Corruption in Guatemala taints legal profession, says International Bar Association

A worldwide survey shows that lawyers in many countries think corruption has tainted their profession, with more than one in five saying they have been asked to take part in possibly shady transactions.

The London-based International Bar Association said nearly half of the 642 lawyers in 95 countries it surveyed say corruption affected lawyers in their countries — including all of the respondents surveyed in Pakistan, China and Guatemala.

Ramon Cadena, the International Commission of Jurists' Guatemala staff director, said corruption in the legal profession tends to be common in countries like Guatemala where organized crime and drug trafficking have a strong presence.

Original source: Associated Press