CCBE President Roman Zavrsek and Secretary-General Simone Cuomo attended the 2026 Annual Conference of the European Law Institute (ELI) at the Grand Amphitheatre of the Sorbonne in Paris, where President Završek participated in a panel discussion at the Forum on the Protection of Lawyers, addressing one of the most pressing concerns facing the legal profession today.
Across Europe, lawyers continue to face serious challenges in the exercise of their profession:
🔹 Growing threats
🔹 Harassment
🔹 Aggression
⚠️ These challenges directly affect lawyers’ independence, safety and professional secrecy, with wider consequences for access to justice, fair trial rights and democratic institutions.
During his intervention, Roman Zavrsek shared the trends observed by the CCBE across Europe and stressed the essential role of Bars and Law Societies in safeguarding lawyers’ independence and their ability to practise freely and safely.
It was the opportunity to recall the importance of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, which swift ratification is needed to safeguard the legal profession and strengthen the rule of law. With 8 ratifications and its entry into force, the Convention will become open for accession by countries across the globe.
🔍 Learn more about the Convention here.
Chaired by Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, President of the ELI, the discussions brought together leading representatives of the judiciary, Bars and Law Societies, and international organisations, including: Julie Couturier, President of the Conseil national des barreaux (CNB) ; Christoph Heinrichs, Chair of the European Committee on Legal Co-Operation (CDCJ); and Dean Spielmann, Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
