Andorran Bar Dean Targets Digital Disconnect to Combat Lawyer Burnout

Margarida Marticella, the newly elected dean of the Andorran Bar Association, prioritised digital disconnection and the right to rest in her first speech as leader during Friday's toga ceremony in Andorra la Vella.

Thirteen new lawyers, including several with prior experience from Spain, swore their oaths, while 12 colleagues were recognised for 25 years in practice. Marticella paid tribute to her predecessor, Sònia Baixench, praising her dedication, consensus-building, and team leadership.

Addressing 2027 priorities, Marticella highlighted the Professional Services Portal's (PSP) demands, which require constant availability and disrupt rest through deadlines and notifications. "We cannot be connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said after the event. She tied this to health rights, including maternity or medical leave, and noted how self-employed lawyers face dilemmas between personal needs and procedural duties.

The Bar has advanced amendments to the Qualified Law on Justice, currently in parliamentary review, to mandate digital disconnection outside urgencies or on-call duties and allow trial suspensions for exceptional circumstances. Marticella said the proposal has been discussed with parliamentary groups and warned of "significant friction" if not adopted.

She also sought improvements to court-appointed duty (torn d'ofici) and on-call services, acknowledging government progress but calling for remuneration proportional to the dedication and availability required. The dean argued that this public service's management, currently funded by Bar membership fees, should receive separate compensation. "Membership fees should not finance the management of this service," she stated.

Marticella criticised inconsistent civil procedure application among batlles, creating legal uncertainty as outcomes vary by judge. She urged predictable criteria to better advise clients.

On digital tools, she noted the PSP—operational for nearly two years—remains limited to desktops and laptops. The Bar demands multi-device access, including tablets and mobiles, plus dual email options for notifications. Officials have committed to multi-device functionality by year-end, alongside fixes for other reported issues.

The forthcoming Legal Portal, expected by December, should streamline operations. Marticella endorsed ethical AI use for tasks like document analysis but stressed lawyers must uphold professional secrecy, confidentiality, independence, and diligence while verifying outputs. "Responsibility remains ours," she said, calling for more training.