Legal Policy & Research Unit support for committee projects

Support for committee projects

Committees who are considering undertaking a project should consider whether the project would benefit from support from the Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU).

The LPRU leads and supports divisions and committees to undertake a range of significant legal projects, covering key challenges and opportunities that impact the global legal profession. Examples of our work include projects concerning:

• ethics and anti-corruption;
• business and human rights;
• environmental, social and governance;
• climate change;
• digital innovation and tech competence, including dedicated work on cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence;
• wellbeing in the legal profession; and 
• gender parity and broader diversity and inclusion.

The LPRU’s work is driven by collaboration with IBA entities, and often also in collaboration with external stakeholders such as the United Nations (UN), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Union (EU) and academic institutions, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The LPRU works to support committees to advance projects and initiatives that align with the above priority areas. For example, this could be through:

• legal research;
• policy analysis;
• analysis of different jurisdictional legislative frameworks;
• drafting guidance documents;
• sourcing subject matter experts;
• supporting committees in responding to external consultations (often leg by International organisations such as the UN, FATF and the EU); and 
• supporting committee-led webinars and events.

The LPRU does not provide administrative support.

When a committee seeks LPRU support for a proposed project, the Director of the LPRU will determine whether the LPRU will provide support and if so, the scope of that support, having regard to the following matters:

• the LPRU may only support projects which concern matters relevant to the IBA, the legal profession and/or the broader global community; support the objectives of the IBA Constitution; and align with the LPRU’s Business Plan; and
• the LPRU's capacity.

For more information about the LPRU, find our homepage link below, or email LPRU@int-bar.org