Prepared on the general annual meeting of ILF – International Law Firms (a.s.b.l.) (reg. seat: 3 Rue Montée de Clausen, 1343 Luxembourg, Luxembourg) held at the Indiana Room – Level 4, Raffles City Convention Center (South Tower), Singapore, during the “Annual ILF Conference Singapore” event.
Date: 18th October 2025 09-18:00h (local time)
Attendance
The following members and representatives attended 2025 ILF Annual Conference:
- Tony Maalouli from ProConsult Advocates & Legal Consultants (Dubai, UAE)
- Alexandra Bessone-Cardoso from ABC Legal (Lisbon, Portugal)
- Richard Schmidt from SMARTLEGAL Schmidt & Partners (Budapest, Hungary)
- Rick Hein from Hein Law Firm (St. Louis, MO, USA)
- Rupert Croft and Lisa Croft from Croft Solicitors (London, United Kingdom)
- Chong Kuan Keon from Chong Chia and Lim LLC (Singapore, Singapore)
- Bhushan Shah from Mansukhlal Hiralal & Co (Mumbai, India)
- Yinka Agidee from The Rock and Partners (Lagos, Nigeria)
- James Peng and Ada Wang from PW&Partners (Guangzhou, China)
- Salomon Esquenazi from Salomon B. Esquenazi, P.A. (Miami, USA)
- Kartika Mirda from Kartika Hermawan & Partners (Jakarta, Indonesia)
- Assaf Kriel from AK & Co. – Advocates and Legal Consultants (Tel Aviv, Israel)
Virtual Attendees
- William Shawn from ShawnCoulson, LLP (Washington DC, USA)
- Alejandro Bettoni (Virtual) from Asejur (San Jose, Costa Rica)
- Christiana Theophilou from A.Chr. Theophilou LLC (Limassol, Cyprus)
Summary:
The conference started with Chairman Tony Maalouli welcoming everyone to the conference. This is then followed by member introductions highlighting the diverse expertise within the group, with each participant sharing insights about their firms and areas of practice. Alejandro provided a financial report detailing the ILF’s status, noting total assets and income while addressing outstanding dues from several members. He urged prompt payment to ensure the organization’s financial health. Assaf Kriel presented on AK Law Firm’s innovative approach to legal services, inviting further discussions on potential collaborations. Several members followed suit with their respective presentations. All the delegates with their respective representative presented their ideas on how to Expand the ILF Network and Increase Collaboration. Tony Maalouli concluded the conference with a revision in the list of Board Members and a decision on the 2026 ILF Conference location.
Session 1: 9:00 – 10:30
Opening Remarks
Chairman Tony Maalouli welcomed attendees and thanked host KK Chong and his team. He presented updates on ILF’s operational and financial status, including hiring an accountant under Treasurer Alejandro Bettoni’s supervision. The network has grown with new members from Israel and Turkey. Applications from Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, and Spain were discussed.
Mich Domingo was commended for her administrative support and proactive outreach to law firms in unrepresented jurisdictions. Website improvements and content contributions were acknowledged, especially from Richard Schmidt.
KK Chong welcomed members to Singapore and shared insights on global economic challenges and Singapore’s evolving legal landscape.
Member Introductions
Each attending member introduced themselves and their respective law firms, sharing insights into their practice areas, experiences with ILF, and their expectations from the conference. Notable introductions included:
- Kartika Mirda from Indonesia, highlighting long-term membership and international client engagement.
- Ada Wang and James Peng from China, emphasizing their commercial law practice and multinational clientele.
- Salomon Esquenazi from Miami, USA, with a focus on tax and corporate law.
- Rupert Croft from the UK, specializing in commercial dispute resolution.
- Rick Hein from Missouri, USA, focusing on litigation and immigration.
- KK Chong from Singapore, detailing his firm’s expertise in dispute resolution.
- Richard Schmidt from Hungary, discussing arbitration and commercial law.
- Alexandra Bessone Cardoso from Portugal, advocating for transparency and collaboration among ILF members.
- Yinka Agidee from Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration.
- William H Shawn from Washington DC, USA, highlighting his firm’s international litigation and M&A practice.
- Alejandro Bettoni from Costa Rica, presenting as ILF Treasurer.
- Assaf Kriel from Israel, introducing AK Law Firm and its innovative legal service model.
Financial Report
Treasurer Alejandro Bettoni presented the financial report for the fiscal year up to September 30, 2025. Key highlights included:
- Total assets: $94,000 (including $74,000 in bank accounts and $20,000 in accounts receivable)
- Income: $30,000 (with $11,500 pending as accounts receivable)
- Expenses: $12,000 (covering conference activities, virtual assistant services, technology, and accounting fees)
- Net income: $18,000
Members were reminded to properly identify payments and settle outstanding dues. Four to five members were noted to be in arrears.
Resolutions Passed
1. Approval of Financial Statements: The financial report presented by Treasurer Alejandro Bettoni was unanimously approved by all attending members.
2. Membership Approval: The application of Mr. Assaf Kriel from AK Law Firm, Israel, was unanimously accepted, officially welcoming him as a new ILF member.
Closing Notes
The session concluded with a coffee break. Members expressed appreciation for the well-organized conference and reiterated the importance of transparency, collaboration, and proactive engagement in expanding the ILF network.
Session 2: 11:00 – 12:30
Presentations and Debate:
- The Arbitration Scene in Singapore by KK Chong
- The Lingua Franca of International Arbitration – 40 Years of UNCITRAL Model Law by Richard Schmidt
- The UK Arbitration Act 2025: What Changed? by Rupert Croft
- Arbitration in the United States by William Shawn
Session 3: 14:00 – 14:40
Presentations:
Plenary Session: 14:40 – 15:30
An open-format discussion was held on expanding the ILF network and increasing collaboration.
Key Themes & Discussions
- Expanding the ILF Network: Members emphasized the need to grow the ILF membership base by returning to foundational strategies such as regional committees identifying gaps and proactively recruiting new members by providing 3 new referrals per member
- Virtual Engagement: Suggestions included hosting more frequent, short virtual meetings by region or practice area to foster collaboration and maintain engagement.
- Transparency & Collaboration: Members advocated for increased transparency in fee structures and practice areas to facilitate referrals and build trust.
- Referral Tracking System: A proposal was made to implement a system for tracking referrals within ILF to showcase the value of membership and encourage participation.
- Website & Digital Presence: Enhancements to the ILF website were discussed, including adding detailed member profiles and leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook for visibility.
Proposals & Suggestions
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Introduced as a new strategy to improve ILF’s online visibility through AI-driven search platforms.
- Standardized Invitation Templates: A template for inviting new members was proposed to streamline outreach efforts.
- Special Interest WhatsApp Groups: Creation of topic- or region-specific groups (e.g., Arbitration/ADR) to facilitate focused discussions.
Resolutions Passed
3. Bylaws Revision Committee Formation: To form a committee consisting of Tony Maalouli, Richard Schmidt, Rupert Croft, Bhushan Shah, Rick Hein, and Salomon Esquenazi. The committee will be entrusted the task of revising the ILF bylaws and proposing a new draft. Communicating it to all the ILF members until they have a final draft which will be included in the agenda for the next ILF meeting. This was unanimously approved by all attending members
4. Membership Referral Incentive: Members who successfully refer a new member (who joins and pays the first-year fee) will be entitled to a one-year membership fee waiver or may transfer the benefit to the new member. This was passed by majority of the votes
Action Items
- Membership Committee Expansion: New members added: Rick Hein, Lisa Croft, Salomon Esquenazi, Ada Wang, and James Peng.
- Commitments from Members: Each member is encouraged to:
- Refer at least one new member
- Submit one article for the ILF website
- Share one success story
- Share info to update or improve Firm Profiles in the website
- WhatsApp Group Creation: A new group will be formed for the Membership Committee to coordinate recruitment efforts and share resources.
- Digital Content Sharing: Members are encouraged to post excerpts of their articles on LinkedIn and link back to the ILF website to increase traffic.
Closing Notes
Members expressed appreciation for the collaborative spirit and agreed to continue efforts to strengthen the ILF network.
The session concluded with a vote recognizing the best table suggestions and a coffee break.
SESSION 4
Resolutions Passed
5. Board Membership Adjustment: A resolution was passed to remove Anna Demsorean from the ILF Board of Directors. This action was taken based on her expressed personal wish not to join the board due to reluctance to submit personal identification documents required for registration in Luxembourg. The decision was not a sanction and was approved by unanimous vote.
Key Discussions & Decisions
· Board Composition: The minimum number of board members required is seven; ILF currently has fifteen. No new board members were added during this session. Some members expressed concerns about disclosure requirements for board membership.
· Next Conference Planning and Venue Selection: James Peng volunteered to host the next ILF Annual Conference in Guangzhou, China. The proposal was welcomed and approved by unanimous vote. The Guangzhou conference is expected to include visits to local mediation centers, enhancing regional legal collaboration.
Closing Remarks
The session concluded with expressions of gratitude to the host KK Chong and his team. Special thanks were extended to Mich Domingo for her support and coordination throughout the conference.
Links: