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Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference 2025
Speaker
20th Annual IBA Competition Mid-Year Conference
This episode – ‘G’ for Guantanamo voices – is dedicated to two powerful people: Mohamedou Ould Slahi and Nancy Hollander, who have both helped to shine a light on the humanitarian and human rights catastrophe that is Guantanamo Bay.
Balancing innovation, access, and market competition in a post-pandemic world as the USPTO reviews the link between drug pricing and exclusivity, other regions (including the European Medicines Agency (EMA), China's NMPA, and India's IPO)are also scrutinizing their pharmaceutical patent frameworks. This session will explore the global trends in drug pricing regulation, compulsory licensing, and IP reform, highlighting how different jurisdictions balance innovation incentives with public health priorities. Experts will discuss strategies for multinational pharmaceutical companies navigating evolving IP and pricing policies across key markets
11th Annual IBA World Life Sciences Conference
Dec 04, 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing rapidly in China, with the number of patents and the size of the market both ranking highly among countries. However, this rapid development has posed new challenges to the legal framework, ethical norms and social governance, prompting China to continuously adjust and improve the relevant regulatory system.
DiversityInclusionThe pandemic has disrupted the lives of many and has had a major impact on workplaces across the globe. As countries emerge from the pandemic in 2022, we take stock of what Covid-19 has meant for diversity and equality and whether Covid-19 has been an unexpected diversity catalyst for positive change or has had a disproportionate impact on certain sectors and further entrenched disadvantage? In either case, governments and the public and private sector have a crucial role to play in developing diversity responsive recovery policies and initiatives, to ensure we 'build forward fairer' consistent with the ILO's global call to action for a human-centred recovery from the Covid-19 crisis that is 'inclusive, sustainable and resilient.' This session will cover: - socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on global labour markets and workplaces - case studies from across the globe - role of governments and the public and private sectors in developing and implementing diversity-responsive policies and initiatives for the Covid-19 recovery.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Feb 17, 2023
This article will outline the development of China’s restrictions on the cross-border transfer of personal information (PI export), detailing PI export mechanisms provided by the Personal Information Protection Law. It will also explain the practical implications of the restrictions.
This session will discuss the different perspectives on Investor-State dispute settlements.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Sep 27, 2023
The rise in popularity of generative artificial intelligence (‘generative AI’) has ignited the discussion on whether junior employees can be replaced by it. Some have gone to the extent of questioning whether professionals, such as lawyers, can also be replaced by generative AI. Is it wise to replace junior employees or lawyers with generative AI? What factors should be considered before deploying generative AI tools in your business? To consider these questions, we first need to understand the basic workings of generative AI and what it can offer. Fundamentally, AI is intelligence that is not biological. The general understanding is that machines will be ascribed with this intelligence. These machines have the ability to interpret, learn from and process external data in a way that is similar to the capabilities of the human mind. Generative AI is a type of AI program that generates content from a data set. It uses deep learning, a type of machine learning system that behaves like a neural network to simulate the functions of a human brain. In other words, it can mimic human intelligence by exhibiting analytical skills to create new content. Not only can generative AI be utilised in chatbot programs to create text, but it can also be used in programs that can create images, sound or videos. This article will consider two major forms of generative AI, in the context of risks to businesses: chatbots using generative pre-trained transformer technology programs; and image generating programs.
The impact algorisms and other forms of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace is significantly increasing. From hiring to termination, the employment relationship is bound by the potential directions given by Artificial Intelligence. New developments on AI in the workplace face a number of legal uncertainties that will be explained as part of this session.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Jun 12, 2024
The new Foreign State Immunity Law 2023 of the People’s Republic of China came into force on 1 January 2024. This shifts the country (as well as its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau) away from absolute state immunity to restrictive state immunity, bringing it more in line with the relatively prevalent practice among the international community. This article discusses the status of state immunity in public international law, analyses the new law’s provisions and examines practical challenges that will be faced by those seeking to utilise this law to enforce judgments or awards against foreign states and state entities, and the new law’s innovations that go beyond the United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property of 2004 and the UK State Immunity Act 1978.
On average we work for more than 50 years, and then retire. Is this model still fit for purpose in 2023 (if it ever was) or is it time to reassess priorities? After all, no one will remember you for working long hours. This session examines the four-day work week, whether it is part of an unstoppable movement to recalibrate our lives to get better work/life balance, its implications for diversity and inclusion and whether it is an option for all or only the privileged few.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
An open meeting of the IBA Global Employment Institute held to discuss matters of interest and future activities.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Jul 08, 2025
Mediation is on the rise internationally as a means to settle disputes in a cost-effective manner. Chinese parties appear to be increasingly interested in mediation as an option. This article examines the evolving landscape of mediation in China and internationally. It considers how mediation for Chinese parties is evolving and whether mediation is a good option for Chinese parties in cross-border disputes. Commercial mediation has seen remarkable growth, bolstered by a supportive PRC judicial system and legislative initiatives encouraging parties to find harmonious ways to resolve disputes. The article analyses the three primary types of mediation in China: people’s mediation, administrative mediation, and commercial mediation. It also looks at mediation rules and proceedings in common law jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States. The article anecdotally considers the cultural elements, emphasising the Chinese parties’ preference for evaluative mediation styles as a reflection of civil law. Through case studies of international disputes involving Chinese and US parties, the article illustrates the practical dynamics of mediation involving Chinese parties and underscores the importance of cultural sensitivity in international mediation. As Chinese parties continue to go global, mediation is emerging as an attractive option for efficient and cost-effective dispute resolution. This analysis assesses whether the promotion of mediation is yielding tangible outcomes and explores the future of mediation involving Chinese and foreign parties.
IBA Annual Conference Mexico City 2024
Jan 12, 2024
In this session, Antonia Verna and Pavla Prikrylova presented the European Regional Forum Diversity & Inclusion Working Party with the Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit for Lawyers. The Toolkit was developed by the International Bar Association (IBA) to provide law firms with an action plan to embed the core principles of diversity and inclusion into their organisations.
An open committee business meeting where all members and Officers are invited to learn more about the current and upcoming activities and developments of the Committee.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Apr 23, 2025
We were happy to see 110 participants in Munich on 27 March, in the unique location of Upside East for a day of discussions concerning the very challenging times that the automotive industry is now facing. Attendees had a chance to ease into the conference at the welcome cocktail which took place the evening before and it was good to see many familiar faces showing that the conference is becoming a familiar item on the IBA calendar.
This interactive workshop session will explore recent trends in finance and the implications for closely held enterprises.
- What are the key options for companies to finance their growth?
- Is the division between equity and debt funding evolving?
- How can we, as lawyers, continue to add value and ensure appropriate legal certainty for our clients in each of these models?
- Have the regulators clipped the wings of banks and cryptocurrencies?
- How is the face of finance changing?
In the first part of the workshop, delegates will work in groups to discuss a topic selected from the following:
- Alternate forms of financing I: Fintech, crowdfunding and lending, and cryptocurrencies – what are the latest developments and the legal implications for closely held enterprises?
- Alternative forms of financing II: loans with profit participation, convertible loans, options and other hybrid instruments – what are the latest terms and structures, and the legal implications for closely held enterprises?
- New players as alternatives to banks: VCs and other non-bank players – what are the terms they want?
- The rise of the regulator: what does this mean for the lending landscape?
- Getting your business bank debt ready – how to act for borrowers when seeking bank funding
- Forms of mezzanine capital and their implications for closely held businesses
- Advantages and disadvantages of debt and equity financing
- Restructuring (eg, debt equity swap) and refinancing – key issues to consider and the traps to avoid
- Due diligence and the role of lawyers in various types of financing: opinions and counsel reports (reliance versus release letters)
- Personal guarantees versus security
6th IBA Global Entrepreneurship Conference: The Netherlands – sailing the seas of global innovation
Jan 12, 2024
The European Regional Forum (ERF), in particular its Professional Wellbeing Working Party (PWWP), organised a session on lawyers' wellbeing and ways in which we can make our law firms become better working environments. This session was additionally organised with the support of the IBA’s Presidential Task Force on Mental Health and wellbeing and the Professional Ethics Committee; it took place at the IBA 2023 Annual Conference in Paris.
Apr 23, 2025
This year brought a slight change in how we approached our Big Retreat. The Officers’ Retreat and the Council Members’ Retreat were joined into a single event which took place in Budapest at the start of March 2025. Our Senior Vice Chair, Viktória Szilágyi from Lakatos Köves and Partners, carried out the work as this year’s gracious host and needed to accommodate such a large crowd with a full schedule. She certainly lived up to it!
Doing business between China and India
Jul 22, 2025
The International Bar Association’s (IBA) European Regional Forum brought the global fashion and luxury law community together in London for the 2025 edition of its highly anticipated European Fashion and Luxury Law Conference. Held on 15–16 May at the iconic OXO2 venue, the event drew over 100 attendees, including leading legal professionals, in-house counsel and industry experts, all eager to explore the latest legal and commercial trends shaping the fashion and luxury sectors. This article provides an overview of the conference.
Nov 14, 2024
A session report from the diversity and inclusion session at the IBA Annual Conference in Mexico City.
Legislation tackling modern slavery is clearly spreading around the world, placing varying obligations on companies over a certain threshold (and individuals within companies) to report, disclose, mitigate, and remediate risks and instances of modern slavery in local and complex domestic and global supply and value chains. This legislation targets medium to large companies as they are often the producer of goods and services tainted by human rights violations, with penalties for breaches and failure to notify. This session will examine the current and predicted future of modern slavery legislation, the obligations it places on multinational organizations, the technological solutions available to companies and their legal advisors to comply with such obligations and jurisdictional and cultural differences in the implementation and the enforcement of such obligations. In particular, this session will demonstrate how AI solutions will revolutionize both the visualization of human rights violations and drafting of contracts to assist in- house, corporate, human rights, employment and criminal lawyers and their clients in complying with these new statutory duties- noting that this technology can apply to other legal/ social issues like environmental ones.
Points to be covered include:
1. Current statistics on modern slavery across regions
- revisiting the numbers e.g. number of potential modern slavery victims in England and Wales hits record high and report on Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage
- revisiting where the risks lie – the Global Slavery Index Report 2023: Resources | Walk Free [walkfree.org]
2. Update on the maturation of existing modern slavery laws and advocacy: California Transparency Act 2008, UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, Australia Modern Slavery Act 2015, France 2017, Brazil’s Lista Suja (‘Dirty List’).
3. Consideration of newer modern slavery laws (both passed and proposed) eg. Canada (with far reaching powers, and criminal liability), Netherlands, Switzerland Conflict Minerals and Child Labour Due Diligence Ordinance, Norwegian Transparency Act 2022, Germany - Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, Spain draft bill, EU Directive, and consideration of laws in Asia/Africa/South America.
4. Modern slavery risk in M & A transactions
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
Apr 23, 2025
The 5th European Automotive and Mobility Services Conference, held on 26–27 March 2025, at Upside East in Munich, Germany, brought together industry leaders, experts and stakeholders to address the pressing challenges and opportunities within the automotive and mobility services sector. The conference provided a platform for in-depth discussions on supply chain issues, the transition to electric vehicles, the role of artificial intelligence and the evolving regulatory frameworks impacting the automotive industry.
A joint open meeting of the IBA Global Employment Institute, Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee, and the Diversity and Equality Law Committee, held to discuss matters of interest and future activities.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
Jul 22, 2025
From 11–13 June, leading legal experts in life sciences and healthcare convened at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston, for the 11th Annual IBA World Life Sciences Conference. The event, co-hosted by the IBA Intellectual Property and Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committees, brought together regulators, corporate counsel, private practitioners and academics to address the most pressing developments at the intersection of law, innovation and global health. This articles considers the key themes and panel highlights of the conference.
Jan 21, 2022
In rapid succession, a number of jurisdictions have moved away from focusing on antitrust enforcement to the proposed regulation of digital platforms. Ostensibly, the regulatory focus is about competition and potential concerns that traditional ex post enforcement may be ill-equipped to address the power of digital platforms. This article focuses on the realities of what platform regulation might mean, and how to better frame and structure the nature of appropriate regulation. This article first identifies a number of the different approaches to regulation that various jurisdictions have put forward, and then lays out six basic principles for platform regulation to help address some of the potential harms that such approaches may unwittingly be pursuing.
Business travellers, digital nomads, remote workers: to visa or not to visa, this is the question!
Jan 27, 2025
A report on the panel session ‘To list, to sell or to flip to the US: sucessful exist methods in Europe’. Participants discussed recent challenges in the initial public offerings market, the ‘dual-track’ strategy and the role of legal advisors among other interesting points.
IBA Annual Conference Mexico City 2024
May 21, 2024
The 26th Transnational Crime Conference, which took place between 8–10 May 2024 in Milan, Italy, was a resounding success. In fact, it has become the most well-attended international criminal law conference in the IBA’s history!
An open committee business meeting where all members and Officers are invited to learn more about the current and upcoming activities and developments of the joint Committees.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Jul 18, 2023
A report of the 25th Transnational Crime Conference, held 3–5 May 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Why do some class action regimes work very effectively, and others fail miserably? This panel will examine why this happens, and specifically what could be done to ensure that the best features were imported into a model that could work well everywhere, making class actions a more successful means of redress globally. Our expert panelists will review the best and worst features of class action regimes in various jurisdictions, to help explain what reforms might be necessary, and how to build a better global class action model.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Jan 12, 2024
In this session at the IBA Annual Conference in Paris, a group of experts from various backgrounds addressed topics such as doping, bribery, governance and social responsibility, and offered a comprehensive examination of the complex issues plaguing the world of sport.
The situation in women’s boxing during the last Olympic Games highlights the ongoing debate about fairness in gender categories in sport. The interplay between preserving “fair competition” and discrimination, and the right to dignity is complex, particularly in today’s rapidly changing and politicised world. This panel will cover current issues relating to women in sports, including the broader legal implications that arise from the ongoing debate about where to draw the “fair play” line, such as privacy, discrimination, and competing jurisdictions.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Jul 14, 2024
Innovation was the leading topic at the 4th European Automotive and Mobility Services Conference convened on 14 March 2024. Nearly 100 delegates gathered at Upper East, a unique venue boasting an industrial chic vibe on the 9th and 10th floors, located behind Ostbahnhof station.
Apr 28, 2023
Although the significance of classical pro bono work in the Swiss legal system seems more limited than in common law jurisdictions, the system nonetheless offers a variety of options for underserved communities to obtain access to justice at no or at least reduced cost. While these options do not qualify as actual pro bono services in the strict sense, they all help to promote and strengthen the rule of law. Yet, there still seems to be room for improvement in order to better support the access to justice of the (lower) middle class that does not qualify for legal aid.
The future of work - AI, robotics and their impact on the working world
Jan 13, 2025
The IBA’s Criminal Law Section (made up of the Criminal Law, Business Crime, Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery Committees) has closed 2024 with another successful conference; this time in Mexico City, where around 5,000 delegates gathered to exchange ideas, discuss the latest hot topics in the legal world and – of course – experience Mexican food, music and culture (including a memorable trip to a Lucha Libre wrestling competition).
Delegates will work in roundtable groups to discuss selected corporate governance and M&A topics which are particularly relevant for small and family-owned businesses, and which will be debated interactively:
1.Cross-Border M&A: Key regulatory hurdles, such as foreign direct investment (FDI) restrictions and national security concerns - cultural and legal due diligence in cross-border M&A deals, how cultural differences, local laws, and business practices can impact the success of a transaction.
2.AI & Technology in M&A transactions: AI-driven due diligence: Risks, opportunities, and future trends; how AI is transforming due diligence, contract analysis, and risk assessment.
3.ESG Integration in M&A Transactions: can integrating ESG criteria into the acquisition strategy enhance long-term value and reduce potential liabilities? how ESG performance impacts deal valuation and integration?
4.Negotiation tactics in M&A deals: Sharing successful strategies and techniques for negotiating favourable terms during M&A transactions.
5.The importance of diversity on corporate boards: Examining how diversity in leadership roles contributes to better governance outcomes.
6.Governance challenges in family businesses: Exploring the unique governance issues faced by family-owned enterprises and strategies for addressing them.
7.Private equity and family-owned businesses: recent trends of private equity firms partnering with family-owned businesses to drive growth, implement succession plans, and prepare for generational transitions and strategies to balance investor influence with the company’s existing structure and values.
8.Corporate governance in crisis management: How companies can prepare and respond to crises with strong governance frameworks.
9th Global Entrepreneurship Conference
Jul 14, 2024
Over the course of 16–18 May this year, the IBA European Regional Forum Officers, Council Members and Advisory Board Members held their annual retreat in sunny Santorini under the hospitality of gracious host and colleague Panagiotis Drakopoulos and Drakopoulos law firm who ensured that the event, dubbed ‘THE BIG RETREAT’, went off without a hitch.
As remote and hybrid working has become the new normal, employers around the globe look to establish clear and comprehensive policies to reflect their practices. In this session, we will examine considerations in drafting a remote and hybrid working policy particularly for a global business. We will notably discuss the key employment and immigration issues to be covered in such a policy together with other challenges involved in implementing such a policy. Experts and leaders in the legal community as well as professional participants of the conference will also share their experiences and top tips for drafting such a policy.
Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference
Jul 14, 2024
The European Fashion and Luxury Law Conference, meticulously organised by the European Regional Forum (ERF) of the International Bar Association (IBA) in Milan on 23 April 2024, was a resounding success. The event, which was fully booked, showcased a remarkable assembly of speakers, each highly esteemed within the industry. These speakers brought with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise, which they shared across a series of discussions and presentations.
DiversityInclusionHumanRightsNow that the pandemic is endemic, remote work issues have become vexatious for both employers and employees. Both employers and employees are struggling to make sense of today’s application of pandemic employment, immigration, compensation/benefits/rewards, tax, discrimination and diversity practices.
This panel will address those issues and offer both legal and practical solutions and best practices for employers in their quest to retain talent post-pandemic without compromising future business imperatives brought on by potential industry downturns. Employer compliance, business demands and employee health and welfare will be addressed by discussing risks and benefits, needs and wants, law versus policy and current employment practices against possible terminations. Immigration, tax, employment, and compensation/benefits issues have never been so complex.
This is a time to take stock of worldwide employment rules and practices and consider how the future of employment/immigration/tax law will adapt to a world in need of talent during a period of significant and likely continued uncertainty.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Nov 14, 2024
A session report from the joint session of the IBA Regional Fora at the IBA Annual Conference 2024 in Mexico City.
Digital nomads are on the rise and in order to benefit from this new phenomenon, companies need to address the many associated challenges: employment law, visa issues, taxation, etc. The session aims to give useful insights from all of these view angles and to shed light on this somehow untangible phenomenon.
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
Jan 28, 2026
This article reflects on the highlights of the IBA Annual Conference in Toronto for the Criminal Law Section. This included panels on the impact of INTERPOL red notices, misconduct against corporates, investigative journalism, and more!
An open meeting of the India Working Group held to discuss matters of interest and future activities.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Apr 20, 2022
This article outlines the eligibility requirements and types of approvals made under Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program.
An open meeting of the India Working Group, held to discuss matters of interest and future activities.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
Apr 23, 2025
Arriving in Budapest, I was excited to join my first IBA European Regional Forum (ERF) retreat as a council member. Bringing together over 50 officers, council members and Advisory Board members, this was a great (and slightly daunting!) opportunity to immerse myself in the ERF and find out more about their current and upcoming projects.
IBA Annual Conference Mexico City 2024
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