About us

The German Israeli Lawyer`s Association was founded in Jerusalem in January 1989. Presently, the association has 500 members.

The non-profit organisation aims to promote the dialogue and mutual understanding between Israeli and German lawyers, especially through studies in comparative law, reflections on the German past and efforts to improve German-Israeli relations. The association focuses on the interchange between German and Israeli lawyers. On a regular basis, they are invited to conferences on current legal issues. Next to their professional orientation, these conventions provide opportunities to get to know each other. The conference are alternately held in Israel and Germany. Conference languages are Hebrew and German with simultaneous translation.

President of the German-Israeli Lawyers Association is Brigitte Zypries, Former Federal Minister of Justice.

It has been a tradition of the German Israeli Lawyer`s Association to host a major conference every 18 months. Speakers have been prominent members of the legal community of both countries, among them Prof. Dr. Jutta Limbach, former President of the German Federal Constitutional Court, as well as Prof. Dr. Aharon Barak, former President of the Israeli Supreme Court.

Furthermore we could welcome as speakers of our conferences:
Heiko Maas (Federal Minster of Justice, Germany)
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Kirchhof (Vice-President Federal Constitutional Court, Karlsruhe)
Wolfgang Thierse (Former President German Parliament, Berlin)
Dr. Yoram Danziger, Salim Joubran and Hanan Melcer (Judges of the Supreme Court of Israel)
Dr. Andreas Frank (Federal Prosecutor General, Karlsruhe)

Of particular importance to the German Israeli Lawyer`s Association are conferences for young lawyers which are held in both countries. These meetings have been attended by a large number of students of law, law clerks and young professionals. They also provide information on the opportunity for young lawyers to come to Israel for a legal internship or clerkship (also as part of the German Referendariat).

The association regularly publishes a newsletter with articles on legal issues and current affairs, reports from conferences, or book reviews contributed by members from both countries. These informations are supplied partly in German, English and Hebrew.

In 1998, a twin organisation was founded in Israel: the Israeli German Lawyer`s Association. This Association counts about 120 members. Each member of one of the two national organisations automatically becomes a member of the other twin. A newly established office in Tel Aviv has facilitated the service for Israeli members as well as the management of activities in Israel.

We welcome your interest in our work – and in becoming one of our new members!