Bar Council hosts International Association of Lawyers (UIA) meetings

On Friday 11^th and Saturday 12^th September 2015, the Bar Council of Ireland played host to the International Association of Lawyers (UIA), as they held their Executive Committee and Governing Board meetings in the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre (DDRC), Distillery Building, Church Street.

The Executive Committee meetings began on Friday 11^th September with an address from Bar Council Chairman David Barniville, who welcomed UIA President Miguel Loinaz and Executive Director Marie-Pierre Richard to Dublin, and outlined some of the challenges and opportunities facing the Bar Council at present. The meeting, attended by 30 members of the Executive Committee, was followed by dinner at the King’s Inns, which members of the Bar Council also attended.

On Saturday 12^th September the larger Governing Board meetings took place, with 65 attendees present. These meetings were preceded by the ‘UIA Women’s Network Breakfast’, also held in the DDRC. The Governing Board meeting discussed a number of topics throughout the day, including a debate around a project for the creation of the UIA Institute for the Defence of the Rule of Law ‘UIAIDRL’. This was followed by the indicative vote of the Governing Board for the Vice-Presidency, and a reflection on the works of the Governing Board and how to improve them.

During the course of the two days attendees took the opportunity to visit some local attractions, including a visit to the Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield.

The meetings concluded at 5:30pm on Saturday 12^th September.