As the Israeli government's proposed changes to the country's judicial system start to make their way through the political process, Israel's legal community is bracing for what the effects might be on the practice of law—and the reputation of the country for stability and transparency, lawyers and legal experts say.

While it is too soon to tell whether all the proposed changes will pass into law, the proposals—and the protests that have rocked the country since they were announced earlier this year—have raised concerns, both within Israel and outside, about the future of democracy and the rule of law.