LIDW Core Conference

The centrepiece of LIDW is our full day conference, taking place on the Tuesday of LIDW, which will once again bring together leaders from across the dispute resolution world to discuss the most topical issues of the moment, on a theme of “Uniting for Global Challenge and Opportunity”. 

The conference will feature prominent members of the judiciary, leading global practitioners and business leaders.  

Highlights of the day will include:  

• Opening keynote speech by The Rt Hon. the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales 

• Closing keynote speaker by Meg Kinnear, Secretary-General of ICSID and Vice President, World Bank

• Panel discussions in which internationally renowned experts - including senior judges, arbitrators, lawyers, experts, business leaders and more - will discuss topics including: 

  • Risk and reputation in a values-driven world  
    • 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.  Panellists will include: 
      • Moira Thompson Oliver - Head of Business and Human Rights, Slaughter and May (chair) 
      • Nicola Cobb - Senior Managing Director, Forensic & Litigation Consulting, FTI Consulting
      • Shaheed Fatima KC – Barrister, Blackstone Chambers 
      • Simon Mundy - Moral Money Editor, Financial Times
  • How to think about artificial intelligence in law  
    • Delegates will hear an exclusive recorded address from world-renowned legal technology expert Professor Richard Susskind OBE KC (Hon) on how AI is transforming dispute resolution. This will raise probing questions which will be debated by a panel of experts including: 
      • Minesh Tanna - Partner, Disputes & Investigations, and Global AI Lead, Simmons & Simmons LLP (chair) 
      • Racheal Muldoon - Barrister, Maitland Chambers 
  • The view from business
    • Joshua Bayliss - Virgin
  • The global landscape for enforcement of judgments and awards: a case study 
    • A panel of litigation and arbitration experts from around the world will navigate current cross-border judgment and award enforcement issues, trends and obstacles, bringing them to life by reference to a practical case study.  Panellists will include: 
      • Mr Justice Henshaw – Judge of the English Commercial Court (chair) 
      • James E. Berger – Partner, DLA Piper 
      • Jennifer Craven – Legal Director, Pinsent Masons LLP 
      • Ali Al Hashimi – Managing Partner, Global Advocacy and Legal Counsel 
  • Disputes funding: predictions for the future  
    • This panel 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.  Panellists will include: 
      • Mrs Justice Cockerill - Judge of the English Commercial Court 
      • Tom Goodhead – Chief Executive Officer and Global Managing Partner, Pogust Goodhead 
  • “Dispute resolution cannot be about paying lawyers.  Dispute resolution has to be about helping parties sort their problems” – Sir Geoffrey Vos during the hearing in Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil (Court of Appeal of England & Wales, November 2023) Do current dispute resolution methods achieve this? A client perspective. 
    • Senior in-house lawyers will discuss whether available dispute resolution tools and practices achieve what clients need in today’s challenging, international business environment.  Panellists will include: 
      • Suber Akther - Principal Litigation Counsel, Siemens Energy Limited (chair) 
      • David Connolly - Head of Legal, Compliance & Litigation, Europe & IMEA, IHG Hotels & Resorts

• Further speakers and sessions to be announced 

• Networking opportunities with 600+ fellow delegates, across breaks and a closing drinks reception