Co-Chair
Morton
Herschderfer
Co-Chair
Paul McConnell
Academic and Professional Development Committee
The Academic and Professional Development Committee connects law schools, legal professionals, and the IBA. We aim to enhance the quality of lawyers worldwide, modernise legal practice, and attract top talent to the profession. We engage directly with law schools, helping students prepare for international practice, and support IBA initiatives to strengthen local Bars globally.
At annual conferences, we bring together academics, lawyers, and experts to explore issues in legal and business education. Additionally, we conduct research on these topics and share insights through newsletters and updates on our webpage to benefit the global legal community.
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
02 Nov - 07 Nov 2025
Toronto , Canada
IBA Academic Forum 2025
07 Nov 2025
Toronto , Canada
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Publications
2023: an intelligent learning odyssey
This article explores the potential implications of AI tools on education and on the legal profession, including the various approaches that educators and legal institutions can take to optimise a responsible use of AI technology while minimising its limitations.
Released on Nov 20, 2023
The legal jabuticaba
The Brazilian legal system possesses unique features, one notable characteristic being the practice of attorney's fees being payable by the losing party to the prevailing party's lawyers (honorários de sucumbência) in litigation and, sometimes, in arbitration. This article explores the criteria for granting honorários de sucumbência in civil proceedings, as outlined in the Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure.
Released on Jun 20, 2023
Battle of forms under Dutch law: How do you know which general terms and conditions apply?
This article explains how Dutch law, international law and German law, respectively, determine which law applies if both parties use their general terms and conditions: the so-called 'battle of forms'.
Released on Mar 03, 2023
Rule against reflective loss: A comparative analysis of English and Dutch law
The rule against reflective loss has been formulated and applied in case law to date in both England and Wales, and the Netherlands. The suggestion that the rule is driven by an intention to avoid double recovery has been rejected in England and Wales, pursuant to the recent Supreme Court judgment in Marex. The avoidance of double recovery is, however, one of the considerations upon which the rule is based in the Netherlands. While there are currently no exceptions to the rule in England and Wales, there is an exception under Dutch law, essentially, where the wrongdoer has breached a specific duty of care owed to the shareholder.
Released on Dec 19, 2022
Projects and reports
Developing a Blueprint for Global Legal Education
The IBA and Law Schools Global League (LSGL) have launched an ambitious project that aims to identify the key drivers that shape global legal education, the consequent emerging responses and whether these responses can sufficiently address the challenges confronting legal professionals all over the world. Some of the drivers examined include: globalisation, technology, and changes to regulatory frameworks. IE Law School has been designated as the coordinator of the research project.
Supporting IBA initiatives on ethics and professionalism
This committee project will promote web-based networks providing resources relating to:
- teaching legal ethics and promoting professionalism in legal education;
- practical legal training;
- continuing professional development, increasing the awareness of and implementation of IBA initiatives and comparable resources worldwide;
- the IBA anti-corruption and anti-money laundering initiatives as well as comparable initiatives worldwide; and
- the IBA initiatives on principles of conduct for the legal profession, linking them with professional conduct codes in jurisdictions around the world.
Subcommittees and other groups
The Academic and Professional Development Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Academic and Professional Development Committee Advisory Board