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Maintaining and promoting the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth.

Objectives

The Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) exists to maintain and promote the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth by ensuring that an independent and efficient legal profession serves the people of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth countries share a substantial common ground in their legal systems. The CLA is committed to the preservation of the highest standards of ethics and integrity and to the furtherance of the rule of law for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

The CLA’s objectives, as enshrined in its Constitution, are to maintain and promote the rule of law in the Commonwealth by:

  • Ensuring that a common bond of Commonwealth is preserved and fostered
  • Strengthening professional links between members of the legal profession
  • Maintaining the honour and integrity of the profession
  • Promoting uniformity in the standards of professional ethics
  • Encouraging improved standards of education
  • Promoting the administration of justice and protection of human rights in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Harare Declaration of 1991, Milbrooke Action Programme of 1995 and the Latimer House Guidelines of the Commonwealth of 1998 (now referred to as the Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles on the accountability of and relationship between the three branches of Government), and the Commonwealth Charter 2013.