Two- day needs-assessment visit of the Council of Europe international expert took place on 25-26 September at the Georgian Bar Association. The aim of the visit was to assess existing situation on providing pro-bono services for vulnerable groups to eventually prepare a concept paper for the Georgian Bar Association. Expert held bilateral meetings with GBA representatives, lawyers involved in pending pilot pro-bono project, beneficiaries and supporters of the project, other associations, NGO representatives and Free Legal Aid Bureau. Compiled information will assist the expert to provide a concept-paper with pro-bono service-mapping and best practices on launching bar-based service without overlapping with the already existing free legal aid opportunities.

‘It is important to get acquainted with foreign best practices and to hold discussions with qualified Council of Europe experts. It will help us with delivering quality and easily accessible service’, said David Asatiani, the chairperson of the Georgian Bar Association.

_{The visit was organized within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Support to the Judicial Reform in Georgia”, which is funded by voluntary contributions of Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, the Slovak Republic, and Sweden to support the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2016 - 2019.}