“Corruption in international arbitration: practical advice from three leading practitioners”

Inspired by the issues arising from the decision of Robin Knowles J in Nigeria v P&ID [2023] EWHC 2638 (Comm), this panel session, chaired by Philippa Hopkins KC, will discuss the practicalities of dealing with issues of bribery and corruption in international arbitration. We will hear from three leading practitioners about steps that counsel, solicitors, arbitrators and institutions can and should be taking. A number of spaces will be held for solicitors to attend and drinks will be served after the lecture.

Panellists:

Richard Lissack KC, Fountain Court Chambers

Michael O’Kane, Peters & Peters

Professor Dr Jacomijn van Haersolte-van Hof

The lecture will take place in the Ashworth Centre at Lincoln’s Inn from 5:45pm to 6.45pm.

The event will be hybrid and recorded.

Save by invitation, this event is open to COMBAR members only and pupils are welcome.

Please register here for in-person attendance.  Those joining online do not need to register.

Hear from Commercial and Chancery barristers on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of completing a pupillage application form and receive a one-on-one CV review with a barrister.

The Chancery Bar Association, COMBAR and TECBAR, are delighted to jointly host a pupillage panel and CV workshop for those interested in pupillage at the commercial and chancery bar. We would especially welcome those from under-represented and non-traditional backgrounds and a number of such barristers will also be taking part.

The Panel will discuss and provide some guidance in relation to the pupillage application process in general.

The panel details are as follows:

Lucie Briggs (Atkin Chambers) – Chair
Laurie Brock (Fountain Court Chambers)
Narinder Jhittay (Maitland Chambers)
Michael Ryan (7 Kings Bench Walk)

There will then be a CV workshop undertaken on an individual basis with at least twenty commercial/chancery KCs and junior barristers, all of whom have relevant experience in a wide range of commercial and chancery practice; many of whom act as pupil supervisors or mentors to aspiring pupils. This is an invaluable opportunity to hear from those experienced in reviewing pupillage applications and to receive a one-on-one CV review from a barrister specialising in commercial/chancery practice. Barristers from a wide range of sets will be taking part including Atkin Chambers, Fountain Court Chambers, Maitland Chambers, Serle Court Chambers, Twenty Essex, 4 Pump Court, Five Paper, 7 KBW and others.

All are welcome. Membership of ChBA, COMBAR or TECBAR is not required. Participation in the CV workshop is limited and will be run on a first come basis.

The registration is now closed, but if you would still like to participate in the main webinar, please email admin@combar.com

16 Dec update: All the CV clinic slots have now been allocated and the CVs have been passed to the barristers taking part.  If you sent your CV in but haven’t received an email with a link to a clinic please email admin@combar.com

A ZOOM Webinar link will be sent on the day of the event, to those who have registered to take part in both the application tips panel and for those selected to attend the follow on CV workshop.  It is anticipated that 2 CV workshop sessions will run back to back at 5.45pm and then again at 6.00pm. Separate meeting links will be sent to those taking part in the CV clinics.

If you have any questions please email admin@combar.com

A seminar for clerks from COMBAR chamber Sets will be held on the new version 4 of the CLLS COMBAR Contract Terms.

COMBAR Members involved in the drafting of the terms will discuss the key changes and answer questions on the terms

The seminar will take place in Inner Temple at 5.30pm, followed by Q&A.

The seminar will be hybrid and recorded.

The event is intended for clerks and members of chambers administration teams, but they are welcome to invite COMBAR members too.

If you would like to submit a question in advance of the meeting, please add it at registration.

Register to attend in-person and online here

Registration is now open for the 3rd Gulf Round table which will be held in Dubai on Thursday 6^th February 2025 at the Capital Club.  We are delighted to announce that the Guest of Honour this year is Chief Justice Wayne Martin AC KC. We are also very grateful to FTI for their ongoing sponsorship.

The meeting will follow a similar format to the successful events held in 2023 and 2024, which involved an afternoon of panel sessions, with speakers from a range of jurisdictions, followed by drinks.  The programme for the conference will be published on the Gulf page, but there will be panels on sanctions and current issues in the DIFC courts. The event is intended to be collegiate with plenty of opportunity for contributions from attendees throughout the day.

Please request registration details from: admin@combar.com

Juniors are encouraged to attend and those under 7 years are encouraged to investigate the Young Barristers’ Committees’ International Grant Programme, which offers to pay two thirds of Juniors’ total attendance costs.

For any administrative questions please email: admin@combar.com or George Spalton KC (g.spalton@4newsquare.com), Chair of the Gulf Sub-Committee.

Hear from a panel of Commercial, Chancery and Construction barristers discussing their journeys to the Bar and the day-to-day practice of commercial, chancery and construction law.

What makes the Commercial and Chancery bar different from other areas? Why is practice at a specialist set different? How can you find out more and gain relevant experience?

Michael Walsh – Serle Court Chambers (Chair)

Panellists:

David Hopkins – 39 Essex Chambers

Akash Sonecha – Essex Court Chambers

Olivia Anderson – Atkin Chambers

Tomos Rees – 5 Stone Buildings

This online event will start at 6pm.

The event will run for one hour until 7pm with a Q&A chat function enabling questions to be taken by the panellists.

The ZOOM link has now been circulated, if you haven’t received it or you would like to make a late registration please email admin@combar.com directly.  Thank-you.

Junior COMBAR invites new tenants who are members of COMBAR and/or new tenants at COMBAR sets to a breakfast to meet and socialise with their contemporaries at the commercial bar.

The event will be hosted at Essex Court Chambers from 8:45 to 10 am on 11 November 2024.

Places are limited.

Please register for your place here. A reserve list will be operated if the event is oversubscribed.

A series of online events with a focus on improving diversity and inclusion at the Commercial and Chancery bar

COMBAR, the Chancery Bar Association and TECBAR will be hosting a series of four online events, for aspiring pupils, timed to fit in with the pupillage timetable:

• Is the Commercial, Chancery or Construction Bar for me? Hear from a panel of Commercial, Chancery and Construction barristers discussing their journeys to the Bar and the day-to-day practice of commercial, chancery and construction law. What makes the Commercial and Chancery bar different from other areas? Why is practice at a specialist set different? How can you find out more and gain relevant experience?

This online event will take place on 13 November 2024.

• Application tips and CV Workshop. Hear from Commercial and Chancery barristers on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of completing a pupillage application form and receive a one-on-one CV review with a barrister.

This online event will have limited places and usually is in high demand. It will now take place on the 16 December 2024, moved from the 11th. Registration details to follow soon.

• Interview Workshop. Hear Commercial and Chancery barristers provide their tips on how to develop and hone your skills before your first pupillage interview. This session will offer guidance on some ‘dos and don’t’s’ and provide some guidance on how to impress your interviewers.

This online event will take place in February 2025.

• First days as a pupil and junior tenant. Now that you have pupillage, hit the ground running and maximise your chances of tenancy. Hear from members of the pupillage and tenancy committees of Commercial and Chancery sets on the skills, temperament and judgement you will need to demonstrate in your pupillage year as well as from junior members on what those early days in practice are like.

This online event will take place in July 2025.

These online events are open to all aspiring pupils and have been planned with a particular focus on assisting individuals from non-traditional and minority backgrounds and those who have limited legal-industry support networks.Further details and registration links for each of these online events will be published in due course on the COMBAR, TECBAR and Chancery Bar Association websites and on LinkedIn.

The SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre in association with COMBAR with Support from Fatima Balfaqeeh Law Firm will be hosting an event at the DIFC Academy.

Join them for a comprehensive exploration of the burgeoning cooperation, trade, and investment relationships between Africa and the Arab World.  The event will run from 1pm – 4pm (Dubai time) on the topic “Trade, Investment and Related Arbitration Between Africa and the Arab World”.  The seminar will finish with refreshments served from 3.30pm.  The event will be hybrid, but it will not be recorded.  Places are limited, please book here through Eventbrite.  You can also register to receive updates on the event.  We look forward to meeting you there.

COMBAR Africa and HKA are jointly hosting an event in the Grill at the Capital Club in Dubai running from 3pm to 5pm Dubai time (11 GMT).

The event will debate “Is arbitration fit for the purpose of resolving African disputes?”.  Abdul Jinadu – Member of the English Bar and international practitioner and arbitrator will be moderating.

Panellists:

Dr.Mohamed Sameh Amr – Professor and Chair of the International Law Department at Cairo University; Founding and Managing Partner of Amr & Partners Law Firm.

Jamsheed Peeroo – Member of the English and Mauritius Bar, and international practitioner.

Igor Corelj – Principal at HKA.

Emilia Onyema – Professor in International Commercial Law, Director of the SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre, member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The event is in-person only and will not be recorded.

Drinks and canapé will be served from 4pm.

Please register for your place here.

They say you are what you eat. But what should we eat to be the best barristers we can be?

The COMBAR Wellbeing Committee will be hosting a talk on nutrition.

Expert dietician Mike Murphy will educate us about how the food we eat impacts upon our performance as advocates, and what we can all do to optimise our diet so that we can perform on our feet.

The talk will take place in Inner Temple at 6pm, followed by Q&A.

Refreshments will be served from 7pm.

The talk will be in-person and recorded.

The event is open to Members of COMBAR, ChBA, TECBAR and LCLCBA.  Pupils welcome.

Register to attend in-person here