ABA Montreal fall meeting of International Bar section

The American Bar Association Section of International Law will convene its Fall Meeting in Montreal Oct. 20 -24, with scores of programs and luncheon presentations by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and current Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin.

What: SIL 2015 Fall Meeting

When: Tuesday-Saturday, Oct. 20-24

Where: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
900 Rene Levesque Blvd. W
Montreal
Quebec, Canada
H3B 4A5
Mulroney is now a senior partner at the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright in Canada. He became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 1983 and served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. His government introduced new initiatives such as the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Canada-U.S. Acid Rain Treaty. He speaks at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

McLachlin, who spent her formative years in Alberta, will speak at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23. She served on the top courts of British Columbia before being elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1989. She was appointed chief justice in early 2000. She is the first woman in Canada to hold the position.

Other programs of note include:

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Vive la Evolution  How the World of Legal Practice Will Never Be the Same Again, From Canada and Around the World. The Canadian Bar Association launched its Legal Futures Initiative seeking to understand, predict and guide changes in the legal profession. The ABA established a Commission on the Future of Legal Services to take a look at significant changes in the way legal services are marketed. The panel explores the work of both as well as other areas. 9 a.m.

A Brave New World for Doing Business in Cuba.  Cuba is in the midst of regime reform political, social and economic and is again opening to the world. This panel of experts will explore the challenges and opportunities arising from this evolving and conflicting legal and geopolitical landscape with regard to coping with the existing U.S. embargo of Cuba and beyond. 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22

The Journey So Far: Women’s Rights 20 Years after the Beijing World Conference. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a major milestone for women’s rights throughout the world. This unique session features a conversation between leaders in the field and their exchange should yield valuable cross-cultural insights on the realization of women’s rights in principle, policy and practice. Participants include ABA President Paulette Brown, the first African-American woman in that position. 2:30 p.m.

Ten Years of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada: A Reality Check. Ten years ago Canada adopted the Civil Marriage Act, which granted marriage rights to same-sex couples. The program will look back at arguments made supporting and opposing the act’s passage, explore how these arguments played out over the past decade and review similar developments related to its neighbor to the south. 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23

Ins and Outs of International Sports Law. Perhaps no other language or culture is more globalized and international than the world of sports. This panel focuses on the social justice aspect of sports as a powerful tool to promote peace and tolerance. Also examined will be the role of lawyers in representing athletes and resolving disputes within bodies such as The Court of Arbitration for Sport and the World Anti-Doping Agency. 9 a.m.
For a complete list of programs and presenters, please click here.

There is no charge for media covering this event but credentials are necessary. For credentialing, please contact Bill Choyke at 202-662-1864 or bill.choyke@americanbar.org.

With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations 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. View our privacy statement online. Follow the latest ABA news at www.americanbar.org/news and on Twitter @ABANews.