The Inter-Pacific Bar Association’s (IPBA) 25th Annual Meeting and Conference has kicked off today in Hong Kong, and will run until May  9. ALB speaks with Huen Wong, IPBA President-Elect and Chair of the IPBA Hong Kong 2015 Host Committee, about the main themes and goals of the conference this year, and the roadmap for the IPBA going forward.

ALB: What are some of the major trends in the Asia Pacific legal industry?

 Wong: International Arbitration and Cross-Border Investment issues are always at the forefront. The IPBA's Dispute  Resolution &   Arbitration Committee and the Cross-Border Investment Committee are the largest in terms of members and number of sessions at the Conference, indicating that it is important to provide the opportunity at our conference to discuss issues that affect multiple jurisdictions. Another area is anti-corruption. The IPBA has recently established an Ad Hoc Committee on Anti-corruption and Rule of Law, and our Council Members report that they are becoming more and more involved with compliance issues across borders.
 
ALB: What are the main themes at this year’s IPBA conference in Hong Kong?

Wong: Since it is IPBA's 25th Anniversary, we have decided on the theme of "Vision for the Future." A milestone anniversary is a good time to reflect on past achievements as well as look forward to the upcoming years. Of course we will reminisce a bit about past conferences, past leaders, and past activities. At the beginning, there was no such thing as e-mail and communication was done by phone, fax, or telex. Now, with so many mobile devices, we have the world at our fingertips, sometimes whether we want to have it or not. The onslaught of information and misinformation that surrounds us from every angle makes it more difficult to be properly informed. With IPBA's 23 specialist Committees, the conference sessions will cover a wide range of legal issues from using technology in e-commerce and protecting online data; to energy and environmental issues; to the human resources side with cross-border employment and immigration, and how law firms can support and nurture young lawyers. These young lawyers are the future!

ALB: What do you hope delegates will take away from the conference?

Wong: In addition to a better understanding of how to cope with the changing legal environment—which is changing at an even faster pace now than in the past 25 years—by keeping up with the latest, accurate information from various jurisdictions, we hope that the delegates make new business contacts through our social events and the first-ever IPBA Speed Dating session. Above all, what makes IPBA different from other associations is the camaraderie and friendships formed. We are confident that the delegates can enjoy seeing many old friends as well as make new friends that they can catch up with year after year.

ALB: Could you describe what your new role as President of the IPBA will entail, and some of the goals you have set in your roadmap for the year ahead?

Wong: For the IPBA, the President is the "face" rather than the "head." We are a true democracy in that the association is not dominated by one person, so decisions are made together with other Officers and Council Members. This year, we hope to increase our membership while offering better benefits. Another goal is to strengthen the association through our proposed incorporation, securing IPBA's future in this region and beyond.

ALB: Do you see the role of the IPBA changing as the Asia Pacific region becomes increasingly connected?

Wong: We have been the preeminent association of its kind in the Asia Pacific Region for many years. However, more and more organisations are finally learning how important this region is, and are starting to establish themselves here by holding more events or setting up offices. We don't consider them to be rivals, as we each offer different things to our members. On the other hand, a little competition is good to spur us all on to further improve ourselves! Our role won't change in that we will still be the leader, but it may change in scope as we face incorporation, which will provide us with a solid base of operation for the future.