Conference programme

Discussion of the role of lawyers and law associations in tackling the climate crisis: a fireside chat of our attendance at COP27 and COP28, and the capacity building across nations. 
 
This session will discuss practical examples of work in 2023 in collaboration with the American Bar Association, Law Society of England and Wales and Brazilian Bar Association (OAB). 
  
How law can and is evolving at pace to lead and influence the just transition. 

An open meeting of the European Regional Forum, held to discuss matters of interest and future activities.

This session will explore how increased enforcement of anti-forced labour laws, the emergence of new supply chain transparency, due diligence and trade laws, and heightened inquiries from customers and other business partners, are making anti-forced labour compliance a priority for a broad range of companies. This panel will examine the recent enforcement trends, the role played by investors, banks, NGOs, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders. 

The discussion will also focus on the recent amendments to the OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises on responsible business conduct, with a particular focus on their impact on the prevention of human trafficking and forced labour risks.  

The rapidly evolving application of Artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine and healthcare has been raising regulatory and contractual challenges relating to privacy, intellectual property and data ownership, data breaches and liability. The session will focus on the major issues that are being currently discussed by purchasers, vendors, distributors and regulators of AI-solutions in the sensitive healthcare sector. Speakers will include the different players and jurisdictions, enabling the understanding of the current AI commercialisation and implementation models and solutions.

Let’s talk openly, clearly and grounding on the best science about progressive extinction of species. What is missing to consider environmental natural resources asset as a crucial and urgent issue, such as climate change, to respect the next generations:

• How can it be included properly in financial markets and the economy?
• What are the potential parties entitled to file lawsuits to protect biodiversity?
• What is the role of the extractive industries in the context of conservation?

This session will explore the ways in which lawyers and project executives can prepare for litigation. It will focus on all phases of the life of a project. The discussion will provide insights into preparing for successful dispute resolution before the dispute arises. It will also address specific concerns that arise when the only alternative is contract termination. A provocative discussion regarding the current attitudes towards arbitration will also occur.

This session will address the issues arising out of class arbitration brought by shareholders against the company, in particular the requirements for arbitral agreements and the effects of arbitral awards issued in class arbitrations and third parties.
 

This session will host a high-level discussion on AI's disruptive force over the legal profession. The panel will delve into AI's looming and dominating role in the provision of legal service and how its increasing impact is taken by regulators around the world. Cultural differences, the level of economic development, as well as the civil law/common law divide across various jurisdictions will be explored as a subset of the main theme.

The fashion and luxury industries are modifying their distribution strategies and models. New technologies have changed the way sales are conducted and we are now experiencing a post-Covid distribution era. New customer behaviors produce reactions in brands. The panel will review direct distribution, management of the digital channel as well as integration of communication into distribution strategies. In-house counsels and practitioners are invited to share their views

The shipping industry becomes more and more digital and we have unmanned vessels sailing already, but digitalisation is also a course of threat due to cybercrime. We will explore the area in this session.

This session will consider some of the key legal and commercial issues facing closely held businesses in the global environment in 2023 including:

• ESG;
• governance lifecycle (from startups to established businesses);
• protection of intellectual property;
• business model/structure options;
• taking on investment capital; and
• exit readiness.

What were the developments in anti-corruption policy and enforcement in the past twelve months? In this annual session hosted by the Anti-Corruption Committee, practitioners from around the world will discuss what is new not only in the different continents but also in the international organisations devoted to anti-corruption. Lively discussion is encouraged.

Many lawyers are active in the IBA because they want to make an impact on legal issues as well as on public policy issues affecting their practice areas. This is an interactive session on key projects of the Bar Issues Commission and the Legal Policy and Research Unit which span a wide range of areas from legal ethics (the ‘Gatekeepers’ project), climate and gender representation, to artificial intelligence, legal tech competence and professional wellbeing. 

This is an opportunity for you and for your Committee, firm, bar or organisation to participate, voice your thoughts and apply innovative ideas for potential future collaborations.
 

Artificial intelligence has been touted as a bias-free solution from recruitment to performance assessment. However, is this the full story? This session unpacks the incredible advances in and contributions of AI, but at the same time, exposes the dark side to reliance on machines.