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Judges' Forum

Membership of the Forum is open to judges of all levels of court and seniority, whether exercising general or special jurisdiction, and including part-time retired judges. It is hoped that members of the IBA who have been active in its committees and constituents while in practice as lawyers will find in the Judges' Forum an additional means of maintaining their involvement after appointment or election to the Bench.

The activities of the Forum are normally concentrated on organisation of sessions at the Annual Conferences of the IBA. It has been the practice in recent years for those sessions to be co-sponsored with other IBA committees and constituents, dealing with subjects of mutual interest such as litigation, education, ethics and elimination of bias. The Forum also produces an ad hoc newsletter; contributions are encouraged.

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Arab Regional Forum

The Arab Regional Forum provides lawyers active in, or with an interest in the region, with a means to establish contact and exchange information with each other. A particular focus of interest is the continuing economic importance of the region, including reconstruction and investment projects following peace initiatives.

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Water Law Committee

Welcome to the Water Law Committee online. The Water Law Committee focuses on legal issues associated with water as a critical resource and as a basic need and building block throughout the world. The Committee seeks to promote the active exchange of information and views on the use of water as a limited resource and an infrastructure opportunity, the controversies on water and the governance and business of water. The Water Law Committee is part of the IBA Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law

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Access to Justice and Legal Aid Committee

The Committee aims to gather global information on barriers to justice and solutions, focusing on statutory schemes like legal aid. Findings will be shared through reports and events, with all information available on the website for those unable to attend. Acting as a central hub within the IBA, the Committee will coordinate efforts on access to justice and legal aid, collaborating with other committees on joint projects. The IBA’s global reach will support the exchange of best practices, offering valuable insights for jurisdictions facing challenges in maintaining or improving access to justice during times of austerity.

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Taxes Committee

The Taxes Committee encourages interface between international tax specialists and promotes the building of networks among tax lawyers worldwide to assist them in better serving the interests of their clients. The committee is divided informally into four practice group areas: Income Taxes, Other Taxes, Tax Litigation and Employee Benefits.

Members are encouraged to contribute to the committee newsletter which is published two to three times per year and to present papers at committee conferences and seminars. The committee also offers tax executives a forum, in its Tax Executives group, to exchange expertise and skills with their colleagues in industry on topics of special interest.

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Asia Pacific Regional Forum

The Asia Pacific Forum offers fantastic opportunities to establish contact with legal experts in and outside of the region, practising in many different areas of law, and to keep abreast of legal business developments in the region.

In addition to offering an unrivalled opportunity to establish contact among lawyers within and outside the region, and with acknowledged experts on different areas of law, specialist Forum activities provide an unparalleled opportunity to keep abreast of legal business developments in the region. Members also benefit from excellent working relations with national Bars, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association and LAWASIA.

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Mining Law Committee

The Mining Law Committee seeks to promote the interchange of information and views, and to advance knowledge among individual members of the committee and others as to laws, practices and procedures affecting all activities concerning minerals and mining throughout the world. The committee is part of the Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law.

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Product Law and Advertising Committee

The topics and problems covered by the Product Law and Advertising Committee are regularly part of and interlinked with bigger issues related to the international trade of goods and services in a globalised economy.

The Committee therefore deals with the legal aspects surrounding the use and safety of products, their presentation as well as advertising.

The main areas of interest are product liability, unfair competition, relevant trade regulation, product safety regulations, consumer law and advertising law. Special areas of interest include online advertising and advertising issues related to the latest technological developments.

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Aviation Law Committee

The Aviation Law Committee is concerned with several major areas of law. Aircraft transactions and financing are always a major interest. The Committee also follows developments of international law with respect to airlines in both economic and tort areas, and also focuses on competition issues related to aviation.

The Committee provides an opportunity not only to contribute to the development of aviation law but also to make useful contacts with aviation attorneys from all over the world. This is particularly important in an international industry such as aviation, where attorneys are required to deal with aviation attorneys in other countries on a regular basis.

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War Crimes Committee

The War Crimes Committee works to promote justice around the world and uphold the principle of accountability. We focus on atrocity crimes, international criminal law, and practice. We provide a forum for practitioners and scholars, offering reliable resources and a network of contacts in this field. The committee supports international, ad hoc, and domestic war crimes tribunals and collaborates with the IBA Human Rights Institute to promote justice and accountability. We also have a working relationship with the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Committee aims include being a leading professional body for international criminal law, providing valuable resources, and inspiring young lawyers in this area.

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Leisure Industries Section

The Leisure Industries Section started as the Travel Law Section and addressed the needs of travel law practitioners serving the travel industries. It grew to merge with the Tourism and Sports and Gaming sections expanding in its scope to provide a specialist network of professionals in the leisure industries.

The Section recognises that lawyers who work in the leisure industries often practice in one of the more traditional legal fields (aviation, property, finance, maritime, intellectual property, employment, litigation, conflict of laws, consumer law, insurance and trade law). The Section provides a focused forum on issues which emerge due to the greater amount of leisure time available and the increased internationalisation of sports and gaming.

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Women Lawyers' Committee

The Women Lawyers’ Committee (WLC) aspires to empower its 3000 highly valued members from all over the world to engage, network and share knowledge. The committee was originally an interest group which was introduced as an IBA constituent in 1996 to allow efficient global networking of women lawyers.

WLC aims to level the playing field in the legal profession and inspire leaders to work to achieve gender parity. It's 20 committee officers create awareness tools to help the profession achieve this goal, while at the same time facilitate an efficient global network for women lawyers to connect and develop business and expertise, supported by its Advisory board.

We welcome members with all genders and encourage all perspectives and remain a committee dedicated to the cause of women lawyers.

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Criminal Law Committee

The Criminal Law Committee provides a forum for members from various countries and criminal justice systems to meet, exchange views, and monitor developments in criminal law. The Committee focuses on transnational and international issues. The Committee keeps members informed through newsletters and rapporteurs. The member listings, organised by location and practice area, allow for case referrals, cooperation in transnational criminal cases, and the exchange of professional experiences. This platform also offers opportunities for members to assist one another in transnational criminal law matters and share expertise in related cases.

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Law Firm Management Committee

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International Trade and Customs Law Committee

The International Trade and Customs Law Committee is a forum for international practitioners, corporate counsel, academics and government officials to convene, exchange ideas and promote discussion of issues across the spectrum of international trade and customs law.

The International Trade and Customs Law Committee also works closely with bar associations and other organisations across the world to organise events and to ensure that the committee and its members are on the leading edge of international trade and customs issues.

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Family Law Committee

The Family Law Committee provides a unique forum for members from different countries and different legal systems to exchange views, meet during conferences and debate issues concerning the substantive and procedural aspects of family law. The work of the committee has focused on developments of international significance, involving all aspects of family law, for example, marriage, divorce, inheritance, human rights in the family, adoption, international child abduction, etc. There is a close interaction within the committee and its members through newsletters and via e-mail.

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Public Law Section

The Public Law Section provides a global platform for discussing public law topics, exchanging ideas, and fostering development. Our members actively engage in debates about government policy, administrative action, judicial review, and constitutional law. The Section examines how citizens and businesses interact with government actions and anticipates future trends, including the evolving relationship between government and the private sector. Key topics include the principles of fairness, deregulation, and the comparison between civil and common law systems. The Section has an interest in international legal developments and the differences between the various systems.

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Securities and Capital Markets Committee

The Securities and Capital Markets Committee unites business lawyers, academics, regulators, and policy shapers who have an interest in the practice and regulation of securities law and capital markets. Our focus is on the intersection of regional and national capital markets, developments in capital markets products, securities law, regulation of market players, investment banks, brokers, exchanges and central securities depositories. The Committee host flagship conferences and collaborates extensively with other committees, fostering connections across regions and disciplines. The Committee was formed in 2025 by merger of the former Securities Law Committee and Capital Markets Forum.

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African Regional Forum

The African Regional Forum aims to enhance the value and significance of the International Bar Association (IBA) by addressing issues unique to African lawyers. The Forum focuses on cooperation with bar associations, supporting legal development, and promoting IBA participation across Africa. We organise regional conferences, workshops, and seminars to foster specialisation and partnerships within the legal profession. The Forum also works to educate about legal rights, strengthen sub-regional bars, and facilitate exchanges between developed and developing bars. We play a crucial role in training, legal reforms, and fostering collaboration with government and other regional fora.

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Real Estate Section

The Real Estate Section is a global forum for lawyers interested in real estate law. With the increasing internationalisation of real estate transactions, the Section has evolved to address legal and practical issues in a global context. It provides a platform for lawyers from diverse legal backgrounds to exchange views, collaborate, and participate in conferences. Members are encouraged to engage in annual conferences, special projects, and the Section's newsletter. The Section fosters valuable networking opportunities and continues to prepare impactful conferences on international real estate matters, welcoming contributions and ideas from members worldwide.

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Pro Bono Committee

The Pro Bono Committee promotes pro bono legal services globally, through the IBA Pro Bono Declaration, the exchange of information and initiatives, and by promoting best practices.

Pro bono work supports access to justice where this right is not fully supported by legal aid. The Committee provides resources, including digital content and articles highlighting pro bono efforts by legal professionals, which can be found below.

The Committee is committed to advancing pro bono work across the profession and welcomes new members passionate about contributing to this mission.

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Insolvency Section

The Insolvency Section is a network of leading lawyers, judges, and academics from restructuring, insolvency, and creditors' rights law. With over 30 years of experience, we play a pivotal role in the development and reform of international insolvency law. We shape global frameworks by sending expert delegates to leading organisations, such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law and the World Bank.

The Section represents high standards in the field, giving members opportunities to connect, contribute, and lead globally. Members benefit from cross-referral opportunities, involvement in law reform initiatives, and access to the Insolvency and Restructuring International journal. Our conferences bring together experts to exchange ideas, collaborate, and shape the future of insolvency practice.

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International Construction Projects Committee

The International Construction Projects Committee is a global, diverse group of lawyers focused on the promotion and understanding of construction law across the globe. We cover all aspects of construction and engineering projects and foster the exchange of experiences from practitioners around the world.

The Committee serves those active in both domestic construction markets and international projects, and offer extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious construction issues. The Committee meets annually at the IBA Annual Conference and the International Construction Projects Committee retreat, and biennially at the Conference on Construction Projects, providing opportunities to connect and share knowledge.

If you are a member, join our LinkedIn group.

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