The acronym OAB stands for the Brazilian Bar Association. The Bar Association is the highest body that defines the rules for the professional practice of law in Brazil and its purpose, in accordance with Article 44 of its Statute:
I - defend the Constitution, the legal order of the democratic rule of law, human rights, social justice, and fight for the good application of laws, for the swift administration of justice and for the improvement of culture and institutions legal;
II – exclusively promote the representation, defense, selection and discipline of lawyers throughout the Federative Republic of Brazil.
In Brazil, the term Order is used almost exclusively for the legal profession. In other areas, such as Accounting, professionals must be registered with the Federal Council that regulates the profession, in this case the Federal Accounting Council.
In Portugal, for example, the term Order is used for the entity where professionals from different areas are registered. Example: Doctors' Association, Accountants' Association, Managers' Association, etc.
Bar Exam
The terms Exame da OAB or Bar Exam refer to the exam applied by the Brazilian Bar Association to law graduates. The Bar Exam tests the candidates' legal knowledge and approval enables enrollment in the OAB staff, a fundamental condition to practice as a lawyer.