Wanderers of Law Firms

One of the striking phenomena is the presence of individuals who roam around law offices offering to bring clients in exchange for a certain percentage of the fees collected by those offices. This percentage can sometimes reach up to 50%. These “wanderers” may be government employees, freelancers, or individuals who make a profession out of this activity. Typically, such individuals present themselves with a polished appearance, articulate speech, and extensive social connections. Some specialize in targeting affluent and high-status individuals, offering to connect them with distinguished law firms.

Because this type of solicitation is surrounded by suspicions of legal, religious, and ethical impropriety, the wanderers and those who engage with them often try to justify the payments as “commissions” or “rewards.” The wanderer acts as a mediator between the client and the law office, facilitating the engagement process and introducing well-off, reliable clients who can pay their legal fees promptly. To lend their work a veneer of legality, some even cite provisions from commercial law related to brokerage services.

However, any attempt to legitimize this activity clashes directly with the Law Regulating the Legal Profession, which clearly defines legal practice as a liberal profession that provides a public service. The law prohibits lawyers from engaging in any activity inconsistent with the dignity and traditions of the profession. It also forbids self-promotion that goes against professional decorum, the use of intermediaries for marketing purposes, or sharing a portion of legal fees with non-lawyers. Engaging with these wanderers, therefore, falls under prohibited conduct according to the law governing the legal profession.

From a criminal law perspective, these wanderers expose themselves to potential criminal liability, particularly when the individual involved is a public official or a member of the judiciary. If we accept the logic promoted by some wanderers—that their role is akin to that of a broker—then they must be treated as commercial agents, subject to taxation, and held criminally accountable in cases of tax evasion.

On the other hand, any lawyer who collaborates with such individuals risks facing disciplinary action for violating the core values and ethics of the profession. They may also face criminal charges for complicity in any offenses committed by the wanderer as part of this unauthorized practice.