Managing Director: Adv. Ilan Katz,     Bar President: Dr. Shlomo Cohen, Adv.

The Israel Bar Association was established in 1961 as an autonomous body, whose major institutions are chosen in democratic elections open to all lawyers, under the Israel Bar Law, 1961, for the purpose of incorporating the lawyers in Israel and maintaining the standard and integrity of advocacy in Israel. The Israeli Bar is a corporation that comes under the audit of the State Comptroller.

The statutory bar was set up in 1961, following extensive discussions that went on for 12 years. The Israeli legislator deemed it necessary to reform the situation that existed before the establishment of the State, by which a voluntary lawyers federation operated alongside a council appointed by the mandatory government, and management of the profession’s matters was transferred to the Bar’s elected institutions. Once established, the Bar set about uniting the functions of the two bodies: the Legal Council (1938) and the Israel Lawyers Federation. In 1968, the Knesset established the Bar’s seat in Jerusalem.

Some 35,000 lawyers are members of the Israeli Bar.