Last year, lawyers' average monthly income was HUF96,000 less than the philosophers', HUF20,000 less than a social worker's, and HUF4,000 less than a nurse's. At least according to the National Employment Service (FSZ)'s figures. But these figures are somewhat suspect: why, for example, do prosecutors in their twenties have an average income on paper of HUF193,000, whilst their colleagues in their fifties supposedly earn only HUF53,000? If the FSZ's figures were accurate, then the 9,000 lawyers in Hungary would together earn a total of HUF1.5bn.

Most unlikely, since last year state-provided defence lawyers alone received some HUF600m from the government coffers. Despite the fact that most criminal cases are dealt with by contracted lawyers, and that this figure excludes civil and company law cases. One lawyer, who did not wish to be named, estimated the legal profession's total income at HUF50-100bn. This doesn't seem exaggerated.

It's not easy to get at the real figures - nobody is prepared to speak on the record. Chambers forbid lawyers from advertising their prices - and lawyers themselves regard their fees as a commercial secret. We are aware of only one chamber in Budapest with a price-list in the waiting room - as you might see at the dentist.

Some lawyers think that the chambers' ban on public pricing is too strict and archaic. "It would be wrong if someone advertised themselves as the best family lawyer in town - this would be misleading. I have a conservative view of advertising - I don't think the rules are too strict. We allow websites, and we allow lawyers to provide factual information about themselves on those websites," said Jenő Horváth, president of the Hungarian Chamber of Lawyers. The Economic Competition Office is currently investigating the Chamber over the strictness of its advertising policy. But Horváth intends to "fight tooth and nail to keep the Competition Office out of this."

International law firms have also been dipping their feet into the Danube. Once, they were the destination of choice for young lawyers. But it would seem that with fewer big privatisations in the pipeline their golden age is coming to an end. Ambitious young lawyers are now heading to the better-known Hungarian firms. A lawyer with an EU member state qualification working in Hungary can work as an EU law specialist. But if there is to be pleading in court, then it has to be a Hungarian at the bench. After three years, and if he speaks the language and knows Hungarian law, he can join the Hungarian Chamber of Lawyers.