Albania has ratified the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, the first legally binding international treaty dedicated entirely to safeguarding the legal profession.

Justice Minister Toni Gogu outlined five key obligations the state assumes under the Convention. These include ensuring lawyers can practise freely, protecting lawyer-client confidentiality, safeguarding freedom of expression, shielding lawyers from threats and attacks, and guaranteeing the independence of bar associations.

Gogu stressed that lawyers must be able to work without fear or unjustified interference. They must also have access to their clients, case files and legal proceedings. In addition, the Convention protects confidential communication between lawyers and clients and guarantees lawyers the right to speak freely while carrying out their professional duties responsibly.

The minister also emphasized the state’s duty to ensure serious investigations into threats or attacks against lawyers linked to their work. Another key requirement is protecting the independence and self-governance of bar associations.

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted the Convention in March 2025. It opened for signature in Luxembourg on May 13 that year. Albania signed the treaty in Strasbourg in June 2026, and the government approved the draft ratification law in July. The parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights reviewed the bill on October 6.

Following ratification, the Ministry of Justice will notify relevant institutions of their obligations under the Convention. Within six months of the law’s entry into force, the ministry will submit an assessment to the parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs examining whether Albania’s law on the legal profession, Code of Criminal Procedure and relevant bylaws comply with the Convention’s standards.

The ministry will prepare the assessment in consultation with the National Chamber of Advocates.