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The IBA’s response to the war in Ukraine
Legal Policy & Research Unit
The IBA Legal Projects Director oversees the Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) and the Bar Issues Commission project lawyers. The team undertakes research, and develops and implements innovative strategies, projects and initiatives that are relevant to business and the rule of law, the global legal profession and the broader global community.
Listen to the LPRU’s new Sustainable Law in Action podcast series
Meet the team
Flagship projects
Modern Slavery
The IBA has recently launched a multifaceted initiative on Modern Slavery, bringing together a working group of legal experts and international stakeholders.
View projectMental Wellbeing
The Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession project brings together research, resources, and representatives from around the world.
View project50:50 by 2030 Gender Project
The IBA ‘50:50 by 2030’ nine-year project aims to uncover the root-causes of the lack of gender parity at the most senior levels of the legal profession.
View projectClimate Crisis
The increase in global temperatures and rising sea levels represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to humanity and life on the planet.
View projectOur areas of work
Digital Disruptive Innovation
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Bar related project work
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Anti-corruption and Commercial
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Future Trends and Focus
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Business and Ethics
Read moreReports
The LPRU have created and contributed to a number of legal reports, articles and guidance documents.
See all reportsLegal Internship Programme
Intern positions are available for undergraduate law students, postgraduate law students, and newly qualified lawyers.
How to applyProject Proposal Processs
Could your project benefit from the support of the IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit?
Find out more
News and recent releases
Public Events & External Engagement
13-14
JUN
Sara Carnegie to chair session at the 19th Annual IBA Anti-Corruption Conference
Sara Carnegie and George Artley will attend the 19th Annual IBA Anti-Corruption Conference in Paris, where Sara will chair the session Lawyers as Enablers or Gatekeepers? This session will involve a discussion of the LPRU's plans to revive the IBA’s historic anti-corruption and money laundering surveys, as well as efforts to facilitate a new discussion concerning the role of lawyers as ethical gatekeepers in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing climate crisis.
13
JUN
Lara Douvartzidis to speak at 2023 RELX SDG Inspiration Day
Lara Douvartzidis has been invited to speak at RELX SDG Inspiration Day "Not too Late for Nature" event on a panel discussing the right to nature and the legal implications of Biodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Keynote speakers include Dr. Jane Goodall and Ban Ki-moon. Click here to register.
13
JUN
Lara Douvartzidis to participate in Bonn Climate Change Conference at UNFCCC HQ
Lara Douvartzidis will speak on a UNFCCC side session panel titled “The role of lawyers and law associations in the Global Stocktake: Implementation at a domestic level” discussing the unique role of law and law associations in regulating, training, and sharing best legal practice examples to further climate objectives & implementation strategies for the net zero transition. This event continues LPRU work on the Climate Crisis project alongside the ABA, Brazilian Bar Association and Law Society of England and Wales, made possible by IBA Observer Status under the UNFCCC.
30
MAY
LPRU releases latest episode in its podcast series Sustainability in Action
In this episode Beatriz Martinez interviews Marlen Estévez, a Spanish lawyer and President of Women in a Legal World, a non-profit organisation focused on promoting female talent in the legal sector. Part of the 50:50 by 2030 Gender Project, this episode discusses navigating a career as a woman in the law, as well as the importance of connecting female lawyers across all sectors.
24-25
MAY
16th Annual Bar Leaders' Conference - Helsinki
Members of the LPRU team attended the Bar Leaders’ Conference in Helsinki, where they hosted roundtable sessions focused on the importance of the IBA Professional Wellbeing Commission and the Gatekeepers Project for our bar associations, law societies, and regulatory members.
10-12
MAY
Anurag Bana represented the IBA and participated in UN meetings in Geneva
Anurag Bana attended the 40th UN/CEFACT Forum and the 6th Session of UNCTAD IGE on E-Commerce and the Digital Economy in Geneva. The meetings discussed initiatives concerning digital legal identity, artificial intelligence and data governance for trade facilitation in the digital economy.
10
MAY
Updated IBA Guidance Note on Business and Human Rights - Survey open
Over the last 12 months work has been underway to update and simplify the 2016 IBA Guidance on Business and Human Rights for Business lawyers. The aim of this consultation is to ensure that the simplified Guidance is accessible and used by lawyers all around the world. The survey remains open until Friday 9 June 2023. Click here to participate.