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I am delighted to greet you as the Chair of the Bar Issues Commission of the International Bar Association.
At the upcoming Annual IBA Bar Leaders Conference in The Hague, May 30-31, 2012, we tackle themes and issues which you our members have asked us to address. These weighty sessions will include:
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Crossing the red line – what do you tell, and to whom, and why not?
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How can Bar Associations support the fight against racial, gender and other discrimination?
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Political interference in the activities of bar associations
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The vision and the power of the President of a Bar Association
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Representing Justice– The role of lawyers in establishing international criminal courts and safeguarding their legacy.
We also have an interesting program planned for the IBA Annual meeting in Dublin September 30-October 5, 2012.
In addition to our conference activities, our BIC Policy Committee’s major project on the IBA Code of Conduct and its Commentary has been completed. We have also completed a set of best practice guidelines for training undertaken by bar associations. This year, the Policy Committee will be working on the following projects:
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Guidelines on Training for Bar Associations and Law Society’s – part 2
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Guidelines for bar associations and law societies on anti-corruption measures for the legal profession
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IBA resource on the core values of the legal profession
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Guidelines on information exchange in the disciplinary process
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Legal outsourcing and the implications for client confidentiality/professional secrecy
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International Guidelines on lawyers conduct in Arbitration (assistance to the Arbitration committee)
As you can see, it is an ambitious project list.
The BIC’s wonderful success over the past seven years has also been due to the renewed engagement by Bar Associations, Law Societies, and other BIC members. Together with my fellow officers, the two Vice-Chairs, Horacio Bernardes Neto (Brazil) and Margery Nicoll (Australia), and our Officers Olufunke Adekoya (Nigeria) and Claudio Visco (Italy), we will work hard to continue the BIC’s mission, and to help fulfill the promise of the IBA as the voice of the legal profession.
If you have any queries about the BIC, please direct them to Elaine Owen (elaine.owen@int-bar.org) at the IBA office in London.
With best wishes,
James Klotz
Chair, Bar Issues Commission
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