French bar in times of changes

French advocacy experiences dynamic changes which are due to growing competition from foreign lawyers, acquisitions of their functions by other legal or paralegal professions (e.g. consultancy or accountancy) and development of alternative dispute resolution methods. The French model of advocacy was based on a far going requirement of independence towards the state, clients and other advocates. It resulted in a model of practicing the advocate's profession alone and reluctance to big law firms. The market led to unification of legal professions in France and to liquidation of some of them (e.g. avoués). Also economic requirements influence the model of legal education which becomes more interdisciplinary and internationalized. The French experience may serve as an motivating inspiration in shaping the models of legal education in other states of civil law are