FIRST ISSUES

No matter what achievements we attain and open ways to succeed and reach what we dreamt of, we should not overlook who was the reason for our success; who supported us and held our hand to continue on our journey to success and progress. No matter how we express our gratitude to them, the words remain short. In fact, nothing is poorer than a person who isn’t thankful to others. My career life was not an easy journey, nor my path was filled with flowers. It was full of thorns, and I had faced many obstacles, difficulties and impediments. Many others fought against me without a mistake on my part. They closed all doors before my face without a convincing reason. Others claimed my efforts and initiatives for their own in a cheap attitude, while others sought to discredit me and backstab me falsely.

The destiny has chosen me to be professionally trained and taught by the first female lawyer in Kuwait, the general advisor to Ahli Untied Bank, the late, Suad Al Jassem, May Allah rest her soul in the paradise. She was an extraordinary woman who has a deep knowledge in the law and ethics. Has was having a special charisma which mixed between strength and kindness; severeness and flexibility; seriousness and joking. She had a very lovely smile. So, I am proud to be under her leadership for 8 years, during which I have learned a lot from her. Suad Al Jassem graduated from Kuwait University. At the outset of her career, she had worked at Al-Essa and Al-Bader Law Firm. She specialized in personal status lawsuits and her fellow male lawyers, who were very happy for her existence among them, provided considerable support to her. Therefore, she become the only woman who pleads before Kuwaiti courts at that time.

Christiane Féral-Schuhl has been in practice for more than 30 years in the fields of computer law, new technology law, data privacy law and intellectual property law, in which she is a renowned player. In addition, she is a mediator, arbitrator and cyber arbitrator, notably at the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation). Former president of the Paris Bar, Christiane Féral-Schuhl is now President of the French National Bar Council, the first woman to be elected to the head of the organisation which represents all 68,000 French lawyers. Within the priorities of her mandate, there is notably supporting lawyers in the digital revolution and the defence of equality in the profession and women’s rights.

My name is Christina Blacklaws and I am the Immediate Past President of the Law Society of England and Wales. I have had a long and interesting career in law with three driving forces shaping all that I have done: innovation, access to justice and gender equality. I originally specialised in representing some of the most vulnerable and deprived children in our society. I was managing partner of a community-based law firm which did a lot of legal aid work. In the mid-2000s I set up my own law firm which I grew to be the largest specialist family law firm in the country

1- Tell us about yourself. I am partner of the German Independent law firm In German and foreign clients in all fields of law. My field is that of arbitration and litigation. I am regularly acting as arbitrator and counsel in national and international arbitration proceedings and give advice in complex disputes. 2- what do you do at CEAC? I am vice president of the Chinese European Arbitration Association (CEAA) which is the sole shareholder of the Chinese European Arbitration Center (CEAC) and which helps to promote CEAC.

Hong Kong is one of the major centers of international arbitration. Surveys conducted by White & Case and Queen Mary University has demonstrated that Hong Kong continues to be top-five choices of the seat of arbitration.[1] Behind the success of Hong Kong, there are several advantages which support the vigorous development of its arbitration services.