CLA News / A message from Steven Thiru, the new CLA President

Warm greetings, Members of the CLA.

I begin my term as President with enthusiasm and optimism, humbled by the privilege of serving you. Thank you for your trust and confidence.

Since our inaugural Conference in London in 1955, the CLA has evolved from a loosely knit coalition of bar associations and law societies, and stands as a premier international law organisation. We must continue to harness and leverage on our common objectives and strengths, as a unified and collective body that represents the legal profession in the Commonwealth.

We are today a modern, vibrant and pluralistic institution spanning four regional Hubs — Africa, the Americas, Australasia and Europe — and comprising 56 countries. We promote the administration of justice throughout the Commonwealth, and our overarching mission is to uphold and champion the rule of law, human rights, access to justice, and constitutionalism. In this regard, we are, and will continue to be, resilient against all manner of threats of absolutism, abuse of power, and, critically, the tyranny of the rule by law in the guise of the rule of law.

Kofi Annan, a former Secretary-General of the United Nations reminded us that “without the rule of law, predictable administration, legitimate power and responsive regulation … the foundation of society — both national and international — is built on sand”.

Our mandate is to ensure that an independent and efficient legal profession serves the people of the Commonwealth. The system of government in many Commonwealth countries, based on the separation of powers, is under attack by the overweening exercise of executive power and by insidious attempts to weaken judicial power. The immediate casualty is the administration of justice. In this regard, the CLA actively engages in, as an integral part of our mandate, salutary advocacy to preserve and defend the independence of the Bar and the independence of the Judiciary.

As I assume the mantle of the Presidency, I assure you that our fidelity to these foundational ideals and core values will never be compromised or sacrificed. We will affirm, and indeed extend, the scope of our initiatives to augment them. We will act without fear or favour, obedient only to our guiding principles. We will also remain steadfast in our commitment to advance and entrench diversity, equality and inclusivity in all spheres of our activities — these values are fundamental to the “DNA” of the CLA.

I am inspired by the wisdom and courage of my predecessors and distinguished colleagues. For over 25 years I have had the honour of serving under many eminent Presidents and working with several other stalwarts of the CLA. I stand on the shoulders of these torchbearers, and aspire to emulate their achievements and to take the CLA to greater heights of accomplishment.

It is imperative that we continue to enhance our relationship with the Commonwealth Secretariat and cultivate other strategic alliances to fortify our international stature and presence, and to create more opportunities for collaboration. This will include international law organisations such as the International Bar Association (“IBA”), Union Internationale des Avocats (International Association of Lawyers, “UIA”), Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (“CCBE”), and The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (“LAWASIA”).

The Members of the CLA are the lifeblood and driving force of all that we do. We have a unique and diverse constituency of Members, with whom we must foster regular and close engagement. We must continue to retain and strive to enlarge our membership base. This inevitably requires us to improve the value proposition of the CLA for our Members, and to review the accessibility of membership. In the main, we will:

• involve our Members more actively in our rule of law and human rights advocacy;
• empower knowledge acquisition and management through capacity-building, training, and professional development programmes;
• heighten awareness of the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and technology in the modern legal landscape;
• galvanise participation and networking in our specialised committees, and thematic projects; and
• tailor programmes to meet the requirements and aspirations of our young lawyers and the YCLA.

These are but a few of the initiatives; more will be crafted for our Members during this term.

We have also begun shaping a robust strategic plan — a comprehensive and progressive blueprint for the CLA to attain targeted and tangible outcomes over the next two years. This framework will guide us as we:

• strengthen our internal administrative processes to support our activities, and to serve Members’ interests;
• diversify our existing revenue streams and establish new sources of regular income to secure our financial standing and independence;
• empower the CLA Council by encouraging and enabling participatory decision-making through meaningful consultation;
• focus the Hubs and committees to be engines of expertise and excellence, as well as a dynamic network of learning and cooperation.

We will look at other areas with the benefit of feedback and consultation.

The CLA is sustained by the common bond that we share and the core values that we cherish and espouse. We must reject attempts to dominate, divide, or undermine us. We must remain united in our mission and mandate, and we must forge our future together with a shared purpose. In all, we must continue to derive strength and resolve from our diversity, and be a beacon of hope for honour, equity and human dignity.

I look forward to further connecting with you in the months ahead.

Steven Thiru

President

Commonwealth Lawyers Association

 3 February 2025