Conference programme

The panel will explore issues that arise in relation to digitalisation and data in the context of investigations and merger reviews: data storage and extra-territorial jurisdiction, legal privilege, use of technologies including AI for document production, use of private digital messaging and devices and the interaction of privacy and competition law in this area.

This session focuses on topical human rights issues prioritised by Bar Associations and Law Societies across different jurisdictions. 

This session explores how law firms can ensure their lawyers continue to grow, adapt, and add value as AI transforms the legal profession. 

This session will offer a strategic forward-looking, regulatory, legal risk, business market perspective.

Our panel of experts will examine the strategic use of court-driven and insolvency-related processes in order to maximise recoveries against both individuals and corporates across the Middle East. The discussion will cover real life scenarios and assessment of the options available to foreign office holders, judgment creditors, and those seeking to assess and trace the asset position of debtors based in the Middle East. The audience can expect to hear an interactive and lively discussion delivering practical insights into emerging approaches, as well as guidance on navigating the legal and procedural challenges unique to each panel member’s jurisdiction.

Thanks to a number of high profile celebrities speaking out about their personal experiences, there is an increased awareness within society and in the workplaces around the potential effects of menopause. Changes in mood and mental health (eg, anxiety, mood swings, low self-esteem), headaches, reduced concentration, brain fog, fatigue and insomnia are some of the symptoms that may affect workplace productivity, attendance and relationships. Previously, these issues were considered to be a personal matter but with the increased awareness of the effects menopause and andropause may have for employees in the workplace and supported by recent case law, it is now obvious that employers are navigating a legal landscape which includes potential claims of sex, age and disability discrimination (including the potential obligation to make reasonable adjustments). Employers failure to address menopause and andropause issues may result in litigation, reputational damage and a toxic workplace culture. But what proactive steps can employers take to mitigate the risks of claims and improve retention, engagement and wellbeing in the workplace?

How do we ensure that progress for women in law is lasting? This panel will highlight intergenerational collaboration – mentoring, sponsorship and allyship – as the foundation for lasting impact. Senior leaders and rising professionals will share lessons on passing the torch and redefining leadership for the future.

Whereas the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) provides a comprehensive set of rules for international sales contracts, there are practical situations where recourse to provisions of national law is needed, such as filling gaps or addressing contractual provisions that refer to national law. This may, and very often does, result in conflicts where legal concepts, such as warranty or liability for damages, under the CISG and national law are not coherent.

We will discuss such situations using real-world examples and aim to develop a toolbox for resolving these conflicts of legal concepts. This session will present a case study and will be highly interactive.

This session will take a broad view of ‘sustainability’ and look at issues such as sustainable careers, sustainable futures and stateless lives (looking at refugees and migrants), the future of humans (in the face of robotics leaving the factory and coming into our daily lives), a more sustainable rule of law and implementing sustainable DEI (coaching, mentoring, flexible working etc).

The panel will provide illustrative overviews of the tax issues, pitfalls and traps that arise in the context of international corporate and financial restructurings, whether involving distressed assets or addressing tax risks associated with outdated holding and financing structures.

Europe continues to lead the development of ESG regulatory frameworks worldwide, although 2025-2026 has been marked by a 'simplification' process known as the Omnibus packages, which seek to delay, reduce the scope, or simplify key legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

Despite political turbulence and debates about reducing administrative burdens for companies, the European Union maintains an extensive regulatory framework. The United States has experienced a significant rollback in federal sustainability priorities under the current administration, with the abandonment of SEC climate disclosure rules and withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Other jurisdictions are following their own regulatory trajectories.

The panel will discuss how boards of directors should face ESG related duties, especially in multi-national environments, and how ESG matters may impact M&A transactions in this continuously evolving world.

In capital markets and other transactions, conflicts of interest occur frequently, especially if the issuer has major shareholders or is under fire from a hostile bidder or an activist. The panel discusses how the issuer should and could ensure that minority shareholders (and minority holders of other securities) are sufficiently protected.

The panel will bring together scholars and practitioners in trade, investment, finance and intellectual property to examine how international economic law (IEL) can advance — or inadvertently hinder — poverty eradication. Moving beyond growth averages, speakers will focus on concrete legal levers that shape fiscal space, policy autonomy and distributional outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

Organised crime poses a direct threat to the rule of law. Illegally obtained money is used to buy influence, corrupt institutions, and infiltrate legitimate markets. This undermines public trust in justice and blurs the line between the underworld and the upper world. Lawyers also encounter these dynamics as gatekeepers, advisors, or defenders. 

Many jurisdictions have strict rules on how lawyers should handle suspicious clients and funds, yet there are also examples where things go wrong or where such rules are under pressure. This raises fundamental questions about independence, professional ethics and responsibility within the rule of law. How can the legal profession strengthen resilience against criminal influence without compromising its core values? And what can we learn from countries operating within different legal or cultural frameworks? The fight against organised crime is not only a legal challenge but also a moral one, striking at the very essence of our profession, worldwide.

From courtrooms to conflict zones, from boardrooms to government ministries, the legal profession is navigating an era of unprecedented strain. Regulators are tightening their grip. The rule of law and the rules-based order are fracturing. Ethical boundaries are being tested in ever-evolving ways that legal education never anticipated. Young lawyers are entering a profession that looks radically different from the one their mentors built careers in. Artificial Intelligence has brought its own unique opportunities and challenges.

Holding the line brings together the full breadth of the SPPI - across regulation, ethics and accountability, public service, firm management and the next generation of lawyers. The setting will be a world café style set of roundtables each discussing one of the challenges confronting the profession and discussing possible solutions to these challenges. This will be followed by a panel session to discuss the key takeaways from the roundtable discussions and attempt a prognosis for the future of the profession.

We will explore some of the many sources of the pressure to implement AI and boost the visibility of legal ops, including the pressure to do more with less, the explosion of legal technology, data-driven decision making and internal stakeholder expectations. 

AI and digital technologies are dismantling traditional barriers of cross-border legal practice and increasingly lawyers are accessing tools that were once the preserve of large international players to research foreign markets, identify and serve clients across multiple jurisdictions and compete globally.
But these opportunities come with serious risks. Unregulated and unqualified providers are entering the market with little accountability, raising urgent concerns around the disclosure of confidential material and the integrity of legal advice. For qualified practitioners, the risks include deskilling, over-reliance on AI outputs, inadvertent breach of local regulation, loss of the trust of the judiciary and the erosion of the independent judgment that defines good lawyering.
This session explores how digital innovation is transforming the relationship between lawyer and client across borders and the nature, scope, and flow of legal services worldwide.
 

Ensuring safety and quality in compounded pharmaceuticals, addressing industry challenges, and discussing measures to combat counterfeit drugs.

Family businesses are confronted with unique governance considerations. For example, these businesses may need to address conflicts at the intersection of family dynamics and fiduciary duties, which can pit personal relationships or loyalties against legal obligations. These conflicts may be further shaped by family estate planning arrangements, including wills, or complicated by the existence of outside investors. Family businesses also need to approach exits in a way that is sensitive to family legacy, succession planning and other factors. This panel will compare legal doctrines and toolkits, such as family constitutions, and translate them into real-world playbooks for resolving disputes and averting deadlock. The panel will also examine structures that can promote smooth exits and successions, including calibrated buy-sell mechanics, put/call options and staged liquidity.

As global energy markets face increasing disruption, the oil & gas and maritime sectors are navigating a shared landscape of geopolitical risk, price volatility, and regulatory uncertainty. From strained supply chains and rising freight costs to the impact of sanctions and chokepoint disruptions, energy security has become a critical concern for both industries.

At the same time, the push toward net-zero is reshaping fuel supply, investment decisions, and operational models, often creating tension between long-term sustainability goals and the immediate need for reliable and affordable energy.

This session will examine the common legal and commercial challenges facing both sectors, including supply instability, fluctuating energy prices, evolving bunkering risks, and fragmented regulatory frameworks. It will also explore how closer alignment, through coordinated contracting, infrastructure planning, and risk-sharing mechanisms can enhance resilience and support a more stable energy environment.

Bringing together perspectives from across the energy and maritime value chain, the discussion will focus on practical solutions to ensure that energy security, commercial viability, and decarbonisation can progress hand in hand in an increasingly uncertain global environment.