Conference programme

A breakfast meeting of the IBA Taxes Committee National Reporters will take place to discuss matters of interest and future activities, as well as to provide updates on the activities of the committee.

Embark on an inspiring morning at the IBA Young Lawyers’ Committee breakfast session in Mexico, where brilliant legal minds will delve into the intricacies of the legal profession. Join us for a captivating exploration of ‘what it takes to be a lawyer’ as we navigate the unique challenges and rewarding milestones that shape the path to legal excellence, whether you are young or young at heart.

This dynamic session will feature seasoned legal professionals sharing their personal experiences, insights and invaluable advice on the multifaceted world of law. From the foundational principles of legal education to the practical aspects of building a successful legal career, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the skills, mindset and determination required to thrive in the legal landscape. For those young at heart, this is a great opportunity to learn about the concerns of the younger generation.

Key highlights:

•    Navigating challenges: hear firsthand accounts of the challenges faced by young lawyers and discover effective strategies for overcoming obstacles. Learn how resilience, adaptability and a strong work ethic can be your greatest allies in the legal field.

•    Building a professional identity: gain insights into developing a unique professional identity as a lawyer. Explore the importance of ethics, integrity and personal branding in establishing a reputable and trustworthy legal practice.

•    Mentorship and networking: understand the significance of mentorship and networking in the legal community. Discover how cultivating meaningful relationships with mentors and peers can contribute to your growth as a lawyer.

•    Practical skills for success: delve into the practical skills and competencies that set successful lawyers apart. From effective communication and negotiation techniques to time management and client relations, learn the skills that make a difference in your daily practice.

Whether you’re a young legal professional or a seasoned lawyer, this session provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights, connect with industry leaders and leave inspired to embark on or enhance your journey in the dynamic world of law. Join us for a morning of enlightenment, camaraderie and empowerment at the Young Lawyers’ Committee breakfast session-where the future of law takes centre-stage.

Update on pillar two developments.

Regulating the legal profession is a boon as well as a barrier in many jurisdictions. Nomadic lawyers and legal adjacent business are changing the legal profession’s dynamics, challenging these traditional barriers. With the definition of ‘legal services’ or the ‘practice of law’ becoming more blurred, where are the lines? This panel will highlight pressing developments and proposed solutions through a multi-jurisdictional lens.

International franchising systems rely on trademark and know how protection in all countries the franchise network expands in. How to handle copycats already there or surfacing after opening in a country or region?

‘The best way to predict a future is to create it’ – Peter Drucker

In a rapidly changing and competitive legal market, how can your firm future-proof the ‘three Rs’ of business development: relationships, reputation and revenue? Our panel will look at different perspectives on what law firms could and should be doing right now to prepare for a successful future including:

•    What do general council (GCs) expect from their law firms (aside from great advice and service)?
•    How can firms engage their rising stars in client relationships and business development?
•    Technology trends firms cannot ignore;
•    developing and implementing strategy to claim your space in the market;
•    the role of data and metrics in decision making; 
•    And the importance of authenticity in business development.

In the past, businesses preferred to remain apolitical – to not be involved or active – in supporting or promoting any particular religious, social or political initiatives or causes. Today, more and more businesses are actively taking and promoting positions on such matters as part of their corporate culture and encouraging (and in some cases requiring) employees to follow suit. This is increasingly resulting in conflict where employees argue that their personal rights are being infringed at the expense of corporate culture.

Over the past couple of years, the Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped the way we work, with remote work becoming the norm to prevent the virus spreading. Now, with the virus more controlled, the shift towards flexible and self-responsible work has remained, making working from home a preferred option for many. This transformation has led to a surplus of empty office spaces, prompting the need for innovative solutions to repurpose these areas.

Rather than letting these offices remain vacant, one promising idea is to convert them into student housing. Across many countries, students face challenges in finding affordable accommodations near their universities. Repurposing centrally located office spaces could alleviate this housing shortage and provide students with convenient living arrangements.

However, this transformation will require creative thinking and collaborative efforts from architects, designers, developers, investors and brokers. Adapting office spaces into living quarters involves addressing challenges such as the need to adapt the architecture, which was not originally designed for student housing. Overcoming these hurdles will be a significant challenge, but the potential benefits for both students and property owners make it a worthwhile endeavour.

This concept of repurposing empty office spaces is gaining traction globally. In Paris, the Paris-Île de France Capitale Économique and the Maison de l'architecture Ile-de-France have introduced an international award recognising outstanding conversions of office spaces into housing. Similarly, the City of London has ambitious plans to create at least 1500 residential units by 2030 through the conversion of office buildings. The Canadian Urban Institute is also actively exploring the potential for similar projects in cities like Victoria and Winnipeg, with promising initial results.

By dedicating time and resources to research and fully understanding the potential of converting office spaces into housing, we can unlock new opportunities and shape a more adaptive and sustainable future. This seminar aims to explore various perspectives, involving stakeholders from different fields to collectively contribute to the success of this transformative trend.
 

Economic sanctions add yet another layer to existing AML-CFT, anti-bribery, modern slavery and 'failure to prevent economic crime' developments around the world. Translating these regulatory regimes (mainly set up for banks & financial institutions) to professional services firms is challenging. 
Lawyers want to play their part in countering crime (and to see any criminal actors removed from the profession). But navigating law firm collaboration across borders is becoming more difficult and complex when sanctions and AML compliance is not suitably tailored to the professional fields. 
 
•    The AML & Sanctions Experts team will lead another acclaimed interactive session by way of discussions and roundtable scenarios exploring how firms can navigate cross-border financial crime regimes.  
•    How can these regimes be adapted and made workable for law firms, to still achieve collaboration that will benefit clients and economies?  
o    Russian and other targeted financial sanctions  
o    AML & CFT developments flowing from FATF and G-20 level
o    Emerging regulatory regimes to be faced next: modern slavery, supply chain transparency, beneficial ownership rules/registers, failure to prevent economic crime or tax crime. 

Online digital marketplaces are rapidly evolving with the development of new technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) systems, creating global opportunities but also challenges. This session will look at the current and emerging issues in digital marketplaces in Europe, the UK, the US and other jurisdictions from a consumer, business and platform perspective, including: the unfair trade practices; anti-competitive conduct; online safety: protection of intellectual property: transparency: access to data: privacy protection: advertising and marketing; and environmental sustainability. 
This session will also examine current and emerging issues from the operation of EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, which commenced in May 2023. Are these laws achieving their goal of ‘delivering a fairer, safer and more transparent space for consumers and businesses’? How are regulators enforcing these laws?

This session will explore the emerging technologies that are transforming agriculture, including artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things, agricultural drones and precision agriculture, among other technologies. 

We will discuss the implications of these technologies for increasing efficiency, productivity and sustainability in agriculture, as opposed to the challenges and concerns related to data privacy, ethics and regulation.
 

Club remuneration: a model for other sports, or a work in progress?  

The session will discuss the players’ relationships with clubs and federations and will more particularly discuss injuries, player promotion and football calendars.
 

The IBA Forum for Government and Public Lawyers was established in 2023, making it the IBA’s newest committee. The forum aims to provide a home for government and public lawyers from around the world. This session will focus on the opportunities and challenges for government and public lawyers, covering issues including political pressure, ethics, specialist skills and work-life balance. The session will also provide fascinating insights into the work of government and public lawyers for private sector lawyers. The session will be of particular interest to practitioners working in legal departments in local, national and international government and public bodies, including parliamentary counsel.

In the hot topics session we explore current themes of interest to the maritime and transport law community. The exact choice of topics will be decided later.