The first edition of the Global Legal Summit- An ADR Con- fluence was concluded successfully on 25^th January, 2024 at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Dubai, marking a significant milestone in the realm of legal conferences.

The Summit was powered by Eve- nement Investiture Private Li- mited, a premier event designing company, duly incorporated in India as a non-government private limited company. It is driven by a team of young professionals with a strong organizational belief that every event is unique, and thrives to make every project a true reflection of the cause it seeks to disseminate. In addition to celebrating legal excellence and outstanding contributions to the legal fraternity, Global Legal Summit was instrumental in bringing together a cohort of Dispute Resolution professionals as well as In-house counsels under a single roof to facilitate a brilliant exchange of ideas and cross-border networking.

The Global Legal Summit was just the beginning to achieve the overarching goal of bringing together highly acclaimed professionals from various industries and provide them with a platform to share knowledge and establish connections that promote the overall growth and development of the sector as well as its individuals. Evenement Investiture will soon be hosting the 2^nd edition of the Global Legal Summit in India and Global Education Summit as well.

The Summit was supported by prestigious national and international organizations, including but not limited to the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), the Asia-Pacific Centre for Arbitration & Mediation (APCAM) and the Indian National Bar Association (INBA).

Global Legal Summit, Dubai, 25^th January 2024

Atleast 150 lawyers were assembled in the Al-Wasl Hall at the Dusit Thani Hotel to witness the inauguration ceremony of the Global Legal Summit and be a part of one of the most celebrated congregations of renowned legal professionals worldwide. The Inaugural Session was presided over by the five Distinguished Guests of Honor- Dr. Lalit Bhasin, President of the Society of Indian Law Firms, Mrs. Pallavi Shroff, Managing Partner at Shardul Amarchand Magaldas & Co., India, Dr. Mahmood Hussain, Founding Partner at M&Co Legal, Dubai, Mr. Sameet Gambhir, Vice President (Corp. Law) & Company Secretary at DCM Shriram Ltd, New Delhi and Mr. Ali Ismael Al Zarooni, Founding & Managing Partner of Horizons & Co., Dubai.

The inaugural session was a candid and fruitful exchange of thought-provoking perspectives on the integration of technology into the practice of law. A formal yet fascinating discourse, paving the way for a future where law and technology coalesce seamlessly, had set a remarkable tone for the Summit. This was followed by a 15-minute hi-tea and networking break.

The Summit began by witnessing the Keynote Speech by Mrs. Pallavi Shroff on “Global Perspectives on Arbitrating Cross-Border Commercial Disputes: The Impact of Cultural Differences in International Arbitration- From the Courtroom to the Table: Integrating ADR into the Judicial System.”

After the Keynote Speech, the stage was opened for the first panel discussion on the topic “Managing Data Protection and Cybersecurity Risks in the Age of Big Data and AI” by 5 panellists- Ms. Jesse Mudaliyar, Senior Managing Counsel & Vice President, EEMEA at Mastercard, Ms. Desislava Stankova, Director & Senior Legal Counsel at Ingram Micro, Ms. Binish Ahmed, Ethics & Compliance officer, EMEA region for DXC Technology, Ms. Rawan Abdel Nour, Legal & Compliance Advisor at AL Ghurair Group (LLC) and Mr. Hristo Stoyanov, Legal Counsel for Ingram Micro Middle East Turkey and Africa. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Jesse Mudaliyar.

After 50 minutes of eye-opening discourse on the utility of data and need for its protection, the stage was followed up by the second panel discussion on “Commercial Mediation and Arbitration: Key Strategies, Ethical Considerations and Effective Recommendations” by 5 panellists- Dr. Amer Tabbara, Assistant Professor at Birmingham University, Mr. Karim Soliman, Senior Associate at Habib Al Mulla & Partners, Ms. Henzie Heally, Managing Partner at The Counsel Services, Dubai, Mr. Ish Jain, Arbitrator and Mr. Hossam Zakaria, Founder at HZ Legal Consultancy, Dubai. The Session was moderated by Mr. Karim Soliman.

Next in the line-up of enriching dialogues, was a panel discussion on the trending issue. “Arbitrating Climate-change Related Disputes in the Face of Evolving Environmental Laws and ESG Policies” led by 4 extremely experienced panellists- Mr. Sameet Gambhir, Vice President (Corp. Law) & Company Secretary at DCM Shriram Ltd, New Delhi, Mr. Matthew Nobles, Director of Sustainability Accounting & Controllership at GE Vernova, Mr. Somesh Tiwari, Founding & Managing Partner, Vardharma Law Chambers, New Delhi and Mr. Raghavendra Verma, Group Head-Legal, Compliance and Corporate Secretary at the ISON Group. The Session was moderated by Mr. Raghavendra Verma.

Thereafter, the Attendees disbursed for the Lunch and networking session.

The lunch was followed by the fourth panel discussion of the day on the topic “Quantum, Valuation & Causation: The Evolving Landscape of Damages in International Commercial Arbitration” presided by a cohort of 4 seasoned Dispute Resolution Professionals- Ms. Natasja Pollejmans, Partner, Dispute Resolution at Horizons & Co., Mr. Ritesh Singh, Partner, Precept Law Offices, Prof. Dr. Hoda Alkhzaimi, Co-Chair, World Economic Forum’s Global Cyber Security Future Council and Mr. Sonal Kumar Singh, Managing Partner, AKS Partners.

Last but not the least in the engaging line-up of speakers, was the fifth panel discussion on the topic “Envisioning ADR in Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC): A Proactive Approach to Predictive Dispute Resolution” led by 4 panellists- Ms. Sara Darazirar, Leader, Legal and Compliance- Middle East North West Africa and Mediterranean region, LIXIL Corporation, Ms. Saloni Tuteja, Head of Legal- Middle East, Les Laboratoires Servier, Mr. Felipe Arboleda-Marquez, Regional Counsel- India, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, CHEP and Ms. Aya Emam, Group Senior Legal Counsel, Agthia Group PJSC. The Session was moderated by Ms. Sara Darazirar.

After 5 exhaustive panel discussions on hotly discussed topics, it was time for an interactive discussion with a senior veteran lawyer with over 62 years of experience in the legal profession- Dr. Lalit Bhasin. Dr. Bhasin’s session was promptly received by all the attendees willing to ask questions to gain from his valuable depth of experience and soundness of advice.

The interactive session was followed by the Keynote Speech of Ms. Noor Maki, Group General Counsel at Rental Solutions and Services on the topic “Emerging Trends and Challenges in the Legal Profession.”

Subsequently, the Attendees disbursed for a quick 15-minute hi-tea and networking break.

The day concluded with the conferring of the Global Legal Excellence Awards to the most exemplary Awardees. These Awards were given away to the most distinguished and finest legal professionals from different parts of the world. Following is the list of our esteemed Awardees:

1. Dr. Abdelkareem F. Alkadomi, Chief Legal Officer, Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises
2. Mr. Abhishek Kumar, General Counsel and Director-Legal, Dahua Technology
3. Dr. Ameer Tabbara, Assistant Professor of Law in International Dispute Resolution, Birmingham University
4. Ms. Aya Emam, Group Senior Legal Counsel, Agthia Group PJSC
5. Binu Karthikeyan, Senior Legal Consultant & Head of Arbitration Department, Engy Nabeel Advocates and Legal Consultants
6. Charles Hearn, Group Counsel & Group Company Secretary, Premium Group
7. Mr. Felipe Arboleda-Marquez, Legal Counsel- India, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, CHEP
8. GNP Legal, India
9. Mr. Hardeep Sachdeva, Senior Partner, AZB & Partners
10. Ms. Henzie Heally, Managing Partner, The Counsel Services
11. Mr. Hossam Zakaria, Founder, HZ Legal Consultants
12. Mr. Ish Jain, Arbitrator
13. Advocate Ms. Kanchan Talreja, Senior Counsel, Kanchan Talreja & Advocates
14. Ms. Kathlyn Joy Guanzon Sachnowska, Director- Regional Legal Affairs & Data Protection Officer- Asia-Pacific, Foundever Asia Inc.
15. Mr. Mabroor Jameel, Senior Counsel, Ali Khan Law & Associates
16. Ms. Mehnaz Zulfikar, Group Legal Manager, Rescom Holdings
17. Mr. Mohamed El Sherbini, Senior Associate- Dispute Resolution, NHB Legal Group
18. Mr. Mohammad Noaman, General Counsel- Europe, Middle East & Africa, GE Gas Power, part of GE Vernova
19. M.I.P. Law Firm, Egypt
20. Mr. Narayan Kedia, Vice President- Legal, Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited
21. Mr. Nilesh Kumar, General Counsel, Modi Group
22. Ms. Noor Maki, Group General Counsel, Rental Solutions & Services
23. Mr. Ranjan Gupta, Managing Partner, CHRI Legal
24. Mr. Rajesh Bhardwaj, Managing Partner, IILC
25. Mr. Ritesh Singh, Partner, Precept Law Offices
26. Mr. Saifullah Shaikh, Deputy Manager- Legal, K-Electric
27. Ms. Sara Darazirar, Leader- Legal & Compliance- MENA/MED, LIXIL Corporation
28. Mr. Somesh Tiwari, Managing Partner, Vardharma Law Chambers
29. Mr. Swarnendu Chatterjee, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India
30. Ms. Usha Tanna, Founder, Usha Tanna & Associates

The conference was executed with exemplary distinction and the reviews from the participants were simply outstanding. The Summit rightly served as a platform for legal professionals to exchange ideas, share expertise, celebrate excellence and chart the course for the future of the legal industry.

Source: Press Release