The SADC Lawyers Association is the representative body of lawyers, law societies and bar associations in the 15 member SADC region. Formed in 1999 at an inaugural meeting of lawyers in the SADC Region that was held in Maputo, Mozambique, the mission of the Association is to uphold and defend the rule of law without fear or favour. At its formation, the headquarters of the Association was located in South Africa and hosted by the Law Society of South Africa. In 2003, the office relocated to Botswana and was registered in that country under the Societies Act in April of 2003. The office of the Association was moved from Gaborone, Botswana to Pretoria, South Africa on the 17th of March 2011 following a resolution by the 2009 Annual General Meeting held in Livingstone, Zambia to relocate the office.