CLA News / President’s Message (July 2026) The Silver Jubilee: The CLA’s 25th Commonwealth Law Conference 2027 in Darwin by CLA President Steven Thiru

As we navigate a global landscape increasingly fraught with geopolitical volatility, democratic backsliding, and rapidly changing technological frontiers, the need for the legal community to unite to uphold our shared principles has never been more urgent. It is with a profound sense of responsibility that I address you as we reach a monumental milestone for the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (‘CLA’) and the wider global legal community.

A Silver Jubilee: Celebrating our Shared Legal Heritage

I am delighted to announce that the official event webpage for our flagship gathering is now live. Preparations are now well underway for the 25th Commonwealth Law Conference (‘CLC 2027’), which will be held from 9 to 13 May 2027 in the vibrant, culturally rich city of Darwin, Australia.

CLC 2027 is not merely another entry in our calendar; it marks the Silver Jubilee — the 25th edition — of the premier legal gathering in the Commonwealth. The historical significance of this milestone cannot be overstated. Over many decades, the Conference has evolved from a modest meeting of minds into an institutional cornerstone for rule-of-law advocacy across our 56 member states.

Our biennial Conference serves as a living testament to the enduring power of the Common Law legal community. Despite the vast geographical distances and the rich cultural diversity that separate our nations, we remain deeply bound by a shared legal architecture, a common commitment to constitutionalism, and an unyielding belief in human rights and judicial independence.

Bringing this defining edition to Darwin, a city that represents a unique bridge between Australia’s ancient Indigenous cultures and the broader Asia-Pacific region, provides a fitting and inspiring backdrop for reflecting on our history while proactively charting our future.

Coming Together to Defend the Rule of Law

At its core, the CLC has always been a forum for collective resolve. The contemporary challenges to justice do not respect borders: executive overreach, the erosion of judicial independence and institutional strength, and the complex legal dilemmas presented by generative artificial intelligence affect every single jurisdiction within our fold. In confronting these challenges, our greatest asset is our solidarity.

This imperative to stand unified as guardians of justice calls to mind the profound words of the late jurist Lord Bingham, who articulated the collective responsibility we bear: “The rule of law is one of the greatest unifying factors, perhaps the greatest … It remains an ideal, but an ideal worth striving for.”

Lord Bingham’s insight strikes at the very heart of why the CLA exists and why CLC 2027 is an essential event for legal minds. The rule of law cannot survive in a vacuum; it requires a robust, courageous, and collaborative independent legal profession to sustain it.

When we gather in Darwin, we are not just attending lectures or exchanging pleasantries. We are actively coming together to reinforce the scaffolding of a fair society, ensuring that the legal frameworks protecting human dignity remain resilient against structural decay.

Broadening the Conversation

To match the historic weight of this Silver Jubilee, CLC 2027 will feature an expanded, dynamic programme designed to build bridges across every tier of the legal ecosystem. I am particularly proud to spotlight several critical side events that make this iteration uniquely comprehensive:

1. The Inaugural Attorneys General Roundtable: For the very first time in the history of the CLC, there will be a formal meeting between the Attorneys General of the Commonwealth Member States. This groundbreaking addition bridges the gap between state legal leadership and the independent bar, providing a vital platform for state actors to engage with contemporary human rights and international challenges.
2. The Chief Justices Meeting: Continuing our commitment to the judiciary, a dedicated forum will bring together the highest judicial officers from across the Commonwealth. This summit provides an indispensable, private space for Chief Justices to discuss judicial independence, the modernisation of court systems, and the preservation of institutional integrity.
3. The Bar Leaders Summit: Following the immense success of the forums we pioneered in recent years, the Summit will return. It brings together the heads of law societies and bar associations worldwide to coordinate institutional strategies, share best practices on bar governance, and reinforce our collective capacity to shield individual practitioners from intimidation or political interference.
4. The NextGen Forum for young lawyers: The future of the rule of law rests upon the shoulders of the next generation. Under the banner of the Young Commonwealth Lawyers Association (‘YCLA’), a dedicated stream of events will empower young practitioners and legal academics. This forum will focus heavily on navigating modern legal practices, understanding the ethical dimensions of legal technology, and equipping junior lawyers with the professional courage required to champion justice.

Join Us in Darwin

The conversation about the future of our profession is underway, and you need to be in the room where it happens. Whether you are a senior jurist looking to safeguard judicial principles, a practitioner managing cross-border commercial realities, an academic dissecting constitutional trends, or a young lawyer ready to expand your global network, CLC 2027 offers an unparalleled, transformative experience.

I invite each one of you to visit our newly launched CLC 2027 webpage today. There, you will find full logistical details, initial programme streams, speaker announcements, and early-bird registration options.

Let us carry forward the legacy of the past 24 Conferences into this momentous Silver Jubilee. I look forward to welcoming you personally to Darwin in May 2027 as we stand together, speak out, and robustly defend the rule of law across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Steven Thiru

President

Commonwealth Lawyers Association

20 July 2026

Steven Thiru records his appreciation to Jaishanker Sadananda and Chin Oy Sim for their assistance in preparing this article.