Conference programme

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.

Remote employees' use of AI tools exposes employers to overlapping liability across data protection, employment, and cybersecurity regimes, with those lacking adequate policies risking vicarious liability for breaches, trade secret disclosures, and regulatory action. This topic covers the key legal frameworks and practical tools employers need to manage these risks, from data processing agreements and cross-border governance to disciplinary frameworks and AI-related incident investigations.

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.

With a constantly changing regulatory, economic and political environment, reliable contractual relationships between suppliers and customers in the supply chain are more important than ever. To prevent severe consequences, the parties depend on the certainty and enforceability of their contracts, or may prefer to have escape options in certain situations.

In this session, we will examine the impact this has on the drafting of several typical general clauses in international contracts.

This session will explore the work of lawyers carrying out strategic litigation in restrictive or hostile environments. Panelists will examine the unique risks, essential needs and measurable impact of these efforts, as well as how the broader legal community can provide effective support.

In some jurisdictions, sitting judges may concurrently serve as arbitrators. Do such dual roles give rise to challenges in terms of impartiality, procedural integrity and public perception? How do they impact litigation in connection with the arbitration? Do they interfere with the performance of judicial duties? And does it differ from judges acting as mediators? This session explores the rationale behind permitting such roles, the potential benefits and the risks involved, offering comparative insights across jurisdictions.

Social media has become an important tool for lawyers who want to build a professional profile and attract clients. At the same time, the line between legitimate marketing and conduct that may breach ethical rules is not always clear. This session will look at the practical challenges lawyers face when using platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok. Among other things, it will address:

1. when it is appropriate to post about professional achievements, case results or client testimonials;
2. where marketing may become misleading or inconsistent with the dignity of the profession;
3. the risks associated with “influencer-style” legal content, including responding to legal questions in messages, confidentiality concerns and cross-border issues; and
4. a brief comparison of how different jurisdictions regulate lawyer advertising and online presence.

A comparative analysis of the application of limitation of liability principles against the background of actual ship casualties.