Conference programme

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.

An open committee business meeting where all members and Officers are invited to learn more about the current and upcoming activities and developments of the Committee.

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

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.