The article discusses the events from the years 1980-1982, which brought about a partial shift in the policy of the Polish People’s Republic under the influence of social protests held by ‘Solidarity’. Its aim is to present the attitude of the authorities towards the self-governance postulates of the Bar. It shows the way to the reform carried out in 1982, which was a compromise between two stands. Therefore, it failed to fulfil the hopes of the advocates, but it also deprived the authorities of control over the Bar.