Bringing Together the World’s Bar Associations

Each year, a number of key events are organised for collectives members: Bars and organisations.

UIA INTERNATIONAL BAR LEADERS SENATE Special Mid-Term Session

London, Friday 5 June 2025

UIA Capsule for Bar Leaders : The Relationship of Bar Associations to the Judiciary – Their Role in Selecting, Evaluating and Defending the Independence of Judges

Tuesday, 6 May from 4:00 PM CEST to 5:00 PM CEST / 10:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST 

Free of charge Webinar subject to compulsory registration.

Register here

Welcome Speech:
• Carlo MASTELLONE, UIA President, Italy

Coordinator:
• Murray S. LEVIN, Co-Director, UIA Collective Members, USA

Speakers:
• Justice Liam KENNEDY, High Court of Ireland, Ireland
• Steve RICHMAN, American Bar Association, USA
• Retired Justice Taiwo TAIWO, Federal High Court of Nigeria, Nigeria

Several Key Events are held for Bar Associations and Member Organisations Each Year.
2025
"UIA Open Forum for Bar Leaders : ‘Erosion of Civility"

Is civility in the legal profession eroding in your jurisdiction? Are lawyers less respectful of each other and of the judiciary? Is this reflective of general society? Is it because informality such as electronic filing, video conferencing and social media have taken the place of formal filings, in person meetings and formal writing to blame or is there something systemic going on? Several bar leaders will discuss this issue and what bar associations and law societies can do or are doing to remedy the situation.

 
“Responsabilidad social y el papel de los Colegios de Abogados”
“AI in Practice: What is Useful to Know, What Tools Should be Used?”

Subjects covered:

  • AI for legal research: Find relevant case law faster than ever
  • Case prediction: Use AI to anticipate outcomes and make informed decisions
  • Automating repetitive tasks: Leverage AI to generate documents, reuse previous work, and maintain your writingstyle across cases

 

2024
“What can collective members do to support human rights defenders?"

As you are aware, the UIA is active in protecting, human rights defenders, particularly lawyers, who are being prosecuted for their work in defending and promoting the rule of law. The strength of UIA comes from not only from our individual members, but also our collective members.

The bar associations and other legal societies are the primary protection for lawyers, as well as the independence of the profession. The solidarity and support, both institutional and otherwise, comes from collective associations for individual lawyers, and the state of the profession in the association.

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“Independence of the Judiciary: How can Bar Associations help preserve it?”

In an era where the balance of the powers is crucial, the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental cornerstone of democratic governance and the rule of law. In this forum we will highlight the multiple dimensions of the roles and responsibilities of the Bar Associations to ensure and protect judicial independence.

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“Civil Society’s Perceptions of the Legal Profession: How can they be improved?"

Regard for and the reputations of lawyers and the legal profession have almost never lower. In many parts of the world lawyers are seen largely as mouthpieces for the powers that be. In other instances they are seen as way too costly, as having priced themselves out of reach of ordinary people. What can Bar Associations and their members do to right these misperceptions and exaggerations? How can we enhance and promote the rule of law and the role of volunteer lawyers, legal aid and the like?

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2023

“The Wellbeing of the Lawyer”

Lawyer wellbeing has become an crucial topic for bar associations across the world. For example, the Bar Council and Law Society (England and Wales); the Canadian Bar Association; the American Bar Association; and many local and provincial bars are actively recommending that attorneys attend to their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of their partners, associates, and staff.  Much of this impetus is based on alarming statistics with respect to high levels of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and stress among lawyers.

 

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In this post-pandemic era, many lawyers increasingly are choosing to work from home. Benefits include saving on travel time, more and better family time, and more flexibility in general. But are there downsides to consider? Loss of mentoring for younger lawyers, less opportunity for creative working sessions with colleagues and less collegiality with colleagues generally.

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The UIA – together with other lawyers’ organisations such as the CCBE – actively participates as an observer in the work undertaken by the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on the Protection of Lawyers (CJ-AV) towards drafting an international convention aimed at strengthening the protection of the legal profession and the right to practice the profession without prejudice or restraint.

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Pro bono law services have never been more needed and our Bar Associations have never had a greater opportunity to help fill that need. In helping to fill the need for pro bono work, Bar Associations can simultaneously help many younger attorneys gain valuable hands-on experience working directly with clients, appearing in court and so on.

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Registration at nalonso@uianet.org
 
 
2021

 

UIA Event for Bar Leaders

2020

 


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UIA Open Forum for Bar Leaders

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The International Bar Leaders Senate (IBLS)

This is one of the rare places where bar leaders can meet to facilitate the progress of law at the international level. The IBLS encourages development and progress in professional policies relating to the profession’s key principles, including discussion on the preparation of a world ethics code and the fight against breaches of professional secrecy.               

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UIA Bar Leaders’ Briefing at the United Nations

These are unique opportunities to meet colleagues and representatives of international associations in an iconic venue. These summits permit bar leaders to keep up to date with current debates at the United Nations on international law and to meet experts in various fields from around the world. Recent events included the 2016 session on migration, the Rule of Law, and atrocity crimes; the 2017 session on the refugee crisis; and the 2018 session on modern day slavery.

2017 UIA Bar Leaders' Briefing at the UN Headquarters in Geneva 

International report on Professional Secrecy and Legal Privilege

November 2019

 

The UIA facilitates the sharing of experiences among bar associations and lawyers’ organisations from around the world to contribute to the development of law at the international level.

 

Bar associations within our organisation are able to contribute to the establishment of an international legal order based upon the principle of justice between nations. We also help our members understand the challenges that the legal profession is facing at an international level and the organisation of professional governing bodies. One of the UIA's main objectives is to commit to the defence of lawyers and the protection of their rights to practice law.

Bar Associations join the UIA :
  • To build and maintain a network of relationships by meeting colleagues from other bar associations and lawyers’ organisations throughout the world.
  • To get involved in actions that defend human rights, lawyers and the Rule of Law.
  • To support bar associations of young or struggling democracies in countries where the legal system is under pressure.
  • To be aware of actions taken by member bar associations that are published by the UIA and its communication resources throughout the world.
  • To connect with international bodies, such as the UN, ICC, ICCBA and the Council of Europe, to provide a genuine opportunity for bar associations to make their voices heard on the international legal scene.
  • To contribute to legal publications, resolutions and charters addressing international legal issues.
  • To obtain Continuing Legal Education through seminars and conferences that offer international training courses on current topics to the host bar association and its members.

 

The International Bar Leaders Senate

Vice-Presidents of the International Bar Leaders Senate

Secretary General of the International Bar Leaders Senate


Collective Members

Directors of Collective Members

Deputy Director of Collective Members

Membership

There are many advantages that a UIA membership has to offer.

If you are interested in receiving further information about the collective membership and fees, please contact Noelia Alonso Morán at nalonso@uianet.org

You can also contact the UIA office by telephone at: +33 1 44 88 55 66.

 

Becoming a collective member of the UIA means :
  • Support and be involved in UIA actions for the protection of lawyers and Rule of Law across the world.
  • Gain support from UIA should the Bar or its members be under undue pressure or experience difficulties.
  • Engage in the UN Briefing for Bar Leaders events.
  • Participate in the UIA Bar Leaders Day at Congress and have the opportunity to chair a session.
  • Participate in and speak  at the UIA Bar Leaders International Senate.
  • Take part in webinars and coffee chats.
  • Gain international exposure for your Bar through UIA membership.
  • Benefit from discounted rates at Congress for up to 10 bar representatives, worth about €4,000 in total.
  • Benefit from discounted rates at seminars for up to 10 bar representatives, worth about €500 per seminar (UIA organizes c.20 seminars each year).
  • Receive two subscriptions to the UIA quarterly magazine, Juriste International.
  • Have the opportunity to write for the quarterly magazine, Juriste International.
  • Be featured for free in the UIA annual directory.
  • Benefit from training courses organized for members of your Bar on specific topics.