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THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION
Twenty-five years ago the IBA was founded on the
initiative of the American Bar Association—the realisa-
tion of the aspirations of many members of the legal
profession anxious to advance the administration of
Justice and the Rule of Law throughout the world and
to maintain the high standards of the profession. The
Incorporated Law Society has been a member since the
early 1950's and has therefore supported the IBA almost
from its inception.
The objects of the Association, as stated in its Con-
stitution are to establish and maintain permanent iela-
tions and exchanges between bar associations through-
out the world and their members; to discuss problems
of professional organisation and status; to advance the
science of jurisprudence; by common study of practical
legal problems to promote uniformity and definition in
appropriate field of law; to promote the administration
of justice under law among peoples of the world; in
execution of these objects to promote in their legal
aspects the principles and aims of the United Nations
and to cooperate with, and promote coordination
among, international juridical organisations having
similar purposes. It is entirely non-political.
Membership is open to all national organisations of
the legal profession and each is entitled to one delegate
at General meetings for each 1,000 of its members with
a maximum of ten. Each also appoints one member of
the IBA Council. James O'Donovan now represents the
Incorporated Law Society of Ireland on the Council.
Recently a new class of "Sustaining" membership has
been added for local Bar Associations and Law Socie-
ties. At present there are 65 Member Organisations and
one Sustaining Member. In addition provision is made
for individual participation in the IBA's work by
lawyer Patrons and Subscribers of whom there are
approximately 3,000.
The Association has since 1948 held biennial con-
ferences in different countries which provide the main
opportunity for individuals to meet and talk, to learn
of their common problems and of the various solutions
being considered or tried. The Twelfth Conference was
held in Dublin in 1968 at the invitation of the Incor-
porated Law Society.
The I.B. Journal is published biannually in May and
November and goes to all members, patrons and sub-
scribers. The Journal contains articles contributed by
members throughout the world; news of international
meetings of interest to the legal profession, including
the U.N. Organisation and the Council of Europe with
both of which the IBA has non-governmental organisa-
tion status; activities of member associations; IBA
activities; book reviews, editorials; and is partly sup-
ported by advertising. Reports made at the General
Meeting together with results of inter-meeting ques-
tionnaires sent to members, are published in the Journal.
The Association's Section on Business Law, formed in
1970, which all Patrons and Subscribers are entitled
to join, is an active body, with its own Offices and
Council, and its 1,000 or so members work through its
20 Committees. These are currently engaged upon such
matters as :
—the preparation of an international form of Contract
for the Sale of Goods;
—an international survey of the procedures for the
arrest and forced sales of ships;
—environmental pollution;
—a survey of national laws and regulations governing
the issue of and trading in securities; and
—a review of the European Common Market Bank-
ruptcy Convention and digests of the laws affecting
unpaid sellers and insolvency.
The work of the Section Committees has become so
extensive that it is now publishing biannually in
January and July its own Journal, the "International
Business Lawyer", and a Directory of its members.
The Council of the IBA, subject to the authority
and direction of the General Meeting and between its
meetings, is the administrative body of the IBA. In
addition to the delegates, ex-officio councillors are the
President, the Secretary-General, Treasurer, and four
Honorary Life Members of the Council. It meets at
least once a year and in alternate years three times.
At its Conferences, many topics of concern to lawyers
outside the field of business law have been discussed
(e.g. the Administration of Foreign Estates, Foreign
Divorces, Pollution, Consumer Protection and the Role
of the Law in a Permissive Society), and subsequently
several draft Conventions have been submitted to the
United Nations. One of the results of consideration by
a Standing Committee was the establishment of the
International Legal Aid Association as an independent
body.
Special meetings of bar association presidents or
other officers have been held at IBA Conferences. In
Tokyo 1970 secretaries of bar associations and law
societies discussed ways and means whereby help could
be given by members in developed countries to those
in less developed countries. In Monte Carlo 1972 the
presidents and batonniers discussed many mutual prob-
lems, including attempts, overt or subtle, made by
governments to restrict the free exercise of the legal
profession. Because of the information conveyed and
the concern expressed, a questionnaire has been pre-
pared and sent to each member organisation to clarify
the scope and seriousness of this problem.
The multiplicity of national requirements for use
of Powers of Attorney has been under discussion at
many of the IBA meetings. One of its committees has
now prepared a draft of a proposed treaty on this
subject, with the hope of its ultimate submission to the
United Nations Organisation. The draft has been sent
to each member organisation for study and report. If
adopted by the UN it may enable lawyers anywhere
to prepare a Power of Attorney for use in any foreign
country which ratifies the treaty.
An International Code of Professional Ethics, adopted
some 15 years ago by the IBA, is now being updated
in order to conform with the changes made by member
organisations in their national codes of ethics.
The next Conference of the IBA will be held in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 28 to
August 2, 1974. In 1976 the Conference will be in
Stockholm and in 1978 in Canberra, Australia.
Further details of the Association may be obtained
from Sir Thomas Lund, The Director-General, 14
Waterloo Place, London SW1, England.
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