19

th

Annual Conference
and General Meeting
13th to 15th November, 2014
Kigali Serena Hotel, Rwanda

Programme

Day One: Thursday November 13th 2014

(All day registration at Rwanda Bar Association Offices)
2.00pm 5.00pm: Leading Law Firms Forum
7.00pm 11.00pm: Leading Law Firms Networking Dinner

Day Two: Friday November 14th 2014

Morning Session
7.30am 8.15am: Registration
8.15am 10.30am: Opening Ceremony
MCs: To be nominated by the Rwanda Bar Association
Welcome Remarks: Mr. Athanase Rutabingwa; Batonnier Rwanda Bar Association
Introductory Remarks: Mr. James Aggrey Mwamu President East Africa
Law Society
Remarks by the Minister of Justice/Attorney General of Rwanda
Official Opening of the AC/AGM by His Excellency President Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda
Vote of thanks by the EALS Secretary General
10.30 11.00am: Refreshments and Group Photographs
11.00 12.00:

Keynote Address:
His Lordship Justice Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja
President Judge of the East African Court of Justice
The keynote address will focus the legal profession on the emerging aspects
and trends both within and affecting the practice of law within the region and
offer potential avenues through which legal practitioners can take advantage
of this fast developing trends.

12.00 12.30pm: Plenary

12.45 1.45pm:

Lunch.

Afternoon Session
TIME
2:00pm to 3:00pm

3.00pm to 3:30pm
3:30pm to 4:30pm

TRACK 1
Member Services
l
What should your law society do
for you?

TRACK 2
Trends and Patterns
l
Giving your law firm the competitive
edge

From Bar Associations to Law Societies, what is it that your professional organization should do for you;
and what should you, as a member,
contribute to the success of your Bar
Association or law society? The panel
draws on tested examples of the
services and programs of Law Societies and Bar Associations from across
the region, and the globe; in addition
to identifying any best practices that
could be replicated across the East
African Region.

Four panellists will provide a contextual

strategy on how law firms and legal
practice within the region can benefit from
the growing investment and business
potential of the East African Region through
adopting competitive and outward looking
approaches.

PLENARY 1
l Alternative Dispute Resolution: Friend
l Trans-boundary legal practice;
are we there yet?
or Foe?
With 80% of all legal fees in Africa
going to offshore firms, there is
need for local firms to combine their
strengths in order to compete for
these lucrative deals. CBLP remains
the best hope for this and the
panellists will discuss progress on this
agenda, what role members and bar
associations can play to fast track this
process and the practical challenges
being faced by firms and individuals
already undertaking it in spite of
the absence of an enabling legal
framework.

Disputes from commercial agreements

and transactions and their attendant costs
and litigation delays are on the rise. With
case backlog reaching chronic levels in
our Courts and frustrating business and
Foreign Direct Investment due to its effect
on business competitiveness, does ADR
portend an alarming decline in revenue
or is it a faster way to solve judicial
disagreements and hence a faster flow
of income for the legal profession? The
panellists will examine ADR mechanisms as
well as the existent national, regional and
continental ADR mechanisms and rules. The
Panel will also review the process through
which lawyers can become accredited
arbitrators at any of these centres would
also be helpful.

PLENARY 2

4:30pm to 5:00pm
7.00 10.00pm:

The panel discussion will also highlight the

vehicles that would propel the law firms into
this arena including but not limited to legal
process outsourcing, alternative business
structures, virtual law firms, external
investment into law firms, and advertising.

Gala Dinner and entertainment

Day Three: Saturday November 15th 2014.

7.30 9.00am: Registration
9.00am 2.00pm: AGM as per notice
2.00pm: Lunch
3.00pm:

Tours and Excursions

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Tel/Fax: (+255 27) 254 3227; Tel: (+255 27) 254 3226/7 (+255 786) 821010
E-Mail: info@ealawsociety.org; Website: www.ealawsociety.org