When people think they're in the right - they sue (or defend).
Further, because of the 'loser pays' system, if the case is obviously bogus or blown up, often a lawyer will agree to take up a defense just for the right to claim the other side's expenses (e.g. instead of paying the lawyer, the lawyer takes a relatively small fee plus the right to any 'expense fees' leveled on the other side).
In addition, I believe that in most of Europe lawyers cost a lot less than they do in the US (certainly so in Israel), to which a contributing factor is that less litigation going on.
> in most of Europe lawyers cost a lot less than they do in the US
As a lawyer, I don't see how this is a positive thing :)
But seriously, nobody knows how many cases there are at the margin that don't get brought due to the loser pays system. Neither system is perfect though, and I can certainly make arguments in favor of either.
When people think they're in the right - they sue (or defend).
Further, because of the 'loser pays' system, if the case is obviously bogus or blown up, often a lawyer will agree to take up a defense just for the right to claim the other side's expenses (e.g. instead of paying the lawyer, the lawyer takes a relatively small fee plus the right to any 'expense fees' leveled on the other side).
In addition, I believe that in most of Europe lawyers cost a lot less than they do in the US (certainly so in Israel), to which a contributing factor is that less litigation going on.