COMPETENCY OF PROFESSIONAL LAWYERS: AN INNOVATIVE MODEL OF NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE MOVEMENT IN THE ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY

The objective of this study is to examine the competency of professional lawyers in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) nowadays and present the competency model of professional lawyers in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos PDR) in order to support the ASEAN Economic Community. The population who are informants consists of 2 groups which are the group of people giving information about the competency of professional lawyers in Lao PDR and the group of people giving examination and certification of competency model of professional lawyers in order to support the ASEAN Economic Community. Data were collected by using questionnaires as an in-depth interview tool. The results show that the competency model of professional lawyers in order to support the AEC consists of the core competency, professional competency and AEC perspective competency of professional lawyers. All 3 types of competencies will be an important pattern for the development of professional lawyers in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to be ready and able to develop themselves appropriately, being in accordance with the needs and necessities as well as being able to professionally work as a lawyer both in the country and in the ASEAN region