Conference programme

Join us for our open forum business meeting where all members and Officers are invited to learn more about the current and upcoming activities and developments of the forum.

Practitioners from around the world will discuss what went wrong in their previous cases, and what they would do differently next time.

This panel will examine the issues confronting Bretton Woods institutions (ie, the IMF, World Bank and other related entities) and financial multilateralism in general. The panel will touch upon their historic role and how it may be transformed in an era of adjustment of political priorities and heightened strains in geopolitical relationships. 

Since 11 December 2019, the Appellate Body has been unable to deliver binding resolutions of trade disputes, nor can it guarantee the right to appellate review. New appointments to the WTO's Appellate Body are blocked. Pending a resolution of the Appellate Body situation, the EU and other WTO members have established a multi-party interim appeal arbitration arrangement (MPIA), and other bilateral and multilateral initiatives have been undertaken.

Our roster of panellists will discuss how participating WTO members can continue to benefit from two-step dispute settlement systems, as well as the reform of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.

This session explores how mediation can bridge the worlds of diplomacy and international law to transform entrenched conflicts into lasting cooperation. Drawing from the experience of distinguished leaders who have negotiated peace at the highest level, the panel will examine the human, political, and legal dimensions of dialogue between nations. It will offer insights into how trust, creativity, and courageous leadership can turn historical disputes into enduring agreements - lessons that remain vital for today’s global challenges.

In a world where nearly every conceivable process or communication has been or is being digitalised, the litigation process is not immune. And in particular, one of the most important aspects; service of process. Whilst service by email has been with us for a number of years, other forms of digital service are still in their infancy but gathering pace for example service through social media platforms, other messaging applications and through non-fungible tokens as well as the use by the courts of their own platforms.

The IBA Litigation Committee has undertaken an in-depth survey of how different jurisdictions approach digital service considering the law, practice, practical issues and challenges. The purpose of the survey is not only to assist practitioners who wish to utilise such processes in their current cross border cases but to understand the trends and best practice. This session will report on the work of the task force responsible and their progress thus far with a panel of distinguished speakers who will survey the landscape of digital service across the world and comment on the results collated. Additionally, they will consider if ultimately there is scope to make recommendations for a standardised approach to digital service.

The panel will explore how employers balance individual rights with corporate responsibilities amid diverse legal systems. Local and global surveillance and border control systems are increasingly automated and driven by algorithms, introducing challenges for employees’ privacy and systemic bias. How do multinational organisations manage to preserve workers’ rights and freedoms and at the same time maintain a compliant workplace respecting employee expression, while upholding organisational integrity and legal obligations.

In an era of globalised law firms serving globalised clients engaged in cross-border transactions, and cross-border disputes, is there an accepted standard for ‘good’ legal writing and drafting?  Lawyers draft legal correspondence, memoranda, briefs, proposed legislation, regulatory commentary, speeches and many other documents. Is there a global benchmark for quality drafting? How (and by whom) is ‘good’ legal writing taught? Does it fall to law schools to find space in increasingly crowded curricula to teach the basics, or is the profession meant to devote scarce learning and development resources to the task? 

As the transition to renewables accelerates, Indigenous communities may face increased pressure to provide access to their land and experience related adverse human rights impacts, particularly in relation to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). This session will cover businesses’ responsibilities in engaging with Indigenous peoples during the energy transition and explore how lawyers can advise on legal compliance and alignment with international standards.

A session presented by the India Working Group of the Asia Pacific Regional Forum.

Given the number of recent trade deals that India has entered into, its continuing attraction as an investment destination, and India Inc.’s interest in investments overseas, India is very well poised as a strategic player in today’s global business. Given India’s demography, talent pool and geostrategic position, it attracts investments in manufacturing, service and infrastructure sectors as well as upcoming technology-based and sensitive sectors such as data centres, defence, nuclear and space.

In the same breath, Indian corporates are looking to expand their horizons overseas with both financial and strategic investments. This session will seek to address both typical and complex questions on India’s investment opportunities and regulatory landscape, industrial and tax policies and how best to navigate them on behalf of both Indian and global financial and strategic investors.

An exploration of the legal difficulties LGBTQI+ families can face when becoming parents, including international variations in surrogacy, the rights of the “second parent”, and how different jurisdictions approach such matters.

Pre-immigration planning related to specific types of assets.

As the enforcement of abuse of dominance cases across the globe continues to gather momentum across high-stakes sectors like life sciences, pharma, and AI, our panellists will discuss and share predictions and perspectives on the most important developments and issues in their regions. With regulators scrutinising everything from drug affordability to digital interoperability, how are traditional antitrust theories of dominance evolving? Are new AI product integrations inherently exclusionary? How should digital platforms navigate conflicting regulatory demands across jurisdictions? How can global pharma companies balance diverging enforcement priorities regarding pricing and patent strategies?    
 

Global clients want seamless, cross-border legal services, but can independent law firms deliver them through international alliances, or do ethics stand in the way? This session tackles the regulatory and competitive challenges facing law firm networks:  1) How do different jurisdictions' ethics rules enable or restrict alliance structures? 2) Can independent firms truly operate as one-stop shops while managing conflicts, confidentiality and coordination across borders? 3) Can these alliances realistically compete with the brand power and integration of global law firms? Join us for a practical exploration of whether the alliance model can level the playing field in today's competitive legal marketplace.

This session examines key legal and strategic considerations shaping private equity exit transactions in today’s evolving market environment. Against a backdrop of shifting valuations and credit conditions, regulatory scrutiny and geopolitical uncertainty, the panel will explore the advantages and challenges of the principal exit routes available to sponsors, including trade sales, secondaries, continuation funds, initial public offerings and dual-track processes. Attention will be given to the structuring of deals and processes, and the management of competing stakeholder interests across jurisdictions. Drawing on practical experience from multiple markets, the panellists will also address emerging trends. The session aims to provide practitioners with insights into optimising strategy, maximising value and navigating cross-border complexity in today’s changing exit landscape.

Today’s legal profession often operates on an “always on” basis—constant access to emails, phones and messaging means many lawyers remain reachable well beyond office hours, including weekends and holidays, making it increasingly difficult to truly disconnect. Can lawyers still find fulfilment while meeting relentless client expectations and billable targets? This session will explore the tension between professional satisfaction, wellbeing, and financial performance in modern legal practice.

Many of the recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court appear to favour the Trump Administration – and have been decided on the “shadow docket”. Important well-established precedents have been reversed or curtailed to be more in line with the Trump Administration’s views. Mexico recently underwent a radical restructuring of its Supreme Court. What does all of this mean? Are the Supreme Courts of the United States and Mexico becoming more politicised and moving toward becoming effectively an arm of the executive branch of government? 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) these decisions/events present to our constitutional democracies, and what all this means for those doing business in North America. The speakers are a highly regarded constitutional law professor from Georgetown University School of Law, a retired Justice of the Mexican Supreme Court, and a former Minister of Justice of Canada.

Section 1 - The big picture:
This session provides a high-level, strategic overview of where artificial intelligence has come from, how it is currently reshaping legal practice, and its place in the law, through the eyes of Professor Richard Susskind CBE, one of the world’s most cited authors on the future of legal services and a leading expert on the impact of AI on society. It explores the intersection of AI with institutional decisions, professional judgment, client expectations, and market realities, aiming to re-orient perspectives.
 
It is designed to give delegates a clear, big-picture understanding of the shifting legal landscape. Professor Susskind will share six core hypotheses on where AI is heading, introduce concrete examples of high-impact AI systems, and use a provocative case study to challenge traditional views on professional expertise. Attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of how tomorrow’s clients will solve their problems and the precise strategic mindset lawyers must adopt to successfully plan for their future.

Keynote speaker: Professor Richard Susskind CBE

Section 2 - The law firm picture:
Pending description

Panellists: Renae Lattey, Mallesons. Alan Mason, Freshfields US LLP. Wai King Ng, WongPartnership. Isabel Parker, White & Case LLP.

Section 3 - The client picture:
Client perspectives on how AI is reshaping the economics, dynamics, and trust architecture of legal services, examined through the lived experience of general counsel navigating transformation within their own organisations.

Panellists: Kasper Friis-Hansen, Danske Bank A/S. Yuto Matsumura, Hitachi. Marianna Nitsch, CHANEL. Maria Pernas, Capgemini.