Cristina Vallejo supports the use of public duty and training in the elections for the deanship of Barcelona lawyers.

BarcelonaChanges are coming to the governing board of the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB), one of the largest professional organizations, given that membership is mandatory for the thousands of lawyers practicing in the region. The first to announce her intention to succeed Jesús Sánchez as dean—who arrived in January 2022 after years of involvement with the bar's government and is not seeking a repeat term—has been civil lawyer Cristina Vallejo. A partner and director of the VPG firm, which has five lawyers in total, she served as a member of the bar's governing board (2017-2021) and as training coordinator (2021-2024).

Lawyers will be able to vote on June 19th to name the dean and replace Sánchez. He had already been vice-dean and secretary of government at the college when he took over to cover the departure of Maria Eugenia Gay, who moved across Mallorca Street to the Spanish government office. This Wednesday, Vallejo and his team presented the project at the El Palauet Barcelona hotel.

A pre-candidacy—which has not yet been formally registered and can be submitted until May 29—that Vallejo has defended as having "experience but a vision for the future" and that emphasizes training, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. In her speech, the civil and commercial law expert rejected being identified as a candidate for the same position as that of large firms and avoided defining herself as a continuationist, because she will propose changes and evolutions. "If by continuation we understand knowledge of the institution, a vocation to serve the group, I will proudly and prestigiously say yes," she clarified.

"The Icab is yours": 100 steps in 15 blocks

With the slogan "The Icab is yours," its program consists of 100 measures grouped into 15 strategic axes. Highlights include a commitment to dignifying the legal aid system and improving payments to lawyers who work there. The project presented this Wednesday by Vallejo's team also highlights free training in subjects such as alternative dispute resolution, as well as digitalization and artificial intelligence to prepare lawyers for new professional challenges. The program also emphasizes free training in subjects such as alternative dispute resolution, as well as digitalization and artificial intelligence to prepare lawyers for new professional challenges. The program also emphasizes the need to adapt small or medium-sized law firms, and that its pre-candidacy will make efforts to democratize its use. Criminal lawyer Jorge Navarro, a partner at Molins Defensa Penal and also with experience on the Icab governing board, is the second-highest-ranking candidate and will be proposed as vice-dean. The legal reform proposal against multiple recidivism drafted by the Icab And this Wednesday, he expressed his support for reinstating the thirty-day house arrest regime. "Why aren't there more electronic bracelets? A person in prison costs much more than an electronic bracelet," he also said, referring to repeat offenders.