I am a lawyer in the United States. It is pretty much the same. Clients can represent themselves and most of them do since they cannot afford a lawyer. There have been new regulations, such as limited scope representation, where a client can hire a lawyer just to do one specific task. And a lot of bar associations have programs to connect client with lawyers who are willing to do cases for free or at a reduced rate. There are income guidelines for these programs so most of the clients who are able to take advantage of them are poor. Most of the lawyers who sign up to do pro bono work are inexperienced attorneys or attorneys who just love to volunteer. There are website where people can use "do it yourself" legal services such as LegalZoom, where people can create many of their own forms and then have an experienced lawyer look it over to make sure that it was done correctly. Another issue with access to justice is in rural areas. Attorneys usually do not want to live in rural areas and clients do not have the money to pay for a lawyer. Hence, many people in rural areas have to made do without a lawyer. That pretty much sums it up.