The following text is the web display of the organization's attached Charter and Internal Rules. The original Word document can be downloaded via the link above.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Name and Legal Status of the Organization
Name of the organization: GlobaLex International Law Firm Network
English name: GlobaLex International Law Firm Network
Abbreviated name: GlobaLex
The organization is an international contractual cooperation of independent lawyers, law firms, and other professional organizations entitled to provide legal or equivalent services under the laws of the respective country.
The organization:
is not a legal entity;
is not a registered association;
is not a law firm or a partnership of lawyers;
is not a business association;
is not a corporate group;
does not create joint or several liability between the members;
does not provide legal services in its own name;
does not enter into legal service agreements in its own name;
does not invoice attorney fees;
does not receive or manage funds.
The legal basis for the organization's operation is the multilateral cooperation agreement concluded between the members. The adoption of these Articles of Association, or the accession thereto, creates a contractual relationship between the members.
The members of the organization are legally, economically, and professionally independent. No member is entitled to undertake obligations on behalf of another member or the organization, unless they have received a specific, express written authorization to do so.
The “organization”, “President”, “Vice-President”, “membership”, “Meeting of Members” and “Articles of Association” expressions serve to designate the internal operations of the organization and do not imply the existence of a registered legal entity or association.
The Founder
The founder of the organization:
name: Hargittay & Partners Law Firm
registered office: 1027 Budapest, Margit krt. 56. 5th floor, Door 5
registration number: 4270, Budapest Bar Association
hereinafter: Founder.
The Founder exercises special founding rights, in particular:
appoints the first President of the organization;
approves the termination of the presidential office, with the exception defined in these Articles of Association;
approves changes to the name and fundamental purpose of the organization;
approves amendments to the provisions regarding the presidential status, the limitation of the number of members per country, and the legal status of the organization;
is entitled to designate a successor or a nominated person in writing to exercise their founding rights.
In the event of the dissolution or permanent incapacity of the Founder, the founding rights shall be exercised by a person previously designated in writing by the Founder.
In the absence of a valid designation, the Meeting of Members may designate a person to exercise the founding rights by unanimous vote.
PURPOSE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE ORGANIZATION
Purpose of the organization
The purpose of the organization is:
to facilitate international professional cooperation among members;
to refer cross-border cases to lawyers possessing appropriate expertise and local legal knowledge;
to recommend clients and to expand the portfolio and client base;
enhancing the professional knowledge of members;
organizing regular online workshops and professional conferences;
knowledge sharing among members;
implementation of joint professional publications, training courses, and events;
strengthening the international professional visibility of members;
enforcing high professional, ethical, and client management standards.
The organization does not restrict the clients' free choice of counsel and does not oblige members to make recommendations contrary to the client's interests.
The operation of the organization shall not be directed towards:
coordination of legal fees or other business terms;
determining minimum or recommended fees;
allocation of clients, types of cases, or geographic markets among members;
unlawful exchange of competitively sensitive business information;
restricting the professional independence of members.
Fundamental Professional Principles
Every member is obliged to:
comply with the laws and bar association regulations of their own country;
maintain their professional independence;
prioritize the interests of the client;
fulfill their duty of attorney-client confidentiality;
conduct an appropriate conflict check before accepting any case;
clarify for the client which member the legal engagement is established with;
refrain from misleading, unfair, or aggressive client solicitation.
MEMBERSHIP
Subjects of Membership
Full members of the organization may be those registered in the given country as:
sole practitioners;
law firms;
law partnerships, associations of lawyers;
other professional organizations entitled to provide legal services under the laws of the given country.
In the event of the admission of a law firm or other organization as a member, the member is obliged to appoint a permanent contact attorney and at least one deputy contact person.
The member's country of membership is the country where:
in the case of a sole practitioner, the member's primary bar registration is located;
in the case of a law firm or other entity, its principal place of business is located.
A member may only be counted towards the membership quota of one country at a time. If a member maintains branch offices in multiple countries, they shall designate which country constitutes the law firm's principal place of business at the time of joining.
Membership quota per country
The maximum number of full members admitted from each country is determined in proportion to the country's population as follows:
for a population under 20,000,000: maximum 1 member;
for a population between 20,000,000 and 50,000,000, including both limits: maximum 2 members;
for a population over 50,000,000: maximum 3 members.
6For the purpose of determining population size, the latest official annual population data published by the United Nations ("UN") shall apply. In the absence thereof, the latest annual data published by the World Bank shall apply.
The population size shall be reviewed on the 1st day of January each year.
If an additional membership seat becomes available due to a change in a country's population, an admission procedure may be initiated for the new seat.
If the applicable membership quota for a country decreases due to a decline in population, existing memberships shall not terminate. However, a new member may only be admitted if the number of members falls below the permitted limit again.
The membership quota per country applies exclusively to the internal membership of the organization. It does not grant members an exclusive geographic market, an exclusive client base, or exclusive referral rights.
Professional criteria for membership
An applicant may be admitted as a member if he/she/it:
holds a valid license to practice law or an equivalent professional qualification in his/her/its country's registry;
has at least five years of verifiable professional experience as an attorney or in the legal field;
holds appropriate professional indemnity insurance in his/her/its country;
is capable of professional communication at least in English;
possesses the professional capacity to handle cross-border matters;
undertakes to participate in monthly workshops;
undertakes to fulfill the annual referral obligation;
undertakes to respond to inquiries within two business days as a general rule;
accepts the organization's ethical, confidentiality, data protection, and conflict-of-interest requirements;
is not subject to any grounds for disqualification set forth in the Articles of Association.
Grounds for disqualification include in particular:
suspension of the right to practice law;
ongoing disciplinary proceedings related to serious professional misconduct, if it may endanger the reputation of the organization;
a serious professional disciplinary sanction imposed within the past five years;
a final court judgment of conviction for a deliberate criminal offense;
the provision of false or misleading data during the membership admission procedure;
inclusion on international sanction lists;
any conflict of interest or business involvement that endangers the reputation of the organization or its members.
MEMBERSHIP ADMISSION PROCEDURE
Application
Membership admission shall take place on the basis of a written application.
During the application process, the applicant shall be obliged to provide the organization with:
their professional profile;
their bar association or official registration certificate;
proof of their professional indemnity insurance;
a presentation of their main practice areas and international experience;
at least two professional references;
a declaration regarding their disciplinary and criminal record;
a declaration regarding the acceptance of these Statutes;
a brief plan on how they intend to contribute to the organization's professional operations and referral system.
Membership Admission Decision
The application shall be reviewed by the President, the Vice-President, and one full member designated by the President.
A professional interview, either online or in person, shall be conducted with the applicant.
The President shall issue a written decision on the admission to membership.
A refusal of membership admission must be briefly reasoned. No internal legal remedy shall lie against the decision; however, the applicant may re-apply after twelve months.
Membership status shall be established upon the signing of the accession declaration and its acceptance by the President.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS
Rights of Members
A full member is entitled to:
participate in the General Meeting of Members;
exercise voting rights;
to be eligible for office, with the exception of the presidency;
to participate in workshops, conferences, and professional programs;
to use the organization's name and logo in accordance with the relevant regulations;
to forward referrals to other members;
to receive referrals from other members;
to initiate professional cooperation;
to appear in the organization's professional database and on its website.
Membership Fees and Costs
There is no entry fee, annual membership fee, or other recurring monetary membership contribution within the organization.
Members are exclusively subject to the professional and collaborative obligations defined in these Articles of Association.
Each member shall bear their own costs related to:
their own participation;
travel;
accommodation;
technical equipment;
their own marketing activities.
Liability for costs related to specific events or projects may only be established with the prior, express written consent of the member concerned.
THE REFERRAL OBLIGATION
Annual referral obligation
Every full member is obliged to provide at least three qualified referrals per calendar year to another member or members of the organization.
Where possible, the three referrals should be forwarded to at least two different members. This requirement shall not apply if the size or professional composition of the organization does not reasonably allow for it.
The referral obligation does not imply that:
the member is obliged to acquire a client for another member;
an engagement agreement must be concluded based on the referral;
the referral must result in a specific amount of revenue;
the referred client is obliged to instruct the receiving member;
the receiving member is obliged to accept the matter.
The concept of a qualified referral
A qualified referral shall mean a professional introduction or matter referral based on a genuine professional need, during which:
the referring member becomes aware of an actual or anticipated legal service requirement involving another country or the expertise of another member;
the referring member reasonably satisfies themselves that the receiving member may be professionally suitable for the handling of the matter;
the potential client provides prior consent for their contact details or the necessary basic data of their matter to be disclosed to the receiving member;
the referring member effectively connects the potential client and the receiving member;
the receiving member confirms the occurrence of the introduction in writing.
A referral may also occur if a member initiates the involvement of another member within the scope of their own mandate, provided that:
the necessary client consent is available for such purpose;
the cooperation does not violate applicable bar association regulations;
the receiving member may receive an actual professional task.
The following shall not constitute a referral:
the forwarding of general or mass advertising;
the sending of a business card or contact information without a client request;
fictitious, sham, or introductions created solely for the purpose of quota fulfillment;
the referral of a matter which the referring member knows the receiving member cannot lawfully undertake;
an introduction to which the affected client has not consented;
the transfer of a matter within a member's own office or organizational group located in another country.
The organization is entitled to review the conditions of a qualified referral. Compliance with the conditions set forth in point 13.2 shall be the sole responsibility of the organization's members; the organization shall not be held liable for any potential damages or disadvantages arising therefrom.
Proof of referral
Performance of a referral may be evidenced by the written confirmation of the receiving member.
The confirmation shall contain at least the following:
the date of the referral;
the name of the referring member;
the name of the receiving member;
the affected country;
proof that an actual professional contact has been established.
The client's name or other data classified as attorney-client privilege may only be recorded in the referral register if the client has expressly consented thereto. In such cases, the client's written consent must be attached for the organization.
In all other cases, the referral shall be recorded with a unique, anonymous identifier.
The fulfillment of the referral shall be recorded by the president or the secretary designated by them.
Prohibition of Referral Remuneration
For the fulfillment of a referral:
referral fee;
commission;
brokerage fee;
a share determined as a percentage of the legal fee;
other direct or indirect consideration
shall not be due.
The fulfillment of a referral shall not be made conditional upon the receiving member providing a counter-referral at a later date.
Members may agree on remuneration for separate, actual legal or professional work performed, provided that it is permitted by applicable law and bar association regulations, and the remuneration is not merely consideration for recommending the client.
Primacy of the Client's Interest
No member shall be obliged to fulfill a referral that:
is contrary to the client's interest;
would violate the free choice of counsel;
would involve the unauthorized disclosure of attorney-client privilege;
would result in a conflict of interest;
would conflict with the laws or bar association regulations applicable to the member.
The referral obligation shall not be interpreted in a way that limits the member's professional independence or their obligations towards the client.
Exceptionally, in the case of documented professional, ethical, or market circumstances, the President may grant a partial or full exemption from the referral obligation for a given year. The exemption must be requested via a reasoned written application, upon which the President shall decide within 30 days of receipt of the application.
Members Joining Mid-Year
The referral obligation for a member joining mid-year shall be:
three referrals in case of joining between January 1 and April 30;
two referrals in case of joining between May 1 and August 31;
one referral in case of joining between September 1 and November 30;
no referral obligation for the given year in case of joining in the month of December.
WORKSHOPS AND ONLINE CONFERENCES
Monthly Professional Program
The organization shall hold at least one online workshop, conference, or professional meeting in every calendar month.
The annual program shall be compiled by the President or the Vice-President and shall be communicated to the members in advance by January 31 of each year.
The objectives of the workshops are, in particular:
professional profiles of the members;
presentation of legislative changes;
discussion of cross-border cases and legal issues;
understanding the professional background of referral opportunities;
professional training for members, presentation of the specificities of the legal field affecting the given country;
preparation of joint professional projects.
Obligation to Participate
Every member is obliged to participate in the monthly workshops or online conferences.
In a calendar year, a maximum of two absences are permitted, of which the President must be notified in writing at least 24 hours before the start of the workshop.
Participation is established if the member or a substitute lawyer previously designated by the member is present for at least seventy-five percent of the duration of the workshop.
In the case of a law firm or other organizational member, another lawyer with appropriate authorization from the member may participate instead of the designated contact person. Such participation shall not be considered an absence.
The third absence constitutes a material breach of membership obligations and may lead to the expulsion of the member.
In the event of a documented extraordinary circumstance, in particular serious illness, family emergency, or unavoidable external cause, the President may decide – even following retrospective justification – that the given absence shall not count as an absence.
THE MEETING OF MEMBERS
The Meeting of Members
The supreme internal decision-making body of the organization is the Meeting of Members.
The Meeting of Members does not constitute a decision-making body of a legal entity; its resolutions are binding on the members within the framework of the contractual relationship between them, but are not capable of producing legal effects against third parties.
The Meeting of Members must be convened at least once a year.
The Meeting of Members shall be held annually in the framework of an online meeting.
Every full member has one vote.
The Meeting of Members is quorate if more than half of the members entitled to vote are present.
As a general rule, the Meeting of Members decides by a simple majority.
A majority of at least two-thirds is required for:
the expulsion of a member;
the amendment of the Statutes;
the dissolution of the organization;
the creation of a new membership category.
The written approval of the Founder and the President is also required for amendments affecting the special rights of the Founder, the rules of the presidential office, the legal status of the organization, the number of members per country, and the referral obligation.
THE PRESIDENT
Designation of the President
The first President of the organization shall be designated by the Founder.
The first President: […]
The President's mandate shall be for a term of five years.
The President's five-year mandate shall be automatically renewed for a further five years without any further decision, election, or designation, unless:
the President declares in writing at least one hundred and eighty days prior to the expiry of the mandate that they do not wish to hold the office for the subsequent term;
the presidential office is terminated due to extraordinary reasons as defined in these Statutes;
The number of automatic renewals is not limited.
Duties and Powers of the President
The President:
directs and coordinates the operations of the organization;
represents the professional objectives and community of the organization;
convenes and chairs the Meeting of Members;
decides on the admission of members;
designates and removes the Vice President;
decides on the temporary suspension of membership;
supervises the fulfillment of referral obligations and participation requirements;
approves the use of the name and logo of the organization;
designates the Secretary, the Coordinator, and the heads of ad hoc working groups;
decides on exceptional exemptions from referral and participation obligations;
performs all duties that these Statutes do not assign to the competence of another person or forum.
The President may not accept legal mandates, assume financial or other obligations, nor is authorized to manage deposits on behalf of the organization or the members.
Termination of the Presidential Office
The presidential office shall terminate:
upon the death of the President;
upon the dissolution of the President without a legal successor, if the presidential office is held as a representative of an organization;
upon the written resignation of the President;
upon the final loss of the President's legal or equivalent professional license;
certified permanent incapacity or inability to perform duties lasting for at least twelve months;
extraordinary recall pursuant to this point.
The ordinary recall, dismissal by vote of no confidence, or removal without cause of the President is not possible.
Extraordinary recall of the President may only take place if the President:
intentionally and seriously violates these Articles of Association;
causes significant financial or reputational damage to the organization through intentional conduct;
is convicted of an intentional criminal offense by a final judgment;
loses their legal or equivalent professional license based on a final disciplinary decision;
is proven to have abused their presidential powers, and such abuse cannot be remedied by other means.
Initiation of the extraordinary recall procedure may be requested in writing by at least three-quarters of the Full Members.
The vote on the recall shall be preceded by an investigation by a three-member ad hoc ethics committee.
Members of the committee:
one person appointed by the Founder;
one person appointed by the initiating members;
an independent person jointly appointed by the two persons mentioned above.
The ethics committee must unanimously establish the existence of the grounds for extraordinary recall.
The following are subsequently required for the recall of the President:
the affirmative vote of at least three-quarters of all members entitled to vote; and
the written approval of the Founder.
If the Founder and the President are the same person, the Founder's approval shall be replaced by the unanimous vote of all Full Members entitled to vote, excluding the President.
The President may not vote on their own recall.
Appointment of the New President
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the new President shall be appointed by the Founder for a term of five years.
If the Founder or their designated successor fails to appoint a new President within ninety days, the new President shall be elected by at least a four-fifths majority of the Full Members.
THE VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President
The Vice President is appointed and recalled by the President.
As a general rule, the term of office of the Vice President shall be aligned with the term of office of the President.
The Vice President:
assists the work of the President;
in the event of the President's incapacity, shall perform the tasks assigned by the President;
coordinates the monthly workshops;
participates in the membership admission process;
maintains contact with the members;
may supervise professional working groups.
The Vice President may substitute for the President in legal relationships involving third parties exclusively on the basis of a specific written authorization.
The President may recall the Vice President at any time without justification, and shall concurrently be obliged to name the new Vice President.
MONITORING OF MEMBERSHIP OBLIGATIONS
Annual compliance review
It shall be examined by January 31 of each year whether the member, in the preceding calendar year:
fulfilled the obligation regarding three referrals;
did not exceed the two permitted absences;
maintained their professional qualifications and liability insurance;
complied with the organization's ethical and cooperation rules.
The member is obliged to provide the data necessary for the review that does not violate attorney-client privilege.
Consequences of breach of obligation
If the member does not fulfill the annual referral obligation, the President shall send them a written notice.
The member may remedy the missing referral within sixty days of receipt of the notice.
If the member fails to perform even within the additional deadline:
their membership may be suspended for a maximum of six months; or
their exclusion may be initiated.
In the event of a third annual absence from workshops, the President may order:
a written warning;
probationary membership;
a suspension of up to six months.
In the event of repeated or serious breach of obligation, the member may be excluded.
SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Suspension
The President may suspend the membership for a maximum of six months if:
the member's professional authorization has been temporarily suspended;
serious disciplinary or criminal proceedings have been initiated against the member;
the member has failed to fulfill their referral or participation obligations;
the member endangers the organization's reputation;
the member fails to cooperate during the compliance investigation.
The suspended member:
may not exercise voting rights;
may not use the name and logo of the organization as an active member;
may not be counted as a referral-receiving member;
may not hold office until the suspension is lifted.
Termination of Membership
Membership shall terminate:
upon ninety days' notice of resignation by the member;
upon the death of the member or their dissolution without a legal successor;
upon the permanent loss of professional authorization;
by expulsion;
upon the dissolution of the organization.
Expulsion
A member may be expelled if they:
seriously or repeatedly violate these Articles of Association;
fail to fulfill their referral obligations for two consecutive years;
violate their participation obligations at workshops for two consecutive years;
breach attorney-client privilege;
provide false data;
use the name of the organization in a misleading manner;
cause significant reputational damage to the organization or another member;
engage in unfair client solicitation;
seek to coordinate or allocate legal fees, markets, or clients.
Expulsion is initiated by the President.
Prior to expulsion, the member must be invited in writing, with a notice period of at least fifteen days, to present their position.
The General Meeting shall decide on expulsion by at least a two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote.
The member affected by the expulsion may not participate in the voting.
CONFIDENTIALITY, DATA PROTECTION AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Confidentiality
Members are obliged to treat the following as confidential:
client data received from another member;
information relating to cases;
business and professional data of the members;
information communicated as confidential during workshops;
data from the referral register.
Data containing attorney-client privilege may only be transferred with the client's consent or on another appropriate legal basis.
The obligation of confidentiality shall remain in effect without time limit even after the termination of membership.
Conflict Check
Every receiving member is independently obliged to perform a conflict check in accordance with the law applicable to them.
The transmission of a referral does not constitute automatic acceptance of the case.
Only data strictly necessary for the conflict check may be transferred.
Membership in the organization does not, in itself, result in all members being classified as a single law firm or a conflict group. Regardless of this, every member is obliged to examine, according to their own law, whether the organizational relationship has any significance regarding conflicts of interest.
USE OF NAME AND LOGO
Use of the organization's name
The member is entitled to indicate their membership on their website, in their professional introduction, and in their correspondence.
The member is obliged to clearly state that the organization is a contractual cooperation of independent members.
The member shall not create the appearance that:
the organization is an independent legal service provider or carries out independent legal activities;
the members constitute a single, joint, associated law firm;
all members of the organization are liable for the activities of the member;
the member has an exclusive right to represent a specific country or type of case.
The following statement, or one equivalent in content, must be placed on the organization member's website:
„The GlobaLex International Law Firm Organization is a contractual international network of lawyers and law firms that are legally, economically, and professionally independent of each other. The organization does not perform legal tasks or provide legal services in its own right. Every legal mandate is undertaken by a specific member in their own name, under their own professional responsibility, and based on the law applicable to them.”
LIABILITY
Independent liability of members
Each member is solely responsible for their own professional activities, staff, agents, and contractual obligations.
Neither the organization nor any individual member shall be liable for:
the professional errors of another member;
the debts of another member;
the obligations of another member towards a client;
the activities of another member acting on the basis of a referral.
The referring party does not guarantee the professional performance of the receiving member; however, they shall be liable if they intentionally provided false or misleading information and the party receiving the referral suffered provable damages as a result.
AMENDMENT OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND DISSOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION
Amendment of the Articles of Association
The amendment of the Articles of Association may be initiated by:
the President;
the Founder; or
at least three-quarters of the full members.
A unanimous vote of the Meeting of Members is required for any amendment.
The written approval of the President and the Founder is also required for the amendment of the following provisions:
the legal status of the organization;
the special rights of the Founder;
changing the number of members per country;
the appointment, mandate, and recall of the President;
the fundamental rules of the referral obligation;
the abolition of membership fee exemption, the introduction of membership fees;
changing the name and fundamental purpose of the organization.
Dissolution of the Organization
The organization shall be dissolved:
by the concurrent decision of the Founder, the President, and at least four-fifths of the full members;
if the number of members decreases to one person;
if its operation becomes unlawful and the illegality cannot be remedied by other means.
Upon the dissolution of the organization, the Founder shall decide on the fate of the collective name, logo, domain, and other assets, without prejudice to the rights of third parties.
FINAL PROVISIONS
Governing Law
The provisions of Hungarian law shall apply to these Statutes and the contractual legal relationship between the members.
The members shall primarily settle their disputes between each other and the organization through negotiations.
If the negotiations do not lead to a result within thirty days, the Hungarian courts located in Budapest shall have jurisdiction to settle the legal dispute—to the extent permitted by international and jurisdictional rules—depending on competency.
Notices
Notices related to the organization may be sent by electronic means to the official email address provided by the member.
Electronic notification shall be deemed delivered on the working day following its dispatch, unless the sender receives a notification of delivery failure.
Entry into Force and Accession
These Statutes shall enter into force on the day of signature by the Founder.
Every member joining subsequently shall accept the provisions of these Statutes by signing a separate Declaration of Accession.
By signing the Declaration of Accession, the joining member becomes part of the multilateral contractual legal relationship existing with the members of the organization.
Dated: Budapest, 2026. […]
____________________________
Hargittay & Partners Law Firm
rep. by: Dr. Hargittay Szabolcs, Attorney-at-Law
Founder
ANNEX NO. 1
DECLARATION OF ACCESSION
The undersigned
Name/Company Name: ______________________________________
Registered Office/Address: __________________________________
Registering Chamber or Authority: __________________
Registration Number: _______________________________
Member Country: ___________________________________
Contact Attorney: _____________________________
hereby declare that:
I have reviewed and accept the Statutes of the GlobaLex International Law Organization;
I undertake to fulfill three referrals annually;
I undertake to participate in the monthly workshops and/or online conferences;
I undertake to comply with all professional, ethical, confidentiality, and data protection requirements;
the organization does not perform legal professional activities, and I am not authorized to perform such activities on behalf of the organization;
I acknowledge that the organization is not a legal entity and is not a law firm;
I acknowledge that my membership does not create joint liability with other members;
I consent to the inclusion of my membership data on the organization's website and in its internal membership directory.
Dated: ___________________________________
Signature of the joining member:
_____________________________
[Name of joining member, representative]
joining member
The joining is accepted:
_____________________________
[name of president]
president
ANNEX NO. 2
REFERRAL CONFIRMATION
Unique referral identifier: ________________________
Referring member: ____________________________________
Receiving member: _______________________________________
Date of referral: ________________________________
Affected country/jurisdiction: _________________________
The receiving member confirms that the referring member has initiated actual professional contact or a case presentation.
The confirmation does not constitute acceptance of the case, the conclusion of an engagement agreement, or the payment of legal fees.
Dated: ______________________________
_____________________________
[name of receiving member, representative]