About GLIP
Georgian Lawyers for an Independent Profession (GLIP) strengthens professional independence, legal expertise, ethical standards and public trust in Georgia’s legal profession.
Our Mission
Independent Advocacy — A Foundation of the Rule of Law and Fair Justice
Georgian Lawyers for an Independent Profession (GLIP) is a professional association dedicated to strengthening the independence, professional development, ethical standards, and public trust of the legal profession in Georgia.
We believe that an independent legal profession is an essential pillar of a democratic society and a fundamental component of the rule of law and fair justice. The independence of lawyers is not merely a professional principle — it is an essential safeguard for the effective protection of clients’ rights, access to justice, and the right to a fair trial.
For this reason, protecting the professional independence of lawyers and fostering an environment in which they can practice freely, responsibly, and in accordance with high professional standards lies at the heart of GLIP’s mission.
We believe that a strong legal profession is built on knowledge, experience, integrity, and ethical responsibility. A lawyer’s professional standing is defined not only by legal expertise, but also by professional integrity, accountability, independent judgment, and a commitment to the principles of justice and human rights.
GLIP therefore views professional development as more than the acquisition of new knowledge. It is a continuous process of strengthening professional culture — a culture grounded in independence, integrity, professional solidarity, ethical responsibility, and respect for human rights.
Our mission is to contribute to a legal profession that is independent in its practice, strong in its expertise, ethical in its conduct, and trusted by society.
Our Purpose
Professional Development, Knowledge Exchange, and International Engagement
GLIP’s purpose is to create and sustain a professional environment in which lawyers can continuously expand their knowledge, strengthen their practical skills, exchange experience, and respond effectively to the evolving challenges of the legal profession.
Since its establishment, GLIP has developed and implemented a wide range of educational, professional development, human rights, and international cooperation projects. Through seminars, training programmes, workshops, conferences, professional discussions, and international study visits, we connect legal education with practical experience and international perspectives.
Our programmes address a broad range of legal and professional issues, including criminal and labour law, human rights, judicial practice, professional ethics, European law, and contemporary challenges facing legal practitioners.
We place particular emphasis on practice-oriented education. By examining legislation, judicial decisions, case studies, and real professional challenges, our programmes seek to ensure that new knowledge can be translated into meaningful professional practice.
Connecting Georgian Lawyers with European Legal Practice
International cooperation is an integral part of GLIP’s work. We create opportunities for Georgian lawyers to engage directly with European legal institutions, practitioners, academics, and professional organisations.
Over the years, GLIP has facilitated international study visits, professional exchanges, conferences, and specialised training programmes connecting Georgian lawyers with European legal practice. These initiatives have included engagement with European judicial institutions and professional communities, as well as study visits to Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Vienna, Hamburg, Madrid, and other European legal centres.
Such projects enable participants to explore comparative legal approaches, observe judicial and professional practice, exchange experience with European counterparts, and bring relevant knowledge and perspectives back to Georgia.
GLIP is an institutional member of the European Law Institute (ELI) and works with international professional and academic partners to strengthen the exchange of legal knowledge and experience between Georgia and Europe.
Supporting Professional Capacity and Legal Education
Our projects also focus on strengthening the practical capacity of lawyers and other legal professionals.
GLIP has implemented specialised initiatives addressing EU law, labour law, competition and consumer law, human rights, and professional standards, providing participants with opportunities to deepen their expertise and better understand the interaction between Georgian and European legal frameworks.
Through these initiatives, we seek not only to provide training, but to create lasting professional connections and encourage continuous learning within the legal community.
Professional Ethics and Responsibility
A strong legal profession cannot exist without strong ethical standards.
GLIP promotes a culture of professional integrity and responsibility through educational programmes, professional discussions, and practical analysis of ethical challenges. We believe that ethical practice is both an individual responsibility and a fundamental element of the profession’s credibility and public standing.
Professional Solidarity and Dialogue
We also seek to foster an open professional space where lawyers can exchange experience, discuss common challenges, and contribute to the future of their profession.
Our projects bring together lawyers, academics, legal practitioners, students, and international partners, creating opportunities for dialogue and cooperation across different areas of legal practice.
Ultimately, GLIP’s projects are designed not simply to transfer knowledge, but to build professional capacity, strengthen international connections, encourage dialogue, and contribute to the long-term development of an independent and modern legal profession in Georgia.
Our History
Since 2009 — Advancing an Independent Legal Profession
GLIP’s history began in 2009, with a vision of strengthening a professional environment in Georgia that places particular emphasis on the independence of lawyers, professional development, ethical standards, and the exchange of knowledge and experience within the legal profession.
From its establishment, GLIP has been guided by the belief that a strong legal profession is more than a collection of individual practitioners. It is a professional community built on shared values, high standards, continuous education, professional integrity, and professional solidarity.
Over the years, GLIP has developed a diverse portfolio of educational and professional initiatives, creating opportunities for lawyers to expand their knowledge, strengthen their practical skills, and engage with developments in Georgian and European law.
International cooperation has become an important part of this journey. Through partnerships with European and international professional and academic organisations, GLIP has created opportunities for Georgian lawyers to learn from different legal systems, engage with European legal practice, and develop professional relationships beyond Georgia.
GLIP’s institutional membership in the European Law Institute (ELI) represents an important part of this international engagement and strengthens the organisation’s connection to the broader European legal and academic community.
From Experience to the Future
Since 2009, GLIP’s activities and areas of work have evolved in response to the changing legal environment and the needs of the profession. At the same time, the organisation’s fundamental values have remained constant: professional independence, continuous education, professional ethics, knowledge-sharing, international cooperation, and professional solidarity.
Today, GLIP continues its work with the conviction that building a strong and modern legal profession is a continuous process — one that requires the constant development of knowledge, the strengthening of professional standards, meaningful international engagement, and an open professional dialogue.
Our history is more than a record of past activities. It is a body of experience that provides a foundation for the future of the legal profession and for the next generation of Georgian lawyers.
Since 2009, GLIP’s journey has been guided by one central commitment: to strengthen an independent, professional, ethical, and forward-looking legal profession in Georgia.
We continue that journey by creating new opportunities for learning, professional cooperation, international engagement, and professional solidarity — contributing to a stronger legal profession and the advancement of the rule of law.
