Advocacy / Bar Association Law
Rules Governing Elections of the Jordanian Bar Association
This summary outlines the legal framework regulating the Jordanian Bar Association, focusing on council formation, electoral procedures and candidacy requirements. It also explains judicial remedies available against General Assembly and council decisions and the practical limits of such review.
Updated: 3 April 2023
Prepared and reviewed by: Ashraf Al-Khawaja
Origin and Legislative Evolution of the Bar Association
The legal framework for the advocacy profession in Jordan developed from statutes enacted in the 1950s and was consolidated principally in Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972 and its subsequent amendments. The law grants the association legal personality and financial independence and sets out its centres and core responsibilities, including maintenance of the professional register. Practically, this legislative history provides the basis for registration, qualification and internal organisation, but users should verify later amendments to confirm current provisions.
Composition of the General Assembly, Council and Electoral Mechanisms
The General Assembly consists of all registered practising senior lawyers who have paid dues, while trainee lawyers are excluded. The Assembly elects the Bar President (nقيب) and council members; elections are normally secret and held in the presence of the Minister of Justice or a representative. Law and internal regulations set nomination periods, submission formalities, and election supervision committees, and provide that a President candidate must secure an absolute majority in the first round or a relative majority in a subsequent round. Practically, these provisions supply procedural safeguards for fairness, and strict adherence to internal timelines and formalities is critical to avoid procedural challenges.
Candidacy and Membership Requirements for the Council
Registration requires Jordanian nationality (or naturalisation at least ten years prior), minimum age and residence, a recognised law degree, completion of mandated training, full civil capacity and reputable conduct. Candidacy for the council requires a higher minimum age (30 years), specified years of practice (five years for council members; ten years for the President), and no disqualifying conviction. The council may investigate candidates’ good conduct to verify these conditions, but such enquiries must be limited to matters relevant to professional honour and carried out under legal and internal regulation safeguards when refusing registrations or extending training.
Council Competences, the President’s Authority and Procedural Limits
The council manages association affairs and funds, decides registration applications, preserves professional standards, drafts internal rules for Assembly approval, disciplines members, and appoints fees and training committees. It maintains lawyers’ registers and circulates them to competent authorities. The President represents the association, chairs both the council and assembly, signs contracts, and can litigate on the association’s behalf, including actions to defend professional dignity. In practice, the council must present the budget and financial statements to the General Assembly for ratification, and both council and President must act within statutory and internal regulation limits.
Judicial Remedies and Limits on Review of Association Decisions
The law permits challenges to General Assembly decisions (including electoral outcomes) only before the designated judicial forum and subject to formal standing rules: either by the Chief of Public Prosecutions upon order of the Minister of Justice within 15 days of receipt, or by at least 25 registered senior lawyers within 15 days of the decision’s issuance. Decisions of the council concerning its composition or internal elections are challengeable before the Administrative Court (or competent judicial body) under similar standing and time-limit conditions. Court rulings indicate that procedural defects—such as failure to notify the Minister or to meet standing requirements—can render suits inadmissible, underscoring strict observance of statutory appeal procedures.
Legal notice
Notice: This content is for general educational purposes and is based on the original source linked on the page. It does not substitute the applicable statutory text or the advice of a licensed lawyer. Verify current laws, amendments and procedural deadlines with official sources or by consulting a qualified attorney.
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