Canadian Bar Association
Encyclopedia
History
The Association's first Annual Meeting was held in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1896. However, the CBA has been in continuous existence in its present form since 1914. The Association was incorporated in 1921.
Objectives
The CBA is a voluntaryVoluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
for members of the legal profession; it is the voice of its members and its primary purpose is to serve its members; it is the premier provider of personal and professional development and support to members of the legal profession; it promotes fair justice systems, facilitates effective law reform, promotes equality in the legal profession and is devoted to the elimination of discrimination; the CBA is a leading edge organization committed to enhancing the professional and commercial interests of a diverse membership and to protecting the independence of the judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
and the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
.
The Association advances its objectives through the work of its sections, committees, conferences and task forces at both the national and branch levels. It has branches in each of the provinces and three territories. Membership is voluntary in all but New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, where by agreement with the law society, lawyers in the province belong to the national association. Approximately half of all practising lawyers in Canada belong to the Canadian Bar Association.
Organisation
The national office of the Canadian Bar Association is located in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. With a staff of 80, the national office provides legislative monitoring and liaison (60 - 70 submissions are made federally each year), membership, continuing legal education, translation, meeting coordination, accounting, data processing, communications, printing, and professional services. The Association’s website and databanks are administered by the national office.
Policy decisions are made by Council which meets twice a year (February and August) and includes approximately 225 voting members representing the membership across Canada. The members of national Council elect the treasurer and the second vice president.
The 32 national sections of the Canadian Bar Association provide a forum for development of individual specialties. These sections provide information to Association members on specific areas of law. Along with the standing committees, task forces and conferences, the sections offer individual lawyers an opportunity to keep up to date with current developments in the law and provides them with information through newsletters, the web and meetings.
The Canadian Bar Association is also affiliated with several international associations, including the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association
International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
, the Inter-American Bar Association and the International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
. The Association also maintains a strong liaison with the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. Membership in these groups provides the Association with input on recent developments in the legal profession on a broad scale.