GILA brings together the various players in Geneva’s legal and business communities, including lawyers, judges, in-house counsel, technology and digitalisation experts, as well as academic institutions and governmental and non-governmental organisations, with the aim of promoting Geneva as an international capital of law and legal services.
GILA was officially established on 26 June 2024 by the representatives of its 25 founding members, in the presence of the Geneva political authorities (city and state) and the local business associations.
The constitutive assembly was held in the Alabama Room of Geneva City Hall. This historic room symbolizes Geneva’s international influence, from the signing of the first Geneva Convention for the relief of wounded soldiers on 22 August 1864, to the resolution of the Alabama arbitration, which opposed England and the United States at the end of the American Civil War.
At the centre of our logo is Geneva's iconic Jet d'Eau, representing our strong link with this city known for its rich legal tradition and international influence.
Surrounding the emblem, the globe reflects our global reach and vision. It symbolises GILA's commitment to fostering international legal dialogue and cooperation, building bridges between the world's diverse legal communities.
Our choice of blue aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 emphasising peace, justice and strong institutions. This colour represents our commitment to promoting inclusive and fair legal systems around the world, in support of the UN's SDGs. Red and yellow recall the colours of the Geneva flag, highlighting our pride in Geneva's heritage and our local roots.
This underlines our unwavering dedication to fairness, equality and the rule of law, the fundamental principles that drive our work.
The GILA committee is made up of 13 representatives from the legal world, all experts in their field and passionate about the law. Together, they work to achieve GILA’s goals and coordinate the activities of the many other volunteers in the GILA community:
