First International Lawyers' Conference
06-07 / 08-07 / 2008 - Four Seasons Hotel - Damascus

in association with The Law Society of England and Wales
and The American Bar Association

The BSS is well known for the success of its Banking Conferences which have encouraged open and frank discussion about the challenges facing the Syrian economy and its relations with the global financial market. The Law Conference, the first of its kind in Syria, will focus on a broad range of topics as you will see from the attached preliminary programme.

The purpose of the Conference is not only to raise awareness on legal issues but also to assist members of the legal profession in Syria in the development of contacts and links with lawyers in other parts of the world.

A Fact Book will be produced after the conference which will highlight areas in which reform is required and in particular assist in the development of legal training processes within Syria and in developing links with lawyers elsewhere.

In addition to lawyers from the UK, USA and other parts of the world we are expecting lawyers based in Gulf countries to attend as investors from that region continue to invest heavily in Syria.

PROGRAMME:

SUNDAY 6th JULY
   
16:00h – 20.00h Registration
   
20.00h Welcome Reception
Four Seasons Hotel
       
DAY ONE: MONDAY 7th JULY
   
09:00h – 10.00h  Opening Session:
  BSS Welcome: Sir Gavyn Arthur
Member of the Board of Directors, British Syrian Society
& Lord Mayor, City of London 2002-2003
  Presidential Address: HE Muhammad Al Ghafri
Minister of Justice, Syrian Arab Republic
   
10.00h – 10:30h Keynote Speech 1: Andrew Holroyd OBE
President of the Law Society England & Wales
   
10:30h – 11.00h Keynote Speech 2: The Hon. Rosemary Barkett
US Circuit Judge, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
   
11.00h – 11:30h  Coffee Break
   
11:30h – 13:00h Panel Session 1: Regulation and Advancement of the Legal Profession

Moderator: Sir Gavyn Arthur
   
  William Meyer, Member, Hutchinson, Black & Cook LLC
Dr. Hossam Hafez, Legal Expert, Legal Department, Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Martin Güldner Chairman, GOPA Worldwide Consultants, Germany
Andrew Holroyd, OBE, President Law Society of England and Wales
Moussa Mitry, Attorney at Law, Syria
 
13.00h – 14:30h Lunch:
Four Seasons Hotel
   
14.30h – 16.00h  Panel Session 2: Professional Ethics and Due Diligence

Moderator: David Freeman, Thomas Eggar LLP, UK
   
Monty Raphael, Joint Head of Fraud and Regulatory, Peters and Peters Law Firm, UK
Bruce Zagaris, Attorney, Berliner, Corcoran & Rowe, USA
Cliff Knuckey, Managing Director, Risc Management Consultants
Prof. Mohammed Haitham Salman, Asst. Prof. of Business Law and Ethics, Chair of Law Department, Abu Dhabi University
Mamoon Al-Tabbaa, Attorney at Law, Syria
 
16.00h – 16.30h  Coffee Break
   
16.30h – 18:00h  Panel Session 3: Enforcing Rights in Contracts: The Rule of Law

Moderator: Brian Constant, Treasurer, British Syrian Society
   
 Jacques Hakim, Attorney at Law, Syria
William K Wilburn, Lawyer, WK Wilburn PC, US
The Hon. Prof. Eugene Cotran, Chair, Centre of Islamic & Middle Eastern Law, University of London School of Oriental and African Studies
Marwan Al Turki, Attorney at Law, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, UK
 
19.00h Gala Dinner
Hosted by Petro-Canada
Sheraton Hotel, Damascus
   
 
DAY TWO: TUESDAY 8th JULY
   
09:00h – 09:30h Keynote Speech 3: Karen Mathis, Former President, American Bar Association
   
09:30h – 11:00h Panel Session 4: Legal Framework for Real Estate & Construction:

Moderator: Barry Manie, Senior Consultant, Highpoint Rendel
   
Tom O’Grady, Partner, Head of Real Estate Middle East, DLA Piper, UK
Fadi Sarkis, Attorney at Law, Syria
William K Wilburn, Lawyer, WK Wilburn PC, US
Sarhad Haffar, Country Manager, Emaar Properties
 
11.00h – 11:30h  Coffee Break
   
11:30h – 12:00h  Keynote Speech 4: Talal Abu Ghazaleh, Chairman, Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organisation & Vice Chair, United National Global Compact
   
12:00h – 13:30h  Panel Session 5: Development of the Judicial System

Moderator: Dr. Fawaz Akhras, Co-Chairman, British Syrian Society
   
Michel Massih, QC, Barrister, UK
Riad Daoudi, Chief Advisor, Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ghada Mourad, Attorney, Syrian Arab Republic
Alastair Mullis, Dean Norwich Law School, University of East Anglia
The Hon. Rosemary Barkett, US Circuit Judge, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
 
13.30h Closing Remarks
Ghayth Armanazi, Executive Director, British Syrian Society
   
14:00h – 15.30h  Farewell Lunch 
   
15.30h – 17.00h Meet the Experts Session (sign up required)
A dynamic networking opportunity where selected key speakers will head table discussionswith participants. Topics will include: Banking /Real Estate / Insurance / Education and Training / Money Laundering / FDI / Currency Exchange Controls

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SPEAKERS:
List of speakers in alphabetical order:
please click the name for more information

Talal Abu Ghazaleh
Chairman, Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organisation
& Vice Chair, United National Global Compact

Dr. Fawaz Akhras
Co-Chairman
British Syrian Society

Ghayth Armanazi
Executive Director
British Syrian Society

Sir Gavyn Arthur
Member of the Board of Directors, British Syrian Society
& Lord Mayor, City of London 2002-2003

THE HONORABLE ROSEMARY BARKETT
US Circuit Judge
11th Circuit Court of Appeals USA

Brian Constant
Treasurer
British Syrian Society

Dr. Martin Güldner
Chairman
GOPA Worldwide Consultants

Andrew Holroyd, OBE
President
Law Society of England and Wales

Cliff Knuckey
Managing Director
Risc Management Consultants

Barry Manie
Senior Consultant
Highpoint Rendel

Karen Mathis
Former President
American Bar Association

William Meyer
Member
Hutchinson, Black & Cook LLC

Moussa Mitry
Attorney at Law
Syria

Ghada Mourad
Attorney
Syrian Arab Republic

Alastair Mullis
Dean
Norwich Law School University of East Anglia

Prof. Mohammed Haitham Salman
Asst. Prof. of Business Law and Ethics
Chair of Law Department, Abu Dhabi University

Fadi Sarkis
Attorney at Law
Syria

Mamoon Al-Tabbaa
Attorney at Law
Syria

William K Wilburn
Lawyer
WK Wilburn PC, US

Bruce Zagaris
Attorney, Berliner
Corcoran & Rowe, USA