Purpose, criteria, and governance

Purpose

North American Bar Council exists to recognize the standing of common-law lawyers whose careers cross more than one jurisdiction, to make that standing checkable by anyone who needs to rely on it, and to connect members to a working peer network across borders. The Council does not admit lawyers to practice and holds no regulatory authority in any jurisdiction — its charter is affiliation and record-keeping, not licensure.

Membership criteria

Admission is by application and Council review, not automatic signup. An applicant is expected to hold current standing with a bar or law society in a common-law jurisdiction, and to provide the enrollment or license number and year of admission under which that standing was granted. The Council reviews applications within 7 days, and may seek confirmation of standing from the named bar or law society where its records are available. The Council may decline, delay, or request further evidence at its discretion.

Member obligations

A member in good standing agrees to:

• Represent their credentials and bar / law society affiliation accurately.
• Use the “Member, NABC” post-nominal only alongside their name, never in a way that implies a license, right of audience, or regulatory standing the Council does not confer.
• Submit achievements and articles for the record only where they can stand behind their accuracy — Council editors review submissions before publication, but the member vouches for the underlying facts.
• Notify the Council if their bar / law society standing changes, including suspension or disbarment in any jurisdiction.

Code of conduct

Members are expected to deal with one another and with the public in good faith. The Council may suspend or revoke membership for conduct that misrepresents a member's standing, that brings the Council's credential into disrepute, or that breaches professional obligations owed to a member's own bar or law society. A member may resign at any time by contacting the Council; the full terms governing membership are set out on the Terms page.

Governance

During the founding period, the Council is governed by its founding officers, until the first elected council is seated. Officer names, titles, and jurisdictions of admission will be published here once the founding cohort is complete. The Council intends to move to a member-elected council as membership grows, with elected terms and a published governance procedure.