East Africa Law Society Conference and AGM will celebrate three decades of promoting rule of law

For thirty years, the East Africa Law Society (EALS) has stood as a unifying force in the region, championing justice, promoting good governance, and fostering legal excellence across borders. On 26-29 November, that will be celebrated at its 30th Annual Conference and General Meeting, themed “EALS @30: Three Decades of Promoting Rule of Law, Regional Integration and the Legal Profession in East Africa”.

More than 1,000 legal practitioners, including judges, advocates, in-house counsel, academics, policymakers, young lawyers and dignitaries, are expected to convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - a city rich in history, diplomacy, and Pan-African ideals.

While the EALS Conference, co-hosted with the Ethiopian Federal Advocates Association, offers unmatched opportunities for knowledge exchange, strategic dialogue, and regional collaboration, and is a celebration of all that has been achieved over the last three decades, it is also a call to action, says EALS.

“It invites us to reflect on the pivotal role lawyers have played in shaping the East African project and to look ahead with purpose, reimagining how law can be harnessed as a tool for peace, prosperity, and unity in the decades to come.”

EALS says its 30th anniversary Conference program has been carefully curated to inspire and challenge. Through plenary sessions, interactive workshops, and focused thematic discussions, attendees will explore the evolving legal landscape and emerging trends that are redefining the legal profession and region.

Various sessions across the four days will delve into topics including:

• The Past and Next 30 Years: Redefining Regional Integration through Law; 

• Justice in Crisis: Climate, Conflict and the Lawyer’s Humanitarian Mandate;

• Navigating Legal Power Shifts: East African Lawyers in a Multipolar World; 

• Corporate and Commercial Law in Transition: Supporting East Africa’s Emerging Economies; 

• Legal Innovation and the Transformation of Justice Systems in Africa; 

• Women, Power and the Legal Profession: Accelerating Gender Equity in East Africa’s Legal Ecosystem; 

• Digital Regulation, Data Justice and Cyber Law in East Africa;

• Constitutionalism and Rule of Law: The Lawyer’s Role in an Age of Disruption;

• The Rise of the Legal Consultant: Navigating the Shift from Courtroom to Boardroom. 

“This is more than a conference,” says EALS. “It is a historic milestone, a homecoming for a community of legal professionals whose efforts have shaped national constitutions, advanced justice systems, defended civic freedoms, and contributed to a more integrated East Africa.”

The conference caters to all legal professionals, from young lawyers to senior practitioners, and it marks a pivotal moment of reflection, renewal, and recommitment to the values that have shaped EALS over the past thirty years.

For more information including how to register for the 30th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the East Africa Law Society, visit here.