Page 173 - Leaders in Legal Business - PDF - Final 2018
P. 173
International Bar Associations
Published September 2015
Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
Principal, Hoet Pelaez Castillo
Duque
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
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.
3 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, KEY MILESTONES, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/Key_milestones.aspx.
4 Id.
159
Published September 2015
Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
Principal, Hoet Pelaez Castillo
Duque
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
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.
3 THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION, KEY MILESTONES, http://www.ibanet.org/About_the_IBA/Key_milestones.aspx.
4 Id.
159
