The German Federal Bar (Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer, BRAK) is the umbrella organization of the 28 German regional Bars and has as such represented the interests of approximately 166,000 German lawyers (Rechtsanwälte) at national, European and international level for over 60 years.
The German Federal Bar consists of the 27 German regional Bars and the Bar at the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof). The BRAK Presidency is elected by the Presidents of these 28 Bars who form the so-called General Assembly (Hauptversammlung). The Presidency implements the General Assembly’s decisions with the assistance of the BRAK’s directors. On 01.01.2021, 165,680 lawyers were admitted to the 28 regional Bars.
The German Federal Bar’s 33 specialist committees draft expert opinions and position papers for the Presidency, in particular on German and European legislative projects. The Satzungsversammlung is the BRAK’s legislative body, the „Lawyers‘ Parliament“. It adopts the rules of the Professional Practice Rules for Lawyers (Berufsordnung, BORA) and the Rules pertaining to Bar-approved Specialist Lawyers (Fachanwaltsordnung, FAO). In 2009, the Ombudsman of the legal profession (Schlichtungsstelle) was introduced. The Ombudsman conciliates between lawyers and their clients in disputes involving pecuniary claims.
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The German Federal Bar is committed to the legal profession’s interests in many ways. In its daily work, it focuses on matters of interest to German lawyers and their professional concerns, the protection of lawyers' core values and the safeguarding of the rule of law. The BRAK represents these interests vis-à-vis the German federal courts, national and European legislators. It communicates its views primarily through position papers, not only in Germany, but also at European level. The BRAK issues an average of 40 such position papers per year. In addition, the BRAK approaches key political stakeholders with lists of demands or position papers.
The German Federal Bar not only stands for the representation of lawyers’ interests in Germany, but also ensures effective representation of German lawyers at the European institutions. In 1991, The German Federal Bar opened its Brussels office to monitor the EU institutions’ activities and projects, to establish and maintain contacts with members of the European Parliament, Commission officials and Council representatives. The BRAK provides information about the German legal profession’s views and concerns in meetings with individual political stakeholders, by issuing position papers or by participating in hearings. It cooperates closely not only with European, but also international legal professional organisations. Thus, it is a member of the German Delegation to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE). Participation in the CCBE provides the national bars and law societies with an opportunity to bundle their voices and make themselves heard even better in politics and business.
The legal profession plays a key role in shaping legal framework conditions. Not only at the national level, but also at the international level. The BRAK has recognized this constantly growing task. It is a member of several international lawyers’ organisations such as the IBA (International Bar Association), the UIA (Union Internationale des Avocats) and LAWASIA (Law Association for Asia and the Pacific).
In addition to its active participation in international organisations, the BRAK also maintains close direct relations with individual national Bars. Cross-border cooperation with countries within Europe is a main focus of the BRAK's work. Seminars and workshops on current legal and professional issues held jointly with partner organisations provide a forum to exchange experiences and discuss matters from a variety of perspectives.
International Engagement
European Engagement
Invitation
Day of the Endangered Lawyer 202422.01.2024Veranstaltung
Please join the online press conference today at 13h CET on the occasion of the 14th edition of the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, focusing this year on Iran.
Invitation | Einladung
Need for Further EU Minimum Standards in Criminal Proceedings? Brauchen wir weitere EU-Mindeststandards im Strafverfahren?08.09.2023Veranstaltung
Wie funktioniert die E-Evidence-Verordnung in der strafrechtlichen Praxis? Brauchen wir rechtsverbindliche EU-Mindeststandards für wirksame Rechtsbehelfe oder für Bedingungen der Untersuchungshaft und Anforderungen an den Einsatz von Alternativen zur Untersuchungshaft? Diese und andere Fragen stehen auf der Agenda der Konferenz am 19.09.2023 in Brüssel.
Spendenaufruf
Ukrainische Anwaltschaft bittet um Unterstützung28.02.2022News
Angesichts des Krieges in der Ukraine bittet die Ukrainische Nationale Anwaltsassoziation um Spenden für betroffene Kolleginnen und Kollegen.
ONE WORLD - ONE LEGAL PROFESSION
Episode 7: Ukrainian Bar at the front position15.02.2022Podcast
How do you build a modern, effective and highly digitalised system of self-regulation of the legal profession from the scratch in less than 10 years? Ask the Ukrainian lawyers!
Wettbewerb
Young european lawers23.12.2021Veranstaltung
Jurist:innen in der Ausbildung und Anwält:innen im ersten Berufsjahr können sich auch 2022 beim Young European Lawyers Contest in gemischtnationalen Teams messen. Gefragt sind bei dem Wettbewerb ihre Europarechtskenntnisse und ihre Fähigkeiten im Verhandeln und Plädieren.
ONE WORLD - ONE LEGAL PROFESSION
Episode 4: Africa’s legal profession - learn and benefit from one another!24.08.2021Podcast
The legal profession in Africa is completely unknown to most lawyers in Germany.
Legal Tech
Webinar: Legal Tech in Hong Kong und Deutschland15.08.2021Veranstaltung
Die Law Society of Hong Kong und die Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer wollen im Rahmen dieser Veranstaltung die neuesten Entwicklungen im Bereich Legal Tech in den beiden Jurisdiktionen vorstellen.
Webinar
"One Belt, One Road" Initiative11.08.2021News
Die "One Belt, One Road" Initiative, ein Kernstück der Wirtschaftspolitik Chinas, verbindet die maritime Seidenstraße des einundzwanzigsten Jahrhunderts und die Seidenstraße auf dem Landweg über den asiatischen Kontinent in Richtung Europa. Die Projekte, die aus dieser Initiative hervorgehen, sind Großprojekte, insbesondere im Bereich der Infrastruktur.
ONE WORLD - ONE LEGAL PROFESSION
Episode 2: Promotion of the rule of law – from receiving to providing assistance: Slovenia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan26.05.2021Podcast
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the countries that were behind the Iron Curtain were facing one of the biggest challenges in their history: a transformation from communist party dictatorship to modern democracy and from planned to market economy.
ONE WORLD - ONE LEGAL PROFESSION
Episode 1: Lawyers of Uzbekistan set the course for modernisation25.05.2021Podcast
After more than two decades of economic and political isolation under the former autocratic president Karimov, Uzbekistan has been implementing one reform after the other since 2016.
Documents
2/2024 Konsultation zum jährlichen Bericht über die Rechtstaatlichkeit in der EU
PDF01/2024
Stellungnahme zur Konsultation der Europäischen Kommission zum jährlichen Bericht über die Rechtstaatlichkeit in der EU 2024
Download(PDF)72/2023 Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
PDF12/2023
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive)
Download(PDF)Rules of Professional Practice
PDF08/2023
Version of 01 of June 2023
Download(PDF)4/2023 Penalties for the circumvention of EU sanctions
PDF01/2023
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures (COM(2022) 684 final) of 2 December 2022
Download(PDF)
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