AEA-EAL on European Presidents Conference in Vienna

Maria Ślązak, President of the AEA-EAL, represented our Association during the 47th Conference of Presidents of European Bars, Law Societies and international organizations of lawyers. This year’s main topic was rule of law and fundamental rights.

During their stay in Vienna, the participants of the Vienna Advocates’ Deliberations are hosted by the Federal Minister of Justice and the Mayor of the City of Vienna. The fact that more than 200 participants from all parts of Europe but also representatives of international lawyers’ organizations attend the European Presidents’ Conference in Vienna, serves as a yardstick for the importance that the Vienna Advocates’ Deliberations have acquired for the legal professions over the years and even decades.

The Vienna Advocates’ Deliberations afford a most appropriate platform, not only for exchanging opinions and views, but also for filling information deficits, debating different viewpoints and developing strategies.

The European Presidents’ Conference has become a forum for dialogue, where the elected representatives of lawyers’ organizations in Europe engage in an exchange of experience. It is this principle of “informality” of the European Presidents’ Conference, together with an attractive social programme, which has proved to be successful for more than a quarter-century, without any interruption.

In addition to the traditional social programme – a welcome evening reception, a reception and gala dinner at the Palais Pallavicini, as well as the “Juristenball” (Lawyers’ Ball) at the Hofburg Palace as a splendid finale – the working session at the Palais Ferstel is at the centre of the Vienna Advocates’ Deliberations.