BarTalk February 2001
Volume 13, Number 1

Still Want to Make a Difference? Join the International Resource Network Committee

Established by a small group of BC lawyers in 1999, the International Resource Network Committee (IRNC) is interested in assisting lawyers, legal professionals, and organizations in developing countries with their legal questions or problems and in creating mutual international information exchanges between members of the legal profession. The IRNC is a special committee of the CBABC and acts in conjunction with the International Development Committee of the national CBA.

IRNC members have diverse and eclectic backgrounds, from those who have done extensive work in developing countries (legal or otherwise) to those who merely have an interest in assisting foreign legal practitioners. Since its inception, membership has grown from half a dozen to approximately 25 individuals.

One of the first projects undertaken by the IRNC was to provide information on Canadian legal institutions, including organizational structure and the interplay of the courts, administrative bodies, governmental departments and legislature, to the newly formed Legal Secretariat of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In satisfying Bhutan’s request, the IRNC was provided with invaluable assistance from the Law Courts Education Society.

Since that time, the IRNC has received requests for assistance from such countries as Cambodia, Zanzibar, Malaysia, Namibia, and South Africa. In response to the request from the Legal Assistance Centre of Namibia, IRNC members provided information and research on a specific family law issue and information on domestic violence and how it’s dealt with in Canada.

A common request received from legal organizations has been for legal texts and printed legal materials. Most organizations are thrilled to receive texts that we would consider outdated, as most work with limited or no resources and have no access to any written legal materials. Many of the organizations’ members may have had little formal legal education and may be situated in a country with a developing legal system. They crave texts that set out basic common law legal concepts as well as those dealing specifically with areas such as constitutional law, commercial law and civil and criminal procedure.

As a result of the such requests, the IRNC has an ongoing need for texts or loose-leaf materials in all areas, including the following: Evidence; Criminal Law; Contracts; Commercial Law; Family Law; Constitutional Law; Refugee Law; and Human Rights. PLTC practice materials are also extremely useful as they provide an overview of most of the foregoing areas.

If you, your firm, or organization have such texts or resource materials to donate, please contact the IRNC.

The BC Branch is the only provincial branch that has a committee such as the IRNC, providing hands-on information and materials to those in other nations. But there is hope that the idea will spread to other provinces.

New Okanagan Section: Young Lawyers Okanagan Section

At the December 9, 2000 Provincial Council meeting the Young Lawyers-Okanagan Section was approved. This brings the number of CBABC Sections to 72. Young Lawyers in the Okanagan District will benefit by joining this new Section, meeting to discuss current issues, socializing and supporting each other. William Clarke of the firm Martin Johnson is the Chair of the Section. If you are interested in joining the Section please call the BC Branch office and an enrollment form will be faxed to you.

These articles were published in the February 2001 issue of BarTalk and are subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.