This year, the International Bar Association (IBA) Conference was held in Toronto, Canada. The 77th edition of the event hosted over 5,000 delegates from more than 130 jurisdictions around the world.
Tyr’s founding partners attended the weeklong conference in the country’s largest city. The firm was chosen to be in the UK’s official delegation to the conference as part of the GREAT Legal Services initiative. The UK Government program provided our partners with the opportunity to attend private events and participate in roundtable discussions across the city.
Attending events like this ensures Tyr remains at the forefront of the leading legal trends affecting our clients. Many of the discussions at the conference concentrated on the future of law and upcoming developments. Our litigation partners had the opportunity to be involved in international arbitration conversations and debates.
Located around the Metro Convention Centre, the conference was surrounded by Canada’s largest finance and tech hub, serving a constant reminder of the increased focus on AI in the legal industry. The subject of AI was a common focal point of discussion amongst this year’s attendees.
The conference also acted as an opportunity to engage with law firms and businesses across the globe. Speaking to international business owners about potential expansion into UK markets provided further opportunity for Tyr.
Members of the delegation were invited to the UK Government’s welcome session held at Wellington Tower, the home of many of Canada’s most prestigious commercial, financial and legal firms. The UK Justice Minister, Sarah Sackman KC MP attended the event alongside Canadian government representatives.
Tyr also joined the British Canadian Chamber of Trade & Commerce for an insight and roundtable meeting. Combining law firms and in-house counsel in one place, those involved discussed regulation and the impact of global trade developments on the current legal environment.
The team were invited to attend exclusive networking events across the city too. Miller Thompson LLP hosted an event at the Hockey Hall of Fame Museum. Providing opportunity to connect with other top international lawyers, the law firm brought together some of the best legal minds across the globe.
Whilst at the museum, guests were welcomed to take the tour and get hands-on with the infamous Stanley Cup Trophy, as well as other memorable trophies from the biggest matches in Hockey. The Hall of Fame Legend, Doug Gilmour and Eric Lindros, hosted the evening, providing insights from their life on the ice.
Alistair Kennedy, founding partner, reflected on the week-long trip ‘Engaging with lawyers from across the world confirmed to me that the legal challenges for law firms remain the same, however, the need for exceptional client focus is as essential than ever.’
The conference was a success for Tyr and provided equal amounts of knowledge and network building from the UK and further afield.
The next annual conference is due to be held in early October 2026. This time, a little closer to home in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference will be surrounded by a metropolis of e-commerce, IT, and Clean Energy companies.
