The legal profession in France The Role of the Lawyer Lawyers' professional activities are divided into two areas: the activities on which lawyers have a monopoly, and those they can perform concurrently with other types of professionals. Accessing the legal profession in France The access routes to the legal profession were established by the Act of December 31, 1971, as amended by the Act of February 11, 2004 , as well as by the Implementing Decree of December 21, 2004 ... Types of Practice For a long time, individual practices were the only authorized type of practice. Since Act 71-1130 of December 31, 1971, the legislature established several group practice structures ... Professional Regulations - Obligations The oath taken by all French lawyers before practicing their profession is the basis of French legal ethics: "I swear, as a lawyer, to perform my duties with dignity, conscience, independence ... Professional Regulations - The Texts The French legal system is based, like many others in Europe, on Roman law and respect for the primacy of law. It is also based on the civil code, partly written by Napoleon and enacted in 1804, which had a major impact ...