Author: Judith Kenyon

On a sunny day in mid-March, Spanish IAG Member Lozano Schindhelm welcomed nearly 90 delegates to Madrid for the first IAG Global Assembly of 2024.

Delegates and guests travelled from all parts of the world, from Australia to the West Coast of America, making Madrid the largest Assembly since pre-covid times.

Lozano Schindhelm’s Managing Partner Fernando Lozano and his team welcomed everyone to Madrid at a Drinks Reception held on the Rooftop Bar of Casa Suecia, which held fantastic views of the city in the setting sun.

During the two day event, delegates attended the Business Session while their guests visited the Prado Museum before meeting up for a delicious traditional Spanish tapas lunch.

The highlight for everyone was the Gala Dinner which was hosted in the unique 90 year old Casino de Madrid. With its incredible architecture and stunning staircases it was the perfect location for the black tie event.

IAG Global Chairman Tomasz Szarek said: “What makes IAG unique is the relationships that are built between members at events like this. To see so many of our members gather from all over the world shows how much they value the opportunity to network and work each other.

“It was a truly memorable event and I am very grateful to Fernando and his team for giving us all such a warm welcome and wonderful time in Madrid.”

Fernando Lozano added, “IAG is all about people. It was a real pleasure to welcome such a fantastic (and numerous!) group of people to Madrid.”

The large number of delegates included a really good number of observers, which reflects the positive pipeline of firms interested in joining the organisation.

Meeting three times a year, IAG Global Assemblies allow members to get together to create new relationships, build on relationships and catch up with old friends. Close personal relationships, trusts and friendships between members are what makes IAG unique.

The IAG Board and Executive Office are now looking forward to the General Assembly being hosted in Hamburg, Germany, in June with hosts SNB Law.

For more information on how to become a member of IAG Global please go to the Contact Us page

Pacific Islands member Pacific Legal Network has strengthened it’s presence with a new affiliation in the Kingdom of Tonga.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tevita Aho and R&S into the Pacific Legal Network family,” said John Ridgway, Head of Legal Services at PLN. “Tevita’s deep roots in Tonga and his commitment to excellence align perfectly with our network’s values. This affiliation allows us to further expand our footprint and offer enhanced legal services to our clients in the Pacific.”

Read the full story on the PLN website HERE

IAG was delighted to welcome new member SKT Law during the Singapore Assembly in October 2023.

Eliot Krieger, Partner at SKT Law, joined his third assembly and was unanimously voted in by members during the Business Session.

SKT Law are lawyers based in California, USA and Vietnam.

You can view their profile here

IAG Global has created a report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) covering regulations and legislations in jurisdictions around the world.

AI has emerged as a force with the potential to revolutionise various sectors, including industry and science. However it raises complex legal and ethical international questions, and this report aims to provide a global perspective on AI regulations and the legal situation in different countries.

This comprehensive guide asks the questions:
• Is it possible to regulate AI?
• Who owns the right to works created by AI?
• Is AI the end of human skills?
• Legal AI – a threat or an opportunity for legal business?

The answers cover the global situation as discussed by IAG Global members, from America to Australia including Brazil, UK, Europe, China, India and Singapore.

The IAG AI Report is available to everyone, and will be helpful to any legal professionals and IT entrepreneurs, as well as anyone interested in trying to navigate the complex world of AI in our interconnected global society.

To access the AI Report please click here

IAG member firms Hawksford and Gateway Law Corporation welcomed delegates from around the world to the IAG Global Assembly in Singapore in October.

Delegates stayed in the iconic The Fullerton Hotel and enjoyed their first evening at The Lantern rooftop bar of The Fullerton Bay Hotel.

The AI-themed Business Session was lively and engaging, which was followed by a dining experience at Jumbo Seafood, famous for their chilli crab.

Saturday included a trip to the stunning Botanic Gardens with a walk around the Orchid Gardens and other beautiful areas before the Saturday night black tie Gala Dinner in The Straits Room of The Fullerton Hotel.

During the 3-day assembly was also a “Next Generation” drinks event which is aimed at associates and junior members who are starting their journey with IAG. The informal setting provides the perfect atmosphere to create great connections and new friends.

See our highlights here

IAG is an international network of independent law firms, accountants, tax advisers and other professional services firms. Our membership extends a firms’ reach and capabilities across borders by establishing and facilitating strong business relationships.

Close professional relationships, trust and friendships between members are what makes IAG unique.

To find out more about who we are, click here Who We Are or fill in our Contact Us form

Australian lawyer Damian Kelly, who works for member firm Pacific Legal Network, shares his experience of being part of the IAG Global Exchange Programme when he spent two weeks in the Polish town of Wroclaw working with member firm SDZLEGAL Schindhelm.

You can read the full story about Damian’s experience here

Photo: Damian Kelly with fellow exchange participant Aleksandra Pludowska from SDZLEGAL, and PLN’s Managing Principal John Ridgway

 

Building on the success of the acquisition of Rose Carson LLP in 2021, Jewell Stewart & Pratt (JSP) has now acquired another San Francisco Bay Area business immigration practice: E&M Mayock (EM), whose Managing Partner James Mayock, two associate attorneys, and 3 paralegals will be joining JSP along with their clients in July 2023. The highly-regarded EM team will bring a wealth of experience to JSP including an investor visa practice.

For more info, please see JSP’s website announcement: https://www.jspvisa.com/blog/2023/6/28/jewell-stewart-amp-pratt-pc-welcomes-the-lawyers-staff-and-clients-of-eampm-mayock. For background on EM including profiles of attorneys James Mayock, Julienne Maribao, and Melanie Ong, see: https://emvisa.com/.

JSP welcomes inquiries from IAG members and clients on U.S. immigration, citizenship, and visa matters via [email protected].

IAG Global is very excited to announce the launch of an initiative to support local charities around the world.

This initiative has been launched by the IAG Global Board, inspired by a memorable performance by Chester-based drama school The Hammond during the Gala Dinner at its recent UK General Assembly. The school is a registered charity and is committed to supporting talented young people from all socio-economic backgrounds to make the arts accessible to all.

The IAG Global Board has pledged to support a local charity at each of the three annual IAG Assemblies held in locations around the world. Each charity will be chosen by the IAG member hosting that event.

At the heart of this initiative is a focus on local good causes, and charities that are particularly meaningful to our local member.

IAG makes a donation to the charity, and charity representatives are invited to join the Assembly to talk about what they do, how they help others and how IAG members can support.

The inaugural charity was Association of Creators and Supporters of Psychostimulation chosen by Poland member SDZLEGAL Schindhelm, host of IAG’s 2023 General Assembly in Wrocław.

The charity uses the Dyna-Lingua M.S. method in the therapy of children and adults with various speech disorders, usually of a significant degree, whose origin is usually neurological. Therapists trained in this method work primarily with: autistic children, children with delayed intellectual development (also with Down syndrome), children with sensory and motor dysphasia disorders, and adults suffering from aphasia. The charity also runs a coffee shop in Wrocław, Cafe Równik, made up of members of the charity and their families. IAG delegates greatly enjoyed visiting Cafe Równik during the recent event and were delighted to support the charity.

Tomasz Szarek, IAG Global Chairman and Managing Partner of Wrocław-based member SDZLEGAL Schindhelm, comments: “It’s an honour for me that not only could I host members of the network in my hometown, but it was in Wrocław that we started a new tradition – helping and supporting a local charity.

“We decided to support Association of Creators and Supporters of Psychostimulation because the initiative is close to my heart, and I have been to Cafe Równik, which is one of the Association’s initiatives, several times. This meeting was valuable not only for me personally, but also for all the participants, who had the opportunity to learn about the methods of assistance, the difficulties in the lives of people with disabilities, and to listen to many motivating stories from the lives of the Association’s charges. I believe that this experience was extremely enriching for both parties. I am glad that we were able to contribute to the development of the organization and, at the same time, launch an extremely worthwhile initiative.”

To find out more about the Charity Initiative please contact [email protected]

Photo: Representatives from Association of Creators and Supporters of Psychostimulation of Wroclaw, Poland, with Tomasz Szarek of host firm SDZLEGAL Schindhelm at the Wroclaw General Assembly, June 2023

IAG Global welcomed members from around the world at the June 2023 General Assembly hosted by SDZLEGAL Schindhelm in Wroclaw, Poland.

The 83 delegates and guests joined Tomasz Szarek, Managing Partner at SDZLEGAL and IAG Chair, and his colleagues for the three day Assembly, which saw the launch of the Charity Initiative, the Next Generation and a presentation about the exchange programme which four member firms had recently participated in.

The Charity Initiative is for the Assembly host to choose a local charity of their choice to receive a donation from IAG and charity representatives will be invited along to one of the Assembly dinners to talk about the work they do.

In Wroclaw, SDZLEGAL chose Dyna-Lingua M.S. which supports children and adults with severe speech disorders.

Next Generation was launched for those starting their networking and relationship-building association with IAG and its members. Next Generation is open to all IAG members and is run between the participants themselves to discuss ideas, get to know each other and cross refer work.

The Exchange Programme is extremely popular and four recent participants shared their experiences during the Business Session. They talked about how during their 2 week exchange there were no language barriers between themselves and other members of staff at the exchange firm. They explained that the learning experience, the cultural experience and the adventure of spending time in a different country was one of the best things they have done during their legal careers.

The Assembly was a huge success full of excellent events, friendship and great company.

Click here to watch the short HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO and here to see PHOTOS OF THE EVENT

The next Assembly will be in Singapore from October 12 – 15 2023 with hosts Hawksford and Gateway Law Corporation.