Free Speech and Legal Ethnic: A case study on lawyers discourse

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13580
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05070:New fields of law-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2022); Shizuoka University (2019-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Guo Wei 北海道大学, 法学研究科, 准教授 (80733089)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 弁護士 / 情報発信 / メディア / 広報 / 自主規制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Informatization, including information disclosure, have changed the activities of lawyers as a profession. This study theoretically and empirically examines how information about the legal profession is provided and how the legal profession manages the dissemination of information, focusing on the dissemination of information related to lawyers in Japan. In conjunction with the expansion of the legal profession, the information about lawyers has been diversified. On the other hand, the media side confirms the portrayal of the legal profession that emphasizes personalities. In addition to the accuracy of legal knowledge and the duty of confidentiality, the information management of the professional association, the bar association, is also aware of other-regulation based on the attitudes of the media and the general public. The autonomy of the profession in the information society is weakened.

Free Research Field

法社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの弁護士論は、専門家集団の知識独占に基づいて法専門家（弁護士）から非法専門家(依頼者)への一方的な情報提供を前提とした、「専門家－依頼者」という関係が中心となっている。それに対して、現代の弁護士業には、商業広告に加え、教育意味での知識提供や広報活動など多様な情報発信の様態が存在している。それゆえ狭義の「専門家-依頼者」間の情報活動ではなく、広く社会の一般構成員との相互作用を問う研究が求められる。本研究では、法律家個人や法律業界内の視点を超え、社会の様々な情報空間における法律家言説の影響力を探求する。