As the Global Summit of Hellenic Lawyers 2025 drew to a close, it did so against the majestic backdrop of Athens, a Greek city that birthed democracy, cultivated the doctrine of logos, and elevated the rule of law as a moral and civic institution.
Delegates departed not merely with conference materials and new networks, but with a renewed sense of pride, purpose, and shared responsibility to uphold the ideals that have long established societies built on democratic governance and the rule of law.
Held over four transformative days, the Summit brought together judges, advocates, legal scholars, policymakers, academics and practitioners from Australia, Greece, Cyprus, and the United States. Though working within diverse legal systems, these professionals were united by a mutual commitment to democratic values, public accountability, and justice as a cornerstone of civic life.
The gathering was as much about reconnecting with cultural identity as it was about discussing legal challenges of global relevance.
The theme of the Summit, “Safeguarding Democracy, Rule of Law and Justice – Global Challenges and the Role of AI,” is not a theoretical theme. It reflects a timely response to growing anxieties across the world – from technological disruption and the erosion of public trust to the challenges of disinformation and authoritarian resurgence. The role of lawyers, it was made clear, is not simply to interpret statutes, but to act as stewards and defenders of the rule of law.
A walk through legal history: Private tour of the Greek courts
The final day of the Summit, Thursday, July 10, began with a visit to the central judicial institutions of Greece, including the Athens Court of Appeals and the Athens Court of First Instance. Delegates were granted rare access to these spaces, walking through the very halls where justice is administered daily.
A formal welcome followed in the Ceremonial Hall of the Court of Appeal, where Sophia Lignou, President of the Court of Appeals and of the Managing Council of the Athens Court of Appeals, addressed participants. Her remarks underlined the importance of open legal dialogue across jurisdictions and the continued relevance of Athens as a meeting place for civic thought.
Session A – Navigating issues of common interest for the Greek diaspora
The day’s first session explored legal issues of ongoing significance to members of the Greek diaspora, including transnational inheritance, dual citizenship, identity documentation, and reinvestment in Greece.
These questions were addressed with both legal precision and cultural sensitivity by a panel moderated by George N. Zapantis, Chairman of the Hellenic Lawyers Association of New York. Presentations were delivered by Professor Lambros Kitsaras of the Democritus University of Thrace, Vasiliki Anyfanti of Abroad Law–Anyfanti & Partners, and Chara Zerva, Managing Partner of Nicolas Kanellopoulos – Chara Zerva & Associates and Legal Counsel to Enterprise Greece SA.
The discussion revealed the complexity of navigating divergent legal frameworks across borders and generations, and the emotional dimensions that often accompany these challenges. It was a vivid reminder that law does not operate in a vacuum but in the context of peoples lived histories, identities, and hopes.
Session B – Navigating the future: Advocacy, AI, and Legal Institutions
The second session addressed the growing impact of AI on legal practice, judicial systems and bar associations.
Chaired by Panagiotis Bernitsas, Managing Partner of Bernitsas Law, the panel brought together diverse international perspectives, including Christos Papastylianos of the University of Nicosia School of Law, Nicholas Tsardellis, Vice President of the Cyprus Bar Association, Justice Melissa Perry of the Federal Court of Australia, Niovi Christopoulou of AI.Fund and City University of New York, and Fotios Kotsis, Partner at Moratis Passas Law Firm and former Vice President of the Athens Bar Association.
Together, they explored urgent questions: whether AI systems can embody or replicate the interpretive and ethical judgment at the heart of legal reasoning; how to maintain transparency and accountability in algorithmic decision-making; and what role legal institutions must play in shaping AI’s development.
While the speakers acknowledged the efficiency AI can bring, they agreed that it must not displace human responsibility or moral discernment. The session called on legal professionals to lead – not follow – in the governance of emerging technologies, ensuring that innovation is guided by human values and democratic norms.
A celebration under the stars: The Summit closing dinner
The Summit concluded with an unforgettable gala dinner at Anassa City Events, an elegant venue, combining modernity with Greek nature. It was an evening of music, networking and, above all, celebration – not merely of what had been accomplished during the Summit, but of the enduring cultural thread that links Hellenes and Philhellenes across the globe.
The evening opened with a performance by the Athens Bar Association Choir, whose renditions of works by Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis, and many others, stirred emotions within the delegates. What followed was no less powerful: a rich and colourful performance by the Athens Bar Association Dance Group, who presented traditional dances from across the Greek world – from the lyrical nisiótika to the powerful movements of Epirus and the intricate steps of Crete and the Peloponnese. The performance offered not only spectacle but meaning, serving as a mosaic of cultural expression.
But the most unifying moment came when delegates were invited to join the dancers. Without hesitation, lawyers, judges, and scholars from every corner of the diaspora rose from their seats and stepped onto the dance floor. Circles formed, hands joined, and movement carried the group across generational and geographical boundaries. What had begun as a closing dinner became a celebration of shared love of Hellenism.
Unity through diversity: A shared democratic ethos
What ultimately defined the Global Summit of Hellenic Lawyers 2025 was that despite delegates coming from different legal traditions, they were united by a common democratic ethos – a commitment to justice and to the rule of law as a foundation for democratic societies.
Laying the foundation for 2027: The second Global Summit
The 2025 Summit was, above all, a beginning. Inspired by the energy, goodwill, and intellectual exchange that defined this year’s gathering, organisers are planning to convene a 2nd Global Summit of Hellenic Lawyers, tentatively scheduled for 2027.
This future event will seek to broaden participation, deepen partnerships between legal institutions and diaspora communities, and produce practical outputs – whether in the form of joint initiatives, shared resources, or collaborative research.
More than anything, it will continue the conversation begun in Athens: a conversation rooted and bound by democratic ideals, and oriented toward the challenges and possibilities of the future.
The lights of Anassa may have dimmed, but the spirit of the Summit endures – bright, resilient, and ready to inspire the next chapter in 2027.
