Latin America: base reflects rapid growth in membership

The International Bar Association (IBA) will open its first-ever regional office next week in Brazil as part of a medium to long-term plan to have bases across the world.


The IBA, which is headquartered in London, said the São Paulo office reflects its prominence in international law, and recognises members' desires to have a local office.


IBA executive director Mark Ellis said Latin America was chosen because of the rapid growth in membership there, coupled with 'the great potential of its legal community'.


He said: 'São Paulo has the largest number of lawyers in any city in Latin America, a successful internationally-minded economy and a great deal to contribute to international dialogue on legal issues.'


The office will be led by Brazilian lawyer Rodrigo Lopes do Espirito Santo. He said: 'I and other Latin American lawyers are delighted that our region has been chosen in this way. At a time when globalisation and cross-border communications bring the importance of international law into much sharper focus, we very much welcome being involved in the exchange of ideas and commercial opportunities.'


The expansion plan comes less than a year after the IBA, which is made up of more than 16,000 individual members and 190 bar associations and law societies, approved a radical restructuring at its 2004 annual conference in Auckland.


This saw the association split into two divisions - the legal practice division and the public and professional interest division - and the establishment of a new bar issues commission in a bid to increase communication between the world's bar associations and law societies.