The International Association of Lawyers (UIA – Union Internationale des Avocats) brings together over 2, 000 individual members and 200 bar, federation and association members, from more than 110 countries.
The UIA is Open to all the world’s lawyers, both general practitioners and specialists. Its members also include legal professionals, judges, law students and teachers.
The UIA is a multilingual and multicultural organisation, and is the only major international lawyers’ organisation to have adopted French, English and Spanish as its working languages.
The UIA’s membership has extensive expertise in legal matters, which means the UIA can initiate high-level legal debates within its technical commissions and working groups, as well as adopts resolutions on current problems faced by the legal profession throughout the world.
To promote professional excellence, the UIA offers seminars, training sessions and other events throughout the year in several countries, which are also accredited for continuing education purposes.
UIA-organised events, which have been held in locations throughout the world, enable participants to meet colleagues and establish business contacts.
The UIA is committed to defending the cause of lawyers who may be pressured or threatened anywhere in the world, through its lobbying and advocacy activities.
Over the last few years, the UIA has closely monitored cases in Saudi Arabia, Belorussia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.
The UIA also frequently speaks out against hindrances to the proper functioning of the justice system and legally instituted bar associations.
The UIA is committed to its work and has enjoyed special consultative status with the United Nations and the Council of Europe since 1971, in its capacity as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
It is represented at the main United Nations offices (New York, Geneva and Vienna). In addition, the UIA has a seat on the Consultative Councils of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The UIA has also monitored the work of the preparatory commission for the International Criminal Court since its inception. Today, it also attends the sessions of the Assembly of States Parties to the Statute of the Court. The UIA is a member of the Executive Council of the International Criminal Bar.