TCI Bar Joins the IBA, the Global Voice of the Legal Profession, with Admission Approved in Copenhagen
The Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Association has achieved a historic milestone with its admission as a full Member Organisation of the International Bar Association (IBA), known worldwide as “the global voice of the legal profession.”
The admission follows an initiative spearheaded by Association President Mark A. Fulford, who led the engagement, application process and subsequent representations to secure the local Bar’s place within the international organisation.
The IBA Council approved the Association’s admission in Copenhagen on 8 October 2026. The decision was formally confirmed in a letter dated 21 October 2026 from IBA Executive Director Mark Ellis.
The achievement connects the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar to a worldwide community of legal professionals, bar associations and law societies, providing a formal platform to exchange knowledge, build professional relationships and contribute to international discussions affecting the profession.
Fulford’s pursuit of membership began with engagement at the IBA Annual Conference in Toronto in November 2025. There, he met Steven M. Richman, then Vice-Chair of the IBA’s Bar Issues Commission, and IBA President Jaime Carey. The engagements provided an opportunity to explore closer cooperation and understand the responsibilities and opportunities associated with full organisational membership.
Armed with that information, the initiative was moved forward, and the Association completed its formal membership application. Subsequent meetings were held with those involved in the admissions process, where it was articulated both what the Association hoped to gain from joining and the perspective it could contribute as the representative body of the legal profession in a smaller jurisdiction.
“This achievement reflects a process of engagement, preparation and sustained representation on behalf of our Bar,” Fulford said. “After the meetings in Toronto, I was convinced that full membership offered an important opportunity for our profession. I took forward the discussions because I believed the Turks and Caicos Islands should have a meaningful place within the global voice of the legal profession.”
Full membership brings the Association into the IBA’s Bar Issues Commission, which addresses the interests and activities of member bar associations and law societies. It provides for three Association representatives to participate in the Commission, receive invitations to its projects and sessions, and benefit from IBA member conference rates.
For the wider membership, the opportunity lies in how that participation can support professional development, knowledge-sharing and stronger international connections, including opportunities relevant to younger attorneys.
Fulford acknowledged his fellow Bar Council members and the Association’s membership, describing admission as a lasting institutional achievement.
“Our next responsibility is to turn this membership into practical value for our members,” he said. “We will seek relevant opportunities, share the knowledge gained and build relationships that support our profession at home. Our jurisdiction may be small, but our attorneys have experience, ability and perspectives that deserve to be heard internationally.”
From the initial meetings in Toronto to the application and admission discussions, the initiative has secured a new international platform for the Association. The Turks and Caicos Islands Bar now joins the global voice of the legal profession, with the opportunity to contribute its experience and bring the benefits of that engagement home.
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