The International Bar Association (IBA) is calling for a renewed collective effort to defend, explain and promote the rule of law to broader society in its 2025 Legal Agenda.
The bi-annual publication found that the rule of law was at risk even in traditional strongholds such as the Europe and the US, with lawyers and law firms urged to take a more active role in championing the rule of law and maintaining fundamental “red lines” such as the independence of the judiciary.
This focus reflects a shift from the 2023 edition, published at the start of Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama’s two-year term of office, which identified artificial intelligence as the primary concern for lawyers. The rule of law ranked seventh on that list behind AI, ESG issues, clients, recruitment and retention, and reputational issues, among others.
The latest agenda mirrors many of the concerns expressed at the IBA’s annual conference in Toronto at the start of November. Outgoing IBA president, Jaime Carey, said the agenda served “both a reflection on the challenges lawyers currently face and a call to action for the years ahead”, adding “the rule of law can no longer be assumed to be secure, even in jurisdictions that have traditionally led by example”.
Carey said the updated agenda emphasised lawyers’ role in defending judicial independence, acting with integrity and engaging society on the importance of the rule of law, arguing that lawyers should focus on offering leadership and citizenship alongside traditional legal practice issues.
The IBA’s president-elect, Italian lawyer Claudio Visco, who will succeed Carey in 2026 as part of a unique joint presidency, said the report showed lawyers were “operating at the intersection of rapid technological change, geopolitical uncertainty and rising public expectations”.
Lawyers, he added, were not just providers of legal services, but “a central pillar in upholding democratic values, managing technological change and maintaining public trust in an increasingly complex world”.
The publication follows consultations with national and international law firm leaders and corporate counsel across 2024 and 2025, building on conversations during Arpón de Mendívil Aldama’s term.
The IBA plans to launch a video campaign to improve young people’s understanding of the rule of law and its relevance to their day-to-day lives, and to champion civic responsibility.
The agenda also found AI regulation continues to evolve. Some regions, such as the EU, have introduced regulations, but significant regional divergence remains.
The report added that the development of bespoke AI systems in law firms may require adapted business models and a revisit of traditional hourly billing structures.
Talent attraction and retention remain a challenge for the legal profession. However, the report said AI and non-equity partnerships may help, with AI opening a new recruitment channel and enabling technologists to work alongside lawyers.
Non-equity partnerships for senior lawyers have become an increasingly effective way to retain talent, allowing firms to expand their partner ranks and remain competitive, as demonstrated by numerous partner promotions rounds in 2025.
The agenda also notes that talent retention in the US has been affected by broader political and regulatory developments, including the US government’s issuance of executive orders targeting certain leading US law firms and related settlements.
The updated agenda also warned that law firms’ reputations may be damaged if they are perceived as overly commercial, urging them to “clearly articulate their role as guardians of justice, democracy and the rule of law”. Improving the public view of lawyers was, it said, a shared responsibility among law firms, bar associations, law societies and international organisations, including the IBA.
The agenda also highlighted the growing divergence in ESG and diversity policies worldwide, creating compliance challenges for lawyers given that some regions mandate such measures, while others make them optional or restrict them.
Against that backdrop, the IBA Diversity Council has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the IBA and the legal profession. The IBA was recognised by The Global Legal Post's Women and Diversity in Law Awards for its gender equality reporting initiative in 2024.
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