IBA Aviation Law Committee’s scholarship winner report

Mansi Singh

Advaya Legal, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

I was overjoyed to win the IBA Aviation Law Committee’s Annual Conference Scholarship for 2017 and travel to Sydney to attend the Conference. I had heard a lot about the scale of the Annual Conference but nothing prepared me for the real experience. The conference was attended by more than 4,000 lawyers from across the globe and, as a young lawyer, it gave me an opportunity to interact with professionals from diverse backgrounds.

The 13-hour flight from India to Sydney and the five-hour time zone difference was exhausting but the excitement of the occasion chased away my jetlag! Everything was a grand spectacle and the grand Opening Ceremony featured a mesmerising dance performance by an Aboriginal dance group and a performance by the Australian Girls’ Choir. Still in a state of daze, we were ushered to the Welcome Party at the Luna Park that overlooked the Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. The working sessions were extremely well-planned. I particularly enjoyed attending the Aviation Law Committee sessions.

I was also honoured to be invited as a panellist in the session on ‘International Regulation of the Aviation Industry: background and current developments’. This being my first time at this prestigious Conference, I was both excited and nervous to share my views on the panel. Every member of the Aviation Law Committee was extremely encouraging.

My first IBA Annual Conference was an experience that I will always treasure. In my view, for a young lawyer starting out in the profession, the scholarship programme is of immense value. The IBA provides young lawyers with a platform to connect with interesting people from all over the world, besides fostering friendships and building professional networks.