Many bar associations have human rights entities as components. Who sets the policy for the bar? What levels of autonomy do such entities have? With the release from the UN 6th Committee of the draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention, bars as representatives and voices of the legal community have an opportunity to help shape international human rights law. This is of concern to not only public interest lawyers but commercial lawyers as well, since increasing hard law concerning human rights is developing from soft law instruments. The IBA’s own business and human rights guidance for bar associations will also be discussed as part of this debate.