I. Organization Profile

1. Year of Foundation 1926.

Ordem dos Advogados (OA) / Portuguese Bar Association, was established by Decree number 11 715, from June 12th 1926, however, its origins trace back to the Lisbon Lawyers’ Association, with Statutes approved in 1838.

2. Types of Membership

Advogados – Lawyers (full members).
Advogados Estagiários – Trainee Lawyers.

3. Number of Members

On January 2023:
Lawyers – 34.600
Trainee Lawyers (in the second and final phase of training) – 2500

4. Membership
Compulsory or Voluntary? Compulsory.

Is the membership in your association prerequisite to practice law in your country (or state, region, etc.)?
Yes.

5. Executives and Officers

Elected officers/members (for a three-year term):

Bastonário – President of the Bar Association, also acts as General Council’s Chairman, Congress’ Chairman and General Assembly’s Chairman.

General Council’s Members (21) – Executive management and regulatory body, nationwide.

President of the Superior Council

Superior Council’s Members (22) – “Appeal” Ethics instance of the Bar Association (in certain cases, such as former or current members, also has first instance jurisdiction).

President of the Fiscal Council

Fiscal Council (1 President and 3 members) - Supervise the financial management of the Bar Association

Presidents of the Regional Councils (7)

Regional Councils - (7) Lisbon, Oporto, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Madeira and Azores – (elected members of each Regional Council vary - these management bodies act within its territorial limits and are responsible, amongst other competences, for providing trainee lawyers trainings and encouraging continuous training of lawyers.

Presidents of the Deontology Councils (7).

Deontology Councils - (7) same as Regional Councils – Disciplinary first instance jurisdiction over lawyers and trainee lawyers whose professional domicile is located in the region.

Local Bar Delegations (composed of 2 to 4 members each) – Currently there are around 220 Delegations through our territory.

For further details please look up for the Bar Association’s Statute approved by Law n.º 145/2015, from September 9th.

6. Journals and/or Newsletters

Boletim da Ordem dos Advogados (BOA) - Published only in digital form.

All the issues can be  viewed at: 

https://portal.oa.pt/publicacoes/boletim/

Revista da Ordem dos Advogados (ROA) – issued two times a year (usually) and published both in print and digital version. The ROA printed version is only available for lawyers who subscribe and pay it yearly. The ROA is an academic journal containing legal theory, doctrine, commented case law. It also publishes the OA’s rulings, regulations and opinions. Circulation – 750.

All ROA's can be  viewed HERE

Newsletters 

Newsletter OA (from the General Council’s activity):

Issued monthly, can be  viewed HERE 

From the library:

Gazeta Juridica – News about legislation, regulations, case law, reports, national and international events in the field of justice, etc.

Issued daily, can be  viewed HERE 

Legal information – information concerning all the diferent legislation, regulations etc.. organized by sections  

https://portal.oa.pt/publicacoes/informacao-juridica/

Some Regional Councils occasionally publish their own newsletters or Bulletins.