Opening speech: Almudena Arpón de Mendívil

Friday 17 November 2023

IBA President Almudena Arpón de Mendívil addressed delegates at the Opening Ceremony of the IBA Annual Conference 2023. Invoking the historical significance of Paris as the centre of the Enlightenment, she asserts the importance of the rule of law as the bedrock of democratic progress and encourages lawyers internationally to hold its ‘enlightening flame’ high.

What a great pleasure and what a great honour to welcome you to this Paris Annual Conference, doing so as President of the IBA – an honour which has become even greater following the intervention of President Macron.

A unique event taking place at a unique location: Paris, the city of light – the light of knowledge. Paris was at the centre of the Enlightenment movement, a movement which originated liberal ideas, principles and values which gave birth to the first modern democracies. Paris, the capital of a country which has remained absolutely faithful, adhering constantly to such principles as part of its flag. It is also a city where you can find the centre of science, of beauty, of art, of gastronomy, and yes, also of love. But from this evening and until Friday, Paris will be, more than ever, the city of law.

Allow me to start by thanking those who have made it possible that we are meeting here tonight. I will begin with the stellar Host Committee, co-chaired by my dear friends Jacques Buhart, Honorary Life Member of IBA Council and Association and Pascale Lagesse, LPD Secretary-Treasurer and IBA Treasurer, together with 24 other superb firms present in this country. Thank you for your extraordinary contributions.

Then I move on to the London staff, they get better and better every day, overperforming so that we can have this amazing gathering here in Paris, under the leadership of our very dear Executive Director, Dr Mark Ellis. I continue with the chairs of the different parts of the IBA, thank you, Carola Van den Bruinhorst, LPD Chair, Myra Garrett, SPPI Chair, Ken Murphy, BIC Chair, Anne Ramberg, IBAHRI Co-Chair and Mark Stephens, IBAHRI Co-Chair. Thank you, of course, to my very dear senior officers: Jaime Carey, IBA Vice President, Claudio Visco, IBA Vice President and Jörg Karsten Menzer, IBA Secretary-General. The best word I know to express gratitude is gracias. In the official language of the IBA, thank you.

We meet at what may be considered a turning point, an inflection point, in history due to the size and due to the scope of the challenges we are facing, to the extent that some are already referring to the start of a new era. I will just highlight five of those challenges, with the pride of saying that the IBA is already working on each of them.

I will start with artificial intelligence – we have 15 sessions throughout this conference; increased demands on social impact and sustainability, 34 sessions; climate change, 12 sessions; a new generation demanding purpose-driven careers, 16 sessions; and geopolitical instability and polarisation connected with erosions to the rule of law, 18 sessions.

In addition to sessions, the IBA performs outstanding projects in those areas and beyond. Let me recall that we issued, for the first time, the IBA Legal Agenda this last September and that we have the artificial intelligence and IBA project that we will formally announce this Tuesday. We have the ESG (environmental, social and governance) project that encompasses the outstanding work already existing, performed by the IBA, such as the ESG Toolkit for law firms. We are working in anti-corruption together with the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development], we are working on climate change and also on the rules for taking of evidence on international arbitration, on a guide regarding foreign direct investments.

I could continue on and on, but I will just go to an area which is very close to my heart. That is the project related to gender equality in the legal profession at the top. We do have there the incredible, impressive work of the Women Lawyers’ Committee. We also have the outstanding work of the Legal Policy & Research Unit, with the 50:50 by 2030 Gender Project. Then, we launched this year the first IBA Women Lawyers’ Day. We celebrated it.

We are having an impressive showcase regarding female leadership – impressive because of the speakers that we have gathered. I could continue on and on, and I haven't mentioned a single activity of all the outstanding work of the IBA Human Rights Institute. But I believe that the point is clear: the IBA is much more than a networking association. Although it is also the best in that area.

The IBA is an association with a purpose: that of improving legal developments, of protecting the core values of the legal profession, and of promoting and defending the rule of law. The IBA speaks through its deeds, and we are building on the extraordinary legacy that has been given to us by our predecessors. We have the clear aspiration of making this association even more meaningful to all of you: our members. But also to the entire legal profession and to the whole planet.

Now, let me go back to my reference to geopolitical instability, polarisation and attacks to the rule of law. Allow me to pause for a moment there, because the expression ‘geopolitical instability’ is too mild to refer to the outrageous violations of international public law and of humanitarian law that we are being faced with. I take this opportunity to condemn, once again, on behalf of the legal profession, with the strongest and clearest voice, such violations.

I also wish to express our compassion for the victims, for the innocent people who are caught in the middle of these confrontations, disregarding which side they are on. And here, let me stress – let's protect the children. The innocent children, the children of any side of any conflict. And let me call once again to all parties involved in these terrible situations to get around the negotiation tables, the peace tables and to place themselves in the shoes of others, as we lawyers constantly do.

What a perfect time to remember, now, the origin of the IBA. Many of you will already know, for others I will just recall it. The IBA was formed back in 1947 after the chaos generated by the two World Wars, under the conviction that an association – initially formed exclusively [of] bar and law societies, and thereafter with the incorporation of the very important business lawyers – could and should contribute to global peace and stability. We must continue doing so.

What a great opportunity this conference brings to us to achieve that goal, what a privilege to be surrounded by IBA colleagues and friends from all over the world: 6,000 delegates from more than 130 jurisdictions. Lawyers with different backgrounds, different cultures, languages, religions and areas of practice. But still, with all of us seeking a common goal and building from there a common language, that of humanity, where law should be the central word.

What a great opportunity this conference brings to recall the importance of us lawyers. This is at the centre of the IBA, at its core, but now we are shedding a strong light on it, with the first report ever regarding the contribution of the legal sector to society. We will be discussing this project during the conference, and we expect to release it in the first quarter of 2024.

For we know that the law is the architecture that sustains the world, we know that the rule of law is what allows societies to develop, to progress, it facilitates the protection of human rights and allows democracies to function at their best. We lawyers are entrusted with the duty of bringing such architecture into real life, transforming it into vibrant, luminous buildings.

Then, the question is, are we able to do so? For me, the answer is yes. But, in order to succeed, we must do so, united. Thus, what a golden occasion this conference brings to increase cohesion for our acting together in the promotion of the rule of law. This is reassuring to me, it should be reassuring to all of us who dedicate our professional lives to the service of the law, because it means that we're not just mere custodians of a body of prescriptive rules – we are the guardians of an all but sacred flame which upholds and enlightens the society in which we live.

Let’s make here, tonight, in this city of light, the joint pledge of reviving the enlightening flame of the rule of law of our founding members. Let us make the rule of law in Paris shine even more. Let's keep it brilliant when we go back to our respective homes. Thousands of flames, enlightening the entire world. I am sure your commitment is strong – mine, on behalf of the IBA, is rock solid. I wish you a very fruitful and fantastic conference. A long life to the IBA! Thank you.

This is an abridged version of IBA President Almudena Arpón de Mendívil’s speech at the IBA Annual Conference in Paris. The filmed speech can be viewed in full here.