On January 25, 2024, the Georgia Bar Association (GBA) announced the launch of its “Strengthening Georgia's Legal Profession and Justice System” project, a comprehensive, two-year capacity development and legal system outreach project supported by the USAID Rule of Law Program (Program).

This initiative will, among other things, assist the GBA continue development of its continuous legal education program, expand its bench-bar collaborations, support its Ethics Commission work, and develop a concept for Georgian lawyers to provide pro bono (free) legal assistance to those in need. 

In his welcoming comments, Davit Asatiani, GBA Chairman, expressed gratitude for the ongoing support and partnership of the USAID Rule of Law Program. He acknowledged the essential role USAID has played in GBA development over the years, sharing credit for many of GBA’s achievements.  

Tamta Devdariani, Head of the GBA’s Department of Analytical and Committee Activities, detailed some of the achievements made in the 2022 -2023 USAID-supported project. This project enhanced the organizational and analytical capabilities of the GBA’s thematic committees, organized bench-bar meetings, administered the qualification exam for lawyers in an objective and transparent manner, evaluated court case-loads, and suggested evaluation criteria for first and second instance court judge candidates.

In her opening remarks, Lisa Kovack, Acting Director of USAID/Georgia's Office of Democracy, Rights, and Governance, emphasized USAID’s commitment to supporting the rule of law in Georgia. She shared her admiration for the progress GBA has made over the last decade. She expressed confidence that the Strengthening Georgia's Legal Profession and Justice program will help continue GBA’s development and reinforce the rule of law in Georgia.

Approximately 90 people attended the event. These included judges, members of the Prosecutor’s Office, representatives of international organizations, and leaders of civil society groups.