Conference programme

The cannabis products market is quickly growing all over the world: in Europe, North America, Mexico and many other countries.

From production to distribution, what are the new frontiers and opportunities? 

This international panel will discuss major litigation involving aviation law issues. It will also provide an update on various airport liability issues and emerging aviation insurance issues.

Immigration compliance and the ability of restructured or acquired businesses to continue employing key visa-sponsored staff is often an afterthought in mergers, acquisitions and restructuring. This session will examine immigration issues with due diligence in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate restructuring.

The IBA was established with the aim of protecting and advancing the rule of law globally, and to contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice. Mediation has a strong connection with the administration of and access to justice, indicating that it is consistent with and should have a significant role to play in advancing the aims of the IBA.

At a time when we witness inconsistencies between the perceived roles and principles of various governments versus their actual practises, including with the efforts of institutions such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice being ignored or treated with contempt, and with threats and intimidation directed towards their officers, which arguably interferes with their independence and adversely impacts the rule of law, do we simply accept that vested interest when combined with absolute power is unassailable and that the highest adjudicative facilities can in effect be rendered impotent? Does mediation have any role in such situations?  There may be no definitive answers, but the impact of current events on access to justice and the rule of law warrants engaging experts with experience on the frontline of intense international disputes to consider these questions.

In this session, we will focus on:

•    Law firms’ decision and the behind the scenes decision-making process about whether to speak out or stay silent in such situations and why;
•    Dentons’ (and maybe also other firms’) reaction wherein they have originally made a post on LinkedIn about the terror attacks and when an associate from the firm has criticised it, they have removed it;
•    big law firms’ open letter asking law school deans to respond to antisemitism in campus protests; and 
•    rescission of contracts/revocation of offers by Winston & Strawn, Davis Polk, etc, for inflammatory comments in regards to the terror attacks and the current situation is Israel.
 

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeates the modern workplace, global employment frameworks are evolving to address the challenges.

How can players reduce their carbon footprint while still developing the oil and gas projects that are still vital for the world’s energy matrix, such as the electrification of facilities, carbon capturing near the production facilities, supply chain, etc.

Effective since the second half of 2023, the European Union’s foreign subsidies regulation is in full swing by the first half of 2024, with notification numbers quickly increasing – the speed and scale of its development are likely to the surprise of many businesses and national regulators of EU’s trading partners.
 
In a perhaps unexpected and unprecedented way, the FSR brings the traditionally separate disciplines and sometimes philosophically contradicting trade and competition policies together.
 
This started off with EU’s move to impose countervailing duty on imports subsidised by third country foreign subsidies (instead of the government of the exporting country), the FSR represents EU’s newest tools in its trade policy toolbox, designed to address the effect of non-EU subsidies which are perceived as distortive to the EU market, yet not subject to the EU’s own State Aid Regulations, which bind the subsidisation of EU members.
 
The panel will discuss the fast-rising number of high-profile cases under FSR in 2024 so far, the lessons learned, and both the potential legal issues arising from the FSR – from the perspectives of competition law, trade compliance and risk management.
 
A critical point of discussion will be the compatibility of the FSR with international trade rules under WTO Agreements. There could be concerns that the FSR could be incompatible with WTO rules by exceeding the European Commission's jurisdiction, especially due to discussions on selective enforcement, in-depth probes and even dawn raids.
 
Is FSR what it claims to be (the dominant number of China related projects subject to FSR investigations may raise some valid questions)? How does FSR fit with or differ from other competition regulation? How and whether FSR fits in with existing international trade rules, especially under the WTO Agreements?
 
This session is a must attend for trade, competition, and commercial transactions lawyers alike.

This panel explores recent case law in copyright infringement cases in the music industry, discussing the “Blurred Lines” between inspiration and copying, the impact of the digital market on infringement claims and whether AI is the Stairway to Heaven or Highway to Hell for Copyright in the world of music.  This panel will focus on the various rights and issues in music, recent decisions on copyright infringement cases, what is the future for the music industry in the age of AI.

As the energy transition becomes more and more critical, how can policies and regulations pave its way? From energy efficiency standards to research and development funding, from self-consumption to tax incentives, from contract for difference (CfD) mechanisms to carbon pricing – the tools to promote the energy transition are numerous. This session will explore how policies and regulations can most effectively lead to a swift energy transition.

Private sightseeing guided tour departing by bus from Centro Banamex. Some points of interest included: Soumaya Museum, Polanco shopping district, Reforma Avenue, Diana's Fountain, Angel of Independence. Hop off in Torre Mayor, one of the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America to enjoy a cocktail in 51 Floor Private Club with a breathtaking view. An expert architect will share some highlights on some of the most emblematic buildings in the area. Tour will return to Centro Banamex.
 

Spaces are limited and are assigned on a first come first served basis. Registered conference delegates can register at the speaker registration desk.

These roundtable sessions will focus on five distinct emerging topics of interest in an audience. They will feature an interactive, roundtable format led by moderators and contributions from our national reporters.
 

Advancements in technology are changing lawyers’ work as we've known it. Whether the legal profession will successfully navigate the myriad of problems and opportunities arising in the digital space remains to be seen. AI ranks at the top of the IBA’s strategic plan and many other organisations’ priorities. This panel, composed of regulators, industry experts and lawyers, will delve into how the legal services landscape is changing amidst regulatory developments across various jurisdictions.

In a time marked by unprecedented advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), organisations are increasingly harnessing its power into their operations to drive innovation and gain competitive advantages. At the same time, the responsible use of AI is essential to ensuring that its obvious benefits do not come at the expense of fairness, privacy or collective well-being, and ensuring that regulatory requirements are met.

This panel will explore the role of governance (regulatory challenges and creation of acceptable use policies) in guiding organisations’ AI strategies, promoting fair AI practices and mitigating potential regulatory risks and challenges. The panel will also address some of the different approaches to regulation being adopted internationally.

Discussion areas will include:

•    Regulations governing AI: challenges that businesses may face with assessing and complying with regulatory frameworks around their use of AI programs.
•    Ethical, practical and legal considerations on AI use in organisations: algorithm bias, privacy, confidentiality, impact on employment and how to address these challenges through an acceptable use policy (AUP).
•    The importance of employee training in promoting responsible AI use and putting into practice an AUP.
•    AI risk assessments.
•    Intellectual property (IP) in generative AI.

This session will explore the complex issues surrounding assisted human reproduction. For some having a child is straightforward, the issue for them may be contraception. For others, having a child can be fraught with difficulties. Infertility is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a disease affecting millions which also impacts their families. Assisted reproduction may bring hope, but there are often obstacles along the way ranging from the availability of fertility treatment and affordable healthcare, legal issues connected with establishing parentage and nationality, to discrimination.

The relationship between higher liability claim amounts by victims and higher insurance premiums seems straightforward. The same might be said of the relationship between new medical technologies and treatments, and the cost of health insurance. What role does social inflation play in this? What explains apparently continuous increases in claims which outpace economic inflation? Is this a trend predominantly in the United States or does it exist across the globe? 

Both from a litigation and an insurance perspective, this session will examine the impact of social inflation on both expectations and outcomes for insurers and their customers. Lawyers in private practice and insurers will analyse this important topic.
 

The decommissioning and wreck removal session will explore the legal aspects of decommissioning and wreck removal in light of the Nairobi Convention and Hong Kong Convention.

In this annual session hosted by the IBA Anti-Corruption Committee, practitioners from around the world will dissect the last year’s most significant anti-corruption developments, including new laws and policy initiatives, as well as notable investigations and enforcement actions. Expert panellists also will address trends emerging from leading enforcement authorities and key international organisations.