While the courts don’t close for summer in the way they used to there’s definitely a lull in legal activity in August, in the northern hemisphere at least.  So whether you’re spending the summer on a  beach or at your desk writing reports and dreaming of the beach this is a good time to think about the best way to maintain and extend your legal network.

The type of lawyer you need to  meet will depend on your specialism  but contacts with solicitors, barristers and in-house counsel are all useful and getting to know barrister’s clerks in your area is a good idea too. In the UK London International Disputes Week in early June has grown enormously over the last few years and involves a paying conference and an extensive programme of fringe events put on by law firms, chambers and expert consultancies. If you can’t wait till next June there are plenty of other events in London and around the world.

For our international members or those who fancy a trip abroad there are dispute and arbitration conferences around the world, these are just a few of the possibilities coming up.

Dubai arbitration week  10-14 November 2025

Dublin International Disputes Week   20^th-24^th October  2025

London Arbitration Week   1^st-5^th  December 2025

Singapore Convention Week  25 -29 Aug 2025

If you prefer to meet lawyers with specific dispute areas in mind you may find specialist groups more helpful. For example, The Society for Construction Law organises regular lunches in major cities outside London as well as site visits (for members only), such as a trip to a Green Hydrogen production facility in Birmingham.

In short, whatever kind of expert you are and wherever you are there are opportunities to meet lawyers and build relationships with them that will support your business. Though of course the Academy also puts on regular events, recent topics have included the use of statistics in expert evidence, updates to CPR and conflicts of interest and recordings of past meetings are available in our Knowledge Hub.

All our events provide the opportunity to learn from and be supported by other experts, something that many members find invaluable. Members may invite guests to any event, see our events calendar for full details and to book.

The London International Disputes Week (https://lidw.co.uk/) is a major event in the annual calendar. It provides a conference and a series of events hosted by barristers’ chambers, law firms and experts active in the provision of legal dispute resolution services. It is of the nature of the market, that although many practitioners are based in London, this is not a requirement, and many delegates come from around the world. Members of the judiciary are also frequently to be seen.

For members of the Academy considering how to build their networks and promote their practices, this is an intense time. Bring plenty of business cards! It provides a good opportunity to meet those with whom you may serve, or may at some time require your services. Members of the Academy were out in force in the June 2025 sessions, others will be marking their diaries for the first week of June 2026.

Members who are part of large dispute groups may find that their firm collaborates with others in putting on an event. Around 114 such member-conducted events were conducted this year, catering for every niche interest. This attracts delegates from far and wide, providing an unrivalled opportunity to maintain connections. This year, themes of arbitration and artificial intelligence featured strongly.  All events have to be put on by more than one firm, fostering a collaborative approach. Most are very well conducted, with effective chairs and brief, focused questions. Direct value comes from the conversations over a glass or sandwich before and after events, when networking is promoted. The subject of the seminar serves to attract others with shared interest. The content can also be of high value.

Expert work requires the maintenance of a large number of connections over many years, such that when opportunity arises, one is considered. An event such as LIDW has a natural place in the mix of marketing activities. However you seek to engage, this is worth considering.

 

Our photo shows a panel at LIDW 2025, discussing the impact of AI on dispute resolution. Courtesy of CMS

Summer events round-up. Now the clocks have ‘sprung forward’ and the promise of spring is in the air it seems a good time for a reminder of our events programme for the next few months. As well as our program of training for new experts (plus advanced training on Expert Determination for established experts) the summer programme includes  plenty of in-person opportunities to learn and catch up with other experts;

16^th May Golf Day

20^th May  Expert Witnesses & Conflicts of Interest

11^th June President’s Dinner

17^th June London Legal Walk

1-2nd July Expert Determination (Online)

25th July Gray’s Inn Garden Party

It’s also worth remembering that the first week in June sees London International Disputes Week taking place, with a wide range of events including discussions on AI, construction & aviation disputes and the competing claims of litigation vs arbitration. As always there are opportunities to learn and meet with lawyers from all over the world. Experts who work with in-house counsel rather than external lawyers might also find Crafty Counsel’s conference in the same week useful, the agenda is packed with short sessions on a wide range of topcis including eomployment, privacy, shareholder disputes & construction.

Our picture is from Airedale Springs, The History of Springs in Watchmaking.