CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Introducing the Distinguished Speakers and International Bar Leaders Panel for the 38th LAWASIA Conference 2025.
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS
His Excellency Lieutenant General Phạm Minh Chính
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
Born on 24th November 1960 at Amravati. Joined Bar on 16th March 1985. Worked with late Bar. Raja S. Bhonsale, former Advocate General and Judge of High Court, till 1987. Practiced independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, practiced mainly before Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.
Practiced in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. Was Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation and Amravati University. Appeared regularly for various autonomous bodies and Corporations like SICOM, DCVL etc. and various Municipal Councils in Vidarbha region.
Worked as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Nagpur Bench, from August 1992 to July 1993. Was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for Nagpur Bench on 17th January 2000. Was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court on 14th November 2003.
Became a permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on 12th November 2005. Presided over Benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat at Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji. Elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24th May 2019. Appointed as The Chief Justice of India on 14th May 2025.
In the last six years, was a part of around 700 Benches dealing with matters pertaining to variety of subjects including constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration law, electricity law, education matters, environmental law, etc.
Has authored around 300 judgments including Constitution Bench Judgements on various issues upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the fundamental rights, human rights and legal rights of citizens.
Attended various international conferences at Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), New York (U.S.A), Cardiff (U.K.) and Nairobi (Kenya).
Delivered lectures on various constitutional and environmental issues in various Universities and Organizations including Columbia University and Harvard University.
Due to retire on 23rd November 2025.
The Right Honourable Tun Tengku Maimun Binti Tuan Mat
The Right Honourable Tun was born in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on 2 July 1959; read law at the University of Malaya and graduated with honours in 1982. The Right Honourable Tun’s illustrious career began as a Legal Officer at the Southern Kelantan Development Board (“KESEDAR”) in 1982 and later in 1984, became a Legal Officer at the Municipal Council of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. She joined the Judicial and Legal Service in 1986 as an Assistant Parliamentary Draftsman, at the Drafting Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers, and subsequently served in numerous capacities such as a Magistrate at the Port Dickson Court, Federal Counsel at the Kuala Terengganu Legal Aid Bureau, Senior Assistant Registrar at the High Court at Seremban, Deputy Registrar at the High Court of Kuala Lumpur, Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Judge of Malaya, Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Justice, Judge of the Sessions Court at Kuala Lumpur, Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Justice, as well as the Registrar of the High Court of Malaya, and subsequently, Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia.
The Right Honourable Tun’s final posting in the Judicial and Legal Service was as the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia from 2005 to 2006.
On 2 Oct 2006, The Right Honourable Tun was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner of the High Court of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur, and then elevated as a Judge of the High Court of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur on 5 Sept 2007. The Right Honourable Tun was next appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal on 8 Jan 2013; and then on 26 Nov 2018, The Right Honourable Tun was appointed as a Judge of the Federal Court.
Known to be highly progressive and independent, The Right Honourable Tun’s distinguished career culminated in her appointment as the Chief Justice of Malaysia on 2 May 2019. On 17 Aug 2020, The Right Honourable Tun was conferred the Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota award, which carries the title “Tun”.
The Right Honourable Tun has delivered many landmark decisions at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court during the course of her career, further enriching Malaysia’s legal jurisprudence.
Professor Raul Pangalangan
Raul
Pangalangan is a former Judge at the International Criminal Court at The Hague,
where he tried cases of war crimes involving child soldiers, forced marriages
and attacks by religious police against cultural heritage.
He
is a Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (The Hague) and has been
elected to the Institut de Droit International. He is also Co-Chair of the
Editorial Board of the Asian Journal of International Law and Editor-in-Chief
of the Philippine Yearbook of International Law.
He
is currently Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of the Philippines
where he had earlier served as Law Dean.
In
2024, he was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
in Washington, D.C. In 2023, he chaired the ILO Commission of Inquiry on
Myanmar. In 2022, he was a Senior Fellow at the Kolleg-Forschungsgruppe (The
International Rule of Law - Rise or Decline?) in Berlin.He received his LL.M.
and S.J.D. from the Harvard Law School. He holds the Diploma of The Hague
Academy of International Law.
INTERNATIONAL BAR LEADERS PANEL
The conference will feature a panel discussion involving the leaders of international lawyer associations from across the world. The discussion will focus upon the role and influence of bar associations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Gordon Hughes AM
AUSTRALIA
Dr Gordon Hughes AM, a leading international expert on IT and Data Protection Law, became a LAWASIA member in 1988. His considerable service to the legal profession is documented through election to the roles of president of the Victorian Society for Computers and Law (1991-1994), president of the Law Institute of Victoria (1992-1993), and president of Australia’s peak body, the Law Council of Australia from 1999 to 2000.
After serving as an Executive Committee member and vice-president he became LAWASIA president in 2001 and played a fundamental role in increasing its profile in all areas. He worked actively throughout the region during his presidency, earning the respect and admiration of many for his dedication to positioning LAWASIA as an invaluable resource for all lawyers with an interest in the international legal community.
He was appointed a Distinguished Member of Council in 2005 and in 2007 he was made an honorary Life Member of LAWASIA in recognition of his significant and continued support. Subsequent to his presidency, he chaired the LAWASIA Business Law Section and in 2021 he assumed the role of LAWASIA Secretary-General on a part-time basis.
In 2017, Dr Hughes was awarded an Order of Australia “for significant service to the law, to professional organisations and to international affairs and legal practice in the Asia-Pacific region”.
Steven Thiru
Steven Thiru is the Managing Partner of Messrs Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is a senior litigation lawyer and has been in practice for 27 years. His main areas of practice are General Litigation, Constitutional & Administrative Law, Corporate Law, Employment Law, Energy Law, and Native Title Law.
Steven read law at the University of Leicester and graduated (LL.B (Hons)) in 1990. He was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales at Middle Temple in 1991, and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1992. Steven also holds a Masters in Law (LL.M) degree from University of Malaya (2000).
Steven was recognized as a highly recommended lawyer by the legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and as a market-leading lawyer (Labour and Employment Law) by the Asialaw 2017. He was ranked for "Dispute Resolution" by the Chambers Asia Pacific 2018 and recognized that he "draws admiration from the market sources as a "well respected advocate". He specially handles administrative and employment cases, and has also recently been the Malaysian Bar Council President. Steven was also ranked by the Chambers Asia Pacific 2018 for Employment and Industrial Relations and it was noted that he is "renowned among market sources, who declare that he "has all the qualities of an excellent advocate". He is highly experienced in relation to employment litigation, often acting for GLCs and international clients". He was recently categorised as a "Leading Individual for Dispute Resolution" by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019 and as a "Distinguished Practitioner" by the Asialaw 2020.
Steven was the 21st President of the Malaysian Bar from 2015 to 2017. He is currently the Vice President (Australasia) of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Vice President of LAWASIA, the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific.
Carlo Mastellone
I am a lawyer (“avvocato”) with dual nationality (British and Italian) and over 35 years of experience, admitted to represent clients before the Italian Supreme Court and an accredited mediator, resident in Florence (Italy) where I run a boutique law firm with a strong international focus, providing consultancy, advice and assistance in the areas of Business, Company and Commercial Law, Contract Law, Real Estate, Compliance, International Business And Trade Law, Construction Law and Dispute Resolution Services (www.studiomastellone.it).
I am an accredited professional mediator for civil and commercial disputes in Italy since the year 2007 and I have mediated over 400 cases.I am President of the UIA - the International Association of lawyers (www.uianet.org) 2024-2025.
As part of the current strategy of the UIA which is a stronghold of my Presidency, in addition to pursuing our core mission of standing for the Rule of law and the Independence of the legal profession , the UIA is pursuing actions and initiatives in the areas of Sustainability (“A Sustainability-Minded Legal Profession?”), Dispute Prevention and Resolution (“Adapting our Mindset to play a new conflict preventers and resolvers role”), Immigration (preparing a new set of Principles to uphold the Basic Principles on the treatment and status of migrants - all migrants, not only asylum seekers and refugees), and Artificial Intelligence, and supporting the action of four special committees (LGBTQ+, Women Lawyers, NextGen , Well-being and mental health).
Most recent book:
Co-editor (with Prof. Fabrizio Marrella), International Trade Contracts and Sustainability, Pacini Giuridica 2024 – ISBN 978-88-3379-723-6 and author of the chapter: “Sustainability and international business contracts: from soft law to hard law and the centrality of due diligence”.
Priti Suri
Priti is the founder and managing partner of PSA, a business law firm in New Delhi. She is the current President-Elect of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association.
Priti is a seasoned lawyer with 39 years’ experience spread across three continents. She represents the firm’s international and domestic clients in the full range of cross-border M&A transactions, strategic investments, and joint ventures. She works closely with senior management of the firm’s clients and counsels public and private companies on a wide range of operational matters. A business lawyer, known for her pragmatic ability to get the deal done, her industry experience covers clients operating in many different sectors, including aerospace, automotive, chemicals, defense, energy, infrastructure, media, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, telecom and technology.
Jaime Carey
President of the International Bar Association (IBA) 1 January – 31 December 2025 and Carey's Senior Partner and co-head of the firm's Tax Group. His practice focuses on personal and corporate tax planning, local and international tax consulting, project financing, mergers and acquisitions and foreign investment transactions.
Thierry Wickers
Thierry Wickers has been practising as a lawyer since 1978. Between 1990 and 1998, he was a member and then secretary of the Bordeaux Bar Council. Elected President of the Bordeaux Court of Appeal Bar Council in 2000-2001, he then chaired the Conférence des Bâtonniers in 2004-2005 and the Conseil National des Barreaux (CNB) from 2009 to 2011. He is one of the three authors of Règles de la profession d'avocat, which is, in France, the reference book on the organisation and deontology of the legal profession. He started his cooperation with the CCBE in 2012, first as a member of the French delegation and two years later as head of delegation. He chaired the CCBE Committee on the Future of the Legal Profession and Legal Services between 2016 and 2022 and also worked as an expert in the Brexit, CCBE Statutes Review and Quality committees and working groups.
Following his election at the Plenary Session of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) on 21 November 2024, Thierry Wickers officially assumed the position of CCBE President on 1 January 2025.
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