Fellowship of the IAFL is by invitation only. The criteria to become a Fellow of the IAFL are rigorous, but achievable for those with significant expertise in their own jurisdiction and experience of international family law. You may want to review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which answer some of the most commonly asked questions and you should consider our Admission Criteria to see if you would be eligible.
IAFL has three classes of fellowship into which new Fellows may join:
- A Fellow is a practising lawyer who at the time of admission is in active legal practice, has a significant part of their work advising on family law and who has a substantial international component to their practice
- A Judicial Fellow is one who at the time of admission is a member of the judiciary
- An Associate Fellow is one who is not in active legal practice but who has made, or is making, a major contribution to international family law (for example academics or individuals employed by NGOs or charities).
To become a Fellow you need to meet our Admission Criteria. We will take up references from a minimum of two people. For practising lawyers who are applying for Fellowship we strongly recommend that your referees include at least one active, independent senior family law practitioner from your jurisdiction who does not practise with you but who has knowledge of your practice and reputation amongst your peers. You should also ensure that you have at least one referee who can speak to your international family law experience. It is desirable, although not essential, that at least one of these referees be a Fellow of the IAFL.
If you believe that you meet the Admission Criteria then use the Application Form to request an application package. Please note that you will be charged an administration fee of $100 if you submit an application. This fee is not refundable but is credited against the initial, one-off, joining fee of $175 that is due if you want to accept a subsequent invitation to join the IAFL.
In addition to the one-off joining fee, Fellows pay annual dues, currently $550 per year for Fellows. The dues for Judicial and Associate Fellows are $80 per year. In 2023 IAFL introduced Tiered Dues for Fellows joining the Academy from certain jurisdictions that are under or un-represented in the IAFL. You can read more about Tiered Dues . Fellows will also have to pay annual Chapter dues. If you practise in a jurisdiction which is within one of our regional Chapters (USA, Europe, Asia Pacific and Canada) you must pay the appropriate Chapter dues, currently: USA Chapter $250, European Chapter $225, Asia Pacific Chapter $150 and Canadian Chapter $200. The Chapter dues are also discounted for those qualifying for Tiered Dues.
If you wish, for whatever reason, to apply for waiver of, or a reduction in, the initial joining fee or dues, such an application would be considered and dealt with confidentially at the point of accepting an invitation to join IAFL or at any time subsequently. In addition, there is the Financial Assistance with Meetings Fund to help with the cost of attending meetings for those who wish to make use of it. Any application for such assistance would also be dealt with confidentially.
Admission Criteria
If you are interested in joining the Academy, please review our Admission Criteria to help you to understand whether or not you would be eligible for membership.
Application Form
If you are happy that you meet the Admission Criteria then use the link above to request an application package.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the IAFL application process, answers to these questions and some information about the process of applying.
