Co-Chair
Alexis
Apostolidis

Co-Chair
Emma Jean Markin

African Regional Forum

The African Regional Forum aims to enhance the value and significance of the International Bar Association (IBA) by addressing issues unique to African lawyers. The Forum focuses on cooperation with bar associations, supporting legal development, and promoting IBA participation across Africa. We organise regional conferences, workshops, and seminars to foster specialisation and partnerships within the legal profession. The Forum also works to educate about legal rights, strengthen sub-regional bars, and facilitate exchanges between developed and developing bars. We play a crucial role in training, legal reforms, and fostering collaboration with government and other regional fora.

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IBA Legalbrief Africa

Keep up-to-date with the latest legal news from the African continent with IBA Legalbrief Africa, the FREE weekly e-newsletter from the International Bar Association.

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Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences

IBA ESG Accelerator Programme – Sustainable finance

29 Jan 2025 1200 - 1300 GMT

Webinar

2nd IBA African Competition Law Conference

29 May - 30 May 2025

Lagos , Nigeria

IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025

02 Nov - 07 Nov 2025

Toronto , Canada

Mental wellbeing in the legal profession

The IBA took a unique step to address mental wellbeing within the legal profession. This was following concerns over too-frequent reports of substance abuse, severe depression and suicide within the profession.

In 2019, a Task Force was set up to investigate these issues. This exercise resulted into the production of a report, ‘Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession: A Global Study’, which can be read here.

The report identifies the following mental wellbeing principles for the legal profession:

Mental wellbeing matters
Mental wellbeing is not weakness
Raising awareness is fundamental
A commitment to change and regular continuing assessment, is needed
Policies matter
Maintain an open dialogue and communication
Address systematic problems
Recognise intersectionalities
Share good practices
Learn from others

Data Protection/Privacy Guide for Lawyers in Africa

This Guide addresses privacy/data protection planning, functionality and management of a legal practice in Africa. The guide will provide lawyers in Africa with sustainable, practical and easy to implement data protection controls/protocols. It has been developed drawing from the basic principles contained in the various laws and frameworks on the continent of Africa as well as global trends such as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) of Europe and other associated international best practices.

Download the guide

Publications
All articles

Recent developments impacting legal services in Ethiopia from a historical perspective

This article is an update on the regulation of the legal practice in Ethiopia. It briefly covers the historical development and focusses on the current system while presenting and reflecting on the new law opening the door for the establishment of Limited Liability Partnerships in Ethiopia.

Released on Dec 21, 2022

Belokon v Betamax: Divergent approaches to the review powers of supervisory courts on public policy grounds

Earlier this year, the Cour de Cassation handed down Belokon v Kyrgyzstan (Cass. Civ. 1st, 23 mars 2022, n° 17-17.981). The Court’s decision appears to indicate that French courts are prepared to take a more interventionalist role in setting aside arbitral awards, where public policy concerns are raised. An interesting comparison can be made with the position in Mauritius following Betamax Ltd v State Trading Corporation [2021] UKPC 14.

Released on Dec 21, 2022

Football 256 v Uganda Football Associations (FUFA)

Football 256 purported to carry out an awards ceremony via their social media channels – ‘Football 256 Best of the Season Awards’ – for the recently concluded 2020-2021 StarTimes Uganda Premier League. In response, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) threatened legal action against Football 256, the football clubs, club officials and players.

Released on Jun 07, 2022

The implications of Brexit on taking African claims to the UK: the end of suing British conglomerates in London?

The idea of African group claims against UK-based corporates that have been brought to the English courts is not entirely new, but has seen a spate of claims in the last five years or so, suggesting that it is a trend that may be accelerating.

Released on Feb 25, 2022

Subcommittees and other groups

The African Regional Forum also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

African Regional Forum Advisory Board

Join us on LinkedIn

If you are a member of the African Regional Forum, for additional networking opportunities, programs, interviews with fellow members and tips all exclusive to members, join our LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9296191/.

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