Conference programme

Public procurement and military contracting often become complex 'battlefields' where legal, commercial and institutional interests collide. This panel examines how mediation and ADR tools can help prevent and resolve disputes in public and defence procurement, from tendering to contract performance. Focusing on the role of legal departments in public bodies and armed forces, speakers will discuss how mediation enhances transparency, efficiency and continuity in supplier relations. Real-world cases will show how structured dialogue and facilitated negotiation can transform potential conflicts into opportunities for collaboration, innovation and sound governance in sensitive procurement environments.

Over the past five years, ESG has shifted from theory to a core strategic and reputational concern for law firms, moving beyond client advice to impact firm operations, culture, and values. Today, firms are judged by a wider group of stakeholders, including clients, talent, regulators, and society. This session will focus on how firms are embedding ESG – covering climate, human rights, DEI, and ethical governance – into strategy and decision-making. With rising scrutiny, political pushback, and evolving expectations, law firms face new challenges and opportunities as they navigate what responsible business really means. Bringing together diverse perspectives, the session will ask: is ESG in law firms maturing or fragmenting? And how can firms show genuine leadership and impact in a fast-changing landscape?

This session will compare the US ESTA, the EU’s ETIAS, and the UK ETA systems – examining their scope, implementation challenges, and interoperability. It will explore legal, privacy, and human rights concerns associated with data collection, risk scoring, and algorithmic decision-making in traveller screening. Finally, it will discuss the impact on mobility, visa-free travel, and global business travellers of the implementation of these programmes in the EU, UK, US and several other countries.

New technologies and highly mobile workforces are reshaping the way business is conducted worldwide, both in terms of how goods and services are delivered to consumers and how entities within a multinational group interact and share resources. This panel will discuss some of the emerging income tax, transfer pricing, and withholding tax issues that arise as a result.

This session will examine the role of whistleblower reports in litigation, exploring the legal obligations, ethical considerations and strategic challenges they present. Participants will gain practical guidance on managing disclosures effectively while protecting both organisational interests and whistleblowers’ rights.

Join us for our 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.

Join us for our 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.

Conference attendees are invited to participate in this general meeting of the IBAHRI. During the meeting, IBAHRI Director Baroness Kennedy and IBAHRI Co-Chairs Hina Jilani and Mark Stephens CBE will discuss IBAHRI’s programmes and topical issues regarding human rights today. The discussion will be open to questions and suggestions related to the past, present and future work of the IBAHRI.

This session will consider how the UNGPs and other human rights standards have been used to hold corporations accountable for their impacts on climate change and nature, and what lessons lawyers can take from these when advising corporations across sectors. Among other things, it will consider the impacts of climate-related litigation, including national litigation relying on the climate crisis advisory opinions of the ICJ and the IACtHR.

This panel relates to the capacity of more experienced lawyers to adapt to the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, wellbeing and work–life balance, and of young lawyers to inspire themselves in the ancient foundations of the profession.

The importance of compliance and transparency frameworks for doing business in Africa lawfully.

This master class will explore cross-border risk management, focusing on the regulatory, legal and operational challenges organisations face when operating across jurisdictions. It will offer practical insights into identifying, assessing and managing risk in an increasingly interconnected global environment.

This session will address the accessibility of justice, or otherwise, for parties caught up in preexisting arbitration clauses in employment/contractual agreements.

This session will address how companies can manage cyber risks, insider threats, and compliance challenges across jurisdictions — an area where technology, criminal law, governance and regulatory frameworks increasingly overlap.

What pressures and ethical challenges do modern lawyers face? Key issues include upholding the rule of law, adapting to AI, use of social media, billing practices and client expectations. How do these pressures differ for new lawyers compared to managing partners at the firm, and what are their reactions?  Different generations bring distinct experiences and skills to the office – let's start the essential conversations to explore the issues and establish the common ground.