Attorney Joe Karam
President International Relations Committee, Beirut Bar Association
Speaker on session II

Joe Karam is Senior Partner at the Karam Law Firm in Beirut, Lebanon and an attorney trained in civil law, criminal law, and judicial sector reform, with special expertise in legal aid, family law, corporate law, international criminal law , extradition, and banking law.

He served as an independent expert of the Queen's Prosecution office at the Old Bailey Court in London. Mr. Karam regularly provides legal support and advice to the Beirut and Tripoli Bar Associations. He advised the Lebanese Ministry of Justice on justice sector reforms and several other projects. For a number of years, he has been an active member of the legal aid commission of the Beirut Bar Association. He is since 2011 the President of the international relations Commission for the Beirut Bar Association. He is the Senior Rule of Law Advisor of the National Centre for State Courts for Lebanon projects (NCSC-Arlington VA USA)

Mr. Karam studied law at USEK University in Beirut, the Birmingham University in the United Kingdom, and holds several post-graduate certificates and diplomas in international criminal law, rule of law, and democracy issues. Mr. Karam is a Fellow IVLP (2002) of the International Visitor Leadership Program in the U.S organized by the Department of State and a Chevening Fellow (2005) of the foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK. In2007 he was selected as one of the eight finalist of the Federal Supreme Court Fellowship in Washington.

In addition, he is the founder of the Beirut based Pleading competition on human rights supported by the French Embassy " Concours de plaidoiries de l'Ambassadeur Louis Delamare pour les Droits de l'Homme ". He has been a volunteer member of the Lebanese Red Cross since 1985 and a member of the Lions Club of Jounieh since 1997.

Selected public speaking:

US Senate - Breakfast on the hill with the National council of international visitors (NCIV) on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the State department IVLP programs. "The importance of the International visitor Leadership programs (IVLP)" Sussex Law School (UK)- The multi-religious Family law systems in Lebanon; University of San Pablo-Madrid: " Les PME au MO"; Beirut Bar Association: " Interpol, Red Notices & matters"