Diana Czugler
Peters & Peters, London; Young Lawyers’ Committee Liaison Officer, IBA Criminal Law Committee
dczugler@petersandpeters.com

Alex Swan
Greenberg Traurig, London; Website Officer, IBA Business Crime Committee
alex.swan@gtlaw.com

January 2024 saw the first When arbitration meets crime Conference, held in São Paulo, Brazil and co-presented by  the  IBA Arbitration Committee, the IBA Business Crime Committee, the IBA Criminal Law Committee, the IBA Asset Recovery Committee the IBA Litigation Committee and the IBA Latin America Regional Forum.

This was the first conference of its kind to take place at the IBA and we are truly excited to have been part of it. The Conference presented an unparalleled opportunity to consider the intersection of arbitration and criminal law, as well as related civil law and asset recovery considerations.

Topics included the discovery of criminal offences by an arbitral tribunal; challenges in sport arbitration (match fixing); due diligence and red flags to prevent and handle frauds; fake arbitrators, parallel arbitration and criminal proceedings and the use of evidence; and the annulment, revision and enforcement of an arbitral award tainted by fraud.

As is to be expected from IBA events, the Conference was a great opportunity to network with professionals from across the globe who advise on arbitral and/or criminal law matters.

Of course, no IBA conference would be complete without social events. On this occasion, these included an opening cocktail reception on the Wednesday evening and a welcome reception and dinner hosted by the local host committee on Thursday night, as well as a visit to the famed Morumbi Stadium and the São Paulo carnival!