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28 Apr 2024

Regional Cooperation Network of Lawyers In EU Eastern Partnership Countries

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Young lawyers to define a roadmap for international networking and collaboration

A concept paper “On supporting the youth in the legal profession in the 5 EaP* countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine)” has been presented and discussed at the online meeting on October 13. This initiative makes part of the project “Strengthening the profession of lawyer in line with European standards”**. The Concept Paper is a result of an assessment made by Dr. Remigijus Jokubauskas and Mr. Michail Mittas, the international experts of the Council of Europe.

 

"An issue was raised about young people in the profession, so we decided to launch an assessment. Our international experts provided some recommendations on possible cooperation of young lawyers from the participating countries. At this meeting we were looking for the feedback and discuss the approaches to such network development", says Natalia Khodakevich, Project Co-ordinator, Co-operation Programmes Division, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe.

The authors of the Concept Paper assessed the situation of the young lawyers’ organisations in the Project Countries. Their analysis highlighted many differences. The notion of who is considered a “young lawyer” varies from country to country; some of the young lawyers’ associations are independent while others make part of a national Bar, and only some of them cooperate actively with the established international associations.

So far, no initiatives exist on establishing or strengthening co-operation between the young lawyers’ associations from the Project countries, neither is there a constant cooperation between the young lawyers and other young legal professionals such as judges and prosecutors. The potential advantages of the international cooperation of young lawyers are many. It could help increase the quality of provision of legal services and protection of human rights in the region, widen the educational perspectives. Besides, it also can help to addresses challenges of the legal profession – as the authors of the Paper put it, in some project countries lawyers’ professional status and rights face challenges by certain legal reforms and practices.

The challenges that the cooperation initiative should have to face include language barrier, necessity of financial sustainability, lack of communication, different legal frameworks.

The experts proposed to start building a cooperation from webinars and other short-term activities, and then consider long-term activities. “Their aim should be an establishment of a regional network that has a permanent character”, underlines Dr. Remigijus Jokubauskas. What do the young lawyers from participating countries want to discuss with international colleagues? When asked by the experts, they mentioned the issues of human rights, alternative dispute resolution, artificial intelligence in law, provision of legal services.

The lawyers from Armenia and Ukraine spoke in favor of the proposals outlined in the Paper and added the questions to be addressed further. Among them, the mode of cooperation with state agencies while maintaining independence, and a need for facilitating from the Council of Europe.

Maria Ślązak, the President of the European Association of Lawyers (AEA-EAL), stressed the importance to have the support of the Bars of this initiative. She also pointed at the efficiency of potential bilateral contacts between the young lawyers’ associations from Eastern and Western Europe. The Executive Officer of the European Young Bar Association (EYBA) Chiara Palombi confirmed the availability of the Association to host events and organise activities together.

Now the proposal from the Council of Europe is to organise a specific discussion, in form of a brainstorm, as the next step in making the cooperation network of young lawyers a reality.

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*EaP – the Eastern Partnership program

** The project “Strengthening the profession of lawyer in line with European standards” is funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe within the framework of the Partnership for Good Governance II (PGG II). The Project is implemented in five countries – Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Preview photo: Pixabay