CCBE President Roman Završek joins global Bar leaders at the 39th LAWASIA (The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific) Conference in Seoul, from 14 to 16 September 2026.
During the International Bar Leaders Forum, on the theme “Is the Independence of the Legal Profession under Threat in the Modern Age?”, discussions focused on growing pressures on the legal profession, including attacks on professional secrecy, pressure on Bars, the criminalisation of legal representation, and the opportunities and risks linked to AI and digitalisation.
President Završek underlined a central message: the independence of lawyers is not a privilege, but a safeguard for every citizen. Protecting lawyers means protecting justice itself.
The CCBE President was pleased to contribute to the Forum alongside Teong Liang Yap, President of LAWASIA; Priti Suri, President of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association; Steven Thiru, President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association; and Claudio Visco, President of the International Bar Association; with the moderation of William Clarke, Chair of the South Pacific Lawyers’ Association (SPLA), Fiji Law Society.
It was also a privilege to meet Ban Ki-moon, eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The CCBE thanks LAWASIA, fellow panellists and all participants for a valuable and forward-looking exchange. Continued international cooperation is key to addressing the challenges and opportunities shaping the legal profession today and tomorrow.
Read more information about the 39th LAWASIA Conference 2026 on the dedicated webpage.
