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Building Bridges
– Leading What Comes Next

23 August – 28 August 2027

Pre-Registration is Open!

Join the 65th International Young Lawyers' Congress in Panama!

AIJA 2027 Annual Congress

Congress theme

Built around the theme "Building Bridges – Leading What Comes Next," the Congress programme combines interactive learning, practical insights, and global perspectives to prepare lawyers for the opportunities and challenges of an evolving profession.

Congress venue

Situated on Panama City's vibrant waterfront and overlooking the Bay of Panama, our Congress venue provides an inspiring setting for a week of learning, networking, and celebration, all while placing delegates within easy reach of the city's most iconic attractions, restaurants, and cultural landmarks.

Elite networking

Panama has spent centuries connecting the world. Now it's your turn. Meet fellow lawyers from every continent, exchange perspectives, and create personal and professional connections that will shape your future.

Charlotte Tregunna
President of AIJA
2026/2027

Charlotte Tregunna

President of AIJA
2026/2027

WELCOME TO Panama!

¡Qué xopá! Welcome, AIJA members, friends and colleagues!

Can you believe that we will be heading to Panama City for AIJA’s 65th Annual Congress?

Few places in the world better embody connection than Panama. For centuries, it has stood as the meeting point of continents, cultures, ideas and commerce.

It is a place where bridges, both physical and symbolic, have shaped history and brought people together.

There could therefore be no more fitting setting for our Congress theme: Building Bridges – Leading What Comes Next.

Every generation of lawyers inherits a profession shaped by those who came before. However, our generation has something different. We are not simply inheriting change. We are leading that change.

The legal profession is evolving at an extraordinary speed. Technology is transforming the way we work. Clients expect more than technical excellence. Society increasingly looks to lawyers not only to resolve issues and disputes, but to build trust, protect institutions and help navigate the complexity of the polarised world in which we now live. As lawyers, we are uniquely placed to build bridges: between jurisdictions, between generations, between cultures and between different perspectives.

That vision lies at the heart of this Congress.

Over five inspiring days, we will explore not only the legal developments transforming our profession, but also the leadership skills that tomorrow’s lawyers need today. Alongside cutting edge legal discussions, our programme will place particular emphasis on practical learning through workshops, simulations and interactive sessions, equipping delegates with skills they can start using in their everyday work immediately.

Of course, no AIJA Congress would be the same without an epic social programme to complement the outstanding academic programme. AIJA is about the friendships formed over coffee, the referrals born over dinner or a game of padel, the collaborations that begin on a bus journey, and the conversations that continue long after the Congress has ended. AIJA has always been about people, and Panama will provide the perfect backdrop to strengthen the relationships that define our association.

As we look ahead, our profession will evolve even more rapidly than it has done for generations. AI, geopolitical change, and new ways of working are and will continue to reshape how we practise law.

However, I am convinced that some things will remain constant: integrity, collaboration, curiosity, and our responsibility to serve society. Together we can ensure that we, as young lawyers, do not simply respond to change, but lead it.

Panama is ready. Are you?

Charlotte Tregunna
President of AIJA
-2026/2027-

See you in Panama

¡Qué xopá!* Welcome to Panama City!

As Co-Chairs of the Organising Committee for AIJA’s 65th Annual Congress, it is our great pleasure to welcome you to the Republic of Panama, a country that has connected the world for centuries and one that we are proud to call home. In 2027, AIJA will make history by bringing its flagship event to Central America for the very first time, and we could not be more excited to share this moment with you.

Located at the crossroads of the Americas, Panama is a vibrant, international destination where cultures, traditions, and ideas come together. Best known for the Panama Canal, one of the world’s greatest engineering achievements, Panama has long played a unique role in global commerce and connectivity. Today, it is a dynamic hub for business, logistics, finance, and innovation, while remaining warm, welcoming, and distinctly Latin American.

The Congress will feature a dynamic academic programme built around the theme “Building Bridges – Leading What Comes Next.” Through interactive workshops, debates, simulations, and roundtables, participants will explore four key dimensions shaping the future of the profession: cross-border practice, conflict resolution, intergenerational leadership, and innovation. Designed to be practical and engaging, the programme will equip lawyers with insights, connections, and skills to thrive in an evolving global landscape.

Panama City offers a fascinating blend of old and new. From the historic streets of Casco Antiguo and its colonial architecture to a modern skyline that rivals the most cosmopolitan cities in the region, visitors will discover a destination full of energy, character, and unforgettable experiences. Add to that an outstanding culinary scene, year-round tropical weather, and easy access to both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and you have a destination unlike any other.

One of Panama’s greatest advantages is how easy it is to reach. Through Tocumen International Airport, the “Hub of the Americas,” delegates can enjoy direct connections from across the Americas, Europe, and beyond. Whether you are travelling from nearby or from the other side of the world, Panama is ready to welcome you with open arms.

Together with our dedicated Organising Committee, we look forward to sharing the very best of our country with you. We are committed to delivering an exceptional Congress, memorable experiences, and the warm hospitality for which Panama is known. We cannot wait to welcome you to Panama City and celebrate this historic Congress together.

See you in Panama in 2027!

Co-Chairs, Organising Committee
Beatriz Cabal, Galindo Arias y López – Panama
Carlos Molino, Fábrega y Molino – Panama

*In Panama, “¡Qué xopá!” is a popular expression used to greet friends and ask, “What’s up?”. It derives from the phrase “¿Qué pasó?, just spelled backwards

Carlos Molino
Fabrega Molino
Panama

Beatriz Cabal
Galindo, Arias y Lopez
Panama

CONGRESS THEME

Juan Mendoza
Academic Coordinator
Sequor Law
United States

Daniela Jara
Academic Coordinator
OBPO Advisors
Mexico

Alessia Giaccari
Academic Coordinator
Watson Farley & Williams
Italy

Silvia Van Schaik
Academic Coordinator
The Data Lawyers
Netherlands

Building Bridges – Leading What Comes Next

In an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented world, lawyers are called upon to do more than interpret the law. They must connect people, ideas, jurisdictions, and generations. Around the theme “Building Bridges – Leading What Comes Next” AIJA’s 65th Annual Congress will bring together legal professionals from around the globe in Panama City. The city that is home to the Panama Canal, one of the world’s greatest engineering achievements and a lasting symbol of connection between continents, cultures, and economies. Against this unique backdrop, the Congress will explore how the legal profession can build bridges across borders and disciplines while leading with vision in times of transformation.

Now in its 65th year, AIJA’s Annual Congress will provide a dynamic forum for legal professionals to exchange perspectives on the evolving role of lawyers in a rapidly changing global landscape. Through inspiring keynote addresses, engaging workshops, and interactive sessions, participants will examine how legal professionals can foster dialogue, create understanding, and unlock opportunities in a fast changing, more uncertain and unpredictable world.

The academic programme will be built around four interconnected pillars:

Bridging Worlds While Crossing Borders
As business, technology, and people move across jurisdictions at unprecedented speed, lawyers must navigate increasingly complex cross-border legal, regulatory, and cultural landscapes. Bringing together practitioners and thought leaders from across the globe, this pillar explores the opportunities and challenges of international practice: global commerce, digital business, dispute resolution, and the evolving frameworks that enable cooperation beyond national boundaries. Attendees will leave, with practical strategies to navigate an increasingly interconnected legal landscape.

Finding Common Ground When Views Collide
In an era of geopolitical tension, polarisation, and competing rights and interests, the legal profession plays a vital role in fostering dialogue, resolving conflict, and building consensus. Sessions under this pillar will examine negotiation, mediation, advocacy, ethical leadership, and practitioners’ responsibility to promote constructive engagement where perspectives diverge, offering tools and frameworks attendees can apply directly in high-stakes client and cross-border situations.

Closing Generational Gaps
The future of the legal profession depends on successfully connecting experience with fresh perspectives. Here, the focus turns to intergenerational leadership, mentoring, talent development, evolving workplace expectations, and the impact of technology on the way lawyers learn, collaborate, and lead across generations.

Opening Doors and Unlocking New Opportunities
From artificial intelligence and digital transformation to emerging markets, sustainability, and new business models, the legal field is entering a period of remarkable change. This pillar explores how lawyers and their organisations can embrace and turn the new developments to their advantage to position themselves to thrive by spotlighting the innovations, technologies, and business models reshaping the profession.

Just as the Panama Canal has served for more than a century as a gateway connecting oceans, nations, and markets, this Congress aims to create new pathways for collaboration within the global legal community. Participants will leave not only with fresh insights and practical strategies, but also with an expanded international network and renewed inspiration to shape what comes next.