Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, is set to headline London’s International Disputes Week (LIDW) when it returns in June for its fifth edition.

Baroness Car will deliver the keynote address at the conference, which is supported by The Global Legal Post and runs from 3 June to 7 June under the theme of ‘Uniting for Global Challenge and Opportunity’. The expanded event at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre – the largest venue the conference has used to date – will also include sessions led by Mrs Justice Cockerill and Mr Justice Henshaw, both senior Commercial Court judges.

Carr, who was appointed Lady Chief Justice in October, welcomed the event, saying that the international dispute resolution community is “fundamental to upholding the rule of law” and the proper functioning of society – facilitating international trade and investment, and supporting the global economy.

The focus on unity as a core element of LIDW24 presages an increased focus on international and in-house attendance alongside the enthusiastic participation of London’s private practice lawyers, both barristers and solicitors.

In addition to an expanded agenda and a broader range of participants, the event will include two networking hubs to provide more opportunities for delegates to connect on top of dozens of member-hosted events, allowing for in-depth discussions on a wide range of topics. There will also be a dedicated day on international arbitration, as the much-welcomed Arbitration Bill makes its way through the UK Parliament.

The conference itself, meanwhile, will tackle topics from AI in the law, with an address from Professor Richard Susskind OBE KC (Hon), while Slaughter & May’s head of business and human rights, Moira Thompson, will explore the risk and reputational challenges faced by organisations balancing the need to advance sustainability and ESG objectives.

Other sessions include one on the future of dispute resolution funding, topical since the PACCAR ruling, and another on cross-border enforcement issues.

In keeping with the stronger focus on in-house engagement, senior in-house lawyers will also discuss client dispute resolution needs in today’s international business environment in a session led by Suber Akther, principal litigation counsel at Siemens Energy.

Henrietta Jackson-Stops, co-chair of LIDW, said: “This year’s conference encourages discussion, debate and collaboration across all aspects of dispute resolution, including the growth of mediation, which I am personally delighted to see will be topically discussed during the week.”

As a media partner, GLP will be covering the event as well as exhibiting at the conference. Click here for more information about LIDW and to purchase tickets.