Albania today ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, the first legally binding international agreement devoted entirely to the protection of this profession. Justice Minister Toni Gogu explained the five main obligations that the Albanian state assumes with the ratification of the Convention, which relate to the free exercise of the profession, confidentiality between lawyer and client, freedom of expression, protection from threats, and the independence of bar associations.
According to Gogu, lawyers must practise their profession without fear and without undue obstacles, having the opportunity to meet clients, become familiar with case files and genuinely take part in the proceedings in which they represent them. Another obligation concerns the preservation of the confidentiality of communication between lawyer and client, while the Convention also guarantees the lawyer’s right to speak freely, exercising the profession responsibly.
Gogu also stressed that, where lawyers are threatened or attacked because of their duties, the state must ensure serious investigation of such cases. Another important element is guaranteeing the independence and self-governance of bar associations.
The Convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in March 2025 and was opened for signature in Luxembourg on 13 May of that year. Albania signed it in Strasbourg in June 2026, while the government approved the draft law on ratification in July. The Committee on Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights examined the draft law on 6 October.
The Ministry of Justice will notify institutions of the obligations arising from the Convention. Within six months of the law’s entry into force, the ministry will submit to the Committee on Legal Affairs an analysis of the compatibility of the Law on the Bar, the Criminal Procedure Code and sub-legal acts with the Convention’s standards. The analysis will be prepared in consultation with the National Bar Association.