Advocates in East Germany after 1949

The article deals with the development of the legal profession in the former German Democratic Republic after 1949 and in the five new Bundesländer since 3 October 1990, the day of German unification. It shows the transition from the traditional western concept of an independent bar to a profession bound by socialist ideals. The process of change before, and the development after, unification are highlighted from the viewpoints of the East German bar's perception of itself, the financial and social background and of the inequality in the provision of legal services within East Germany and in comparison to the West. The paper concludes that there are still significant differences in the provision of legal services in East and West Germany, and that the legal profession faces a formidable challenge to its self-regulating abilities.