Join us in Copenhagen for NARF Programming

The North American Regional Forum (NARF) will present a robust series of programs at the 2026 International Bar Association Annual Conference in Copenhagen, exploring many of the most important developments affecting North American business, trade, governance and the legal profession. From the future of the USMCA and regional trade integration to constitutional law, corporate risk management and sustainability, NARF's programming will provide timely insights from leading practitioners, academics, business leaders and public officials from across the US, Canada and Mexico.

North America trade at a crossroads: is the future of trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico headed towards unification or fragmentation?
Tuesday, 6 October | 0930–1045

This panel will explore whether the future of North American trade lies in deeper integration or increasing fragmentation. Using examples from industries such as dairy, agriculture and automotive manufacturing, the discussion will address changing trade alliances, evolving policy priorities and the future of economic cooperation among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. See here for more details.

North American Regional Forum lunch – Ambassador John Sullivan
Tuesday, 6 October | 1245–1415

The International Bar Association's North American Regional Forum is honoured to welcome Ambassador John J Sullivan as the keynote speaker for its Luncheon on 6 October from 1245-1415. It is rare to find someone who has observed firsthand the quirks and working styles of world leaders as varied as Russian President Vladimir Putin, current US President Donald Trump and former US President Joe Biden, just to name a few. A distinguished attorney (currently at Mayer Brown) and diplomat with a career spanning four decades and five US presidential administrations, Ambassador Sullivan brings a rare, firsthand perspective on one of the defining geopolitical crises of our time. He served as US Ambassador to Russia from 2019 to 2022, a period that saw Russia launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He chronicles his extraordinary experience navigating the halls of the Kremlin and the tense final days before war broke out in his critically acclaimed memoir, Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia's War Against the West. Before his tenure in Moscow, Ambassador Sullivan served nearly three years as the US Deputy Secretary of State under Secretary Mike Pompeo and also served as Acting Secretary of State in the spring of 2018. Ambassador Sullivan continues to shape the national conversation on foreign affairs as a Distinguished Scholar at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, a Distinguished Fellow at Columbia University, and a contributor to CBS News. Luncheon attendees will have a unique opportunity to hear directly from one of America's most respected voices in diplomacy, offering candid insights into the intersection of law, diplomacy, and international conflicts that include the US-Iran war. Join us for a terrific networking opportunity and what promises to be one of the most compelling sessions of this year's IBA Annual Conference. (Q&A session will follow Ambassador Sullivan’s remarks.) 

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?
Tuesday, 6 October | 1430–1545

The majority of recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court appear to favour the Trump Administration. Many have been decided on the Supreme Court’s 'shadow docket' without the benefit of full briefing and argument. Established precedent has been overruled. Mexico recently underwent a radical restructuring of its Supreme Court. What does this mean? Are the Supreme Courts of the US and Mexico becoming more politicised and moving towards becoming effectively an arm of the executive branch of government? Or can these decisions and actions be explained simply as the product of conservative ideology? And what is the situation in Canada? The session will explore these questions and more, including the effect of the recent decisions/events on the rule of law, the dangers (or not) they present to our constitutional democracies, and what all this means for those doing business in North America. For more information, see here.

Featured Speakers

• A constitutional law professor from Georgetown University Law Center
• A retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Mexico
• A former Minister of Justice of Canada

Session Chair

• Richard Singleton

Things that go bump in the night: in the darkest hours, what are the current issues keeping general counsel from Mexico, Canada and the United States awake at night?
Wednesday, 7 October | 0930–1045

This programme brings together leading in-house counsel to discuss the most significant legal, regulatory, commercial and geopolitical risks facing companies across North America. The session promises practical insights into the challenges that are occupying the attention of general counsel in all three countries.

Session Chair

• Josh Escovedo

Featured speakers

• General Counsel and senior in-house legal leaders from the United States, Canada and Mexico (speaker roster to be announced).

NARF also will co-sponsor and participate in the following sessions:

Goods at the border: the three amigos and 2026 USMCA Review
Monday, 5 October| 1115–1230

This session will provide an update on the ongoing 2026 review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), including the status of negotiations and the key decisions facing the three member countries. Speakers will examine the options available to the parties, ranging from renewing the agreement to allowing it to sunset, and discuss the implications for cross-border commerce and trade relations throughout North America.

Session Chairs / featured participants

• Sabrina A Bandali
• Christopher Blake
• Horacio López-Portillo

Sustainability in full: people, principles and progress
Thursday, 8 October | 0930–1045

This interactive roundtable session will explore sustainability from a broader societal and professional perspective, including sustainable careers, diversity and inclusion, migration, technology and the rule of law. The NARF will partner with the Latin American Regional Forum to lead discussions on implementing sustainable DEI initiatives through mentoring, coaching, flexible work arrangements and other practical strategies.

Session Chair

• Benjamin Grebe

North American Regional Forum subject

• Implementing sustainable DEI (coaching, mentoring, flexible working, etc.)

Featured facilitators

• Representatives from the North American Regional Forum
• Representatives from the Latin American Regional Forum
• Additional moderators to be announced.

The NARF's 2026 programming offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading voices on the most pressing legal, commercial and governmental issues affecting North America. Whether your interests lie in cross-border trade, constitutional governance, corporate risk or the future of the legal profession, these sessions promise insightful discussion, practical takeaways and exceptional opportunities to connect with colleagues from around the globe.