Indeed the right to counsel was first enacted into law in 1964 when the then Afghan Constitution for the first time included the right to defense counsel. Since then the profession has developed and evolved being affected by a number of laws enacted through 1999 while defense lawyers and legal services were heavily controlled by the governments in power. Against this background, the post-Taliban e
ra started with an enormous need for legal reform in the judiciary and for strengthening the rule of law in the country. This prepared the impetus for quick growth of legal services and development of the law as a profession. Since then, the number of defense lawyers has jumped from approximately 400 to over thousands today. Now independent legal services and defense attorneys are well understood and appreciated as an essential and integral part of the rule of law in Afghanistan. However, the development of professional associations to monitor and ensure the qualifications and professionalism of law practitioners has not kept pace with this rapid jump in the number of legal service providers causing concerns among both local and international clients. In response to this vital concern, Shajjan & Associates has established itself as a prominent independent law firm throughout the country since 2011. Our practice includes provision of services in legal counseling, strategic planning, litigation, legal drafting, capacity building as well as pro-bono legal work. We are dedicated to providing prompt, efficient, ethical and professional advice and representation to our clients. Attorneys at Shajjan & Associates possess excellent legal knowledge and outstanding professional skills that have been enhanced by involvement in a variety of legal matters in national and international venues. law schools which have given them a deeper understanding of the legal profession and the attorney-client relationships, consistent with the experiences and expectations of our sophisticated international and domestic clients. Our attorneys are licensed by the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association and have prior professional experience with prestigious national and international entities in the judicial sector. These unique qualifications and experiences of our team place Shajjan & Associates among the most trusted names in the legal services industry in Afghanistan and around the region.
