2026 Early Career Award
Posted: 4 Mar 2026
IAFL Early Career Award
Launched in 2024, the IAFL Early Career Award Program provides the opportunity for young family lawyers to apply for a bursary to attend the IAFL Annual Meeting which this year will be held in Dublin, Ireland from Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 September. Any young family lawyer who fulfils the criteria below may apply for the Award. This year, particular emphasis will be given to applicants from Central and Eastern Europe.
The Award will cover the meeting registration fee, including a ticket to the President’s Dinner on the evening of Saturday 5 September, four nights’ hotel accommodation and a contribution to travel expenses.
We want to encourage the best lawyers to stay in family law as their careers develop, and be ready to contribute to the work that is central to the IAFL's purpose - to improve the practice of law and the administration of justice in the area of divorce and family law throughout the world. This Award will allow the successful candidate to create and develop important professional networks with the best international family lawyers and to participate in the highest quality education.
Any candidate wishing to apply for the Award should complete the application form and return it with supporting documentation to the IAFL Executive Director, Annie Dunster annie.dunster@iafl.com. The deadline for receipt of applications is midnight GMT on Friday 10 April 2026.
Criteria for applicants
Applicants should be under the age of 35 years at the time of the meeting and be a qualified lawyer who is licensed / registered to practice with the relevant professional regulatory body. In addition, applicants should be reasonably fluent in English and be able to demonstrate that a significant amount of their work is devoted to family law. Preference will be given to applicants from lower and lower-middle income countries, this year with particular emphasis on applications from Central and Eastern Europe.
Selection Process
All applications will be carefully considered by the IAFL Early Career Award Committee. Successful candidates will be notified by email on Friday 15 May 2026. The decision of the Committee is final and no correspondence shall be entered into.
The successful candidates would need to be available to be in person throughout the duration of the meeting i.e. from lunchtime on Wednesday 2 September through to the morning of Sunday 6 September.
Successful candidates will also be required to write a report after the meeting to be submitted to the IAFL.
Click here to download the application form.
