Co-Chair
Anna Dabrowska
Co-Chair
Panagiotis
Drakopoulos
European Regional Forum
The European Regional Forum (ERF), established in 1989, has over 8,000 members. The forum is divided into four regions - Northern, Western, Central, and Southeastern - each led by a Chair and Vice-Chair. We have five working parties - communications, D&I, ESG, mental wellbeing, and next-gen law - and we organise four conferences annually (automotive & mobility services, fashion & luxury law, ESG and start-up) in addition to many leading and participating in many smaller initiatives.
Our goals include: addressing the needs of professional organisations and individual members, increasing participation in the IBA, fostering cross-border collaboration among European lawyers and bars and supporting the Rule of Law and civil society. The ERF promotes professional development and networking opportunities through our many initiatives.
European Regional Forum structure
What we do
See what activities the ERF has undertaken in 2024
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
IBA European Fashion and Luxury Law Conference
15 May - 16 May 2025
London , England
9th Global Entrepreneurship Conference
18 May - 20 May 2025
Milan , Italy
Championing sustainability in changing times: how can law firms adapt and thrive?
03 Jun 2025 1300 - 1400 BST
Webinar
ESG Primer: levelling up technical expertise in sustainability reporting and due diligence
18 Jun 2025
Paris , France
ESG: The Brussels effect at a crossroads
19 Jun - 20 Jun 2025
Paris , France
8th Annual IBA European Start-up Conference
25 Sep 2025
Lisbon , Portugal
European Regional Forum Council
The Council Members are the national representatives of the European Regional Forum (ERF) of the International Bar Association (IBA). Their primary task is to implement and support the objectives of the IBA in their home country in accordance with the guidelines of the ERF. This involves promoting a strong and robust civil society in support of the rule of law and the legal profession as well as to assist with the other public policy initiatives.
The role of the Council Member
The role of the Council Member is to initiate networking opportunities for existing and potential members in their home country. There is a specific emphasis on professional development and networking opportunities.
They also have a role in building and maintaining contact with their local National Bar Association as well as universities and other legal institutions in their country. This helps to increase the awareness of the IBA and its mission.
A Council Member may for example identify a particular legal/professional topic or issue relating to careers in the law or professional development.
The support from the ERF and the IBA may be useful in providing relevant expertise. This may include, for example, organising a meeting to look at a specific legal development in an industry sector or issues relating to law firm management.
In promoting these initiatives, Council Members will gain access to the depth of experiences and expertise of other lawyers within the IBA. This helps to provide practical assistance locally as well as increasing the profile of the IBA home countries.
Examples of these initiatives include networking luncheons with professional or industry speakers on a specific topic or seminars or bilateral days with lawyers from another counrty. It may also include university days to discuss specific themes including careers in the law and the rule of law.
Publications
Getting to Know the ERF- Tomás Pessanha
Get to know the European Regional Forum’s Council Member for Portugal, Tomás Pessanha.
Released on Apr 14, 2025
Getting to Know the ERF – Ruta Karpiciute
Get to know the European Regional Forum’s Council Member for Lithuania, Ruta Karpiciute.
Released on Apr 08, 2025
Getting to Know the ERF – Laura Nieto
Get to know the European Regional Forum’s Council Member for Andorra, Laura Nieto.
Released on Mar 21, 2025
Getting to Know the ERF – Jelena Gazivoda
Get to know the European Regional Forum’s Council Member for Serbia, Jelena Gazivoda.
Released on Mar 21, 2025
Committee Films
Scholarship Winners
Gianfranco Duretto – ERF Scholarship Winner 2024 – AI Paper
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a crucial component in the legal field. This paper delves into the current and future challenges that law firms of all sizes encounter as they incorporate AI into their operations. Despite AI’s significant advantages, such as enhanced efficiency and cost reduction, it also brings ethical and organisational issues. The paper addresses the ethical considerations of AI from two distinct perspectives: the intrinsic ethical issues associated with AI itself and the specific ethical considerations that arise when AI is applied within the legal profession, regulated by a specific set of deontological principles. Furthermore, it explores AI’s impact on the legal profession, including the potential for job displacement and the necessity for lawyers to acquire new skills.
The paper can be read here.
Subcommittees and other groups
The European Regional Forum also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- European Regional Forum Advisory Board
Join us on LinkedIn
If you are a member of the European 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/9295215/.