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The Covid-19 pandemic has caused governments the world over to implement schemes to avoid mass unemployment during periods of economic shutdown. Margaret Taylor assesses the programmes in place across a number of jurisdictions and the consequences as these schemes wind down.
However, financial hygiene, getting the pricing
right, getting the billing right and ensuring cash is collected, are
critical to the success of any law firm and are ultimately jobs that all
partners need to pay attention to.
6th Asia Law Firm Management Roundtable: Is your firm 'fit for the future'?
Sep 24, 2025
This article describes the recent changes in employment laws in Ukraine regarding non-discrimination rules during recruitment, in particular in the field of job advertising. It also examines the relevant legislation’s alignment with Ukraine’s EU integration objectives and existing national legal frameworks.
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.
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
Oct 17, 2022
On 1–2 September 2022, members of parliament, trade union figures and council officials, to name a few, came together to work constructively on the challenges and opportunities facing Australia’s labour market and economy. This is notably in the wake of the global economies recovery post-pandemic, where states and countries alike have turned to an imminent focus on the workforce to rebuild their economic shortfalls caused by the enormous effects of border closures and isolation orders on the workforce and key industries. This article explores a variety of outcomes, as a result of the consensus reached at the Summit.
The independence of lawyers and free exercise of the legal profession is under threat around the world. Lawyers are subject to attacks and violations of their rights in staggering numbers. This panel will examine relevant protections in place for lawyers, the gaps and failures in their enforcement, and how to make improvements moving forward. We’ll hear from lawyers who have been politically targeted, persecuted and arbitrarily detained as consequence of their legal representation or advocacy. We’ll also hear from experts who are committed and mandated to protect the independence of lawyers.
IBA Human Rights Conference: Climate, justice and law - challenges and opportunities
Apr 20, 2023
Despite their higher frequency in tertiary education, women face great challenges in securing management positions. Numerous studies have reported how invisible barriers, such as unconscious bias, are responsible for perpetuating the workplace gender gap.
Overview of the global landscape of insurance claims, offering analysis on emerging patterns, challenges and best practices in effective claims management across the globe.
IBA Insurance Conference 2024: AI in insurance and other global insights
Jul 13, 2022
In this Global Insight interview, Martyn Day, co-founder of law firm Leigh Day, reflects on some of the most important cases he’s been involved in, including taking on the UK Ministry of Defence over allegations of British Army mistreatment of civilians and detainees – themes once again in the spotlight with news of SAS activity in Afghanistan.
In 2020, the independent advisory body to the Media Freedom Coalition, the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom, published an advisory report ‘A Pressing Concern: Protecting and Promoting Press Freedom by Strengthening Consular Support to Journalists at Risk’ examining the existing State approaches respecting consular assistance for journalists at risk abroad, and proposes a new paradigm of justice and accountability.
Every day, journalists and media personnel around the world fall victim to arbitrary detention, violence or intimidation on account of their work. These attacks resonate beyond their individual cases, being not only attacks on free expression, but also exponential assaults that silence the subjects of the reporting and deprive the public of their stories. By threatening and targeting journalists, States seek to send a dissuasive message, suppressing those who would report on their wrongdoings. According to Reporters Without Borders, as of 2022, over 500 journalists are arbitrarily detained worldwide. This is the highest number of journalists detained in connection with their work that they have ever recorded.
This event, organised by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute who act as Secretariat to the High Level Panel, will feature members of the High Level Panel and guest speakers in conversation on the role of international law in finding concerted approaches to address this mounting issue.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Jan 31, 2022
A new report from the International Bar Association (IBA) has revealed that of 3,000 young lawyers – defined as aged 40 and under – surveyed around the world, a significant number of them are either leaving or considering leaving their current job in the next five years.
Cartel-busting, long the mainstay of antitrust enforcement, faces existential challenges in many jurisdictions. Leniency pipelines are no longer producing a steady flow of cases, but are slowing to a trickle, as booming private litigation and the rise of class actions in a number of countries make whistleblowing ever less attractive to cartellists. Electronic communications result in what is at times an overwhelming volume of material to be sifted by all those involved. And artificial intelligence is spawning a wealth of new ways in which markets can be fixed, many of which are hard to detect, and some of which may be beyond the reach of existing laws. As legislators and agencies are reconsidering their amnesty/immunity regimes, the focus in enforcing cartel laws is moving beyond traditional sell-side cartel behaviour into labor and other “purchasing” markets. What is happening to international cartels and globally coordinated enforcement action in the meantime? This session will explore how enforcers, private practice and business around the globe are responding to these and other trends in cartel enforcement.
IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022
Oct 29, 2021
Argentinian national and local authorities, and important civil society actors, take affirmative actions to level the playing field for particular groups that have had difficulties gaining entry to certain sectors of society.
In this session, we will examine the moonlighting phenomenon, the practice of working a second job within or outside normal business hours, typically without the knowledge of the primary employer.
Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference
Apr 21, 2026
Recent constitutional and Federal Labour Law (FLL) reforms in Mexico have reframed equal pay as a structural obligation to reduce the gender pay gap, moving beyond its traditional role as an individual anti-discrimination guarantee. This article examines the implications of this shift and the emerging pay-transparency proposals which may soon reshape employer compliance expectations.
They can also create flexible work environments: AI-powered systems can help facilitate remote work, job customisation or workflow automation that accommodates different needs.
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
Nov 29, 2024
AI, particularly generative AI, has the power to reshape the legal industry by automating repetitive tasks; improving accuracy; and allowing lawyers to focus on higher-value, strategic work. The potential is immense: firms can reduce costs; increase efficiency; and deliver better value to clients – all while driving firm profitability. But what does this shift mean for the largest employment sector for lawyers – firms themselves? Law firms now face a dual challenge: adopting AI to meet client expectations while ensuring junior lawyers are trained and equipped to thrive in an AI-enhanced legal landscape.
It is not just about giving them a job and paying them high salaries, it is also about giving them purpose and making them feel they are working for a modern, forward-thinking institution that cares.
IBA Annual Conference Mexico City 2024
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.
It also requires providing long-term benefits to the local community through job creation, skill development and community investment to ensure the project’s acceptance and integration.
IBA Annual Conference Mexico City 2024
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.
The roundtable will discuss recent and potential developments regarding the following topics:
- taxes on the wealthy (eg, billionaires’ tax, carried interest, capital gains, etc);
- Pillar Two implementation;
- Pillar One, digital service taxes and other bespoke excise taxes;
- the relationship between the branches of government;
- tax competition – is it alive or dead;
- the US is special – the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expirations; and
- energy taxes (green and fossil sources).
14th Annual London Finance and Capital Markets Conference
Well-being issues are affecting lawyers’ ability to do their jobs, according to new data from Bloomberg Law published in September 2024.
The Fundamentals of International Legal Business Practice
Apr 22, 2022
This article discusses the recent SEC case involving PwC and highlights the wider implications for intermediary institutions providing professional services in a tightened regulatory and enforcement regime in China’s banking and financial sector.
Generation Z and Generation Alpha are tech savvy, keen to learn fast (and not necessarily grind) and ready to explore new job opportunities without fear.
If this wasn’t hard enough, lawyers are forced to reckon with increasing cost of compliances and tightening budgets.
IBA India Technology Law Symposium: disruptive technology and digital transformation in modern day India
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.
In this session, two in-house lawyers and three leading practitioners share their first-hand experiences navigating the real-world implementation challenges of pay transparency regulation, with a focus on data readiness, equal value job assessments, and the organisational transformation required to align with the new requirements.
Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference 2026
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.
In addition, automation raises questions about job displacement and the fair distribution of economic benefits.
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
Annual Conference Report- A Discussion on Wellbeing- Litigation Committee newsletter article, April 2020
Lawyers have a professional duty to understand the basics of AI and to use it for the clients benefit but also an ethical duty to understand the risks and challenges of such use – from bias to job skills to reliability and accountability.
This session will look at the AI Act.
2nd IBA Global Professional Ethics Symposium
Mar 23, 2023
Global Insight considers the implications as AI chatbots increasingly become part of the lawyer’s toolkit – and even enter the courtroom.
Access to energy is fundamental for health, education and to create jobs and economic opportunities. Within transition and carbon reduction objectives, Africa argues that one solution does not fit all and for the right to use its fossil fuels, gas in particular.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
Jun 01, 2021
Although 38 per cent of the world’s population live within a narrow fringe of coastal land, it occupies only 7.6 per cent of the Earth’s total land surface (UN Environment Programme 2006). These populations largely depend on coastal resources for their livelihoods.
The article describes and assesses the abuse of dominance investigations carried out by the Brazilian competition authorities in the digital sector. With nine cases already decided and six ongoing probes as of July 2019, there is a clear concern about false positives and avoidance of severe intervention, and no precise guidance on how companies should behave. The research also reveals interesting findings such as the importance of third parties, areas of concern and the inexistence of convictions.
Mar 12, 2025
In the competitive legal market, law firms invest substantial resources in marketing. However, many firms fail to prioritise the ultimate goal of these investments: converting leads into clients. A necessary key performance indicator (KPI) to measure marketing success is the number of leads generated, as leads represent potential business opportunities. However, while generating leads is crucial, success is ultimately determined by how effectively those leads turn into paying clients. Without conversion, marketing efforts become a sunk cost rather than a growth driver.
These developments also intersect with labour law and workforce policy, as automation begins to reshape job functions and employment structures.
This session will explore the evolving legal frameworks needed to govern human–robot coexistence in a manner that is safe, rights-respecting and socially beneficial.
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
By Byung-Woo Im. Judges and arbitrators as adjudicators and settlement facilitators, and the Singapore Convention on Enforcement of Mediated Settlements
Many of these new programmes are focused on the innovation and tech sectors, with new visa schemes aimed at finding entrepreneurs he will found businesses, create jobs, scale up and grow the existing tech and innovation ecosystems.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
By Sungjean Seo. How evidence is best presented in international arbitration and the IBA rules on evidence
Apr 29, 2025
For many law firms, international legal work is already part of their practice. Whether it is advising foreign investors, navigating cross-border transactions or handling disputes with an international element, legal teams often engage beyond their own jurisdictions. But true internationalisation is more than just taking on occasional cross-border matters.
While the academic study of leadership roles found in a board of directors and management is not new, it is almost unheard of in Cambodia. This is not surprising given the country’s entire corporate governance and economic structure are still evolving.
In addition, remote participation in ADR has broadened access and kept justice alive during the pandemic and has made it possible for people living in rural or regional areas, people with job insecurity who would otherwise find it impossible to take part in their cases in a traditional setting.
IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023
Jul 17, 2025
The past few years have seen the emergence of section 19a of the Act against Restraints of Competition as a central instrument for Germany’s intervention in digital markets, with the German Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgerichtshof or BGH) upholding the German Federal Cartel Office’s (Bundeskartellamt) decisions. This national regime complements the harmonised European Union-wide regime introduced by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The Bundeskartellamt remains at the forefront of digital platform regulation in Europe, serving as both an enforcer and a testing ground for innovative approaches. This article provides an overview of the evolving regulatory landscape, the interplay between German and EU law and recent enforcement actions against major digital platforms.
Table one
Lawyers have a professional duty to understand the basics of AI and to use it for the clients benefit but also an ethical duty to understand the risks and challenges of such use – from bias to job skills to reliability and accountability. Are the benefits/opportunities created by AI worth coping with the challenges?
2nd IBA Global Professional Ethics Symposium
Over the years, the concept of public policy as a ground for setting aside an arbitration award has evolved, with many developed arbitral jurisdictions adopting a somewhat restrictive notion of public policy. Last year, however, the Supreme Court of Mauritius (‘Supreme Court’) set aside an arbitral award in STC v Betamax [2019] SCJ 154 on grounds of public policy
The impact of these changes has not been lost on the legal job market, where opportunities and new career models abound for young lawyers seeking alternatives to the ‘up-or-out’ trajectory in most law firms.
Jan 09, 2024
This article reviews the recent European Union regulations, namely the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act which regulate digital platforms with operations in Europe, from different perspectives. Likewise, the article revises some regulatory projects in Brazil and the United States, before turning to Argentina, where the regulation of the intermediaries’ responsibility is an issue of current relevance. Due to the lack of an ex-ante regulation regarding these topics, this article goes over some of the cases treated with consumer protection regulations as well as with antitrust law and data privacy provisions.
Jun 10, 2020
As the United States enters election season in a state of Covid-induced emergency, Global Insight assesses the dangers of President Trump abusing the vast emergency powers – 123 of them – at his fingertips.
Aug 05, 2024
European antitrust policy faces three critical stress tests as the new European Commission (2024–29) takes office. The first test challenges the EU’s Article 22 referral policy, which allows the Commission to review global mergers, raising concerns about extraterritoriality and legal principles. Predicted to fail, this test questions the Brussels Effect’s sustainability. The second test examines the Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) aim for regulatory dialogue over litigation in digital competition. Early investigations against major tech firms suggest a litigation-driven enforcement, risking the DMA’s intended regulatory approach. The third test evaluates artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, balancing competition and innovation. Success is possible if the EU adopts a practical, rational approach, recognising AI’s complex layers and promoting competition across the entire AI infrastructure. These stress tests present significant challenges and necessitate strategic responses to ensure robust and effective antitrust policies in Europe.
Apr 25, 2024
This article discusses the Indian legal framework on equal pay and analyses how the principle of ‘equal pay for same work or work of similar nature’ limis the efficacy of addressing the complex dynamics of pay inequality. Furthermore, the article explores the broader concept of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value to tackle the long-standing issue of gender pay disparity in workplaces.
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