World-renowned leaders set to gather for London International Disputes Week, as agenda unveiled

30 April 2024
London International Disputes Week
World-renowned leaders set to gather for London International Disputes Week, as agenda unveiled

30 April 2024, LONDON – London International Disputes Week (LIDW) has today unveiled the agenda for its Main Conference, taking place on Tuesday, 4th June. Featuring a line-up of internationally renowned names from the legal, business and political sectors, delegates from around the world will assemble for LIDW’s most ambitious programme yet. Tickets are available on the 2024 event website.

Among the speakers is former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard AC, a highly accomplished figure in public service and mediation, who will take part in a ‘fireside chat’ about dispute resolution involving states and state entities. She will be joined by Lord (Peter) Goldsmith KC, PC, London Co-Managing Partner and Chair of European and Asian Litigation at Debevoise & Plimpton. A former Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith acted for the UK government in prominent international and domestic court cases.

CEO of the Virgin Group, Josh Bayliss, will provide a highly anticipated ‘view from business’ this year. During his 13-year leadership at Virgin, Bayliss has steered the company towards an increase in ESG investments, a topic he is expected to talk about further in his interview in front of delegates.

Other sessions will involve Partner and Global Claims and Disputes Leader at EY, Campbell Jackson, who will chair a panel of renowned senior in-house professionals discussing dispute resolution methods in today’s changing international business environment. The panel will include Suber Akther, Principal Litigation Counsel at Siemens Energy, and David Connolly, Head of Legal, Compliance and Litigation, Europe & IMEA, at IHG Hotels & Resorts.

Moira Thompson Oliver, Head of Business and Human Rights at Slaughter and May will chair a session on risk and reputation in a values-driven world. Delegates will also hear an exclusive address from world-renowned technology expert Richard Susskind OBE KC (Hon) on how practitioners can think about artificial intelligence in law, which will be followed by a panel session of experts.

High Court judge Mrs Justice Cockerill will join a panel of experts discussing disputes funding, and their predictions for its future. Mr Justice Henshaw, the head of the Commercial Court from September onwards, will moderate a session exploring the global landscape for enforcement of judgments and awards.

Main Conference delegates will gather at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, the largest venue to host LIDW to date, for unparalleled insights into a range of topics. The unveiled agenda follows recent announcements that the Rt Hon. the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, and the Secretary-General of ICSID, Meg Kinnear, will deliver the opening and closing keynote speeches to those in attendance.

Sophie Lalor-Harbord, Co-Chair of the Main Conference Committee, said:

““We are delighted to unveil the agenda for this year’s Main Conference. Attendees can expect to gain invaluable insights from a line-up of exceptional speakers, as well as enjoy an exceptional social programme and networking opportunities.”

LIDW24 will occur through five days from Monday, 3rd, to Friday, 7th of June. Under the theme, ‘Uniting for Global Challenge and Opportunity’, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts and network with colleagues from around the world. This will be across over 100 Member Hosted Events throughout the week and a dedicated day on International Arbitration on the Monday.

With almost 500 speakers and over 100 panel sessions, LIDW23 brought together 3,000 in-person delegates, over 1,000 virtual delegates, and nearly 800 international delegates.

Registration is open for London International Disputes Week 2024. To learn more about the programme and register, visit https://2024.lidw.co.uk/programme. To keep updated with any developments follow LIDW’s LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

-ends-

Contact:

Izzie Weller – Portland Communications

izzie.weller@portland-communications.com

+44 7855 971971

Chris Simmons – Portland Communications

christopher.simmons@portland-communications.com

+44 7470 325664

Notes to editors:

LIDW first took place in 2019 to drive the future of international dispute resolution in London. It aims to be a forward-thinking forum that explores and contributes to the future of dispute resolution, celebrates London as a leading centre for the handling of international disputes, and demonstrates London’s genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the rule of law. It aims to achieve these goals by bringing together all the stakeholders in London’s dispute resolution community, including those overseas, to debate and explore the key issues and topics and to help drive awareness and best practices globally.

Last year’s LIDW hosted:

  • Over 13,000 individual event attendances
  • 3,000 in-person delegates
  • Over 1,000 virtual delegates
  • 43 jurisdictions represented
  • Close to 800 international delegates
  • Close to 500 speakers
  • Over 100 panel sessions

LIDW encourages membership from across the disputes community, including law firms, barristers’ chambers, arbitrators and mediators involved in litigation and arbitration in the UK courts and tribunals, and organisations providing ancillary services to litigators and barristers, including litigation funders, eDiscovery providers, expert witnesses, media and publishing houses.

LIDW24’s panel discussions with internationally renowned experts – including senior judges, arbitrators, lawyers, experts, clients and more – will discuss:

  • How to think about artificial intelligence in law – Delegates will hear an exclusive recorded address from preeminent legal technology expert Professor Richard Susskind OBE KC (Hon) on the use of AI in dispute resolution, raising probing questions to be debated by an expert panel.

 

  • Risk and reputation in a values-driven world – Chaired by Moira Thompson Oliver, Head of Business and Human Rights at Slaughter and May, this session will explore the challenges faced by organisations balancing the need to advance their sustainability and ESG objectives, meet associated reporting and due diligence obligations, while also protecting their position in the resolution of related disputes.

 

  • The view from business – an interview with CEO of the Virgin Group, Josh Bayliss, alongside a member of the LIDW Strategy Group.

 

  • Disputes funding: predictions for the future – A panel including Mrs Justice Cockerill, judge in the English Commercial Court, will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the funding market in the UK, EU and beyond, and what these mean for organisations seeking disputes finance or facing funded claims.

 

  • Client perspectives on dispute resolution Campbell Jackson, Partner and Global Claims and Disputes Leader at EY will lead a discussion on whether current dispute resolution methods and practices achieve what clients need in today’s international business environment. It will feature Suber Akther, Principal Litigation Counsel at Siemens Energy Limited, and David Connolly, Head of Legal, Compliance and Litigation, Europe & IMEA, at IHG Hotels & Resorts.

 

  • The global landscape for enforcement of judgments and awards – Moderated by Mr Justice Henshaw of the English Commercial Court, a panel of litigation and arbitration experts from around the world will navigate current cross-border judgment and award enforcement issues, trends and obstacles.