The Conseil National des Barreaux (CNB) is the central institution federating and representing all French lawyers. Created in 1991, it plays a key role in organizing the legal profession and harmonizing practices nationwide.

What is the CNB?

The CNB is the representative body of all French bar associations. Created by law no. 91-647 of July 10, 1991, the CNB is a not-for-profit organization representing France’s 164 bar associations, with over 75,000 lawyers registered nationwide as of December 31, 2023.

This institution ensures coordination between the various local bar associations and oversees the unity of the profession. The CNB is involved in all aspects of the legal profession: training, ethics, regulation and institutional representation. It is thus the privileged interface between the legal profession and the public authorities.

CNB organization and structure

The CNB is organized around several governing bodies. The main deliberative body is the General Assembly, made up of representatives elected by each bar according to precise membership thresholds: one representative for bars with fewer than 300 lawyers, two representatives for those with between 300 and 1,000 lawyers, and one additional representative for every 1,000 lawyers above that number. The assembly has a total of around 300 members elected for a three-year term.

The CNB Board, elected by the General Meeting, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the institution. It comprises 15 members: a president, four vice-presidents and ten members elected for three-year terms. One-third of the members are renewed each year. The President of the CNB represents the profession in dealings with public authorities and European institutions, while the Vice-Presidents oversee each of the specialized fields.

The CNB’s other organizational pillar is its specialized commissions. They deal with specific technical issues such as training, ethics, new technologies and international relations. These commissions, which are renewed every three years, provide in-depth expertise on issues before they are presented to the General Meeting.

The Bâtonnier’s role in the organization

Each local bar is headed by a bâtonnier, elected by his or her peers. These bâtonniers play an active role in the work of the CNB and act as a link between the local and national levels.

Missions and competencies of the Conseil National des Barreaux

The CNB has extensive powers in a number of key areas. It draws up the National Internal Regulations (RIN), which set out the rules common to all French bar associations, covering in particular professional ethics, the organization of law firms, conditions of practice and client relations. These regulations harmonize professional practices throughout the country, defining for example authorized advertising rules, collaboration between lawyers and professional secrecy obligations.

In terms of training, the CNB defines initial and continuing training programs for lawyers. It supervises the 15 bar schools (EDA) throughout France, and validates their professional training curricula. The institution also ensures compliance with the continuing training obligations imposed on practitioners, set at a minimum of 20 hours per year, divided between legal, ethical and practical training.

The CNB represents the profession before national and European institutions. It plays an active role in legislative and regulatory consultations affecting the practice of law, as it did recently on civil justice reforms and digital transformation bills. This representative role extends to relations with other legal and judicial professions, notably in negotiations on changes to the scope of intervention of the various players in the legal sector.

Ethics and discipline

The institution plays a central role in the development and application of ethical rules. It defines the fundamental ethical principles of the profession and ensures that they are respected by all practitioners.

The CNB and the modernization of the legal profession

To keep pace with technological developments, the CNB is actively supporting the profession’s digital transformation through concrete initiatives. The institution has developed several specific digital tools, notably the e-Barreau platform for dematerialized procedure management and the RPVA system (Réseau Privé Virtuel des Avocats), which secures electronic exchanges with the courts.

The institution supports innovation in professional practices by forging strategic partnerships with technology companies specializing in the legal sector. It has launched pilot projects for the dematerialization of civil and criminal proceedings, facilitating the adoption of technology by law firms. The CNB also invests in digital training for practitioners, with programs dedicated to practice management tools and cybersecurity solutions.

The CNB is also working on adapting ethical rules to new digital modes of practice. It has drawn up specific guidelines to govern online legal advice, collaborative platforms and the use of artificial intelligence in the practice of law. This proactive approach enables us to keep pace with technological developments, while preserving the fundamental principles of our profession.

Relations between the CNB and local bar associations

The CNB maintains a delicate balance between national unity and local autonomy. Each bar retains its own specific characteristics while respecting the common rules defined at national level.

This coordination is expressed in particular in the management of training courses, the harmonization of disciplinary practices and the implementation of professional reforms. The conseil national des barreaux facilitates the exchange of experience between the different bar associations.

The institution also plays a mediation role in the event of conflicts between bar associations or difficulties in interpreting common rules. This function helps to maintain the cohesion of the profession on a national scale.

Outlook for the CNB

The CNB is facing major technological challenges, notably the integration of artificial intelligence into legal practice and growing competition from legal tech, which is transforming access to the law. The institution must rethink the training of lawyers in new digital tools, while meeting the evolving expectations of clients who demand greater transparency, speed and accessibility in legal services.

Over the next three to five years, the CNB will be developing specialized training programs in legal technologies and drawing up a regulatory framework for the use of AI in law firms. The institution is also working on harmonizing ethical rules concerning dematerialized legal consultations and customer data protection. These adaptations aim to support digital transformation while preserving the fundamental principles of independence, confidentiality and quality of legal advice.

Creation and historical background

The Conseil National des Barreaux was created by the July 10, 1991 law on legal aid, a decisive step in the organization of the legal profession in France. It was created against a backdrop of modernization of the justice system and restructuring of the legal professions.

Originally, the CNB had two fundamental objectives:

• Unify the representation of a profession hitherto fragmented between different local Bars.
• Provide lawyers with a national body capable of representing their interests to public authorities

Since its creation, the institution has undergone a number of significant changes that have strengthened its role and prerogatives. In particular, the 2004 reform extended its competencies in the field of professional training, while the 2011 reform gave it a greater role in drawing up ethical rules.

The decree of November 27, 1991, supplementing the founding law, specified the organization and operation of the CNB, thus laying the foundations for a governance system that is representative of all French bar associations. Over the years, the institution has established itself as a key player in the French legal landscape, evolving to meet the contemporary challenges facing the profession.