Diana Czugler
Peters & Peters, London; Young Lawyers’ Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee
dczugler@petersandpeters.com

The 26th Transnational Crime Conference, which took place between 8–10 May 2024 in Milan, Italy, was a resounding success. In fact, it has become the most well-attended international criminal law conference in the IBA’s history! We would like to thank all the officers of the IBA’s Criminal Law and Business Crime Committees and the host committee of local advocates for their hard work in putting together such an excellent event, and all those in attendance for making it a conference to remember.

The conference selling out in record time and attracting a lengthy waiting list were the first signs that this would be a special occasion. Read on to learn what happened when around 300 lawyers from 36 jurisdictions got together to discuss the latest developments in cross-border criminal law and procedure while experiencing the best of Milanese culture and cuisine.

Networking, arts, music and aperitivo

Those who have previously attended the Transnational Crime Conference, which travels to a new country around the globe each year, will know that the event goes way beyond formal conference sessions. Relationships are forged and strengthened both in and outside the lecture theatre across nationalities, languages and practice areas.

This year’s conference kicked off on Wednesday evening at the beautiful rooftop bar of Terrazza Palestro in the fashionable Brera district of downtown Milan. The welcome party was, of course, Milanese-style: an aperitivo standing reception, allowing delegates to get to know each other over a glass of fizz and a bite of pasta while catching the last of the May sunshine. Many delegates carried on the night at various events organised by local law firms, who did their best to showcase Italian hospitality across the conference.

Thursday night’s traditional host reception this year took the form of a sunset terrace party followed by a formal dinner, both hosted in the stunning 1930’s hall of the Triannale Milano museum, which stayed open after hours to welcome delegates. It was not only the art on display that wowed those of us in attendance: the four-course traditional Italian menu was accompanied by a live opera performance and string quartet!

Exchanging ideas and learning from each other

The formal conference sessions opened on Thursday morning with a very apt, if sobering, keynote address from Marta Cartabia, the President Emeritus of the Italian Constitutional Court in Milan. The President highlighted current risks to judicial independence and warned that these trends were symptomatic of a broader erosion of the rule of law.

The conference continued with seven extremely well-attended panel discussions over the next day and half, with topics including formal and informal cooperation with law enforcement agencies, deferred prosecution agreements and other negotiated outcomes, whistleblowing and the rights of defendants.

As always, panel chairs and moderators took great care to reflect the IBA’s diverse membership in their sessions, with speakers representing a broad range of jurisdictions and both prosecutorial and defence practices. Topical discussions ranged from extradition, mutual legal assistance, sanctions and related legal issues arising from the Ukraine war to Covid-19 subsidies fraud and the latest trends in tax fraud prosecutions. The extended running time allowed interactive audience participation in each session, ensuring that delegates got the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, and to learn from one another. A full list of panels and speakers are included at the end of this article – scroll down for more!

Strengthening friendships and making new connections

Of course, there was plenty of time for networking between the conference sessions, including the now customary extended coffee breaks mid-morning and mid-afternoon, as well as a Thursday lunch reception put on inside the truly palatial surroundings of the Palazzo Parigi.

Many delegates took the opportunity to organise further informal catchups over lunch, dinner or a glass of prosecco. Other social outings included a wine tasting in an auctioneer’s private gallery, a breakfast trip of female legal practitioners to the Pinoteca de Brera art gallery, a pilgrimage to the city’s legendary football stadium and an IBA officers’ planning meeting at Lake Como.

Looking further afield

What have the Criminal Law and Business Crime Committees cooked up for next year’s 27th  Transnational Crime Conference 2025? Well, we can reveal that the conference will be leaving Europe. Watch this space for an announcement with further details soon. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

2024 panels and sessions at the 26th Transnational Crime Conference

Many thanks to our brilliant moderators, panel chairs and speakers:

Formal and informal cooperation with enforcement authorities

Moderators

Jonathan Grimes Kingsley Napley, London; European Regional Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Jonathan Mattout Herbert Smith Freehills, Paris; Co-Chair, IBA Business Crime Committee

Speakers

Andrea Maria Casu General Counsel, VF Corporation, Stabio

Robert J Cleary Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, New York

Francesca Pedrazzi Pedrazzi Scudieri, Milan; Treasurer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Rogério Taffarello Mattos Filho, São Paulo

Extradition and ‘related’ international criminal law issues arising from the Ukraine crisis

Moderators

Francisco Castex Castex Pauls, Buenos Aires; Latin American Regional Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Ben Ticehurst Squire Patton Boggs, London; Vice-Chair, IBA Business Crime Committee

Speakers

Martin De Luca Boies Schiller Flexner, New York; North American Regional Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

William Julié WJ Avocats, Paris; Individual Defense Counsel Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Manavendra Mishra Khaitan & Co, Mumbai, Maharashtra; Young Lawyers’ Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Simone Nadelhofer Lalive, Zurich; Anti-Corruption Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Negotiations of DPAs, dos and don’ts

Moderator

Fabio Cagnola Cagnola & Associati Studio Legale, Milan; Webinar Officer, IBA Anti-Corruption Committee

Speakers

Christine Braamskamp Jenner & Block, London; Advisory Board Member, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Saverio Lembo Bär & Karrer, Geneva; Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Astrid Mignon-Colombet August Debouzy, Paris; Advisory Board Member, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Laura Perkins Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Washington, DC; Corporate Counsel Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee

Andrea Puccio Puccio Penalisti Associati, Milan; Law Firm Management Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Subsidies fraud post-Covid-19

Moderators

Adriana de Buerba Pérez Llorca, Madrid; Co-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Cristián Francos Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss, Washington, DC; Co-Chair, IBA Business Crime Committee

Speakers

Nicolas Bourtin Sullivan & Cromwell, New York

Stefano Mancorda Chiomenti, Milan

Daniel Praetorius Lembeye, Santiago

Carol Sun JungHe, Shanghai; Asia Pacific Regional Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Whistleblowing – criminal aspects

Moderators

Matt Kaiser Kaiser, Washington, DC; Senior Vice-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Janusz Tomczak Raczkowski, Warsaw, Co-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Speakers

Flavia Leardini Mattos Filho, Sao Paulo

Riccardo Lucev Studio Lucev, Milan; Treasurer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Sherbir Panag Panag & Babu, New Delhi

Natalie Sherborn Withersworldwide, London; Scholarship Officer, IBA Anti-Corruption Committee

Tax prosecution: catch me if you can! Tax crimes and criminal taxes

Moderators

Filippo Ferri Cagnola & Associati, Milan; Vice-Chair, IBA Business Crime Committee

Kateryna Gupalo Arzinger, Kyiv; Senior Vice Chair, IBA Business Crime Committee

Speakers

Heiko Ahlbrecht Wessing & Partner, Dusseldorf; Member, Criminal Law Committee Advisory Board

Claire Burtwistle Senior Legal Counsel, Booking.com, London

Kenan Furlong A&L Goodbody, Dublin

Alessandro Schiaffino PwC Forensic Department, Parma

Rights of the Defendant: pre-trial detention and other issues

Moderators

Sabine ten Doesschate Sjöcrona Van Stigt, Rotterdam; Senior Vice-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Stefanie Schott Kipper Durth Schott, Darmstadt; Vice-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Speakers

Jonathan Abernethy Cohen & Gresser, New York; Conference Quality Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee

Remy Choo RCL Chambers Law Corporation, Singapore; Co-Vice Chair, IBA LGBTQI+ Law Committee

Roberto Crepaldi GIP presso il Tribunale di Milano, Milan

Ross Dixon Hickman & Rose, London; Vice-Chair, IBA Criminal Law Committee