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Leaders in Legal Business
International Bar Associations Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
IBA
Past President
The International bar Association: a Story of Leadership and Success
The International Bar Association was founded on February 17, 1947 by a group of 34 national bar
associations who sought to follow in the footsteps of the United Nations (U.N.) by helping to institute law and
justice on a global scale.
Today, 68 years later, the IBA is the leading association of lawyers and is known as the “global voice of
the legal profession.”2 In this article, we will discuss the history of the IBA and why it has gained its leading
position among bar associations, law societies, and practicing lawyers from around the world.
For the success of any organization, it is essential to have clear objectives in order to perform its activities
and deliver its services to its constituency. The IBA leadership has adjusted its structure and objectives since its
inception in order to adapt to the challenges imposed upon the legal profession and to best serve its members.
In 1969 and 1970, the IBA leadership made important changes. It decided to move
the IBA headquarters form New York to London, to admit individual lawyers to the
Association, and to establish the former Section on Business Law.3 These decisions marked
a turning point for the Association, attracting not only bar associations and law societies,
but also business lawyers from every continent. In the following years, the IBA leadership
made another important decision to establish the Section on General Practice and the Section
on Energy and Natural Resources.4
Major changes were made in 2004 and 2011. The IBA leadership decided to conduct a careful review of
the structure of the Association. As a result of such initiative, currently the structure of the Association is focused
on two main divisions: the Legal Practice Division (LPD) and the Public and Professional Interest Division
(PPID), the latter of which has three subdivisions: the Section on Public and Professional Interest (SPPI), the Bar
Issues Commission (BIC), and the Human Rights Institute (HRI).5
The organization’s principal goals and objectives are:
1. To promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide.
2. To support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice
their profession without interference.
3. Support of human rights for lawyers worldwide through its Human Rights
Institute.6
1 Fernando Peláez-Pier is a graduate of the Iberoamericana University, Mexico City; Paris University (diplôme d’études supérieures); and the Universidad
de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela. He joined Bentata Hoet & Asociados (now Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque) in 1977, where he currently leads as one of
its corporate partners. Mr Peláez-Pier practices in the areas of contract negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, project finance, and
alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque, Mr Peláez-Pier was responsible for setting up the London office of Bomchil,
Castro, Goodrich, Claro, Arosemena & Associates and was director of their Paris and London offices from 1972 to 1976. He was an associate at Goodrich,
Riquelme & Associates, Mexico City from 1967 to 1972. Mr Peláez-Pier was chairman of the Federation of Binational Chambers of Commerce of the
European Community (FEDEUROPA) 1981–1982; Lex Mundi chairman, 1992–1993, and served as vice president of the International Bar Association
(IBA) (2007–2008); secretary-general (2005–2006), chair of the IBA Section on Business Law (2002–2004), vice-chair (2000–2002), and secretary-treasurer
(1998–2000). He is a member of the advisory board for the Institute for International and Comparative Law and the Interamerican Bar Association. Mr
Peláez-Pier has been awarded the Miranda State Bar Association Gran Orden del Colegio de Abogados del Estado Miranda (2003) and the Professional
Merit Award by Caracas Bar Association “Miguel José Sanz” (2003).
2 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, ABOUT THE IBA, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/About_the_IBA.aspx (last visited May 5, 2015).
3 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, KEY MILESTONES, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/Key_milestones.aspx (last visited May 5, 2015).
4 Id.
5 Supra note 2.
6 Id.
111
International Bar Associations Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
IBA
Past President
The International bar Association: a Story of Leadership and Success
The International Bar Association was founded on February 17, 1947 by a group of 34 national bar
associations who sought to follow in the footsteps of the United Nations (U.N.) by helping to institute law and
justice on a global scale.
Today, 68 years later, the IBA is the leading association of lawyers and is known as the “global voice of
the legal profession.”2 In this article, we will discuss the history of the IBA and why it has gained its leading
position among bar associations, law societies, and practicing lawyers from around the world.
For the success of any organization, it is essential to have clear objectives in order to perform its activities
and deliver its services to its constituency. The IBA leadership has adjusted its structure and objectives since its
inception in order to adapt to the challenges imposed upon the legal profession and to best serve its members.
In 1969 and 1970, the IBA leadership made important changes. It decided to move
the IBA headquarters form New York to London, to admit individual lawyers to the
Association, and to establish the former Section on Business Law.3 These decisions marked
a turning point for the Association, attracting not only bar associations and law societies,
but also business lawyers from every continent. In the following years, the IBA leadership
made another important decision to establish the Section on General Practice and the Section
on Energy and Natural Resources.4
Major changes were made in 2004 and 2011. The IBA leadership decided to conduct a careful review of
the structure of the Association. As a result of such initiative, currently the structure of the Association is focused
on two main divisions: the Legal Practice Division (LPD) and the Public and Professional Interest Division
(PPID), the latter of which has three subdivisions: the Section on Public and Professional Interest (SPPI), the Bar
Issues Commission (BIC), and the Human Rights Institute (HRI).5
The organization’s principal goals and objectives are:
1. To promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide.
2. To support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice
their profession without interference.
3. Support of human rights for lawyers worldwide through its Human Rights
Institute.6
1 Fernando Peláez-Pier is a graduate of the Iberoamericana University, Mexico City; Paris University (diplôme d’études supérieures); and the Universidad
de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela. He joined Bentata Hoet & Asociados (now Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque) in 1977, where he currently leads as one of
its corporate partners. Mr Peláez-Pier practices in the areas of contract negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, project finance, and
alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque, Mr Peláez-Pier was responsible for setting up the London office of Bomchil,
Castro, Goodrich, Claro, Arosemena & Associates and was director of their Paris and London offices from 1972 to 1976. He was an associate at Goodrich,
Riquelme & Associates, Mexico City from 1967 to 1972. Mr Peláez-Pier was chairman of the Federation of Binational Chambers of Commerce of the
European Community (FEDEUROPA) 1981–1982; Lex Mundi chairman, 1992–1993, and served as vice president of the International Bar Association
(IBA) (2007–2008); secretary-general (2005–2006), chair of the IBA Section on Business Law (2002–2004), vice-chair (2000–2002), and secretary-treasurer
(1998–2000). He is a member of the advisory board for the Institute for International and Comparative Law and the Interamerican Bar Association. Mr
Peláez-Pier has been awarded the Miranda State Bar Association Gran Orden del Colegio de Abogados del Estado Miranda (2003) and the Professional
Merit Award by Caracas Bar Association “Miguel José Sanz” (2003).
2 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, ABOUT THE IBA, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/About_the_IBA.aspx (last visited May 5, 2015).
3 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, KEY MILESTONES, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/Key_milestones.aspx (last visited May 5, 2015).
4 Id.
5 Supra note 2.
6 Id.
111
