Justice Minister Mike Freer Promotes UK Legal Expertise and AI at International Bar Association Conference

Justice Minister Mike Freer has been actively promoting UK legal expertise at the world’s biggest legal services event, the International Bar Association annual conference. With the UK legal sector generating over £41 billion in revenue in 2021, the Minister highlighted the importance of collaboration between UK lawyers and their international counterparts.

One of the key topics discussed at the conference was the potential of AI and lawtech to transform the legal sector. Minister Freer emphasized the UK’s leading role in promoting the safe and responsible development of AI, as demonstrated by the country hosting the first global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park.

During the event, Minister Freer also met with Julie Couturier, President of the Paris Bar, to discuss ways to boost trade in legal services between the UK and France, which amounted to nearly £400 million in 2021. The Minister highlighted the importance of using English and Welsh law in international contracts and the benefits of global legal collaboration.

The Minister’s participation in the conference was part of the UK Government’s efforts to promote the country’s thriving legal services sector internationally through the GREAT Legal Services campaign. This campaign, launched in 2017, aims to showcase the strength of English and Welsh law, the UK’s independent judiciary, and its legal expertise to the global market.

With more than 5,000 attendees from law firms, governments, and regulators worldwide, the International Bar Association conference provided a platform for Minister Freer to highlight the UK’s leadership in lawtech and AI regulation, ensuring the future competitiveness of the country’s legal services sector.