중동부유럽

Legal confidentiality, an integral aspect of European legal culture and legal services, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the trust and privacy of professional-client relationships. This study focuses on the multifaceted dimensions of legal secrecy, particularly within the context of commercial lawyers in the European legal services market, using Polish legal advisers as an exemplar. The research explores evolving attitudes, expectations, and perceptions of legal secrecy amidst dynamic legal changes and discrepancies in interpretations among lawyers, public authorities, and citizens. A comprehensive mixed-method approach was used, including surveys, structured in-depth interviews, content analysis, and desk research, to investigate the diverse facets of legal secrecy. Findings reveal that while legal secrecy remains highly esteemed, its interpretation varies significantly across national and EU laws and among stakeholders. There are a multitude of types of legal secrecy, creating confusion and opportunities for public authorities to breach confidentiality. The study underscores the critical need for standardisation and unification of legal secrecy across European countries to enhance cross-border legal services, streamline justice systems, and bolster citizen protection. It emphasises that despite legal and societal changes, the fundamental essence and importance of legal secrecy in upholding democracy, justice, and trust remain steadfast.