Advocacy as a key institution of civil society: individual and social dimensions of legal assistance

The article analyzes the place and functions of advocacy as a key institution of a democratic state. The importance of advocacy in the context of ensuring legal protection, access to justice and implementation of the principles of the rule of law is investigated. The role of advocacy as an important element of the legal system and civil society is considered. The transformation of the legal profession’s functions from the basic provision of legal aid to an active participant in the formation of state legal policy, improvement of the legislative framework and development of legal culture is being monitored. The dualistic nature of advocacy, which has both individual and social significance, is emphasized. The importance of advocacy as a tool of public control in the sphere of justice, its contribution to ensuring a fair trial and strengthening the rule of law is highlighted. The correlation between the development of the legal profession and the level of democratization of society, compliance with the rule of law and protection of human rights is analyzed. The status of the right to professional legal assistance as a basic human right that ensures the realization of other rights and legitimate interests is substantiated. Emphasis is placed on the importance of developing effective mechanisms for the legal protection of citizens with the participation of the legal profession. The impact of European integration on the modernization of the legal profession in Ukraine and the need to harmonize it with European standards are considered. Modern problems and prospects for the development of the legal profession in the process of building the legal state are analyzed. The defining role of advocacy in harmonizing the interests of the individual, society and the state, its significance for democratic development and the establishment of the rule of law is summarized. The need for further modernization of the institute of advocacy in accordance with modern challenges is emphasized.