Center for International Legal Studies
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On the recommendation of the Council, CILS may appoint a chairperson of the IBLC for a two-year term. A chairperson may not serve consecutive terms. The Chairperson shall serve ad honorem and preside at Council meetings and the AGM, represent (without authority to bind) and promote the IBLC, and lead and coordinate its marketing, and member activities as mutually agreed.
An IBLC Advisory Council advises and consults on the administration and aims of the IBLC. The Council consists of five councilors. At the IBLC AGMs, in even years one and in odd years two Councilors are elected; at each IBLC AGM, one Councilor is appointed by CILS.
The IBLC Council advises and consults CILS on the admission of new IBLC members, programs and venues for IBLC meetings and retreats, the constitution of representative committees with limited mandates, and initiatives to further the aims of the IBLC, and any revisions of the IBLC Charter.
The Center for International Legal Studies has founded and administers the IBLC as a proprietary international affiliation of law and related professional offices. CILS is the custodian of the IBLC Charter. CILS designated staff provides IBLC's secretariat, custodial and membership services, including meeting organisation, CRM, business and membership development support.
In the first instance membership and other enquiries should be directed to the IBLC secretariat (secretariat@iblc.com).
CILS and the Council have established a Nominations Committee to identify every two years the most suitable member representative to serve as Chair of the IBLC. The Committee's nominee is then recommended by the Council, appointed by CILS and confirmed by the AGM as Chair. The Committee is also tasked with encouraging member representatives to stand for election to the Council.
The Council appoints three geographically diverse member representatives, who are not Councillors, for staggered three-year terms. The current Chair and the permanent secretary also serve on the Committee ex officio. See Nominations Committee Resolution (as amended).
The IBLC Council tasks the Recruitment Committee to identify and vet law offices for admission to IBLC. The Recruitment Committee liaises with the Secretariat and members to identify IBLC membership needs and to obtain recommednations for membership candidates.
The Recruitment Committee is led by one or more Councilors; the Council appoints the other Committee members for terms of one year from leading, diverse member representatives.
1.1 The Center for International Legal Studies has founded and administers the IBLC as a proprietary international affiliation of law and related professional firms to: - foster international legal understanding and education, - cultivate meaningful international relationships, - enhance the provision of legal and related professional services to business communities worldwide, - meaningfully respond to local and global commercial interests and social responsibilities, and - enhance and facilitate collegial cooperation, enabling worldwide client service.
2.1 Upon invitation, reputable firms providing legal and related professional services and committed to the aims of the IBLC are eligible to become IBLC Members.
2.2 Membership in other professional affiliations and groupings does not per se preclude IBLC membership.
2.3 After consultation with existing IBLC Members and competent representative bodies, CILS may admit one firm of any professional services category as an IBLC Member exclusively in each city.
2.4 Where an IBLC Member does not attend any IBLC retreat or meeting for two years then that IBLC Member shall forfeit its exclusivity.
2.5 Exclusivity may be recovered by attending a retreat or meeting before a new, non-exclusive IBLC Member for that location is admitted.
2.6 An IBLC Member or CILS may terminate membership on written notice given three months before the end of each subscription period.
2.7 CILS may differentiate IBLC membership benefits and responsibilities according to number and type of professionals, offices, and locations covered, but shall include at least one credit per annum to encourage attendance of the IBLC Annual Retreat.[1]
2.8 After consultation with competent representative bodies, CILS shall from time to time publish an IBLC membership benefits and responsibilities policy.
3.1 CILS shall administer the IBLC in consultation with competent representative bodies.
3.2 An IBLC Advisory Council ("Council") shall advise and consult on the administration and aims of the IBLC.
3.3 Each Council shall be constituted upon the election and appointment of new Councilors at the IBLC Annual General Meeting (IBLC AGM=IBLC Annual Retreat and Business Development Meeting) and it shall remain in office until its successor is constituted.
3.4 The Council shall consist of five councilors. Each councilor shall serve on a pro bono basis without claim for compensation or reimbursement a term spanning two IBLC AGMs.
3.5 At the IBLC AGMs, in even years one and in odd years two Councilors shall be elected through a separate secret ballot by a majority of votes cast by the IBLC Member representatives present. Only IBLC Member representatives attending the IBLC AGM are eligible for election.
3.6 At each IBLC AGM, one Councilor shall be appointed by CILS.
3.7 No Councilor shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.8 If a Councilor retires before the expiration of his or her term, that vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the term, in the case of an elected Councilor, by the candidate who received the highest number of votes at the most recent AGM without being elected (runner up, alternate Councilor), or in the case of an appointed Councilor, by the person who CILS appoints.
3.9 The IBLC Council shall advise and consult CILS on - the admission of new IBLC members, - programs and venues for IBLC meetings and retreats, - the constitution of representative committees with limited mandates, and - initiatives to further the aims of the IBLC, - any revisions of this Charter.
3.10 The Council may allocate specific responsibilities within its mandate to the Councilors as it sees fit.
3.11 The Council shall convene a meeting at the IBLC AGM before reporting to the attending IBLC Members, and such other meetings by whatever means as appear expeditious to fulfilling the Council's mandate and furthering the aims of the IBLC.
3.12 The Council may adopt recommendations and resolutions by a majority of the votes of its members.
3.13 A Council shall not bind its successors.
3.14 On the recommendation of the Council, CILS may appoint a Chairperson of the IBLC for a two-year term. A chair person may not serve consecutive terms.
3.15 The Chairperson shall serve ad honorem and preside at Council meetings and the AGM, represent (without authority to bind) and promote the IBLC, and lead and coordinate its marketing, and member activities as mutually agreed.
3.16 The Council may recommend that CILS establish other representative bodies of more limited mandates.
4.1 To foster international legal understanding and cultivate relationships, CILS shall organize an IBLC Annual General Meeting (IBLC AGM=IBLC Annual Retreat and Business Development Meeting), and such other meetings as further the aims of the IBLC and its members.
4.2 The IBLC AGM shall address the elections of committee representatives, policies and initiatives to further the aims of the IBLC and develop the business capacities of its members.
4.3 Such other IBLC meetings as CILS may organize shall promote the external aims of the IBLC in particular business development, enhancing IBLC Members' provision of legal and related professional services, international learning, and cultivating relationships with the legal and business communities worldwide, but especially in those regions where the IBLC might otherwise not yet have fully realized its potential.
4.4 From time to time, CILS shall after consultation with the IBLC Advisory Council, publish policies on proposing and organising other meetings and transferring Members' retreat entitlements to such other meetings.
4.5 IBLC Members may in particular jointly pursue the aims of the IBLC through research, publications, seminars, surveys, data exchanges, and collaborative marketing.
4.6 CILS may support these efforts through its editorial, publishing, educational and organizational capacities and contacts, and shall hold and administer, with the advice and consultation of the Council, in trust, according to separate instruments to be established for each initiative, the assets that are dedicated to or the fruits of such activities.
4.7 IBLC Members may refer business to each other through the IBLC, but shall at all times ensure full disclosure to all parties involved, in particular as to: - the individuals or entities providing services, - the individuals or entities receiving services, - the individuals or entities paying for services, - the IBLC itself not referring business, providing, receiving, or paying for legal services.
4.8 IBLC Members shall not act or purport to act on behalf of each other or the IBLC on the basis of their membership.
This charter has been endorsed by CILS and representatives of the following IBLC Members:
[Signatures]
[1] As of 1 September 2011, one, two or three (depending on firm category) credits (2011-18 EUR500; 2019- EUR515) for each member representative who attends a meeting. The credit(s) will be deducted from the Member's next subscription.
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