A busy season for international engagement: our upcoming international programme
The second half of 2026 is shaping up to be one of our busiest periods for international engagement. We have a packed programme of business development visits, conferences and events taking place between now and December.
Our international work continues to support our priorities of strengthening relationships with overseas Bars, promoting England and Wales as a leading legal jurisdiction, championing the rule of law and creating opportunities for the profession.
Here's what we’ve got coming up:
American Bar Association (ABA) conference 29 July to 4 August
Chair of the Bar, Kirsty Brimelow KC, and Chair of our Young Barristers’ Committee, Amelia Clegg, are heading to Chicago to join roundtable discussions, receptions and a series of bilateral meetings with current and future ABA leaders at this year’s conference.
This year marks 250 years of American independence, which will be a key theme of the conference. Alongside the programme, we’ll be exploring opportunities to raise the profile of our international work.
Sri Lanka joint legal conference 7 to 9 August
Our visit to Sri Lanka at the start of August will build on our existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) while strengthening collaboration between our organisations.
We’re hosting a joint conference with local Bar associations in the region, covering topics such as environmental law, anti-money laundering, and commercial arbitration.
Japan 26 August to 1 September and South Korea 1 to 8 September
The Japan visit will focus on promoting England and Wales as a legal jurisdiction and building connections across Japan's legal sector.
Our work in South Korea will build on building connections with law firms and strengthening the ties made during our placement programme.
India 7 to12 September
A delegation will visit India from in September to bolster our relationship with the Indian Bar. Our programme is being finalised but we look forward to another visit.
Opening of the legal year (OLY) in London 30 September to 1 October
OLY welcomes Bar leaders from around the world in London to connect, collaborate and celebrate this momentous annual occasion.
Save the date: international strategy launch in London 15 October
Looking ahead to the next 5 years, we've drafted a new international strategy to guide our work on promoting the Bar on the global stage. We’re looking at expanding your business opportunities, promoting our legal services and defending the rule of law. We'll be launching our strategy at an event in central London on the evening of 15 October. We’ll share more about what we do and how you can get involved.
Register your interest to be the first to hear when booking is live.
International Bar Association (IBA) conference 4 to 9 October
We’re heading to Copenhagen for the IBA’s annual conference. Kirsty will be attending to speak to other Bar leaders to gain insights into their jurisdictions and where collaborations can be made.
Panel session topics include litigation, artificial intelligence and ethics, a judges’ forum and meetings tailored to the young Bar, hosted by the IBA’s Young Lawyers Committee.
If you’re under 7 years practice, you can apply for our International professional and legal development grant programme for financial support to participate in this conference.
Vietnam 26 to 30 October
For the first time, we’ll travel to Vietnam for a two-city programme (Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh) to support engagement with the country's developing international financial centre and strengthen legal relationships.
If you think you could be one of our ambassadors for the Bar and UK legal services, we want to hear from you. The visit involves attending meetings with Vietnamese lawyers, and you could also speak on panels and provide training based on your areas of expertise.
Applications to join the delegation close on Friday 14 August.
Nigeria 23 to 26 November
Nigeria is another new jurisdiction for us, we’re hosting a business development visit to Lagos and Abuja. Our programme aims to help bolster our links with this leading legal market through arbitration, investigations and support for the rule of law.
Applications to join the delegation close on Friday 14 August.
International business development bursary scheme
New for 2026, we’ve introduced a scheme to support a more diverse and globally engaged Bar. Our new bursary scheme provides financial support to those participating in our business development visits, this year to Vietnam and Nigeria.
The scheme is open to all practice areas and we’re offering two £3,000 bursaries per visit.
To join our internation business development visits, you must also be a Bar Representation Fee (BRF) subscriber. Subscribe to the BRF today to apply for our visits and bursary scheme.
Other events you won’t want to miss
Alongside our overseas engagement, there are more events taking place later this year.
Bar Conference 2026 is an opportunity for you to learn through a diverse programme of exclusive panel discussions, breakout sessions and keynote addresses. There’ll be the chance to network, and engage with your colleagues from across the profession to. It's the only event that brings the whole Bar together.
‘Thriving in your first years of practice: developing an international practice’ webinar is taking place on Monday 16 November. This event is aimed at young barristers (under 7 year’s call) to help them build international ties to create a sustainable international practice.
Mark your calendas for Tuesday 1 December. Our annual ‘International rule of law lecture’ is being given by Her Ladyship Chief Justice Martha K. Koome of the Supreme Court of Kenya.
It's set to be a busy but exciting few months for our international work.
To keep up to date with our international work, subscribe to our quarterly international newsletter, BarTalk and our training and events newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.