Legal assistance and legal representation are fundamental guarantees all associated with the right to a fair trial, provisions embodied in all international human rights treaties and conventions. The thesis analyses in detail the legislative acts concerning this area, in both civil and criminal proceedings, giving a clear view on the Romanian legal aid system, further providing useful information on a number of cases dealt by the European Court of Human Rights. The thesis reflects the real-life experience in this domain, since the author is practising law as an attorney, and is involved in providing mandatory legal aid.