The Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) Welcome Reception kicked off at the Pullman Hotel in Aerocity, New Delhi, on 25 February with a lively and well-attended gathering of lawyers from Asia and beyond. The evening event marked the start of the IPBA conference with two and half days of back-to-back discussions by prominent and international leaders of law.
Outgoing IPBA president Michael Chu gave an address on his time in the post. He was followed by the chief guest of the event, N Kotiswar Singh, the first Supreme Court judge from the northeastern state of Manipur. Justice Singh spoke about important concerns facing companies involved in disputes. He spoke of the negative effects of prolonged court battles and arbitrations – a common occurrence in India – and how it could mean a loss for them even if they win their cases.
IPBA president-elect Priti Suri commended the efforts and hard work of the organising team behind the IPBA and spoke of a journey with challenges and hurdles. But the contributions of her team have been a great help in making the event happen. She asked for a show of hands from her team in the crowd and joked that the work of organising was ongoing even during her speech.
She expressed her gratitude towards the Indian and foreign law firms that sponsored the IPBA this year. Scores of attendees continued reconnecting with peers and networking during the reception.
