WASHINGTON, April 24, 2023 — The American Bar Association International Law Section will host its Annual Conference in New York with a broad range of programs, including panels on artificial intelligence and appearances from two prominent business figures, as well as Harold Koh, former legal advisor at the U.S. Department of State.
What:
2023 ILS Annual Conference: Back Together
Sponsored by the ABA International Law Section
When:
Tuesday-Thursday, May 2-4 (all times local)
Where:
Sheraton Times Square New York Hotel
810 Seventh Ave,
New York, New York
The in-person only conference marks the section’s first annual meeting in New York since before the pandemic and will include a complementary Law Day program on May 1 that incorporates roundtables with local high school students.
Koh, now professor of international law at Yale Law School, will provide an overview of the legal issues arising from the Russia-Ukraine war. One of the country’s leading experts in public and private international law, national security law and human rights, Koh served as legal advisor at the State Department during the first term of the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013. His luncheon talk on Tuesday is from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Ballroom West.
Koh’s remarks will be followed by a second program focusing on Ukraine, “Update on Ukraine: Accountability for Breaches of International Law.” Speakers, including Jessica Thibodeau, attorney-adviser, Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department, will address proposals for ensuring accountability in Ukraine and the delivery of reparations for destruction of cultural property. The panel will meet on Tuesday from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Sugar Hill room.
The chief executive officers of both the NASDAQ stock marketplace and the Consumer Technology Association will be featured luncheon speakers on the following days. NASDAQ CEO Adena Friedman is credited with significantly shaping Nasdaq’s transformation into a leading global exchange and technology solutions company with operations across six continents. She will speak on Wednesday. CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro heads the organization of more than 1,500 consumer technology companies and has worked at CTA in various capacities since 1982. He will speak on Thursday. Both luncheons will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Ballroom West.
On Tuesday from 8-9 a.m. in the Metropolitan Ballroom West, David Gill, New York consul general of Germany, and Efraim Chalamish, New York University and Kroll Institute Fellow, will have a “fireside chat” to discuss developments in Germany, EU and U.S. relations; current events in politics and economics; and the role of governments in our society and markets.
Other conference highlights include:
- “Lawyers in the Crosshairs 2023 Update! Legal, Ethical & Practical Implications of Beneficial Ownership Disclosure & Due Diligence Regulation & ABA Model Rules Revisions” — U.S. Treasury regulations implementing the Corporate Transparency Act, the proposed ENABLERS Act and forthcoming revisions to the ABA Model Rules regarding client due diligence obligations will alter the role lawyers must play in preventing abuse of the financial system. This panel will explore the rapidly changing rules of the road.
- Tuesday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Bowery room.
- “U.S. DOJ White-Collar Criminal Investigations: International Perspectives on Current Policies” — With the recent additions of Elizabeth Holmes, and now Sam Bankman-Fried, the list of headline-making white-collar criminal defendants is ever growing. The Theranos and FTX scandals provide case studies into how recent government prosecutions are changing the legal, financial and political landscapes on an international scale.
Wednesday, 9-10:30 a.m., Bowery room. - “Evolution of Corporate Values and Goals: What It Means and Why It Matters to In-House and External Counsel” — This general counsels’ plenary examines core values and goals of corporations and how they are evolving beyond profitability and shareholder return on investment, and increasingly embracing ethical and social principles and objectives. The panel, moderated by ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross, will explore these pressures and what the future might hold.
Wednesday, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Empire Ballroom East. - “Back to the Future: Get Smart About Regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI)”— The significant benefits of AI have led to a rapid growth in its use while its use can create legal risks or encroach upon fundamental rights. Governments across the globe are grappling with how to regulate this growing technology to protect their citizens from potential harm while allowing innovation to flourish. The panel will examine trends and offer lessons from past cases and recent developments.
Thursday, 9-10:30 a.m., Chelsea room. - “Sportswashing: The Intersection of Sports and Human Rights Law”— Legal issues are emerging related to "sportswashing" — the practice by which countries hosting major sporting events like the Olympics or the World Cup acquire popular sports brands to obtain international goodwill and distract from the country's record on human rights and the rule of law. The program focuses on the intersection of human rights and anti-corruption laws and other legal areas related to major sporting events.
Thursday, 4:30-6 p.m., Flatiron room.
The entire program, including more than four dozen programs and other events, can be found online here. All sessions are open to the media, but reporters are required to register in advance by 5 p.m. EDT, Friday, April 28, by contacting Bill Choyke at [email protected].
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.