Today, the administrative building of the Sumgait Regional Law Office, the first regional branch of the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been opened. It should be noted that the opening of the regional office is carried out as a continuation of a series of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of legal profession in Azerbaijan.
It should be noted that the administrative building located on the first floor of a nine-floor building on 71 Zulfu Hajiyev Street, Sumgait city, was given to the use of the Bar Association on 19th of September 2018 with the purpose of execution of the Presidential Decree of 22 February 2018.
Repair of the building has been carried out due to the need to ensure rapid access to legal aid of all citizens, the institutions and organizations in the region.
In addition to repairing the administrative building, the law office was also provided with furniture, computers and other necessary equipment to improve the condition of the Sumgait Regional Law Office, which was funded from the Reserve Fund of the State Budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for this purpose by the funds allocated to the Bar Association
According to reports provided by the Construction Center, the repair works of the administrative building included 58,991.53 manats on VAT, while 30.444 manats were spent on the VAT in total, with the aim of ensuring the utilization of the funds allocated from the state budget. At the same time, 25.924 manat worth of VAT was spent to equip the administrative building's infrastructure, as well as supply its furniture and computer equipment.
According to reports provided by the Centre of Evaluation of Construction, the estimated cost of repair works of the administrative building was 58,991.53 manats including VAT. Despite the estimated cost, only 30.444 manats were spent on jobs including VAT, with the aim of saving of the funds allocated from the state budget. At the same time, 25.924 manat including VAT was spent to equip the administrative building's infrastructure, as well as supply its furniture and computer equipment.
Today, the administrative building of 171.6 sq.m provided with a conference room, guest office, kitchen, sanitary junction and other facilities, including a confidential room, a reception desk, a large office space for lawyers is fully operational. In the future, it is also planned to set up teleconferencing systems to maintain remote connection of lawyers working in other regions with the Bar Association's Training and Legal Assistance Centre.
Under the terms of the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 22, 2018, all citizens of the 14 districts and cities of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the jurisdiction of the Sumgait Court of Appeal, as well as all the organizations in the region, can have an access to the legal services of the Sumgait Regional Law Office.
The opening ceremony was continued at Sumgait Plaza Hotel.
Chairman of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan Republic Mr. Anar Baghirov welcomed the guests and noted that the regional law office was the first to start its activity in the history of the legal profession and in the history of Sumgait city. Chairman Bagirov also added that, all this has been done in accordance with the Presidential decree on "Additional Measures for the Advancement of Legal Profession in the Republic of Azerbaijan" from 22 February 2018.
The opening ceremony was attended by the chairman of Sumgait Court of Appeal Saadat Bakhtashi, Sumgait City Prosecutor Sardar Imanov, Honorary Lawyer, Chairman of the Board of Elders of the Bar Association, Ikram Karimov, Head of Sumgait Regional Attorney's Office Anar Gasimli and lawyer operating in Sumgait city Leyla Badalova.
It should be noted that after the opening ceremony a scientific-practical seminar was held for the members of the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan operating in the northern region under the title "Ethics and Contemporary Challenges". Approximately 100 attorneys participated in the event organized by the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Regional Program of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) "Approximation to European standards in the South Caucasus". It should be noted that at the event lawyers from Sumgayit, Guba, Gusar, Absheron, Siyazan, Khizi, Khachmaz and Shabran regions also participated.
Dr. Rudolf Lauda, a professional expert of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), member of the Hessen Chamber of Advocates of Germany, has also participated in the seminar. Discussions were held on the issues of self-governance and ethics of lawyers in Europe, lawyer's independence, professional secret, avoidance of conflicts of interests, reputation of law profession and other issues.
