ECJ : Lawyers bound by rules on unfair terms

A contract between a lawyer and a client for the latter's legal defence is subject to EU legislation on unfair clauses. Ruling on an application submitted by the Lithuanian Court of Cassation, the EU Court of Justice held that a lawyer exercising a liberal profession must be considered a "professional" within the meaning of Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts. Indeed, lawyers have a high level of technical knowledge that consumers may not have, which places the consumer…