Chief Justices to address World Bar Conference in Belfast and Dublin

Climate change, migration, artificial intelligence, global conflicts, challenges to the rule of law and cancel culture are among the key topics for discussion by more than 250 barristers from several countries attending the World Bar Conference in Belfast and Dublin this week.

The conference will be addressed by the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Dame Siobhan Keegan, on Thursday and by Ireland’s Chief Justice, Donal O’Donnell, on Friday.

Other guest speakers include attorneys general, judges, and leading legal experts from across the various participating jurisdictions.

Northern Ireland Executive justice minister Naomi Long, who was the guest speaker at an opening reception in the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast on Wednesday evening, said having access to fair legal justice systems “cannot be taken for granted” in the world today.

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“It is something that we as an international community must continue to work on, particularly in the face of new and complex global challenges.”

Hosted by The Bar of Ireland and The Bar of Northern Ireland, as part of the International Council of Advocates and Barristers, this is only the second time the event has been held on the island of Ireland. Its return on an all-island basis coincides with the centenary this year of Ireland’s independent legal system.

More than 250 delegates are attending the conference from common law jurisdictions around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and South Africa, as well as the Bars of Scotland, England and Wales.

Climate change, migration, artificial intelligence, global conflicts and cancel culture are among the key global challenges to be discussed, along with the importance of collaboration in addressing contemporary legal challenges.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who will be the guest speaker at a gala dinner concluding the conference in Dublin on Friday, said the issues facing Ireland “are shared with countries all over the world, and ongoing dialogue and collaboration are critical to addressing these global challenges”.

“I am delighted to welcome the World Bar Conference in Dublin 100 years after Ireland’s independent legal system was established,” she said. “The preservation of the rule of law is something that should not be taken for granted and the role of an independent bar and independent judiciary play a key role within that.”

Sara Phelan SC, chairwoman of the council of The Bar of Ireland said that, with the legal profession and the rules-based legal order facing challenges and uncertainty, “coming together to share our professional experience and our legal expertise is invaluable”.

Moira Smyth KC, chairwoman of the council of The Bar of Northern Ireland, said it was “an honour to bring this prestigious conference to Northern Ireland”.

“The topics under debate and discussion in both host cities are highly relevant and reflect the variety of challenges that our rules-based legal order faces at present. From the impact of geopolitical instability on the rule of law through to migration, climate breakdown and the misapplication of emerging technology such as AI, we will explore how our profession can respond both locally and internationally.”

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