Save the date: Law Society delegation to the IBA Annual Conference, Vancouver 2010

The Law Society is partnering with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to organise a delegation of law firms from England and Wales to attend the International Bar Association (IBA) annual conference in Vancouver, 3 - 8 October 2010.

Register your interest now for updates on the delegation programme, other Law Society activities during the conference, and an alert when registration opens. Send your details to Charlotte Ford, Policy Adviser for the Americas: charlotte.ford@lawsociety.org.uk.

Who should join the Law Society/UKTI delegation?

UK law firms wishing to increase their international activity and expand international contacts.

The IBA conference

The IBA conference is the premier event for international lawyers. It brings together over 3500 lawyers from more than 120 countries worldwide for a week of conference working sessions on every area of law and for valuable networking opportunities at the conference and at social events arranged at the end of each day.

Delegation benefits

Members of the Law Society/UKTI delegation benefit from additional networking and profile-raising opportunities during the conference, including:

• Pre-briefing at the Law Society on how to make the most of your time at the conference
• Arrival briefing with the British Consulate-General on market opportunities in British Columbia for UK companies
• A tailored briefing pack including a Canadian market profile and a guide to local firms
• The opportunity to promote your firm in the delegation brochure
• A ‘home base’ to meet contacts at the Law Society/UKTI stand
• The opportunity to invite contacts to the Law Society reception hosted by the President in a prestigious Vancouver venue
• A networking event with firms in Vancouver/British Columbia

Comments from previous delegates:

“As a small, relatively new law firm, UKTI’s support before and during the event helped us punch well above our weight” Simon Gallant, Gallant MacMillan LLP

“I found the networking opportunities incredible and would recommend anyone dealing on an international stage to attend” Peter Taylor, Winchester Legal Limited

“The conference was one of the most stimulating and challenging experiences that I ever had, it was very useful to have the use of the stand - a great tool and aid” Paul Marmor, Sherrards Solicitors

“UK Trade & Investment and the Law Society were first class. With 3,500 people at the conference it was useful to have a structured framework” Stefano Lucatello, The International Property Law Centre LLP

“We were pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of firms represented at the IBA. We made productive contacts with a firm in India and have referred some work to another in Pakistan” Selman Ansari, Bates Wells and Braithwaite LLP

“The conference itself offered a fascinating array of working sessions dealing with all aspects of business law and offered a wonderful opportunity to meet with colleagues from around the globe and to gain an insight into transjurisdictional, as well as domestic, legal issues” Stephen Gilchrist, Saunders Solicitors LLP

“We cannot speak too highly of the benefits of our participation in the UK Trade & Investment and the Law Society mission to the IBA conference in Singapore. The team exceeded our expectations in terms of the practical support and help with which we were provided in developing our international practice” Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE and Rhiannon Lewis, Dawson Cornwell