The Gazette 1984

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1984

lawyer and the legal profession in the eye of the

public;

(iii) increase in the awareness of lawyers of legal issues,

debates and developments of international and

national significance and

(iv) improvement in the personal fulfilment of members

of the legal professions throughout the world.

The IBA is, thus, organised into "Sections" and the

Sections arc, in turn, organised into "Committees" or

"Divisions". Anyone joining the IBA may join any one,

or anv number, of the three Sections and, in turn, any

number of "Committees" or "Divisions" within the

Sections. The term "Committee" or "Division" is used to

describe a group of lawyers with a common interest in a

particular subject of the law or practice — it is not used in

this context in terms of a body to which one must be

nominated or elected, nor yet even do any work if one

does not wish to.

This Article aims to explain the workings of the IBA

and the value and relevance of it primarily to the general

practitioner by whom, as already indicated, these things

may not immediately or easily be appreciated.

Why should I join the IBA?

There are several important reasons why even single

practitioners to-day should derive benefit from member-

ship of the SGP. The following list is by no means

exhaustive:

1. The mobility ol clients at work and at leisure these

days means that everyone is necessarily and

unavoidably now affected by international laws and

regulations and can need advice involving an

international element at any time.

2. Virtually all lawyers have some business clients and

to-day most businesses are involved with either

buying or selling across national boundaries. Their

lawyers must be prepared to advise on the

procedures involved in such activities or to advise

where sould advice may be obtained — that is one

way in which contacts and friends made through the

IBA can be so helpful.

3. Most lawyers are seeking (or should be) to improve

the scope of their practice and the quality of their

work (and their fees!). Involvement in the IBA is a

sure way to demonstrate awareness of wider

horizons and provides the opportunity often to

obtain work through new contact thereby forged.

4. All lawyers should acknowledge a certain responsi-

bility to promote reform of the law where reform

becomes necessary in response to changing social

conditions. The IBA provides a unique opportunity

to discuss issues with lawyers from other jurisdic-

tions and often to gain ideas from the way in which

similar problems have been solved elsewhere. This

aspect of membership of the IBA is stimulating and

rewarding. Problems facing lawyers and the

profession as a whole are remarkably similar the

world over but ideas for the way in which those

problems may be solved can be stimulatingly

various.

5. Membership and participation in the activities of an

organisation such as the IBA cannot but serve to

improve the standing of any lawyer within his

!210

immediate professional circles — itself an

impo r t ant component to sound practice

development.

6. The practice of the law in a relatively remote town

or village can become not only a lonely occupation

but also somewhat tedious and pedestrian.

Membership of the IBA can provide essential relief

and stimulation to those in such circumstances and

it will be very few lawyers who do not learn

something at an IBA meeting to enable them to

improve their own knowledge and experience as

well as the quality of service they provide to their

clients.

In summary it may be said that membership of the IBA

can and should provide the means for all lawyers to add

considerably to their job satisfaction, personal fulfilment

and status.

The Section on General Practice

The origins of the SGP have already been referred to.

Its specific objective is to promote the exchange of

information, views and experience between lawyers

throughout the world on the widest possible range of legal

subjects, practices and procedures. The Section also

concerns itself with the development of the profession,

practice methods, education and generally with the

continuous improvement of professional standards and

service.

For most lawyers throughout the world the nature of

their day to day practice is such that they have to be

prepared to turn their hand to almost any type of problem

or need that might arise in the everyday life of the average

citizen, be it concerned with business or personal matters.

The aim of the SGP is to cater for those lawyers and those

needs. By its nature, therefore, most lawyers should be

members of the SGP. Details of the range of subjects

already regularly featuring in its activities are set out

below under the individual division headings. On joining

the Section a member may express interest in as many

divisions as he or she wishes and participate in the

activities of all of them if he or she should so desire.

The Section has it own Bye-laws and is governed by a

Council, the principal Officers of which are the

Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Secretary and the

Publications Officers. All Divisions have a Chairman and

some also have a Vice-Chairman and a Secretary. The

Bye-laws contain provisions regulating the appointment

and tenure of office of the Section and Division Officers.

Membership of the SGP may be expected to derive for

the most part from the groups listed below:

(i) Private practitioners be they sole practitioners or

members of large multi-partner firms who may not

specialise exclusively in specific international

business law subjects and practices;

(ii) Lawyers in Central or local government service;

(iii) Lawyers employed in corporate law departments;

(iv) Academic lawyers or lawyers engaged in teaching in

colleges of law, etc.

SECTION ACTIVITIES

Conferences

The IBA holds major biennial conferences and

meetings of all the Committees and Divisions of the