trust, professional credibility and the long-term quality of the legal profession in the Republic of North Macedonia and throughout the broader European legal space.