In an article by Maria Bitsiou, who is the Director of International Law at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Sofia, Bulgaria she relates that Bulgarian Lawyers must have the ability to adapt their approach to suit a variety of cultures and nationalities, as this is very much a changing country. She goes on to note that there has been a noticeable change in the number of high profile cases that have been solved within the past five years where previously the lawyers were not able to cope. These cases relate to cases that have involved people of different ages, different nationalities and different heights.
In one of the most remarkable cases that she mentions is that of a thirty three-year-old woman who was married to an eighteen-year-old shop clerk when she was a young woman and subsequently became pregnant. The Court found her partner, as was the case in many cases, responsible because of his age, his height and the fact that he had become ‘unavailable’ when the wife became pregnant. This lady’s husband sued her and won the case and the husband was subsequently allowed to work with other people who were over a certain age while she took care of the baby. Although this was an extreme case, it serves to illustrate that it may not always be possible or easy for legal professionals to adapt their approach to suit a variety of nationalities and ages.
Another common problem that arises is the inability of some Legal Professionals to adjust their approach to fit a person of a different stature or age. There are many instances where Legal Professionals find themselves turning down cases where the client is much younger or taller than they would like, simply because they find it difficult to comprehend the legal perspective of the client. This often leads to the Legal Partner refusing to deal with the case, in view of the complexity of the case, or in view of the risks involved. The legal professionals are unable to understand the perspective of the other party, and do not always welcome tackling complex legal issues, even where it may appear that they would win the case due to the complexity.