The Council of Europe Office in Georgia organised a discussion of the research on Bar entry examinations conducted by the CoE experts. The meeting involved management of the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) and members of its Executive Board. The objective was to identify key areas requiring improvement in both organisational aspects of examinations and its content.

Following the presentation of the research the participants discussed the findings and recommendations developed by the experts. Among the topics discussed were the system of appeals for participating candidates, the degree of difficulty of test questions and a potential of adding an alternative geographical location for ease of access across the country. Representatives of the GBA summarised key points and composed a list of potential changes that will be planned during the 2022 year.

The GBA organises the Bar Exams twice a year. The procedure and the examination programme are approved by their Executive Board. Exams are held with focus on civil law, criminal law and general specialisation. Anyone with higher legal education is eligible to apply. If successful, the candidate is given a completion certificate and is enrolled into GBA’s professional adaptation programme, which is the final step before becoming a practicing lawyer.

The activity was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Support to the Profession of Lawyer in Georgia”, implemented with the support of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Liechtenstein,  Latvia, the Human Rights Trust Fund, and the Fund to End Violence Against Children.