09:00 - 09:30
Official Opening of the Forum
Opening remarks
• Peter Bartlett, MinterEllison, Melbourne; Chair, IBA LPD Officers
• Borislav Boyanov, Boyanov & Co., Sofia; Member of the Boards, IBA European Regional Forum and IBA Law Firm Management Committee
• Jörg Menzer, Noerr, Bucharest; Chair, IBA SPPI
• Stephen Revell, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Singapore; Co-Vice Chair, IBA Law Firm Management Committee
Welcome from the President of the IBA
• Sternford Moyo, Scanlen & Holderness, Harare; IBA President
09:30 - 10:45
What has happened in the last 20 years and how will it shape the next 20
The first part of the session will look back at the last 20 years of events and challenges in Central and Eastern Europe, examining in particular key successes and learning points for the future. Our panel is made up of senior members of the profession who have led law firms for over 30 years. During the second part on day 2 – What will really happen in the next 20 years – we speak with the new generation of law firm leaders on their expectations for the next two decades and their takeaways from the conference. We will discuss a variety of topics in this first session including:
Is the rule of law now alive and well?
Respect for lawyers – up or down?
International law firms came and went? – what will happen in the future
The voice of clients – is it louder and what does that mean for law firms?
Moderator: Stephen Revell, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Singapore; Co-Vice Chair, IBA Law Firm Management Committee:
Ted Talk - Can the past inform the future?
Peter Bartlett, MinterEllison, Melbourne; Chair, IBA LPD Officers
Panellists:
• Borislav Boyanov, Boyanov & Co, Sofia; Balkan Legal Forum Liaison Officer, IBA Law Firm Management Committee
• Nina Selih, Odvetniki Šelih & Partnerji, Ljubljana
• Andras Szecskay, Szecskay Attorneys at Law, Budapest
• Tomasz Wardynski, Wardynski & Partners, Warsaw
• Branko Maric, Maric & Co., Sarajevo
10:45 - 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 - 12:15
Technology – It’s changing clients; is it changing law firms?
Clients all say they are being impacted by technology in one way or another. It is changing their businesses dramatically. It is also changing their need for legal advice. Is technology really changing law firms? Is it impacting the way in which we provide services and more importantly, is it changing the way we train our lawyers to advise clients on this new and constantly developing area of law?
Moderator: Alexandru Birsan, Filip & Company, Bucharest
Ted Talk: Kalin Radev, CEO of Software Group
Panellists:
• Mihaly Barcza, Oppenheim, Budapest
• Alric Ofenheimer, E+H Rechtsanwälte, Vienna
• Gozde Ozsoy, Allen & Overy, Hamburg
• Judith Gliniecki, GC, CEE Equity Partners, Warsaw
12:15 - 13:00
Do clients in the region really care about “sustainability”, “diversity” and “conduct”
There is much talk about clients becoming increasingly focused on sustainability, diversity and conduct but how is this really impacting the practice of law in the region.
How can lawyers in the region best react to clients requesting advice on sustainability and do lawyers need new skills to help clients predict the future.
Not least as illustrated by the IBA report on sexual harassment and bullying, the lack of diversity in the profession and the apparent high incidence of sexual harassment and bullying in the profession, is a cause for concern globally. How are firms in the region dealing with these developments?
Moderator and Ted Talk: Natascha Doll, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hamburg
Panellists:
• Cristina Filip, Filip & Co., Bucharest
• Jörg Menzer, Noerr, Bucharest; Chair, IBA SPPI
• Christian Richter-Schöller, Dorda, Vienna
• Vladimir Dasic, BDK Advokati, Belgrade
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch
There will also be “lunch + learn” Tech Fest Talks.
14:00 - 14:45
Predatory Pricing: Do we fight back or join the pack?
How have the panelists’ firms changed the way in which they price their services? How have they responded to increased price competition from their traditional competitors and “predatory pricing” from new entrants into their markets?
Moderator: Norman Clark, Walker Clark, Fort Myers, Florida; Member, IBA Law Firm Management Committee Advisory Board
Panellists:
• Martin Solc, Kocián Šolc Balaštík, Prague
• Luka Lopicic, Schönherr, Belgrade
• Richard Lock, Lakatos, Koves & Partners, Budapest
• Alper Işıkal, Isikal Law Office, Istanbul
14:45 - 15:30
Sanctions and Transnational White-Collar “Crime”
Helping clients with sanctions, investigations and extra-territorial laws.
Transnational criminal investigations is of importance to all law firms with commercial practices because of the growing vulnerabilities of some of their clients to possible sanctions, investigations or prosecutions (or all three), both as corporate entities but also as individuals. This isn’t just for litigators! How should a law firm respond when one of their major clients is facing international economic sanctions or criminal prosecution arising from business operations? How can law firms, through their advice to clients who might be vulnerable, reduce the risks? Sanctions are again, sadly, front of mind for many clients.
Moderator: Dennis Boyle, Boyle & Jasari, Washington
Panellists:
• Tatjana Popovski Buloski, Popovski & Partners; Skopje, North Macedonia
• Katarzyna Randzio-Sajkowska, Soltysinski, Kawecki & Szezak; Warsaw, Poland
• Nikolaus Pitkowitz, Pitkowitz & Partners; Vienna, Austria
15:30 - 15:50
Coffee Break
15:50 - 16:45
Predicting change, deciding upon change and making change happen. How should law firms manage change?
Lawyers and law firms talk frequently about change but do lawyers know what to change and how to change? How do we best decide what changes need to be made to “our” law firm and how do we actually manage that change? We also will discuss whether our lawyers are really changing to adapt to the introduction of new technology and methods
Moderator: Robert Gawalkiewicz, Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak, Warsaw
Ted Talk: Lisa Walker Johnson, Walker Clark, Fort Myers, Florida
Panellists:
• Lowel Morgan, Nunes Scholefield DeLeon & Co., Kingston
• Naida Custovic, Wolf Theiss, Sarajevo
• Perparim Kalo, Kalo & Associates, Tirana
16:45 - 17:30
Do traditional law firms need a new business model? Will Covid and the ‘Great Resignation’ cause a rethink of what a law firm is and how it operates.
Moderator and Ted Talk: Moray McLaren, Lexington Consultants, Madrid
Panellists:
• Martin Brodey, Dorda, Vienna
• David O'Donnell, Mason Hayes & Curran, Dublin
• Richard Singer, CMO, Dentons Europe, Prague
• Roman Iwanski, B2R Law, Warsaw
• Katharina Kubik, Freshfields, Vienna
17:30 - 17:35
End of day 1 closing remarks
19:00 - 23:00
Gala Dinner
BÖRSENSÄLE
Börse, Wipplingerstraße 34, 1010 Wien, Austria
(admission by ticket)