International Institute of Law Association Chief Executives

Iilace (pronounced “eye-lace”) is an association of Chief Executive Officers of the Law Societies and Bar Associations from around the world.

IILACE provides a focused forum for exchange of views and information of common interest of local, national and international executive officers of law societies and bar associations.

The purposes of IILACE are to:
(a) Facilitate the exchange of views and information between members on key issues affecting law associations, being law societies and bar associations; and develop a network for communication among chief executive officers of law societies and bar associations.

(b) Promote and defend the status and interests of the legal profession, law associations and the rule of law.
 
(c) Hold periodic forums for discussion of matters of mutual interest.
One of the most valuable benefits of IILACE membership is the ability to network and interact with other Chief Executives of law societies and bar associations from around the world. This is accomplished both through face-to-face meetings at the IILACE Annual Conference and also using emerging technologies.

IILACE held its inaugural meeting in Edinburgh in July 1999, followed by its annual meeting in Hong Kong in November 2000.  

Thereafter the following conferences and meetings took place:

2001 – Chicago, USA
2002 – Durban, South Africa
2003 – Montreal, Canada
2004 – Auckland, New Zealand
2005 – Prague, Czech Republic
2006 - New York, USA
2007 – Singapore
2008 – Windhoek - hosted by the Law Society of Namibia (LSN)
2009 – Dublin, Ireland
2010 – Vancouver, Canada
2011 – Adelaide, Australia
2012 – Hong Kong
2013 – Berlin, Germany

The 2014 conference and annual general meeting took place during November in Cape Town, South Africa.

The following topics, inter alia, were discussed:

• CEO Leadership
• Successful Organizations
• Political Intelligence
• Nuts & Bolts Management
• Legal Education
• Legal Services
• Public Interest
• Ethics and Professional Responsibility of lawyers

The Executive Committee, elected at the aforementioned AGM for a two-year term, is:

Timothy McGee  – President
Cord Bruegmann – Vice President
Retha Steinmann – Secretary / Treasurer
Officers at Large:
Heidi Chu
Makanatsa Makonese
Paula Littlewood



From left to right
Retha Steinmann (Law Society of Namibia) - Secretary / Treasurer
John Hoyles (Canadian Bar Association) – Honorary Executive Member
Jan Martin (South Australian Bar Association) - Immediate Past President
Cord Bruegmann (German Bar Association) - Vice President
Heidi Chu (Law Society of Hong Kong) - Officer at Large
Timothy McGee (Law Society of British Columbia) – President
Paula Littlewood (Washington State Bar Association) - Officer at Large
Makanatsa Makonese (SADC Lawyers’ Association) - Officer at Large