Lawyers from firms and organisations across Africa will be heading to Johannesburg, South Africa, this month for the International Bar Association’s biennial African Regional Forum Conference.
The conference – ‘The leading-edge lawyer: Integrating technology, deciphering trends and embracing ESG-driven transformative learning’ – will cover the issues impacting legal practitioners in the region this year, including legal strategies for intra-African trade, doing business in Africa, ESG litigation and AI, among others.
The conference gets underway on Thursday, 18 September, with opening remarks from IBA president Jaime Carey and Pascale Lagesse, vice chair of the IBA’s Legal Practice Division, before passing over to a keynote address from Ghana’s attorney general, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
Carey said: “This conference exemplifies collective commitment to transformative learning and the pursuit of justice and sustainable development across Africa. It reminds me of the critical role legal practitioners play in shaping the continent’s future.
"As Africa continues to evolve as a centre of trade, innovation, and sustainable development, it is imperative that legal frameworks and practices adapt to embrace ESG principles, regional integration, and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence."
Highlights from the two-day conference include a session on the impact of trade issues on Africa, covering the legal basis for Trump-era tariffs and legal strategies for protecting African industries under African Continental Free Trade Area and World Trade Organization rules. The session will be chaired by Sunday Times correspondent Rob Rose, with guest panellists including Wellington Chimwaradze from Unilever in South Africa and Meluleki Nzimande from South African firm Webber Wentzel.
Other highlights include a session on how ESG is impacting the legal backdrop in Africa and expectations for firms and in-house teams, with panellists including Rodrick Elekeleme Molonga from MBM Conseil in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Temiloluwa Lawal from Sustainia in Nigeria. Friday also includes a session on the legal complexities of doing business across African regions, featuring insights from Yosa Yosa at MAY and Company in Zambia and Joyce Wambui Karaja from Bowmans in Kenya.
Also on the agenda are breakout sessions on sustainable finance, the potential impact of AI on in-house legal practice and Africa’s carbon agenda, as well as a session on the future of anti-corruption in Africa. Friday will also kick off with the women lawyers keynote address and fireside chat chaired by Claudia Santos Cruz from MDR Advogados in Mozambique, alongside speakers Feizin Amlani from Excellent Consulting in Portugal and Sarah McKenzie from Webber Wentzel in South Africa.
Carey commented: "Summits like the IBA African Regional Forum Conference serve as vital platforms for influencing the future of African law, fostering collaboration, and driving transformative change across the continent. I look forward to listening to the keynote address of Ghana’s Attorney General, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, on navigating regional and global challenges and to meeting peers from across Africa."
The conference, which is supported by the Law Society of South Africa, is being held at the Southern Sun Rosebank Hotel in Johannesburg. The local host committee is made up of Bowmans, ENS, Primerio, Spoor & Fisher and Webber Wentzel.
The Global Legal Post is an exhibitor at the African Regional Forum Conference. Click here for further details about the conference and to book a place.
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