Strategic Plan
Surveys and Reports
ABOUT
History
The South Pacific Lawyers' Association (formerly the South Pacific Bars Secretariat) was established in 2007 by the International Bar Association in partnership with the Law Council of Australia and the New Zealand Law Society.
2002
IBA’s Pacific Leaders’ Forum brings together bar leaders from 15 South Pacific countries to discuss support for the legal profession in the region
2006
IBA endorses joint-proposal by Law Council of Australia, New Zealand Law Society and Fiji Law Society to establish a ‘South Pacific Bars’ Secretariat’
2007
IBA provides seed funding to establish South Pacific Bars’ Secretariat
South Pacific Forum and Legal Services
Roundtable delegates from 11 countries vote to establish a Steering Committee to oversee the development of SPBS
2008
First face-to-face meeting of SPLA Steering Committee in Nadi, Fiji
2009
Second face-to-face meeting of Steering Committee held in Perth, Australia
Draft SPLA Constitution endorsed by the Committee
2010
Third face-to-face meeting of Steering Committee held in Brisbane, Australia
Steering Committee resolves to conduct a comprehensive survey of members’ needs
SPLA launches Needs Evaluation Survey of South Pacific Lawyer Associations
2011
Official launch of SPLA and
inaugural AGM in Sydney, Australia
Release of Needs Evaluation Survey
Launch of newSPLAsh
SPLA and ABA offer inaugural ABA Advocacy Scholarships (now known as the Ross Ray QC Scholarships)
2012
American Samoa Bar Association joins SPLA
SPLA launches South Pacific Model Rules Project
2013
Inaugural SPLA South Pacific Lawyers’ Conference and AGM held in Port Vila, Vanuatu
2014
SPLA admitted as Observer Member of the Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) at PILON Annual Meeting in Tarawa, Kiribati
Release of Women in Law in the South Pacific
2015
Second SPLA South Pacific Lawyers’ Conference and AGM held in Brisbane, Australia
2017
Release of Legal Professional Regulation in the South Pacific
as part of the Model Rules Project
SPLA co-badges Fiji Law Society Annual Conference in Nadi, Fiji
Face-to-face SPLA General Meeting and Executive Meetings made possible due to the sponsorship of the IBA Bar Issues Commission
Release of SPLA CPD Needs Survey
2019
2020
Launch of SPLAhub