The aim of this survey is to gather information about the legal institutions and associations operating in the Commonwealth. The results will assist the CLA in better understanding the needs and challenges faced by its members, their capacities and current work and identify potential for engagement in legal and judicial initiatives in domestic and international fora. Thus the CLA will be better informed, and better placed, to develop appropriate programs for support and collaboration amongst its members.

The report was launched at the Commonwealth Law Conference which took place in London in September 2005. The final report can be downloaded from WWW.CBA.ORG.

The impetus for this project came from the Commonwealth Law Ministers Kingstown Declaration of 2002. An intern was recruited to research and produce a paper discussing various legal aspects of native title to land of Indigenous Peoples in 12 Commonwealth countries. This paper entitled Indigenous Land Rights in the Commonwealth – Legal Aspects was completed and circulated in March 2004.

A long-term project will be jointly run with the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit (CPSU) and will focus on Indigenous Land Rights & Resource Management in the Commonwealth . A 6 - month inception phase has begun and a project development officer has been appointed to undertake further research, develop and submit the major funding proposals.

An application for project funding has been submitted to the EU and a decision is expected in January 2006.

The CLA is one of four organisations that formulated the Latimer House Guidelines . The Guidelines were endorsed by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Abuja , Nigeria in December 2003. The agreed principles are entitled the "Commonwealth Principles on the Accountability of and the Relationship between the Three Branches of Government". The CLA assisted with the publication of the Principles in April 2004 and attended the formal launch of the Principles that was held at Marlborough House on the 12 th May 2004 . The CLA has since disseminated copies to all of its individual and institutional members.

The CLA recently participated in the a Pan African Forum on the Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles was held in Nairobi, Kenya from the 4th - 6th April 2005. It was organised by the LCAD of the Commonwealth Secretariat and was convened to consider ways and means of promoting and advancing the Principles follwoing their adoption in 2003. The CLA was invited to participate and was represented by the President who delivered a paper focusing on 'The Role of an Independent Legal Profession'.