The article examines some of the current trends in the transformation of
legal regulation of the legal services market. On the example of Italy, the processes of reforming the provisions on the legal profession and advocacy are considered. The general orientation of the ongoing reforms to expand the zone of action of the lawyer monopoly and, at the same time, to tighten the requirements for
the selection of candidates for lawyer status is noted. Some features of the construction of the Italian legal profession are considered. Particular attention in
the article is paid to the issues of the appropriateness of the normative establishment of the possibility of acquiring the title of a specialist in one of the legal specialties. It is noted that specialization in advocacy generally meets the expecta tions of the modern legal services market, but in the long term it can carry serious risks of lowering the quality of qualified legal assistance.