Dear ILA Members and Supporters,
Happy new year. The Australian Branch of the International Law Association hopes that 2017 is a happy and successful year for you all.
Your Branch is looking forward to an exceptional year in 2017 with numerous events throughout Australia, the publication of the Australian International Law Journal, and the provision of continued assistance to young and developing practitioners and scholars of public and private international law.
In major news, I am very pleased to announce and confirm that Australia has been selected to host the Biennial ILA Conference in 2018. The Biennial Conference attracts many hundreds of international lawyers and is a major international event. We are thrilled to be able to host the event. It will be held in Sydney from August 19-24 2018 and we look forward to being able to bring the leading participants in international law from around the world to our own doorstep.
There will be significant discounts on registration fees available to ILA members. ILA members also have the opportunity to participate in the international scholarship of the ILA through the international committee structure. I encourage you to renew your membership of the Association, and to encourage colleagues to renew or join our vibrant Branch.
Of course, the usual work of the ILA continues at a frenetic pace during 2017. On 23 February we host, with Baker & McKenzie in Sydney, member of the International Law Commission Professor August Reinisch on an important discussion on the Rule of Law in Investment Arbitration. Again, preference for places will be given to ILA Members.
We would be delighted if you could join or re-join us as a member for the 2017 calendar year.
Of course a number of members have already renewed but, if you are not amongst them, we would be delighted to have you. Pursuant to a resolution of the Management Committee passed in 2016, members who joined the Australian Branch or renewed their membership in the final quarter of 2016 will automatically have their membership rolled over to 2017 at no extra charge.
During 2016, much work has gone on behind the scenes to update our online membership system, and the system is now live. You can sign up for membership here. Please note that, because this is a new system, you will need to create a new profile. If you encounter any problems, please contact Patrick Wall—who has taken responsibility for the update—at assistantsecretary@ila.org.au.
Should you need convincing, the benefits of membership are set out here.
With my very best wishes for an exciting year ahead,
Dr Christopher Ward SC
President
International Law Association (Australian Branch)