The NBA AGC will feature over 30 technical sessions and showcase sessions

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is set to hold the 59th edition of its Annual General Conference (AGC) from August 23-29, 2019 at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos; with an adjunctive venue for breakout sessions at the Harbour Point Event Centre, also in Victoria Island, Lagos.

This year, the Conference will feature over 30 technical sessions and showcase sessions, where subject-matter experts, business leaders and renowned political leaders in various fields of human endeavour will lead conversations primarily aimed at envisioning the future of the Legal Profession, within the context of a rapidly changing and evolving world, and anticipate the adaptive measures that practitioners will be required to embrace in light of these imminent changes.

Notably, subject to registration, the Conference is open to all members of the NBA and, indeed, members of the public, and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the NBA is enthusiastically ready to welcome delegates and guests to the high-octane City of Lagos with its very rich and diverse cultures, bustling with entrepreneurs — The Centre of Excellence.

CONFERENCE THEME: “FACING THE FUTURE”

Nigeria recently welcomed a new democratic administration following the just concluded 2019 general elections. A new administration of the Nigerian Bar was ushered in last year. Within the period of 6 years, Nigeria has experienced markedly mixed fortunes, including the end a boom period, a recession and, more recently, a slow recovery. These events underscore the exigencies for a well-defined, deliberate template for “Facing the Future”.

The Conference will address issues around the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, access to justice and protection of fundamental human rights, the economy and how to pilot the present to assure a better future. The theme “Facing the Future” is borne out of the pressing need to invest in a sustainable foundation for an optimistic future.

The phenomena of globalization and technology have evolved exponentially over the years and have disrupted practically every sphere of society. Artificial intelligence, block chain, financial technology, cloud computing, electronic documentation and electronic discovery are a few of the technologies that have directly and will continue to impact the manufacturing and services sectors including the legal and justice sub-sectors. The Conference will interrogate the current legal regulatory environment, lawyers’ response to technology and preparedness to harness these tools for efficient legal services delivery and a technology driven judiciary.

This year, the Conference places the NBA Sections and their respective specialist committee sessions at the heart of the conference programme for capacity building.

Lawyers will have a real opportunity to focus on their areas of interest and benefit from exposure to emerging practice areas to be better equipped and reinforced to Face the Future.

SOME SESSIONS AT THE CONFERENCE:

1. Code Of Conduct Tribunal: A Clash Of Judicial And Executive Powers

2. Capacity Building in the Oil and Gas Industry – What are the essential drivers to take us there?

3. Lighting up the Future – Identifying and Removing the Clogs in the Power Chain

4. Social Media: Culture, Liability and Professional Ethics

5. Trade in Legal Services: Current Realities and Future Possibilities

6. State of Play, Future Challenges and Opportunities in Cross Border Trade in Legal Services

a. Examining the Emerging Formations and Structures for Collaboration

b. Domestic Policy Change

7. Regional Economic Communities and Regional Economic Agreements on Cross-border Legal Services (AfCFTA, EPA, ECOWAS etc.)

a. Readying Your Practice to Tap the Opportunities

b. Threats

c. Effect of Do-Nothing Approach

8. Digital Trade in Legal Services

a. Challenges and Opportunities in Digital Trade in Legal Services

b. NextGen Lawyers

c. The Challenge of Regulating Digital Trade Legal Services

9. Public Private Partnership: Panacea to Economic Development and Change

10. Infrastructure Financing in Nigeria; Sukuk and the Future

11. Leveraging Technology in Justice

12. Administration: Issues and Challenges

13. A Future Fit Legal & Regulatory Framework for Corporate Nigeria

14. Revisiting Legal Services Delivery by

15. Foreign In-House Counsel: The Law versus Practice, etc.

These are only a few of the sessions at the 2019 conference. Kindly visit: www.nbaconference.com/index.php/provisional-programme/ for a comprehensive outline of the full programme.

SPEAKERS

The President of the International Bar Association (IBA); Mr Horacio Bernardes Neto will be attending the conference, where he will launch the IBA Working Group on Sexual Harassment and Bullying in the legal profession.There would be over 40 other speakers and guests at the conference.

SOCIAL EVENTS

There will also be several networking events and mentoring opportunities between bar leaders and young lawyers at the conference.

The TCCP and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) have lined up various social events such as, cultural and art displays, music and dance performances from across the length and breadth of country, comedy shows, as well as cocktail events at the ‘Conference Friendship Centre’ to promote relaxation and further networking and interactions among Conferees. There will also be annual soccer tournament.

The 2019 NBA Conference is the conference to beat! Each conferee will go back to base, better and more professionally equipped and experienced than they came.