Third Arab lawyers forum held

Manama : The third Arab Lawyers Forum was hosted over the course of two days with a view to providing proactive and interested lawyers in the Arab World an opportunity to connect with industry peers. The event which was hosted by Al Tamimi & Company and local leading law firms brought over 100 industry professionals from across Arab League countries.

The Forum focused on pressing topics and discussions including developments in the legal industry driven by innovative technology such as FinTech, artificial intelligence and social media, insights on methods of settling ordinary and extraordinary disputes in the Arab world, and the recent application of VAT and its impact on foreign direct investment. Lawyers and industry professionals in attendance also addressed the importance of strategic management and development of law firms through the integration of Arab lawyers at a regional and international level.

“The Arab Lawyers Forum is a means to bring together leaders across the legal industry to build upon opportunities that showcase our expertise and promote the development of upcoming talent in the Arab world and beyond,” Essam Al Tamimi, Founder and Senior Partner of Al Tamimi & Company, said.

Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association further added, “The international legal landscape is dynamic and constantly changing. Increasing opportunities for collaboration within regions and across continents through knowledge sharing occasions like the Arab Lawyers Forum is paramount to the success and development of the legal industry.”

Delegates attended the two-day event which consisted of an interactive and informal networking opportunity on day one, followed by a full day of insightful panel sessions.

Speakers included experts such as Khalid Saad, CEO of Bahrain’s Fintech Bay, Samer Mahfouz, Market Development Lead for Innovation at Thomson Reuters MENA, Ahmed Husain, Chief Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR-AAA), Alastair Beddow, Director of Meridian West (UK), Constanze Kuhn, Senior Council at IBM MEA, and Wayne Thomas, Managing Partner, Deloitte Financial Advisory Middle East Region. Special video contribution was also provided by Professor Roland Vogl, Director at Stanford Law School in California.