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International Bar Associations
Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
Past President, International Bar
Association; 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, 72 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
1 Fernando Peláez-Pier is a past president of the International Bar Association and a founding member of Bentata Hoet & Asociados (now Hoet
Pelaez Castillo & Duque), created in 1977. He is a graduate of the Iberoamericana University, Mexico City; Paris University (diplôme d’études
supérieures); and the Universidad de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela., 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.
178
Fernando Pelaez-Pier1
Past President, International Bar
Association; 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, 72 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
1 Fernando Peláez-Pier is a past president of the International Bar Association and a founding member of Bentata Hoet & Asociados (now Hoet
Pelaez Castillo & Duque), created in 1977. He is a graduate of the Iberoamericana University, Mexico City; Paris University (diplôme d’études
supérieures); and the Universidad de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela., 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.
178
