This year EALS celebrates 13 years of operation since it was  registered as the regional premier bar association.

EALS has realised a number of achievements in its short span in the EAC region.   EALS has developed a new Strategic Plan (2008-2012) that will see a stronger organization and one that serves its internal and external publics better.

The Strategic reflection and planning process was motivated by amongst others, three main challenges that the legal profession and indeed the wider society will have to confront, in the immediate to the intermediate future.  These are:

Harmonization of Law:

With the entry of Rwanda and Burundi into the EAC (the two countries use the civil law) EAC will now have to harmonize existing laws (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania all use the Common Law system).  Ideally, the best concepts and practices out of each of the legal cultures and systems will be melted into a new, "hybrid" legal system for the East African region.

Increased Technologization of Law and the Society

The scheduled arrival of fiber-optic cables in the region as early as 2009 will certainly spark a new technological, social, economic and political revolution.  Consumers. - including consumers of legal services will continue to demand more efficient and effective services delivered in "real time" .  This will place new challenges - and demand new learning - for providers of goods and Services.  New Opportunities e.g. cyber-crime and e-governance) but also new challenges e.g. cyber-crime and intellectual property violations will arise.  "Smart" regulation will be necessary. 

Globalization of the Law and of Society

International cooperation is on the rise.  In the new world order, politics not just economics spans beyond borders.  In matters of trade, in addition to EAC, there is COMESA also.  Another continental layer in the Africa Union and a myriad organs and institutions are in place. 

EALS Strategic planning process is therefore put in place to develop an overarching and shared vision for EALS to establish priorities thatt will guide the organization in programming, decision making and allocation of resources.

The Strategic Plan looks into 4 main thematic foci

Institutiuonal Development

Professional Development

Regional Integration

Public Interest Advocacy