How Regional Bar Chambers Made Legal Aid in Russia Inaccessible: а Study of Recommended Lawyer’s Fee Rates

The article presents a study of the accessibility of legal aid in Russia based on an analysis of the recommended lawyers’ (advocates) fee rates established by regional bar chambers, and a comparison of these rates with the median wage of the population in various constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It is shown that an oral consultation with a lawyer is accessible to the «average consumer» in most regions; however, the cost of drafting a statement of claim, participating in a court hearing, and especially the comprehensive handling of a civil case turns out to be «unaffordable» for the majority of citizens: in 82% of regions, the cost of handling a case exceeds 50% of the median wage, and in 37% – more than 100%. The conclusions emphasize the existence of a systemic barrier to access to justice and the need to revise the recommendations on pricing, as well as to expand the mechanisms of free and subsidized legal aid for socially vulnerable groups of the population.