Commonwealth Legal Education Association Archive

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 1697 A.CLEA
Held at	: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://ials.sas.ac.uk/library/archives ›
Full title	: Commonwealth Legal Education Association Archive
Date(s)	: 1971-1995
Level of description	: Sub-fonds of Records of Legal Education Archives View parent record
Extent	: 19 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Commonwealth Legal Education Association
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) was founded during the Fourth Commonwealth Law Conference in New Delhi in 1971. The idea was initiated by Indian lawyer Dr Laxmi Singhvi, CLEA's first chairman. The Association's objects were to foster high standards of legal education and research in Commonwealth countries, to build up contacts between interested individuals and organizations, and to disseminate information and literature concerning legal education and research. CLEA established its headquarters in the offices of the Legal Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat in Marlborough House, London, and with the Legal Director as its Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. In 1973 it obtained a grant from the Commonwealth Foundation; this funding, plus subscriptions from members, enabled the CLEA to embark on the projects planned on its establishment. It has received further long term grants from the Commonwealth Foundation to continue its activities. CLEA's structure, objectives and functions are set out in its Constitution, adopted soon after its foundation. Membership is open to individuals, schools of law and other institutions concerned with legal education and research. Patrons are appointed from various Commonwealth countries. The affairs of the Association are managed by an Executive Committee, drawn from the Commonwealth regions, which meets annually; its actions are reviewed at 5 yearly General Meetings, the first of which was held in Edinburgh during the Fifth Commonwealth Law Conference in 1977. There is an Advisory Panel in the United Kingdom. The administration of the Association was carried out by a chairman and two secretaries, one in London and one abroad. In 1990 the office of chairman was replaced by a president and executive chairperson (since renamed vice president). The President may be elected from any part of the Commonwealth; the Vice President must be established in the UK. In 1994 a South Asian regional chapter was formed.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

The Archive of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association consists of Secretary's correspondence and papers, 1971-1991; papers of Professor William L Twining as a CLEA officer, 1973-1994; papers of Professor James Read as CLEA Chairman, and other papers, 1974-1995; CLEA Newsletter, 1974-1995; CLEA Directory of Schools of Law in the Commonwealth, 1979-1988; miscellaneous CLEA publications and offprints, 1978-1992.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged in series as in Scope and Content.

Conditions governing access:

Open

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright declaration form to be completed.

Finding aids:

Detailed catalogue available at the IALS and on-line at http://ials.sas.ac.uk/archives/clea.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Files collected in the United Kingdom from the Secretary of the Association were deposited in 1995 and 1996; collections of papers dating from their time as an officer of CLEA received by Professors William Twining and James Read in 1996 and 1997; printed papers, including CLEA directories, were deposited by Dr S B Marsh in 1997.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Financial records and current files of the CLEA are with the current CLEA officers.

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Annabel Dodds for the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Aug 2000