“The Crystal Scales of Justice” Prize
The European prize for innovative practice
contributing to the efficiency and quality of civil justice
2014 Edition
Follow-up to the Crystal Scales of Justice for the initiative:
Online legal aid: Better solutions for people’s rights
[in French and English / in Spanish].
The Spanish Bar Council was awarded with the Crystal Scales of Justice 2014 for the e-file on Legal Aid in Spain, which allows saving costs and time to citizens but also improving communication between Lawyer’s bars, as public law bodies with the delegated competence of management of the legal aid and many other Public Administrations. The dissemination included the following coverage:
Concerning international coverage:
- After being awarded with the Crystal Scales on 16th October in Aveiro (Portugal), the Spanish Bar had been honored to present it to the rest of European Bars and colleagues with the occasion of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe plenary session at the end of November, in the framework of the 20 years of presence of the Spanish Bar in Brussels.
- The tweet and linked in news announcing its arrival to Brussels was resent by lawyers/Bars representatives from France, Italy and Belgium.
- The award was presented as well in various meetings of committees and working groups of the CCBE and published in the CCBE-Info.
- Finally, a press release was sent to all specialized media in Brussels (Spanish and/or legal).
- Moreover, the CEPEJ - CoE graciously invited the Bar to present the award at their own plenary session last December, with all members of the Commission for Justice and national guests. Although the meeting colluded with the Plenary Session of the Bar, the feedback received was positive.
Concerning national (Spanish) coverage:
- The award was presented to the media in a press conference in the premises of the Consejo General de la Abogacía Española: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gyyxYDFma8
- About the coverage on media in Spain, the Communication and Marketing Department sent a press release to all relevant media in Spain. National journals such as
§ Main newspapers: “El Mundo”: http://www.elmundo.es/economia/2014/10/27/544a9d40e2704e91048b4574.html or “ABC”: http://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=1682494
§ Main agencies such as “Europapress”:
§ Several of the 83 local bars published the award news in their website and local media. Regional journals such as “Diario Sur” or “El Norte de Castilla” also mentioned the award.
§ and minor specialized media such as “Lexnews”, “El Derecho”, “Diario Jurídico”, “El Economista” or “El Confidencial” published about it as well.
- The general website (www.abogacia.es ), finalist for “Best national corporative website in 2014”, prepared an extensive dossier on the award: articles related to the Crystal Scales of Justice, Youtube channel showing the videos gathered for the occasion, tweets in all the twitter accounts the Spanish Bar has, and posts on profiles in Linkedin and Facebook. The paper magazine “Abogados” (sent to over 200.000 lawyers and legal professionals), covered the award on the last 2014 issue, dedicated to the EU law. http://www.abogacia.es/2014/11/25/revista-abogados-no-88/
- The award was presented in the Spanish Bar Council plenary meeting last December in Madrid (Spain) – this plenary is formed by the Presidents of the 83 local bars, the regional bars and some individual elective members together with the Presidency, as well as the board of Directors. It also was shared through the IT-wiki of our Council: http://wiki.redabogacia.org/images/2/27/06_Noviembrev2.pdf
- Several high level political representatives (Ministers, Ombudsman, etc.) and highly ranked civil servants wrote to the President of the Consejo to congratulate and share the award.