In a few short years, the legal industry has been upended by tectonic shifts that have forever altered the ways we meet and work. Our profession has thus far met these challenges by reexamining—and reimagining—how we serve our stakeholders well after the initial aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our transition to this “new normal” is inevitable. Those who fail to embrace the change are doomed to fall behind. Join us as we open the Academic Programme of AIJA’s 60th Annual Congress with three dynamic speakers, each with their own approach and insights into the future of our profession.

Our first keynote speaker is Dan Jasnow from ArentFox Schiff in New York, where he advises clients on advertising, product development and distribution, and IP matters. Mr. Jasnow will share his insights on the early legal issues arising from the Metaverse, gleaned from his time as in-house marketing counsel at Meta Reality Labs, the premier VR and AR developer. You will learn how classical legal concepts like jurisdiction and intellectual property intersect with the Metaverse’s uncharted potential of persistent online spaces, as well as why the Metaverse will be important for all lawyers.

Our second keynote speaker is Aurélia Devos, who serves as the 1st Deputy Vice-President of the 5th Correctional Chamber, Lille Court of Justice. Before her current position, Magistrate Devos worked for ten years as the Head of the Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes and Offenses Unit in the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office and PNAT. Her insights on “Evidence Gathering in International Crimes” will highlight how lawyers like us can apply modern tools to seek justice and protect fundamental values.

Our third keynote speaker is Veronica Lai is Chief Corporate and Sustainability Officer at StarHub, one of Singapore’s leading telecommunications and media companies. Ms. Lai’s storied career at StarHub includes her long tenure as General Counsel and Company Secretary, her four years as Chief Corporate Officer, and as interim CEO for 6 months during the search for StarHub’s new CEO. Ms. Lai will share how her experience on the cutting edge of Singapore’s digital services industry has shaped her views on the future of the legal profession in Southeast Asia.  

On behalf of the Academic Coordinators, welcome to the future.