The seminar “Advocacy: Current State and Prospects for its Development in the Republic of Armenia,” which was organized by the Law Foundation of Armenia in cooperation with the Armenian Young Lawyers Association, was held on 9 April 2005, in Yerevan Hotel.
Considering the existing tension in the advocacy institute of the RA, which occurred in result of elections of the new Management of the unified Chamber of Advocates of the RA, the Law Foundation of Armenia invited the interested advocates, legal scientists, as well as the representatives of Mass Media, international and local organizations to participate in the seminar “Advocacy: Current State and Prospects for its Development in the Republic of Armenia.” The seminar was a good opportunity to evaluate the existing situation and to try to find solutions.
The National Assembly of the RA adopted the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Advocacy on 14 December 2004. The Law took effect on 22 January 2005. The Founding General Meeting of the Chamber of Advocates of the RA was held on 19 and 20 March 2005. In result the unified organization of advocates was established. With support of the Armenian Office of the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA CEELI, a group of advocates who were authorized by the Boards of two Advocates’ Unions, which operate in Armenia, carried out the preparatory activities aimed at the establishment of the latter. The Founding General Meeting of the Chamber of Advocates of the RA adopted the Charter of the Chamber and the Code of Ethics of the Advocate, as well as elected the Supreme Body of the Chamber.
After the elections of the Bodies of the Chamber of Advocates of the RA, a group of advocates filed 5 applications to the court requiring the court to recognize invalid the elections of newly elected the chairman and other bodies of the Chamber, as well as requested to ban the activities of the President of the Chamber. The Court accepted the petition and on 24 March 2005 restrained undertaking and carrying out the authorities of the Chairman. Later the Court declared invalid the above mentioned elections.
The participants of the seminar discussed the existing situation and expressed opinions to solve the situation through reconciliation. They in particular mentioned that the court is not the right place to consider this issue, and that the advocates should solve it themselves. They suggested calling a new General Meeting and form the Bodies of the Chamber, which after the known decision of the Court was realized.
At the end the organizers invited the participants to the reception, which enabled them to meet in a friendly and easy atmosphere, and discuss more efficient solutions and ways out of the unfavorable situation, which had occurred around the unified chamber of advocates.
Nearly all republican print and electronic mass media “Yerevan” covered the work of the Seminar.
