Conference programme

This session will explore key legal issues related to the establishment, operation of and exit from a joint venture from the perspective of a closely held company.

This session will cover:

•    Why consider a joint venture? This can be a good option but there are pitfalls – both legal and operational. 
•    Structure – what are the options and how do you find the right one? 
•    Finding the right partner – what do they bring to the table, and can you govern and run the joint venture together? What steps can the lawyers take to help provide the ‘rules for the road’ to align these interests. How do cultural issues make an impact? 
•    Legal issues – from rules for governance, to completion/anti-trust compliance, to how to manage an exit/break up.
•    And a lot in between.  
 

Large data and privacy breaches involving millions of individuals from multiple countries are becoming a far more common global phenomena. Data claims by individuals are expensive and, relative to the damages likely to be awarded, unaffordable on an individual basis, so class actions of whatever description appear to be the best mechanisms to bring big tech companies to account, and to give data subjects the possibility of some redress. However, courts around the world are grappling with the difficult question of how to give individuals access to an effective judicial remedy, including what damages to award, if any. This session will look at these issues in several leading countries and see how courts and governments are trying to get the balance right between the big tech companies and individuals rights.

The session will look at current trends in environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics for public companies and will dive into a separate ESG survey. The phenomenon of greenwashing in the international capital markets will also be discussed. 

Are women lawyers provided with the same opportunity for revenue generation as their male counterparts? Do they have the same personal connection with client leads and decision makers?

This session will examine how women lawyers can increase revenue generation through business development initiatives and will include law firm management, partners and in-house counsel perspectives. Consideration will be given to how business development strategies differ by firm size and geographic location. The speakers will share practical tips and best practice for women lawyers and law firms generally. Audience participation is welcome.
 

In addition to effects on manufacturing processes and distribution along the supply chain, nearshoring involves the need for financing and planning for commercial/tax structures to operate in the nearshore jurisdiction as cost centres. This implicates issues that involve guarantees, project bankability, environmental, social and governance (ESG), tax and import/export.

The panel will explore guidelines for a financial institution’s proper due diligence on potential borrowers and the appropriate contractual protections in finance documents, in addition to the main opportunities for landing operations in Mexico and other popular nearshore jurisdictions.
 

Immigration compliance and the ability of restructured or acquired businesses to continue employing key visa-sponsored staff is often an afterthought in mergers, acquisitions and restructuring. This session will examine immigration issues with due diligence in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate restructuring.

A roundtable discussion on the current state of mediation, hot topics and whether mediation has or will have the capacity to assist with various topical global concerns.

In this session, we will focus on:

•    Law firms’ decision and the behind the scenes decision-making process about whether to speak out or stay silent in such situations and why;
•    Dentons’ (and maybe also other firms’) reaction wherein they have originally made a post on LinkedIn about the terror attacks and when an associate from the firm has criticised it, they have removed it;
•    big law firms’ open letter asking law school deans to respond to antisemitism in campus protests; and 
•    rescission of contracts/revocation of offers by Winston & Strawn, Davis Polk, etc, for inflammatory comments in regards to the terror attacks and the current situation is Israel.
 

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeates the modern workplace, global employment frameworks are evolving to address the challenges.

How can players reduce their carbon footprint while still developing the oil and gas projects that are still vital for the world’s energy matrix, such as the electrification of facilities, carbon capturing near the production facilities, supply chain, etc.

Regulating third-country foreign subsidies: current rules and new approaches in trade and competition law.

Is it possible to create a truly original piece of music? Is inspiration appropriation? Has Ed Sheeran’s recent success in the USA and UK in defending claims of copyright infringement turned the tide for songwriters? Is AI lurking in the background ready to spoil the party? This panel will focus on the various rights and issues in music, recent decisions on copyright infringement cases and will consider what the future is for the music industry in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

This international panel will discuss major litigation involving aviation law issues. It will also provide an update on various airport liability issues and emerging aviation insurance issues.

As the energy transition becomes more and more critical, how can policies and regulations pave its way? From energy efficiency standards to research and development funding, from self-consumption to tax incentives, from contract for difference (CfD) mechanisms to carbon pricing – the tools to promote the energy transition are numerous. This session will explore how policies and regulations can most effectively lead to a swift energy transition.

These roundtable sessions will focus on five distinct emerging topics of interest in an audience. They will feature an interactive, roundtable format led by moderators and contributions from our national reporters.
 

Advancements in technology are changing lawyers’ work as we've known it. Whether the legal profession will successfully navigate the myriad of problems and opportunities arising in the digital space remains to be seen. AI ranks at the top of the IBA’s strategic plan and many other organisations’ priorities. This panel, composed of regulators, industry experts and lawyers, will delve into how the legal services landscape is changing amidst regulatory developments across various jurisdictions.

In a time marked by unprecedented advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), organisations are increasingly harnessing its power into their operations to drive innovation and gain competitive advantages. At the same time, the responsible use of AI is essential to ensuring that its obvious benefits do not come at the expense of fairness, privacy or collective well-being, and ensuring that regulatory requirements are met.

This panel will explore the role of governance (regulatory challenges and creation of acceptable use policies) in guiding organisations’ AI strategies, promoting fair AI practices and mitigating potential regulatory risks and challenges. The panel will also address some of the different approaches to regulation being adopted internationally.

Discussion areas will include:

•    Regulations governing AI: challenges that businesses may face with assessing and complying with regulatory frameworks around their use of AI programs.
•    Ethical, practical and legal considerations on AI use in organisations: algorithm bias, privacy, confidentiality, impact on employment and how to address these challenges through an acceptable use policy (AUP).
•    The importance of employee training in promoting responsible AI use and putting into practice an AUP.
•    AI risk assessments.
•    Intellectual property (IP) in generative AI.

This session will explore the complex issues surrounding assisted human reproduction. For some having a child is straightforward, the issue for them may be contraception. For others, having a child can be fraught with difficulties. Infertility is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a disease affecting millions which also impacts their families. Assisted reproduction may bring hope, but there are often obstacles along the way ranging from the availability of fertility treatment and affordable healthcare, legal issues connected with establishing parentage and nationality, to discrimination.