A welcome abroad: EYBA in London

“Lawyers are not just business people, but instruments of justice”. This sentence made the group of young lawyers perk up on a Friday morning. The location was the Law Society of England & Wales's head office in Chancery Lane and the words were spoken by Jonathan Smithers, President of the Society during his welcome address at the European Young Lawyers Association International Weekend 2015.

When I was first elected to the SYLA committee, I had no real idea of what to expect. My intention was to meet likeminded, positive minded people who had similar professional goals as me, reaching out to others in the profession. My wish is that after reading my account, others in our association will be encouraged to get involved with SYLA. I found that SYLA is highly respected amongst EYBA members. I was continuously asked: “Do you know Emma?”; “Do you know Fiona?”; “Do you know Sean Dorian?” Hopefully next year our European colleagues will ask you “Do you know Ahsan?” ;-)

Smithers spoke eloquently about the legal profession and how London was the centre of legal activity. English law was the preferred law of choice for international commercial legal matters, and also a magnet for foreign lawyers. He went on to talk about a lawyer’s responsibility to guide a client ethically and morally. He talked about the Volkswagen debacle as a prime example of what happens when a multinational company ignores ethical and moral values.

Next was Alistair MacDonald QC, chairman of the Bar Council, who talked about the “great bond” between lawyers all over the world. For a moment, I had to forget about individual legal systems and procedural rules. I had to focus on the values which united us. We all had a duty to the client in the administration of justice and we had to act responsibly. There is a heavy burden on lawyers the world over and we all experienced a high degree of pressure no matter what the practice area. We have to be experts in constructing factual and legal arguments.

I am fascinated at how our society developed through the ages. In light of that, this is the one powerful statement which really hit home: “In order to settle disputes, pens and laptops have been exchanged in place of lances and maces. We now use brains instead of brawn. Lawyers are skilled in using their brains.” This is why our profession is so vital.

Networking lessons

Heather Anson from Digital Law UK introduced herself and talked about how to network through jurisdictions. I had Googled Digital Law UK prior to the session and found that it was a very innovative UK law firm specialising in advising clients on how to protect themselves electronically. Anson, who previously ran her own law firm in the United States, talked about how people from different countries tended to group together in events like these. She was right! I made a mental note to ensure that I networked across all jurisdictions.

Peter Wright, managing director of Digital Law UK was up next. We were told of the importance of managing and self-regulating our social network activities so that our reputation is not harmed. Facebook posts and tweets which may seem innocent can easily be taken out of context, and once something is online, it is very difficult to keep control. Digital Law UK also provided advice to companies about keeping a tab on what their employees were tweeting as people outside the company would be able to find out exactly what was happening inside the company.

After lunch at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, one of the Inns of Court dating back to the 13th century, we had the opportunity of a tour to the Royal Courts of Justice, and then a “Jack the Ripper” tour where a guide dressed like Jack the Ripper took round the scenes of his murders and explained the context – an eye-opening and surreal experience!

The law at work

The next morning, after the EYBA general meeting, Harry Small, partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP, talked to us about the “consequences of contracting under English law”. He also emphasised the importance of English law in world commerce. He made what could have been a fairly dry topic into something fun.

David Lewis QC was up next with “What makes an international arbitration work?” Lewis, who has been described as “fiercely intelligent” by Legal 500 2011 (International Arbitration), was a fine speaker who didn’t require the use of a microphone due to his excellent vocal projection. Arbitration as opposed to litigation made a lot of sense when Lewis explained it, and his vast experience showed.

The International Oratory Competition was next with some great speakers. This was won by French advocate, Olivier Quesneau.

Finally, I attended the black tie Gala Dinner at the Amba Hotel in Charing Cross, where I had the opportunity to meet other young lawyers who did not attend the international conference. After a three course dinner, we all networked, hit the dance floor and finally said our goodbyes. Now my Facebook, LinkedIn and Whatsapp contacts are full of new friends and I am grateful I have met them. I hope to build on my relationships for the future and maybe even visit them in their home countries. The EYBA committee members all said that they really enjoyed SYLA’s hospitality when the International Weekend was hosted in Edinburgh.

Thank you to the executive committee for sending me to London for a life changing weekend.