THE FUTURE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN MEXICO

Abstract

The lecture examines the historical evolution of the legal profession in Mexico and reflects on its current and future challenges. It explains how, from independence through much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the judiciary remained a weak branch in relation to political power, despite significant advances such as the writ of amparo. It identifies the judicial reform of 1994 and the human rights reform of 2011 as turning points that strengthened the Supreme Court, expanded constitutional review, and placed human rights at the center of the legal order. Finally, it warns that recent transformations pose serious risks to judicial independence and the balance of powers, and emphasizes that the future of the legal profession will depend on the ability of new generations to adapt to change without abandoning prudence, impartiality, and the defense of the rule of law.