Overview
Georgia’s legal system has been transforming since it gained independence from the Soviet Union at the end of the twentieth century. Prior to that, pro bono culture in the legal profession was largely absent. With the gradual progress in the legal system, strengthening pro bono initiatives has also become an important part of the reform agenda. So far most of the pro bono opportunities are offered by non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”), university law clinics and law firms. However, these practices exist in a context where no state regulations or voluntary standards are in place to support the provision of pro bono legal services in Georgia.
At a glance
| Minimum pro bono hours requirement for lawyers? | Specific pro bono licence required? | May foreign lawyers practice pro bono? | Insurance required for law firm pro bono? | Insurance required for in-house counsel pro bono? | Rules to limit advertising pro bono work? | Does pro bono work count to CLE credit? | Limitations for in-house lawyers to do pro bono? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Pro bono practice and opportunities
Georgian legal practice is regulated under the Law of Georgia on Advocates and Code of the Professional Ethics. The respective laws only regulate the practice of the individuals who have obtained a license as an attorney (the law addresses such individuals as “advocates”). All remaining persons who have undertaken legal education, but have not gained the qualification of an “advocate” are referred to as “jurists” and are outside of the framework of contemplated regulation.
There are no further rules that differentiate “advocate” from “jurists” and/or restrict the legal practice of the latter, except when it is directly provided under the law e.g., in civil law court proceedings anyone of legal capacity may provide legal representation before the courts of the first instance, but only “advocates” are authorized to do so in the court of appeal and the Supreme Court.
The relevant legislation can be accessed, as follows: Law of Georgia on Advocates [1] Code of the Professional Ethics[2] Regretfully, no English translation is available.In-house counsels in Georgia operate without specific regulatory oversight, only within the obligations agreed with their labour contract, unlike members of the Georgian Bar Association (who do not work as in-house lawyers).
Only those in-house lawyers who are also Bar members are bound by Ethics Code; otherwise, they are subject to the same general legal framework as “unregulated” lawyers.
Regulatory landscape for pro bono
There are no specific laws or rules that regulate the provision of pro bono legal services in Georgia. The general framework for legal practice is as follows: among the requirements to qualify as an “advocate” in Georgia, a person must:
- be a Georgian citizen;
- have received higher legal education;
- have passed one of the state bar exams (either general or specialized qualification) or has passed the qualification exam for judges/prosecutors; and
- have completed one year Professional Adaptation Program accredited by the Georgian Bar Association (A person who has at least 3 years of experience working as judge of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, a judge in the general courts system of Georgia and/or prosecutor, is only required to complete the 3-month theoretical part of the professional adaptation program).
The latter prerequisite is quite innovative for Georgian legal practice (in force as of January 2019).
In general, a person who meets all other requirements has to undertake one year theoretical and practical training under the supervision of an authorized “advocate” by the Georgian Bar Association.
Please find contemplated regulations and association hyperlinked below. Regretfully, no English translation is available:Law of Georgia on Advocates[3] Professional Adaptation Program[4] Georgian Bar Association[5]
Due to the absence of formal regulation, a “jurist” is not restricted from providing pro bono legal services. However, on several occasions, and in particular for representation before the court (except before the courts of the first instance of civil law proceedings), an “advocate” license is required.
Since there are no formal regulations in respect of pro bono legal practice, it is unclear whether foreign-qualified lawyers need any additional license to provide pro bono legal services (beyond their foreign qualification to practice law). However, please note that foreign qualified lawyers are not admitted by the Georgian Bar Association to practice law and provide advice on Georgian law until they fully meet the above-discussed criteria on licensing in Georgia.
Since there are no formal regulations in respect of pro bono legal practice, there is no minimum hour requirement that an advocate in Georgia has to serve towards pro bono legal matters. Period and/or scope for such activities are solely at the attorneys’/law firms’ discretion.
Despite the absence of mandatory pro bono requirements, various organizations in Georgia actively provide free legal services. For instance, the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) has been involved in initiatives to offer pro bono legal assistance to vulnerable groups.
In 2020, with support from the Council of Europe, the GBA provided pro bono legal services to financially vulnerable single parents, covering civil and administrative cases.[6] While there is no mandatory pro bono requirement, these voluntary efforts contribute significantly to improving access to justice for underserved populations in Georgia.
As noted above, there are no regulations applicable to pro bono activities. Therefore, aspiring lawyers are not required to complete a minimum number of hours of pro bono legal services to become licensed lawyers.
Since the law remains silent on pro bono practice, there are no formal regulations requiring lawyers to perform a minimum number of pro bono hours. However, voluntary pro bono efforts are encouraged through initiatives by the Georgian Bar Association and various legal aid organizations, but these are not obligatory for aspiring lawyers.[7]
Since the law remains silent on pro bono practice, lawyers do not benefit from pro bono activities undertaken by them. Therefore, lawyers do not receive equivalent credits for “Continuing Legal Education”.
Insurance and advertising
While the Law on Advocates mandates professional liability insurance, it is currently unenforceable due to the absence of defined cases. This means there is no existing requirement for insurance, including for pro bono services.
There are no specific rules restricting or regulating explicitly advertisement of the legal services. Such advertisements fall under the general regulation of Law of Georgia on Advertising.
While advertising is allowed for advocates, the Ethics Code sets limits: it must be accurate, ethical, and not target competitors. This is only relevant for the individuals who are members of Georgian Bar Association, including members who provide pro-bono services.
Pro bono practice and culture
Despite the lack of relevant regulations, nongovernmental and private organizations generally cover the main areas where pro bono legal assistance might be requested.
In particular, areas which have received particular focus are civil, criminal, administrative and constitutional laws, both in legal advising and court representation.
However, given that pro bono activities are not regulated, there is no statistical data on implementation of pro bono activities or any major unmet legal needs.
Since the law remains silent on pro bono activities, pro bono opportunities in Georgia are in most part provided through law firm initiatives, NGOs, and university law clinics.
In the past, some leading law firms and members of the Association of Law Firms of Georgia signed a Pro Bono Memorandum on Cooperation and agreed to provide pro bono legal services in a more coordinated and regular manner [8].
Additionally, much of the pro bono opportunities are provided by NGOs in both their field of specialization and beyond. International donors and partners of the organizations finance these opportunities.
In many cases, the pro bono legal services are tailored to local priorities and the organizations’ profiles. Most recently, one of the fastest developing fields in this area has been university law clinics.
At this point, practically all major universities in Georgia have some type of law clinic.
Please refer to the answers above for examples of the main providers of pro bono legal services.
There is no such technology specifically tailored for pro bono purposes. However, certain AI tools that help with legal drafting are available in Georgian.[9]
Sources of pro bono opportunities and key contacts
There are no governmental sources of pro bono available apart from the state-sponsored legal aid that is delivered by the Legal Aid Service. However, since this report is solely focused on pro bono activities, it is not further discussed.
In respect of non-governmental sources, pro bono opportunities are offered by law firms, NGOs and university law clinics. Please find relevant sources described and hyperlinked below.
Law Firms
- Association of Law Firms of Georgia – Conducts Pro bono activities mainly in Civil and Administrative laws.[10]
NGOs
- Transparency International – Georgia – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in Administrative Law.[11]
- Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in human rights and other cases as determined under the criteria adopted by the organization.[12]
- Non-Entrepreneurial (Non-Commercial) Legal Entity Rights Georgia (formerly “Article 42 of the Constitution”) – Conducts pro bono activities nearly for any cases to the benefit of the vulnerable groups.[13]
- Anti-violence Network of Georgia (AVNG) – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in cases of domestic violence.[14]
- Partnership for Human Rights – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in the areas of human rights.[15]
- Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in the areas of human rights.[16]
- Sapari – Conducts pro bono activities mainly in the areas of victim women and minors in Civil, Administrative and Criminal disputes, mostly to the victims of discrimination and violence.[17]
Law School Clinics:
- Free University of Tbilisi – Conducts pro bono activities in the Civil, Administrative, Criminal, and Constitutional Laws.[18]
- New Vision University – New Vision University Legal Aid Center service conducts pro bono activities in Civil and Administrative laws.[19]
Professional Associations
- Georgian Trade Unions Confederation – Conducts pro bono activities in the area of labour rights.[20]
Georgian Bar Association
- Pro Bono Project – Conducts pro bono activities for individuals with disabilities in the areas of health and ownership matters.[21]
Pro Bono Georgia is an organization that gathers companies operating in different industries that are willing to use their expertise and professional resources for the benefit of the society. By creating such database, pro bono activities are offered to the individuals in a variety of practices, including legal services.
Similarly, Free Legal Aid Portal is based on a voluntary union of free legal aid providers which ensures cooperation and coordination of activities among its members. The objective of a project is to support creation of accessible and effective legal assistance in Georgia.
Please find information on the contemplated sources hyperlinked below:Pro Bono Georgia[22] Free Legal Aid Portal[23]
In Georgia, several organizations and initiatives recognize and honour contributions to pro bono work and legal aid services. Notable examples include:
Pro Bono Georgia Awards
- Pro Bono Georgia is a platform that fosters collaboration between businesses and civil society by promoting pro bono services. In 2023, they recognized Credo Bank for its outstanding initiatives and involvement in pro bono work, highlighting the bank’s commitment to social responsibility.[24]
Pro Bono Forum
- The Pro Bono Forum was organized by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) as part of the project “Civil Society Initiative: Promoting Sustainable, Open, and Accountable Civil Society Organizations for Georgia’s Development,” funded by the European Union (EU) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS).
On November 19, 2024, the Pro Bono Forum titled “Business Expertise in the Service of Social Goals” was held at the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel. This event brought together various stakeholders to discuss and promote pro bono initiatives within the country.[25]
References
- See https://gba.ge/pdf/5de78c422812e.pdf/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%A5%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%97%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%95%E1%83%9D%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%A8%E1%83%94%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%20%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%93%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98.pdf (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://gba.ge/pdf/5f689b259905e.pdf/%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%95%E1%83%9D%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%9E%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A4%E1%83%94%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%94%E1%83%97%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%A5%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98.pdf (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/15472?publication=24
- See https://gba.ge/en/training-center/Educational-Programs/Professional-Adaptation-Program/About-Program (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://gba.ge/en (last visited on January 2025).
- https://www.coe.int/en/web/tbilisi/support-to-the-georgian-bar-association/-/asset_publisher/CD6TJ1WvTAZo/content/council-of-europe-is-supporting-the-georgian-bar-association-to-provide-pro-bono-legal-services-for-financially-vulnerable-single-parents?utm_source=chatgpt.com (July 10, 2020)
- For example, in October 2024, the Georgian Bar Association launched a project providing pro bono legal assistance by experienced lawyers in cases involving interference with professional activities of lawyers, as well as issues related to freedom of assembly and expression. See https://gba.ge/en/Media-Center/News/georgian-bar-association-is-la.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Conclusion of Pro Bono Memorandum (Last visited 21 January 2026).
- Example of AI tool used in Georgian: https://ailawyer.pro//?ref=affinco.
- See http://alfg.ge/?lang=en (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://www.transparency.ge/en (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://gyla.ge/en (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://www.rights.ge/en/about (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/our-partnership/member-directory/anti-violence-network-of-georgia-avng/ (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://phr.ge/home?lang=eng (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://www.devex.com/organizations/human-rights-education-and-monitoring-center-emc-162242 (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://sapari.ge/en/category/juridical-help-en/
- See https://freeuni.edu.ge/en (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://newvision.ge/en/page/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A5%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%A5%E1%83%9D-%E1%83%A9%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%97%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%92%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98/%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98/ (last visited January 2025)
- See http://gtuc.ge/en/ (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://gba.ge/en/home (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://probonogeorgia.ge/en/home (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://www.legalaid.ge/en/p/34/about-us (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://credobank.ge/en/media-and-blog/media/pro-bono-georgia (last visited on January 2025).
- See https://probonogeorgia.ge/en/news/pro-bono-forumi-2024/5209 (last visited on January 2025).
Acknowledgements
Name of law firm: BGI Legal
Name of lawyer: Lasha Gogiberidze
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