While the causes and
consequences of the so-called “Arab Spring” have been extensively considered,
one lacuna in the literature is the role of the bench and bar in these revolts.
Using contemporaneous secondary sources, we consider how legal
professionalization in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and Tunisia influenced the role of
legal practitioners during the revolutions. Did the lawyers and judges revolt
or did they side with the authoritarians? Our findings indicate that three
prominent factors influenced the actions of legal professionals during the
revolution: First, relaxed standards regarding the practice of law makes lawyers
less loyal to a regime. Second, attacks on the autonomy of the bar and on the
whole legal profession using regulations increases support for anti-government
protestors. Third, the judiciary’s support for anti-government protestors is
partly influenced by the level of professionalism and competency of the
judicial branch.
