Pragma Congress: London 2024, Lawyers, and Despite Everything, Friends

This past week marked the conclusion of Pragma International's annual congress. Nearly six long months of planning culminated in three days of gathering, where network members came together to share experiences, knowledge, and business. But it’s more than that; it’s a chance to see each other, shake hands, and remind ourselves that behind the faces we see in video conferences, there are real people. It’s a fantastic occasion to learn that someone’s young daughter dreams of becoming an astronaut, someone’s mother is recovering, or that despite the years, some still play sports with their childhood friends.

This event required months of work—not just in logistics like finding places to stay, eat, meet, and record the event for marketing and communication purposes—but also the human aspect. As always, the human aspect was a collaborative effort and one of mutual commitment.

As any business professional knows, a three-day trip away from the office must offer a compelling reason to justify the expense and time investment. After brainstorming session topics, we focused on these options:

• Investing in the UK: A session where sector experts explored the legal options, advantages, and opportunities the UK offers for investment.
• International Commercial Arbitration: A popular dispute resolution method that offers advantages over traditional litigation, including efficiency, confidentiality, and potential cost savings.
• Artificial Intelligence in the Legal World: We explored how AI is transforming law firms, including the types of legal tasks AI can automate, new roles emerging in the industry, and the training needed for legal professionals to adapt to this evolving landscape.
• Law on Drones: This discussion covered regulatory challenges, airspace management, privacy concerns, and liability issues.
• The Art of Attending Conferences: We explored how to navigate the pre-conference phase, including finding key speakers and planning one’s agenda. We discussed networking tips, engaging in sessions, and gaining visibility.
• ESG and Compliance: The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) extends the sustainability reporting obligation to many European companies and their non-EU-based parent companies. Sustainability information will now become an integral part of their external reports.

Six topics were condensed into two sessions, with lawyers and consultants from all over the world, reminding us that the legal field is exceptionally local. Coordinating and aligning perspectives from various regions involves an effort of empathy as well as collaboration.

Fortunately—or perhaps because it was a uniquely instructive experience—my partner Pol Santacana managed this part while I handled more technical matters, such as maintaining the website and managing the recordings.

As I mentioned in the title, we’ve managed to make this international network more than just a list of names with signatures and countries beside them. Letizia B. , who handled hotels and logistics, found the perfect venues that helped us forget this was a marketing and business investment, strengthening bonds among old friends and bringing new members into the fold.

I wish I had more vocabulary to describe the energy felt when we’re all in the same meeting room. This is a business, and we don’t just sit in any room. Maybe something is lost in translation, but seeing Ira Cohen, Esquire, B.A., J.D., LL.M. and Carolina Vera Matiz chat or Matthew Epstein and his language counterparts Seamus Smyth , Michael Nelson, Aaron Solomon and Andrew Walker . Or perhaps I should mention those fortunate enough to have the Mediterranean Sea on their shores: Carlos Alonso Santamaria , Maria Venturini, Rapha?l Desmazières , Giovanni Galante, or Filipe Consciencia, showing that language is no barrier when we share traditions dating back to the Romans.

Regarding Hans, Kees, and Uwe, I have to say, two energetic Dutchmen and a German worth listening to with pen and paper in hand—his ideas are so interesting you don’t want to forget them.

I know I’m bound to miss someone in this journey down memory lane. Three days of little sleep, lots of work, and, for an introvert like me, intense social interaction, left me exhausted but undoubtedly satisfied with what we’re building. We hope to welcome new members next year to continue growing not only in revenue but, more importantly, in improving this little blue dot drifting through space.

Before wrapping up, I want to thank Guilia, a law student close to graduation, for sharing her perspective on the world and reminding us not to lose hope in new generations. They are prepared and ready to lead humanity to a better place.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the remarkable spouses of Seamus and Andrew, two warm-hearted individuals who exemplify the critical human element at the core of our organization.