What are Introduction to International Family Law meetings, Symposia and Regional meetings?
Posted: 14 Nov 2025 by
One of the many things that we think about is how to bring new fellows on board and how to look after our new(ish) fellows.
A decade ago this month we held our first 'Introduction to International Family Law' in Berlin. This was the brainchild of William Longrigg our former European and Global President and was a joint initiative of IAFL Global and our European Chapter. It was designed to attract new members/settle in fellows who had recently joined us. This first meeting was spearheaded by William Healing and me! It was my first proper IAFL 'job'! William and I project managed the first meeting in Berlin (and 3 others!) as there followed by subsequent meetings in Europe in Warsaw, Madrid, Milan, Ibiza, Bucharest, Thessaloniki, and, last month, Hamburg. An honourable mention to Kyiv which we flipped to Zoom as it was literally supposed to happen at the same time as Covid took hold of the world. We have also had Introduction to International Family Law meetings with the USA and Canadian Chapters in New York in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and with the Asia Pacific Chapter in Brisbane in 2024.
The format of these Introduction meetings has traditionally been to give the ability for anyone to fly
in on the morning of the conference. The education sessions start around 2pm and then in the evening welcome drinks and a dinner followed by a full day education on the second day, finishing around 4pm so that anyone who needs to catch a flight that day can do so. These meetings are as I have coined it 'cheap and cheerful'. They are not meant to be a substitute for our global and chapter meetings and do not follow the same programme. It is very much a short and sharp fly in and fly out. We have been supported by local fellows in the various jurisdictions which has helped us to either obtain free conference venues such as the law school of Aristotle University in Thessaloniki or the use of local bar association venues.
The 36/48 hours provide an opportunity for the individual Chapter executive committee to meet prospective and new fellows and to share the ethos of the IAFL with them.
Those attending are generally approaching 10 years qualified and are considering applying for fellowship and want to get more a 'feel' for the ethos of the Academy. All of the programmes aim to be informative and importantly enjoyable and provide networking opportunities for those attending.
Unlike the main meetings we do not take block bookings at hotels but offer suggestions for hotels within walking distance of the venues. In terms of what needs to be done by each Chapter to facilitate such a meeting:
1. the dates and venue need to be approved by the Global Executive Committee in line with the strategy for expansion of each Chapter;
2. the budget for the mini meeting needs to be approved by the Global Executive Committee (on the basis that all budgets need to break even); and
3. Judy Lane ICS , our events management team (or if the USA, the Chapter’s association management company), take care of all of the registrations.
Sponsorship is always welcome for these meetings.
These Introduction meetings are distinct from other standalone meetings that we hold from time to time, which may focus on a particular area of law - like the Surrogacy Symposium we held in 2015 - the first international meeting in the world on this topic. Or a particular part of the world, often where we are under or unrepresented, like the Symposia in Santiago, Bangkok, San Francisco, Sydney, Budapest, Moscow, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. We have also increasingly started to work with other organisations who share our values to hold joint meetings with their members, like the Brexit Symposium in 2017 that was held with the FLBA and Resolution, the Paris meeting in 2024, held with AIJA, and the Symposium in April earlier this year with the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA).
Current plans for an Introduction to International Family Law meeting are afoot on behalf of the USA Chapter in Philadelphia in January 2026, there will be a Regional meeting in Kuwait in March 2026, and we are working with the CLA to co-host a meeting in Rwanda in July 2026.
As someone who joined as a fellow in 2011, getting involved in preparing and taking part in these Introduction, Symposia and regional meetings has been a great way not only to meet other fellows in the Academy, but also to meet people in other jurisdictions and encourage younger members of the profession/those in parts of the world where we are under or unrepresented to join us as they are the lifeblood for the future of our organisation.
Suzanne Todd
