Mrs. Sonila Tuci (WOLEP member, Belgium): „People's problems do not stop at five o'clock. You even have to dream about it, and find solutions in them. This is the job of a lawyer”

WOLEP: The pandemic wasn't exactly the easiest time for lawyers and for their Clients. It seemed we were close to exiting the tunnel, only for the war to break out, and for the cost of living to skyrocket. In this context, how did you, as a lawyer, adapt to the disruption? And how difficult was it to keep your Clients in your portfolio, in Belgium?

Sonila Tuci: Honestly, it was a disaster. The economy crashed, and we are still paying these consequences nowadays. People are having economic problems as we speak.

During COVID, there was nothing anymore. The Court was closed from  March to May 2019.  We could not go see judges. We could not see other lawyers. We could not see our clients. Everything was online and limited to advice. So there was no action at all. And advice is something that does not pay a lot. We are paid to go fight at the Courts. So no more fights meant no more money.

Therefore, we had to survive with advices that we were giving, and all this advices were paid in advance, on our account. The stress was financial. We were hoping to restart.

Thankfully, the State helped a lot, in that crisis, and during those three months the State helped independents. It helped us cover our charges - rent, taxes, social contributions. Despite this, a lot of lawyers who had high charges made losses. A lot of offices went broke. Others survived by associating with other ones, and the very little ones, lost as well.

Otherwise we relaxed a lot, and I remember we also had a great weather at the time. Even during maternity leaves I did not relax like that. I learned to relax since then.

WOLEP: What would be the main lessons that you drew from this very challenging period? What did you do maybe different when work resumed - even from a financial perspective?

Sonila Tuci: We independents, especially Lawyers, are taught to survive! So this crisis only confirmed what we already knew. We are taught to put our eggs in different baskets. We cannot live with only one client! We need different clients because one client does not give us work every day. So we are taught to do different things at the same time. Most lawyers are above that politicians, counsellers at organisations. It's not only about the experience, but also about finances. So we survive by putting our eggs in different bags. And that is what we did in these past few years,  and what we will keep doing for the rest of our lives.

WOLEP: Thank you for sharing this piece of wisdom with us, but also with some younger peers, who are maybe thinking of starting their own law venture one day. What would your advice be for them, who at some point will also face another crisis?

Sonila Tuci: Young lawyers have the opportunity to learn during three years. And it's an opportunity because they are financially covered during this period. This is a chance, and I don't think they realise it until their internship is over. Previously, they weren't paid. Internships were free in the past, they were only learning by serving their masters (maîtres de stage). Nowadays, they are paid. They are not paid a lot, but they have no charges at all and they are free to get own clients. They are free to work and learn, day and night, in order to "steal" this profession. But they do not want to «steal» it anymore because they are thinking that they know everything and are satisfied with the title of lawyer, which is not equal to other lawyers due to this internship period. Lawyers might therefore become a rare species.

Most of these young lawyers end up in the private field. No responsibility anymore, you have your fixed amount every month. And they enjoy friends, family, pleasure... But life is not only pleasure! What do you do the day that you lose your 9 to 17 job?

The mentality of this young generation has changed, but this is not compatible with the profession, because people's problems do not stop at five o'clock. You even have to dream about it, and find solutions in them. And next morning, apply the solution. This is the job. Young people forget it or don't find it useful to learn night and day. They are only sleeping on this financial protection of their masters and title. They have to wake up, because this profession will never change.

WOLEP: What changed for your Clients? Because they also had to readjust, after facing big economic challenges. How are they dealing in their relationship with you, their Lawyer? Is something different in this regard?

Sonila Tuci: Like I told you, this crisis was very short. And I fear the actual impact is only beginning to unfold. During the pandemic period, everybody was covered. We did not have the opportunity to work, but the money was there. And people relaxed and used this money to do works on their home (brico was open, but not the court).

Now they get divorced, but there is no money anymore because people are losing their jobs, their minds... Now you see the real impact of the pandemic.

But people are still paying for excellence. And this relationship to your lawyer is very personal. They will do everything to keep in touch with you. And you will do everything to save them. Because you get attached to them, to their personality, and they get attached to your advice.

Once this relationship is built on bases of excellence and confidence, you cannot break it. They always pay you - whether by money, whether by food or loyalty... In the past, our fees were called honoraria  because they honoured you. Now, we are talking about fees, about bills, about VAT. What do we know about VAT? We are no businessmen. We are orators. We are paid to talk - to scream actually (avocare in Latin). We are paid to write and to scream, these are the only weapons we have.

So in the past we were honoured with money, wine or extra clients. But nowadays, we are modernised - we got to be businessmen, we are sellers. We are sellers, and clients are consumers. How to screw up each other? This is such a transformation of the profession. The humanity and mutual respect are lost.

The balance between humanity and business is so hard to find. And whether you are a businessman or not, it is hard to find it, because you don't know each other, you fear each other, instead of trusting each other. And people change, of course. You can be in a trust relationship today, and tomorrow you lose your trial, and everything is shattered.

I invite all lawyers to read this recent decison: https://curia.europa.eu/juris/documents.jsf?num=C-395/21

All lawyers experience this!

WOLEP: Do you think that the profession can regain its soul? Because you've told me all about this transformation, from orators to sellers of services. Do you think we can revert to a more romantic time of the profession?

Sonila Tuci: The romantic lawyers are endangered by aggresive lawyers! The younger they are, the more aggresive they are. They forget about humanity and only focus on business!

This mission is so beautiful! You change lives, you change the world! We are no businessman that screw up consumers. I am not against modernity, but every single one of us has to find a balance between business and humanity.

End of Part One

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