“This is the most international meeting we’ve had, in terms of speakers and moderators,” says David Stone of Simmons & Simmons (on the left in the picture), one of the two co-chairs of the Meeting Project Team (see table for the numbers). It is also the largest-ever Annual Meeting outside the U.S. The Exhibit Hall is larger than ever, and attendance is expected to be close to a record, with a notable increase in numbers from Europe and Asia and many first-time attendees.
Stone adds that Hong Kong itself is a big draw: “It is unlike any of the cities INTA has been in recently and is a very vibrant, exciting city.” His co-chair, Xuemin Chen of Zhongzi Law Office (on the right in the picture), adds: “Hong Kong is a perfect venue for the Annual Meeting. People there are extremely friendly and English is widely spoken. For first-time attendees, just be open, relaxed and enjoy the Meeting!”
The Project Team started working on the programming about three years ago, says Stone: “We had one more year than usual. With it being the first one in Asia, we wanted to have plenty of time.” Rather than a theme, the educational sessions this year include a Focus on Asia, Stone explains: “If you want to, you can do a full 13 hours of Asia-focused CLE sessions. Whenever there are concurrent sessions, one of them will be on Asia. That was a suggestion from the Programs Committee and has been a helpful guiding light for us.”
Stone says that, apart from the formal programming, he is looking forward to the closing reception at Hong Kong Disneyland Park, part of which will be available exclusively to Annual Meeting attendees: “I’m excited about going on all the rides and spending some time with Mickey and Minnie!”
Stone, who is based in London but travels frequently to Hong Kong, describes it as “an incredibly sophisticated city” and recommends walking around the city, shopping and trying out the “amazing” food. Chen adds his own tips: “The weather in May in Hong Kong could be very humid, so the air-conditioning in some indoor places may be very strong. It is advisable to bring a scarf or jacket with you.” He recommends taking the Star ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui to enjoy the view of Victoria Harbour and sampling some dim sum in a local restaurant. Two Chinese phrases he recommends are: “Ni Hao” (How are you?) for greeting people, and “Xie Xie” (thank you).
With many first-timers expected, both co-chairs encourage attendees to wear their badges, including first-time ribbon if relevant, and take the opportunity to introduce themselves to new people. “I hope that the Annual Meeting will come to Asia again at some point,” says Chen.
