Number of pages: 14 pages
Author: Nguyen Hung Quang

Abstract:
“Challenging Pro Bono and Lawyers in Vietnam” is an article by Lawyer Nguyen Hung Quang, presented at the “Lawyers and Access to Justice: Challenging Pro Bono” conference organized by the National University of Singapore in 2017. The study highlights that Vietnam has made significant progress in economic development and the protection of human rights, such as hunger eradication and poverty reduction. However, it also points out that there are still other human rights that need to be better guaranteed, such as the right to a fair trial. The protection of human rights must be closely tied to the principles of good governance, especially the rule of law.

The research observes several criminal cases where lawyers, while defending their clients, still faced obstacles from state authorities and from public perception regarding the role of lawyers. To understand the roots of these difficulties, the study reviews the historical development of the perception of the legal profession in Vietnam, along with political and legal factors that have not been conducive to the practice of defense in particular and the legal profession in general. Additionally, the study finds that legal aid activities conducted by the State and bar associations still require considerable improvement in order to move beyond formality and genuinely help people access justice.