CLA News / Message from the CLA President for The Commonwealth Lawyer
Across Borders, On the Same Page: A Personal Reflection on 25 Years of The Commonwealth Lawyer
“If I finish a book a week, I will read only a few thousand books in my lifetime, about a tenth of a percent of the contents of the greatest libraries of our time. The trick is to know which books to read.” — Carl Sagan (Cosmos, page 306)
The Commonwealth Lawyer, the esteemed journal of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (“CLA”) has long served as one of those works well worth reading — an indispensable guide and source of inspiration to generations of lawyers across the common law world.
I still recall, as a young lawyer and a new CLA member in 1999, opening my first issue of the journal and being enthralled by the clarity and depth of its contents. Over the years, every edition has continued to carry the same blend of insight and craft, offering incisive analysis and thoughtful commentary. It quickly became, and remains, an intellectual companion — one that both fosters knowledge and stirs curiosity in equal measure.
Until 2014, the journal arrived in hard copy from its London headquarters. Today, it flourishes in digital form, instantly accessible to readers worldwide. What has not changed is its commitment to quality: it continues to uphold the highest standards of scholarship, relevance, and practical significance, bridging legal cultures and uniting jurisdictions.
The CLA itself spans continents, with regional hubs in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Within the pages of The Commonwealth Lawyer, this vast fellowship finds its common space. One need not attend a conference or gather in a lecture hall to encounter a kindred spirit; one need only turn a page. The journal weaves an invisible yet palpable and unmistakable connection among members of our Association.
Each issue does more than just chronicle the legal developments of our member jurisdictions — it forges intellectual kinship. It reassures us that our reflections are shared, our doubts are familiar, and our ideals are held in common. It is, in many ways, a steady hand reaching across borders and reminding us that, though we practise in different lands, we are all, in a profound sense, vividly on the same page.
Each piece in the journal is a quiet conversation between colleagues who may never meet in person, but who share the same professional challenge, ideals, and hopes. A barrister in Nairobi may find their thoughts echoed in a piece by a solicitor in London; the perspectives of a constitutional scholar in Kuala Lumpur may resonate with a practitioner in the Caribbean grappling with a similar question of judicial independence. Such encounters remind us that, while we are diverse and our contexts differ, we are united in our concerns and aspirations.
Ours is a vocation of reading — endless volumes of case law, statutes, commentaries, and treatises that demand our time and focus, each one vying for inclusion in the ever-expanding library of our minds. In the face of such inexhaustible intellectual abundance, the challenge is to not merely read, but to read discerningly: to select and invest our attention in materials that will sharpen our understanding, refine our judgment, and nurture our professional growth.
It is precisely in this spirit that the journal proves an indispensable compass. For example, its Book Reviews section, far from offering perfunctory summaries, provides insightful and erudite evaluations of works across a spectrum of legal thought. Through these pages, I have been able over the years to precisely identify the texts that deserve a place in my personal library. In an era of boundless information, this curated lens offers the rare gift of direction, helping the conscientious reader to navigate the vast sea of legal literature.
I extend my deepest congratulations to Dr. Venkat Iyer, who, about 25 years ago, accepted the invitation of the then-President of the CLA, Dato’ Dr. Cyrus Das, to become the sole editor of The Commonwealth Lawyer. Dr. Iyer has demonstrated unwavering dedication to excellence and intellectual rigour. His meticulous attention to detail, judicious editorial judgment, and steadfast stewardship have ensured that the journal remains a vibrant and living forum for ideas and a source of inspiration across the common law world.
As we celebrate this milestone, we honour not only the journal’s longevity but its spirit — a commitment to dialogue, learning, and community that transcends geography and time. May it continue to enlighten, to connect, and to remind us why we chose this vocation in the first place.
Happy 25th Anniversary, The Commonwealth Lawyer.
Steven Thiru
President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association (2025–2027)
