Conference programme

This session will discuss while Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rulemaking is still going full steam ahead in certain jurisdictions, with considerable extra-territorial effects, in other places lawmakers create rules that seek to push back ESG initiatives with equal force. What should issuers, institutional investors and financial advisers do to avoid ending up crushed between the proverbial rock and hard place?

This session will cover export controls, sanctions, and tariffs, inluding foreign direct investment, and the impact that these factors have on franchise supply chains.

An interactive panel to discuss how a tougher merger control environment and the multitude of jurisdictions with merger control laws around the world affect corporate deal documentation and negotiation. The panel will discuss practical issues including devising a multi-jurisdictional merger filing strategy, conditions precedent, and how to deal with mergers below thresholds, how to allocate risk (hell or high water clauses, break fees and antirust risk allocation), timelines, and gun-jumping rules.

This panel will discuss how the impact of national security, specifically biosecurity and supply chain impacts, in the field of life science and healthcare.

How can lawyers and the international legal community contribute to shaping Ukraine’s legal system, ensuring justice, and building a robust framework for sustainable post-war recovery. On this panel we will discuss the following issues:

• Drafting legislation and policies for short- and long-term reforms;
• strengthening the independence of the judiciary;
• addressing post-war property rights and land disputes;
• defending human rights, accessing post-war reparations and damages (including environmental damage);
• harmonising legislation with EU standards;
• providing legal support for investments and economic development (including public-private partnerships).

Reaching net zero emissions by 2050 and giving the world a chance of limiting a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius requires a complete transformation of how we power our daily lives and the global economy. In this panel, we aim to analyse and discuss the energy transition from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption, to renewable energy sources, the use of clean hydrogen and other low-emission fuels, regulatory framework, technology developments, financing, universal energy access and employment.

A discussion on the developing challenges and initiatives in the regulation and ethics of the independent referral bar around the world. This session will address topics including artificial intelligence and technological developments, use of social media, strategic lawsuit against public participations, navigating intergenerational challenges. Whatever area of practice you are in, in this interactive session, our panel will explore approaches to common ethical dilemmas in the legal profession. 

The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) develops international conventions that harmonise rules of civil procedure and facilitate the cross-border recognition and enforcement of judgments. The IBA Litigation Committee has observer status at the HCCH and provides input from the practitioners’ perspective. 

This session provides an overview of the key treaties that should be in any international litigator’s toolbox, including the 1965 Service Convention, the 1970 Evidence Convention, the 2005 Choice of Courts Convention and 2019 Judgments Convention, and discusses selected issues in the relevant fields. We will also provide an insider’s perspective on the status of current negotiations for new conventions.

We intend to explore contemporary hot topics on human rights, including those affecting businesses and individuals.

This is an exclusive event for corporate counsel only - by invitation only.

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

This breakfast session will discuss the latest hot-topics in law firm management.

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

As more in-house lawyers demand remote or hybrid work environments, how does the structure of the legal function change? Can law firms profit from the shift away from an expectation that a company's lawyers will be located and interacting in fixed physical locations? Will the rise of the “fractional GC” and other types of non-traditional legal service providers become more embedded in the legal services ecosystem?

Some of the challenges that will be discussed include:

• Preserving confidentiality;
• recruiting, training, and mentoring;
• are remote lawyers more subject to burnout?;
• maintaining productivity without intrusive measures;
• sustaining the culture of the company and the legal department;
• are remote lawyers at risk of being phased out in favour of seconded law firm lawyers or other external resources?;
• how can law firms position themselves to provide the flexible, dedicated legal resources companies need?

Many Law Societies have a "fit and proper" character test for admission to the profession but its application varies considerably in many jurisdictions. Some only apply it at admission stage but others require compliance through your career. In this session we will discuss the appropriateness of the test and what factors countries take into consideration. 

This panel will discuss the legal regime surrounding the allocation of landing slots at congested airports, and how aviation law specialists can optimise their advice to stakeholders.

The panel will highlight the need for efficiency and standardisation in airport operations and discuss how these issues can best be addressed. We will review the Worldwide Airport Slots Guidelines, which was developed by the industry and discuss its implications for legal practitioners. The panel will also touch on several frequent issues that arise in connection with slot allocations, slots secondary trading, and review best practices that can be recommended by private practitioners.

Finally, discussions will be conducted around the legal constraints relating to the development of infrastructures and the handling of safety concerns. We will explore the sources of potential liability for airport operators and review crisis management principles that can be adopted to mitigate such risks. 

This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities of business combinations of profit-driven and purpose-driven companies, examining the key legal issues, and the implications on compliance and corporate governance.

This session will discuss the green transition, more urgent than ever, creates various challenges of which financing the enormous investment amounts needs is one of the more prominent ones. Also, in addition to requiring large sums, the repeated access needed to capital for long term investments poses unique challenges for traditional financing instruments.

This panel will identify and discuss how (and how not to) contract for innovative projects. Discussions will reflect draft wording to deal with the fact that the technology may be prototype, unproven or being developed through construction. For example, what constitutes “state of the art” or “good industry practice” in a rapidly developing technological world? What kind of warranties will owners expect the market to be prepared to provide for innovative technology?  And what new procurement models will the construction industry be adopting now and in the coming years? Or is the old adage “there is nothing new under the sun” still applicable today?