The regional bar associations were established in Hungary 150 years ago, in 1875. This anniversary was celebrated by the Hungarian legal community with a major international conference organised jointly by the Hungarian Bar Association and the Budapest Bar Association on 24-25 April 2025. The event commemorated the historical importance of the legal profession and its role in the rule of law and the administration of justice.
In addition to the most prominent members of the Hungarian legal profession, a number of public figures accepted the invitation to the event, thus emphasizing the importance of the role of the Hungarian legal profession in society. The jubilee event was also of international importance, as representatives of several foreign bar associations and European and global lawyers’ organisations such as CCBE, IBA, AIJA and UIA were present.
At the opening ceremony of the conference, Dr. Dezső Havasi, President of the Budapest Bar Association, and Dr. Gábor M. Tóth welcomed the attending lawyers from Hungary and abroad at the seat of the Budapest Bar Association. The first day was dedicated to professional presentations. Among others Orsolya Görgényi, Senior Partner at Szecskay Attorneys at Law, talked about the well-being of lawyers and led a round-table discussion on the topic.
On the second day, the participants gathered in the Upper House of the Parliament for a celebratory session, where they recalled significant milestones in the history of the Hungarian legal profession and discussed the challenges of the present. It was a great honour for the founder and Managing Partner of Szecskay Attorneys at Law, Andras Szecskay, to address the Hungarian and international audience, and to guide participants through the program. The event was dignified by a remarkable line-up of highly respected speakers:
🔹 Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of Hungary
🔹 Ms. Katalin Böszörményiné Kovács and Mr. Zsolt Csák, Vice-Presidents of the Kúria (Supreme Court)
🔹 Dr. Bence Tuzson, Minister of Justice
🔹 Dr. György Barna Senyei, President of the Office of the National Judiciary
🔹 Dr. Dezső Havasi, President of the Hungarian Bar Association
🔹 Dr. Gábor Tóth M., President of the Budapest Bar Association
🔹 Mr. Roman Zavrsek, Vice-President of the CCBE
🔹 Mr. Claudio Visco, President-elect of the IBA
🔹 Dr. Orsolya Görgényi, Honorary President of AIJA
🔹 Mr. Tibor Pataki, Director of the National Bank of Hungary
🔹 Dr. János Bánáti, Life Honorary President of the Hungarian Bar Association
The two prominent venues of the anniversary conference were a fitting reflection of the gravity of the event and the prestige of the profession. Over the two days, participants looked back together on the history of the Hungarian legal profession and discussed the current challenges and future opportunities facing the profession.
The 150th anniversary of the Hungarian Bar Association is not just a historical milestone; it serves as a reminder that the Hungarian Bar has always been – and will continue to be – the defender of the rule of law and a profession in the service of justice. Szecskay’s representatives András Szecskay, Judit Budai, Katalin Grósz, Orsolva Görgényi, Attila Jasdi, and Viktória Cseh are proud to have been part of such an inspiring celebration.
