Co-Chair
Adam S Goodman
Co-Chair
Sarah Hutchinson
The Rule of Law Forum was formed in early 2007, following the very successful Rule of Law Symposium in Chicago, 2006, organised jointly by the IBA and the American Bar Association. It is an entity within the IBA's Section on Public and Professional Interest.
The Forum's purpose is to encourage and assist the membership of the IBA, both member organisations and individual members, to respond on a continuous basis to the call of the IBA Council, at the end of its Resolution passed in Prague in September 2005, 'to speak out in support of the Rule of Law within their respective communities'.
The full text of that Resolution can be found in the introduction to the commentary thereon prepared by the Forum. This was adopted by the IBA Council at its meeting during the Annual Conference in Madrid. Related documents can be found below.
The Rule of Law Forum was formed in early 2007, following the very successful Rule of Law Symposium in Chicago, organised jointly by the International Bar Association and the American Bar Association, immediately before the Annual Conference in September 2006. Formerly called the Rule of Law Action Group, it is an entity within the Section on Public and Professional Interest (SPPI).
The Forum's purpose is to encourage and assist the membership of the Association, both member organisations and individual members, to respond on a continuous basis to the call of the Council, at the end of its Resolution passed in Prague in September 2005, 'to speak out in support of the Rule of Law within their respective communities'. The full text of that Resolution can be found in the introduction to the commentary thereon prepared by the Forum (see 'Documents').
The activities of the Forum are the responsibility of its Co-Chairs, each of whom serves for a term of two years and is appointed by the Chair of PPID.
The Forum also has a number of Vice-Chairs, who are also appointed by the Chair of PPID. Their responsibility is to respond, if they can, to requests for assistance from the Co-Chairs. See full officer details
Because the Forum works across the Association as a whole, it does not have members like other committees of LPD and PPID. However, the Co-Chairs maintain a circulation list of those who have expressed interest in its activities in order to keep them regularly informed about those activities. However, the Forum is always interested in hearing from others interested in becoming involved and please contact the Co-Chairs to express your interest. The contact details for the Co-Chairs are on the IBA website. Alternatively, please join the IBA Rule of Law Forum symposium which is held on Friday of the annual conference week each year. This event is free to attend and everyone is welcome.
Furthermore, all committees and other entities of LPD and PPID have been invited to appoint a 'Liaison member' to the Forum. The responsibility of each liaison member is (i) to keep the Co-Chairs of the Forum and the officers of his/her appointing committee fully informed about the activities and planned activities of each relevant to the other, and (ii) to ensure that the Rule of Law is in the forefront of the considerations of the officers of his/her appointing committee whenever the activities of that committee are being planned.
Download to view Rule of Law Forum: Strategy 2023/24
Download to view Endangered Lawyers Data Coalition (EDLC)
A conference panel report of the Rule of Law Panel organised by the International Bar Association Rule of Law Forum and Bilkent Human Rights Center. The panel was held on 6 October 2023 in Ankara, Türkiye.
Released on Jan 16, 2024
Rule of law forum speakers in Paris, November 2023
The Rule of Law Forum also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.