A message from the IBA North American Regional Forum Chair
Richard Singleton
Blank Rome, New York
Dear Colleagues,
It has been a fantastic year for the North American Regional Forum (NARF)! I invite you to join us for another exciting year of engagement, collaboration and thought leadership within the International Bar Association.
Looking back, the NARF presented three timely and provocative sessions at the IBA annual meeting in Toronto: one on the evolving energy relationship between Canada, the US and Mexico under the Trump administration; one exploring the rising occurrences of threats and violence against the judiciary and its effect on the rule of law; and one focusing on the evolving landscape and current issues in cannabis. The NARF also participated in the All Fora session addressing relevant issues in organising a multinational World Cup tournament and cosponsored a session on the use of SLAPPs worldwide to try to silence the news and how to tackle them.
The NARF also held a social on Sunday after the IBA meetings and before the Opening Ceremony, which was well attended and a lot of fun. It was the perfect way to kick off the conference.
The NARF has been busy since Toronto. In February 2026, the NARF cosponsored a live ESG Conference in Paris (yes, ESG is still alive outside of the US). Two of our NARF officers, Keith Corkan and Nicole Phillis were a moderator and speaker at that conference.
In June, 2026 the NARF co-sponsored with the European Regional Forum and the Law Firm Management Committee a webinar entitled: 'Lawyering in the age of AI: Real-world lessons on adoption, governance and risk.' This webinar was very well attended and due to the great interest we are planning to repeat it next year.
The NARF is also planning another webinar on AI and law practice, with a marketing focus along the following lines: 'Legal Marketing and Business Development in the Age of AI'. We expect this webinar will be presented in late October. Stay tuned.
Turning now to the annual meeting in Copenhagen, the NARF has an excellent program planned. The NARF again will present three sessions:
North America trade at a crossroads: is the future of trade among the US, Canada and Mexico headed towards unification or fragmentation?
Where is the US Supreme Court? What are the contrasts with the Supreme Courts of Canada and Mexico in terms of safeguarding the constitution, fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law?
Things that go bump in the night: in the darkest hours, what are the current issues keeping general counsel from Mexico, Canada and the US awake at night
The NARF also will be co-sponsoring with the International Commerce and Distribution Committee the session: 'Goods at the border: the three amigos and 2026 USMCA review.'
All NARF members are invited to the Forum's business meeting commencing at 1545, immediately following the NARF session on 'Where is the US Supreme Court?'
Looking forward, as Chair, I have three main priorities for the NARF.
- Increase engagement with our membership and other regional fora. The NARF's greatest asset is the breadth and depth of experience represented by its members. We aim to strengthen communication with members, expand opportunities for involvement and ensure that our programming reflects the interests and priorities of lawyers across the US, Canada and Mexico. We also intend to strengthen our relationships with the other regional fora.
- Strengthen our new NARF Council and involve the Council members in NARF’s events and initiatives. The Council is important to maintaining ongoing dialogue between current leadership and those who have helped shape NARF over the years. The wealth of talent and diversity in the Council members provide a broader range of perspectives, networking opportunities and a source of NARF officers as NARF plans for and implements the Forum's future.
- Expand collaborative programming both at the IBA Annual Conference and throughout the year. The NARF has a long tradition of partnering with practice groups, committees and other regional fora to present programming on issues of shared interest. We intend to build on that tradition by developing additional webinars, panel discussions, networking opportunities and cross-disciplinary initiatives that allow members to engage with one another between annual conferences.
The strength of the NARF depends on the active participation of its members. Whether you are a long-standing member, a new IBA participant or simply interested in developments affecting North America, I encourage you to become involved. Join our programmes, share your ideas, volunteer for initiatives that interest you and reach out to our officers and leadership team. We welcome your input and want to hear what issues matter most to you. The best way to learn more about the NARF and become involved is to attend the NARF business meeting at the Annual Conference is set out above.
I look forward to meeting many of you in Copenhagen and working with you in the year ahead.
Best regards,
Richard Singleton
Chair, North American Regional Forum
International Bar Association