About

The South Pacific Lawyers’ Association is housed within the Law Council of Australia Secretariat in Canberra. It was established in 2007 with support from the International Bar Association (IBA) in partnership with the Law Council of Australia and the New Zealand Law Society to assist developing law societies and bar associations in the South Pacific region and to promote the interests of the legal profession in the South Pacific.

The 2011-2013 Executive comprises:

• Mr Ross Ray QC: Former President, Law Council of Australia (Chair)
• Mr Dorsami Naidu: President, Fiji Law Society
• Mr John Marshall QC: Former President, New Zealand Law Society
• Mr Kerenga Kua: President, Papua New Guinea Law Society
• Mr Raymond Schuster: President, Samoa Law Society
• Mr Rodney Kingmele: President, Solomon Islands Bar Association
• Ms Ese Apinelu: Attorney-General, Tuvalu

What we do

The South Pacific Lawyers’ Association works closely with member associations to promote the administration of justice and the development and improvement of law throughout the South Pacific region.

We seek to provide members with access to relevant resources and information, including:

• Model rules on professional ethics;
• Continuing legal education resources;
• Information on regional aid and assistance programs which members may be eligible to apply to for funding or support.

Through partnerships with the New Zealand Law Society, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Law Society of New South Wales and the Queensland Law Society, South Pacific lawyers can access legal education and training programs at reduced rates.

Key Objectives for 2010-2011

The Steering Committee of the South Pacific Lawyers’ Association has set the following activities and objectives for 2010-2011:

• Finalise and seek endorsement from members of a Constitution
• Continue to develop the website
• Seek funding for initiatives to:
  • Assist members to developing continuing legal education programs
  • Assist members to developing complaints and discipline handling procedures
  • Develop a proposal for a ‘Model South Pacific Legal Professional Rules Project’.
• Establish and maintain a database of South Pacific legal assistance programs provided by the Australian legal profession, Courts, and other institutions.

Structure

The Constitution of the SPLA was unanimously voted in at the SPLA's inaugural AGM on Monday 11 July 2011.

The South Pacific Lawyers' Association currently does not admit individual membership. However, we welcome contact from individuals and organisations which share similar objectives. 

History

For a detailed history of the South Pacific please see attached SPLA 2007-2011 Progress Report.