The Gazette 1984

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1984

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.

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

SECTION ACTIVITIES Conferences

The IBA holds major biennial conferences and meetings of all the Committees and Divisions of the