International Bar Association: Global Insight podcast

IBA Global Insight

IBA Global Insight's podcast series covers a variety of themes in law, business and human rights, and features high-level speakers.

The content within IBA Global Insight podcasts does not represent the views of the International Bar Association.

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20 episodes
Updated July 17

Episodes20

Newest first

July 17 · 12 min
China’s clean energy journey: challenges, opportunities and global impact
China’s latest five-year plan reaffirmed support for the country’s clean energy transition, following its pledge to reduce economy-wide net greenhouse-gas emissions in absolute terms, by seven to ten per cent from peak levels by 2035. While China remains the world’s largest annual greenhouse-gas emitter, its stated policy direction contrasts sharply with that of the US – the world’s second-largest annual emitter – where President Donald Trump has sought to expand oil and gas production and rolled back green initiatives as part of an effort to ‘unleash’ American energy. In this podcast, our speakers consider the challenges and opportunities facing China, as well as the implications for other parts of the world, particularly India and Africa. With: Yuhua Yang, partner at Thornhill Legal, London – a China-centric international practice Christoph Nedopil Wang of the Griffith Asia Institute, Brisbane – a research institute focusing on new opportunities and major challenges in Asia and the Pacific Avirup Nag, partner in the M&A and Energy & Infrastructure Team, Saraf & Partners, New Delhi Image: Molten salt tower solar thermal power station in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, China 泰豪顾/Adobe Stock This podcast contains a clip from a Southern Finance Omnimedia Corporation interview with Selwin Hart, Special Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Action at United Nations, available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=idTZYWXJmHA
June 29 · 17 min
Brexit: ten years on
Ten years ago, the UK voted to leave the EU, leading to a sustained period of upheaval and uncertainty. A decade on, Brexit continues to affect everything from defence and security to the economy, tech, AI and the rule of law. This Global Insight podcast assesses the UK's relationship with the EU, which the UK government has recently sought to ‘reset’. With: Benjamin Martill, Associate Fellow in the ‘UK in the World’ Programme at think-tank Chatham House; Sarah Andrew, Legal and Campaign Director, Avaaz; Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU Law at the University of Cambridge, and Kerstin Mathias, Director, International Affairs at trade association UK Finance.
June 19 · 14 min
The President and the DOJ: American justice under threat
The independence of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) from political interference is central to the rule of law in America. Critics argue that, during President Trump’s second term, this principle has come under pressure on several fronts, including allegations that the President has pressed the department to pursue cases against his opponents for personal or political reasons. Concerns have also been raised about conflicts of interest and the leadership of the DOJ: former Attorney General Pam Bondi was a close ally of President Trump who served on his first impeachment defence team, while current Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche previously represented Trump in several criminal cases. Bondi was removed from the role in April, reportedly amid controversy over her handling of the Epstein files and frustration within the administration over the pace of politically sensitive prosecutions. While there are concerns, court rulings and institutional pushback suggest that the wider US justice system continues to provide some counterbalance. This IBA Global Insight podcast features: Gene Rossi, former federal prosecutor; shareholder, Carlton Fields, Washington DC Richard Painter, Associate Counsel to the President and Chief White House Ethics Lawyer under President George W Bush; Professor of Corporate Law, University of Minnesota Glenn Kirschner, former DOJ prosecutor with 30 years of trial experience, Washington DC Image: US Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche depart following a closed-door briefing for members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein investigation and compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, 18 March 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
May 14 · 9 min
US, Russia and sanctions
The US government’s decision to issue waivers for sanctions on Russian oil in March has proven highly controversial and at odds with the position of the EU and the UK for example, who have insisted that despite the global economic situation it is crucial to maintain pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine via sanctions. This IBA Global Insight podcast explores the issues.
May 12 · 14 min
Chile Eboe Osuji: a life in law
Chile Eboe Osuji has for 30 years stood at the forefront of international law and justice. He has served as a judge of the International Criminal Court as well as prosecution counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and on the Special Court for Sierra Leone, among other notable positions, during that time. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986, he now sits as a judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice. He is a published author, with his latest book The End of Immunity exploring the history and concept of immunity from foreign prosecution for heads of state. In this IBA Global Insight podcast he discusses his experiences, counters criticisms of the mechanics of the international legal system and explains the importance of peace as an 'actionable right'.
April 30 · 13 min
Rule of law under pressure
From sustained attacks on the judiciary to a crisis in legal aid and the administration of justice, the rule of law is under significant pressure in the UK. It has therefore never been more important to protect and strengthen it, says a recent report entitled ‘Rule of law: holding the line between anarchy and tyranny’, from the House of Lords Constitution Committee. This Global Insight podcast hears from three members of the Committee about why the rule of law matters. With: Lord Strathclyde, Chair, House of Lords Constitution Committee Lady Laing, Member of Parliament 1997–2024 Lord Anderson, Barrister, former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation
March 18 · 12 min
Attorney General: ‘We’re not going to stop talking about the rule of law’
In this Global Insight podcast, Lord Richard Hermer KC, the Attorney General for England and Wales, discusses the essential role of international law in a world of rising geopolitical tensions, the future of the ECHR and the criminal justice system, and the drive to educate young people and the wider public about the rule of law.
February 5 · 13 min
Trump v the BBC
Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over an edit of a speech he made on 6 Jan 2021 has raised legal and ethical questions, and has brought a focus on the potentially chilling effects on freedom of speech. Considering the issues in this Global Insight podcast are: Nick Pollard, former Head of Sky News; former Chairman, UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) Content Committee Gill Phillips, former Director of Legal Services, The Guardian; member, Centre for Investigative Journalism Board of Trustees Mark Stephens, media and defamation lawyer, Howard Kennedy; Co-Chair, IBA's Human Rights Institute Alan Rusbridger, former Editor, The Guardian
January 13 · 14 min
Presidential ethics in the Trump era
While US President Donald Trump and his administration’s foreign policy creates debate over international law and conduct, his unorthodox behaviour both domestically and internationally has also received criticism in terms of disregard for ethics and for presidential norms. From profiting from crypto investments while being responsible for the rules governing the sector, to seeking to use his power to punish political enemies, the scale and conspicuousness of Trump’s activities has repeatedly fallen outside the boundaries of what would normally be considered acceptable conduct in Washington. Further, some place a spotlight on the ‘presidential exemptions’ of which Trump has sought to take advantage. President Trump, his administration and family members have denied any conflicts of interest or wrongdoing in terms of ethics, including regarding the cryptocurrency sector, gifts from foreign states and perceived promotion of specific companies. Discussing the issues in this Global Insight podcast: Richard Painter, Associate Counsel to the President and chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W Bush Kedric Payne, Campaign Legal Center, Washington, DC and former Deputy Chief Counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics Jonathan Katz, Governance Studies Fellow, Brookings; Co-Editor, 2025 Democracy Playbook
Dec 17, 2025 · 15 min
AI’s blind spot
As AI increasingly becomes ingrained in many aspects of everyday life, there’s a danger that important safeguards and risks are sidelined. In this Global Insight podcast, IBA Multimedia Journalist Alice Johnson speaks to leading international human rights lawyer and technology law specialist, Susie Alegre, about human rights concerns, regulations and why AI can’t solve all the problems of the criminal justice system.
Sep 24, 2025 · 14 min
The Trump administration and the international community
The approach to international institutions, cooperation and development from the current US administration has significant implications for areas such as soft power and global justice. The speakers discussing the issues in this Global Insight podcast, taken from an IBA webinar earlier this year, include those with senior experience in previous US administrations. With: Beth Van Schaack, Senior Fellow, Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Stanford; former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice; John Bellinger, Co-Chair, Global Law and Public Policy Group, Arnold & Porter, Washington, DC; former Legal Adviser to the US Department of State and Senior Associate Counsel to President George W Bush; and Mark Ellis, Executive Director, IBA Alberto Mora, Former Senior Fellow, Harvard Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights, former General Counsel, US Navy
Aug 18, 2025 · 12 min
BRICS' golden opportunity
Today’s economic and political climate presents the BRICS countries with a number of challenges and opportunities – from internal cooperation, to BRICS Pay, to navigating relations with the US. Considering the issues in this Global Insight podcast are: Michael Diaz, Global Managing Partner, Diaz Reus; Mihaela Papa, Director of Research leading the BRICS Lab, MIT Centre for International Studies; and Hans-Dieter Holtzmann, Project Director for Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
Jul 25, 2025 · 11 min
'Not for the courts'? Al Haq, the arms trade, international law and judicial scope
After over 20 weeks of hearings, the High Court in London recently ruled that the UK government acted lawfully in continuing to supply F-35 jet parts to Israel through a global pool. While acknowledging the parts could be used in ways that breach international humanitarian law, the judges said the issue is one for the executive, ‘not for the courts’. The case, brought by Palestinian NGO Al-Haq, challenged the UK’s decision to exempt the parts when it suspended 30 arms export licences to Israel in September. Though dismissed, the case has spotlighted UK arms exports and the government's assessment of Israel’s actions in Gaza. In this Global Insight podcast, IBA Multimedia Journalist Alice Johnson speaks to Jennine Walker, senior lawyer at Global Legal Action Network and part of the team who represented Al-Haq in the case, and Sara Elizabeth Dill, an international human rights lawyer and officer of the IBA’s War Crimes Committee. Additional comment comes from David Lammy MP, UK Foreign Secretary, at a Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.
Jul 10, 2025 · 11 min
The evolving legal landscape of digital assets
Digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs emerged as disruptors, designed to challenge traditional financial systems and sidestep conventional regulation. But, as these technologies have developed, so too have legal frameworks. At the end of 2024, MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) entered into force in the EU, and the US House of Representatives is set to consider three crypto-related bills in summer 2025, including the GENIUS Act, which seeks to establish the first comprehensive federal framework for the issuance, regulation and oversight of payment stablecoins in the United States. In this Global Insight podcast, four experts — who spoke at the IBA’s Annual Conference in Mexico — explore the effect regulation can have on digital assets: Luis Urrutia, Deputy General Counsel, International Monetary Fund; Lee Pascoe, Special Counsel, Norton Rose Fulbright; Drew Hinkes, digital assets partner at Winston & Strawn; Jon Frost, Head of Innovation and the Digital Economy unit at the Bank for International Settlement;
Jun 10, 2025 · 12 min
Protecting democracy
From enormous political donations and influence on US government policy to dominance in shaping narratives on social media, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has been the most prominent of a number of billionaires and companies impacting the course of democracy and the rule of law. In this podcast, Mark Stephens CBE, Co-Chair of the IBA’s Human Rights Institute, George Havenhand, Senior Legal Researcher at Spotlight on Corruption, and Courtney Radsch, Director at the Centre for Journalism and Liberty, discuss the issues and what needs to be done to safeguard against undue influence.
May 21, 2025 · 12 min
Rules and registers: reckoning with beneficial ownership
Laws around beneficial ownership – identifying the ultimate owners of corporate entities - are intended to be a tool to provide transparency and to combat corruption, terrorist financing and other human rights abuses. However, such legislation and related proposals have been criticised by some as disproportionate and sometimes contradictory to other rights. Meanwhile, legal professionals must increasingly navigate growing due diligence and reporting requirements and regulatory scrutiny in this area. In this podcast, compiled from a session at the IBA’s Annual Conference, our speakers consider the issues: Mark Stephens, Co-Chair, IBA Human Rights Institute; Babatunde Ajibade, Chair, IBA Section on Public and Professional Interest; and Greg McIntyre, former President, Law Council of Australia.
Apr 14, 2025 · 12 min
The Trump effect
Radical changes in US policy under the presidency of Donald Trump, from foreign aid to global trade and beyond, are having a profound impact on the rest of the world. This Global Insight podcast explores the implications for the rule of law, international relations and global security. With: Mary O’Connell, Robert and Marion Short Professor of Law, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame, Indiana Heela Rasool-Ayub, Director, Planetary Politics initiative, New America think tank Kim Lane Scheppele, Laurance S Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Princeton University, New Jersey Ken Murphy, Immediate Past Chair, IBA Bar Issues Commission; former Director General, Law Society of Ireland
Apr 9, 2025 · 11 min
Afghanistan: confronting gender apartheid
Afghanistan: confronting gender apartheid The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the sudden withdrawal of Western forces, implementing an interpretation of strict Sharia law that has especially affected women and girls. Since then, international relations have worsened. In early 2025, the ICC sought arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender-based persecution, prompting Afghanistan to withdraw from the court, condemning the action as baseless and politically motivated. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to bring a case to the International Court of Justice over alleged violations of a UN anti-discrimination treaty. A Taliban spokesperson has stated that the Taliban respect women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs. In this Global Insight podcast, our speakers consider the situation in Afghanistan, described by some as ‘gender apartheid’. With: Fawzia Amini, former Afghan Supreme Court judge, now in the UK Tamana Paryani, Afghan women’s rights activist based in Germany Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan
Mar 14, 2025 · 11 min
Climate finance
The need for financial assistance for developing nations to address the effects of the climate crisis and to transition to low-carbon economies continues to grow. But the specifics on how much and how to implement this have been the subject of intense negotiation. At the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), what’s known as the New Collective Quantified Goal was agreed on after negotiators agreed to raise $300 billion a year in climate finance – triple the original $100 billion target – by 2035. However, this figure doesn’t account for inflation, and some feel it still falls short of what is needed to tackle the severity of the crisis. Podcast speakers: David Waskow, Director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute, Washington, DC Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, New Delhi Emily Morison, Project Lawyer, IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit
Jan 13, 2025 · 15 min
Navigating AI regulation: EU focus
The EU’s AI Act came into force in 2024 and will regulate Artificial Intelligence systems in the European Union based on which ‘risk category’ they fit into. Its provisions will mostly become applicable over the next two years. The Act is far from the only piece of legislation or agreement covering AI in the EU, with others including the updated Product Liability Directive, a proposed AI Liability Directive and the Council of Europe Framework on Artificial Intelligence. In this Global Insight podcast, we consider the significance of the developments with: Marc Rotenberg, President of the Center for AI and Digital Policy and Chair of the IBA’s AI Task Force Susie Alegre, human rights barrister and author on the impact of AI on human rights Ed Turtle, a senior lawyer on the Products Team at Cooley, focusing on tech and AI products; also an officer on the IBA Product Law and Advertising Committee