Lawyers' practice and ideals : a comparative view

As the process of internationalization accelerates, comparative law scholars focus on the adaptation of legal cultures to new realities. It is particularly important to understand (as best we can) the "inner workings" of two groups of lawyers: those in the United States; and those in the major European countries. In which ways do the two groups understand each other, and where do they go their separate ways? And what are the implications for the legal profession and its beneficiaries of their cultural and ideological differences? At a symposium held in Paris, 12 scholars from Europe and the United States met to investigate these issues under two related rubrics: realities and trends on the one hand, and ethics, rules and professional ideologies on the other. The participants have updated their original papers for this publication. In the course of their discussion they reveal which cultural realities persist and are likely to remain, and which trends are broadening the common ground on which lawyers act in both cultures.