With a historic gathering of more than 5,500 lawyers and legal leaders from 130 jurisdictions, Jaime Carey, senior partner at Carey and the first Chilean to preside over the International Bar Association (IBA), led the opening ceremony of the IBA Annual Conference 2025 in Toronto, marking a turning point in the global conversation about the future of the legal profession.
In her inaugural address, Carey called on lawyers to embrace a new legal ethic based on courage, independence, and public trust: “We are custodians of institutions, guardians of rights, and mediators between power and the people. Justice remains what sustains societies.”
The IBA president warned that the law is undergoing a profound redefinition: “In a multipolar world, legal norms are being questioned. Our duty is not to observe change, but to lead it.”
The Toronto conference program, designed as an intergenerational, diverse and technologically innovative meeting space, addressed the most urgent issues of the contemporary legal landscape: ethical regulation of artificial intelligence, litigation related to climate change, disinformation, sustainability, transnational corruption and the future of young legal leadership.
Carey emphasized that the IBA is actively working on guidelines and forums for the ethical and transparent use of artificial intelligence, promoting technology that strengthens justice rather than weakening it. She also reaffirmed her commitment to a more pluralistic and representative profession.“The legitimacy of the legal profession depends on reflecting the diversity of the societies we serve. Inclusion is not an aspiration, it is an ethical obligation.”
The event featured international figures such as pilot Jeff Skyles, a symbol of leadership under pressure, who became world-renowned as the co-pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, which landed in the Hudson River after the plane lost both engines, without any fatalities. It also included landmark activities such as the Global Women Litigators Breakfast, reinforcing the organization's agenda on gender equality and women's leadership.
Since his appointment, Jaime Carey has emphasized that the IBA must be an independent voice in defense of the rule of law and human rights, as well as a platform that unites historically underrepresented regions, especially Latin America, Africa and Asia.
“The rule of law is non-negotiable. The IBA’s mission is to support lawyers and institutions when they are threatened and to keep alive an independent voice for justice,” he stressed.
With this vision, Carey seeks to consolidate a more open, connected and proactive IBA in the face of the challenges of the 21st century, reinforcing the role of the lawyer as a bridge between law, business and society.
