Business

Belfast the host for major international law conference

Claudio Visco, chair of IBA , Anne Beggs Invest NI , Mark Ellis, IBA, Martin Solc, president of IBA ,Liam McCOllum QC Chair of bar of Northern Ireland, Ian Huddleston, president Law Society of Northern Ireland, Norville Connolly, IBA representative, David Mulholland chief executive of The Bar of Northern Ireland and Alan Hunter chief executive of The Law Society of Northern Ireland. Picture by Darren Kidd/Press Eye
Claudio Visco, chair of IBA , Anne Beggs Invest NI , Mark Ellis, IBA, Martin Solc, president of IBA ,Liam McCOllum QC Chair of bar of Northern Ireland, Ian Huddleston, president Law Society of Northern Ireland, Norville Connolly, IBA representative, David Claudio Visco, chair of IBA , Anne Beggs Invest NI , Mark Ellis, IBA, Martin Solc, president of IBA ,Liam McCOllum QC Chair of bar of Northern Ireland, Ian Huddleston, president Law Society of Northern Ireland, Norville Connolly, IBA representative, David Mulholland chief executive of The Bar of Northern Ireland and Alan Hunter chief executive of The Law Society of Northern Ireland. Picture by Darren Kidd/Press Eye
By Gareth McKeown

OVER 400 lawyers from across the world are in Belfast this week for the 12th annual International Bar Association’s (IBA) conference.

The major four-day event began yesterday at the Waterfront Hall and has attracted leaders of the majority of the world's law societies as well as prominent international lawyers.

It is the first time the conference is being held in the north and came on the back of extensive lobbying by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, the Bar of Northern Ireland and Invest NI.

Timely issues on the agenda at the conference include the opportunities and challenges of Brexit and those of artificial intelligence and use of ‘robot lawyers’.

Speaking at the conference the Law Society and International Bar's Norville Connolly described Brexit as a huge issue for the profession.

"All UK lawyers at the moment can either establish or go into Europe to provide legal services," he told the BBC.

"Between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there are a huge amount of lawyers who conduct business and create jobs and all that follows from that."

Mr Connolly added that lawyers who also practise in Europe would be badly affected by a hard Brexit

Welcoming the many international delegates Liam McCollum QC chairman of The Bar of Northern Ireland said:

"The topics of the conference include Brexit and artificial intelligence which reach across international boundaries and will present significant challenges and opportunities for various sectors in the years ahead.

" It is fitting that the conference takes place in Belfast, a centre of legal excellence comprising a strong independent bar and excellent solicitors who combine to provide a comprehensive legal service of quality and expertise. A conference of this calibre mirrors our ambitions and gives us the opportunity to market our legal services abroad.”