Moroccan Bar Association Extends Nationwide Strike Over Contested Lawyers' Law

The Bar Association in Beni Mellal announced the continuation of a nationwide strike by lawyers, urging members to maintain a full work stoppage until further notice. The protest targets recent amendments to the draft law governing the legal profession, which raise the minimum age for entry, permit graduates of religious schools to practice, and allow long‑serving civil‑service clerks to join the bar.

Source S. Mohamed Al‑Hamzaoui of the Beni Mellal bar council described the changes as a "serious regression" that threatens the profession’s independence and constitutional guarantees, citing the 2011 constitution’s provisions on parliamentary procedure. The amendments were added during the Council of States' deliberations after the lower house had already approved the bill, prompting accusations of a constitutional breach and ethical misconduct. The legal community’s continued strike reflects mounting tension between Moroccan lawyers and authorities overseeing the law’s revision.