This study conducts a comparative legal analysis of global legal aid systems in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, and Uzbekistan. It explores how institutional independence, early access to legal counselling, and sustainable financing contribute to equal access to justice in line with international standards, including UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 and the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990). The findings indicate that Uzbekistan’s Law No. O‘RQ-848 (2023) and Law No. O‘RQ-915 (2024) represent significant progress toward a rights-based model of legal aid. However, further reforms remain necessary to establish an independent Legal Aid Authority, expand pre-trial advisory services, and enhance participation in pro bono legal assistance.

Legal aid, access to justice, institutional independence

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